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Lumia 520/530

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In terms of price/performance this one is completely off the charts.  This is simply the best value out there for 4" screen smartphones. At less then $100 unlocked ($39 locked with no contract from AT&T from Microsoft shop, free with contract) Nokia Lumia 520/530 wiped out all competitors in entry level smartphone segment. This is a incredibly low price, the price that is typical for good flip phone, not so much for advanced smartphone. 

It is number one in no contract phones on Amazon for a long time ( AT&T "Go phone"). Please note that Go phone is a complete rip off if you use Web a lot.

This phone is also more malware resistant then Android phones because most of malware is written for Android.  There is security in obscurity.

If you can't find Lumia 520 at those prices, Nokia Lumia 635 is similar 4.5" phone. It is $10 more expensive but is sold on the same terms.  Nokia Lumia 830 is 5" phone that can be bought for $45 with AT&T no contract  pland.

The device is small and easy to hold yet large enough to be useful 

There is no way you can get something even close to this Android phone for less that twice its price at microsoft store.  Looks like Nokia and Microsoft have knocked it out of the park with this phone. Sure there are better phones out there, but at this price there is nothing that can compete with  Nokia Lumia 520/530.

It is hard to believe that Apple charges $600 for a phone that just isn't significantly better then this one and is worse in certain finctions. No doubt to me that the hardware on the iPhone is slightly superior and screen is better, but I can buy a dosen or more Nokia 520/530 for the same money. Think about how much Apple overcharge customers!.

 In terms of ease of use the iPhone has nothing to boast in comparison with this one. The iPhone might have better app collection out there but it has been around awhile. and it's nice to be different in a world crowded with Samsung and Apple phones.

The Windows tiles look great compared to the very plain looking iPhone square icons. The installed phone apps such as Skype are all availble and are as useful as the pre-installed iPhone apps.

The offline feature of the Nokia maps are very cool.

Most of the time I am near a WiFi connection so the Nokia phone connects to WiFi and use only Wifi unless that is unavailable. You can also use WiFi calling on the phone. This can help on keeping your bill slightly down.

Navigation on the phone is super easy. WP8 is far superior to IOS in this area.

Going with all Windows certainly has an advantage. When connected to my Windows 7 computer, it recognized it right away and suggested the phone app to download. Windows 7 hooks up it painlessly.

Easily connected to most Blue Tooth headsets.

Skydrive is a plus, if you want or need it.

The phone backup utility is fantastic. Very snappy performance

It has a fantastic camera with a Carl Zeis lens it takes great pictures. The battery life is really good,

You can use it to listen to music in the car with Pandora app with no commercials. The GPS & the Nokia maps are great. Overall a great phone. Complains about lack of applications are mostly bogus.

Here is the list of Nokia Lumia 520 features:
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Old News ;-)

[Mar 29, 2015] Microsoft Store


AT&T - Nokia Lumia 520 - No Contract

★★★★★

★★★★★
4.1 out of 5 stars. Read reviews. (357)

$29.00

(was $59.00) save $30.00

Amazon.com Nokia Lumia 521 (T-Mobile) Cell Phones & Accessories

Carrie

Don't Let Inexpensive Fool You - This Phone is Packed With Features Including WiFi Calling & Tethering May 28, 2013

By TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE


I thought about waiting on the Lumia 925, but after reading how much the Lumina 521 has to offer, I decided that since I tend to change phones about every 2 years, it made more sense to go with the phone that was lighter on my wallet. After finding that my local WalMart had one phone left, I snagged it and haven't regretted my purchase one bit.

What I love about the phone:
1. WiFi calling (set up instructions below) - calls are clear, but calls don't hand off to cellular network if you step outside of your WiFi range
2. Tethering Capable (must add to your plan as a separate service, but no charge)
3. MicroSD slot (up to 64GB)
4. Camera is touch adjustable
5. Adjustable font size
6. Ability to have a high contrast screen (for those with poor eyesight or someone who wants a cool looking screen)
7. Transfer My Data App makes switching phones super easy - even transfers text messages
8. All of the Nokia app collection for free (drive, music, photobeamer, yousendit, etc).
9. Touchscreen is very responsive - sensitivity is adjustable
10. Visual voicemail (free, but have to enable your account)

The few negatives:

1. Camera isn't fancy, but is 5mp. Use fingers/touchscreen to zoom. There is not a flash, so indoor pics can be blurry.

2. Phone supposedly won't be able to access the LTE network if available in your area. I haven't confirmed this claim. The phone speed is fast enough for my needs, but I am not a gamer.

3. Plastic back. Does it matter? Most people use a cover anyway.

The OKs:

1. Screen is nice and easy to see indoors. Sunlight causes difficulties. I have not tried a non-glare screen protector.

2. Phone does not come with a headset

3. Phone does not come with a car charger

4. The ear sound can get tinny. I was use to upping the volume to hear. In this phone, I turn down the volume to get rid of the tinny sound. This is not noticeable when on speakerphone.

I really like this phone - it has all of the features I want at a fantastic price point. If you are buying a Windows phone (and you should), this phone is a no-brainer.

WiFi calling set-up: get wifi calling enabled on your t-mobile account (free set up), and make sure that you have a wifi enabled sim card (free at TMobile store). Then do a hard reset on the phone (not just a simple update). Reset is found at Settings - About - reset your phone. Once you do these steps, a WiFi calling button will appear on your home screen. Press it and choose your option (Wi-Fi Preferred, Cellular Preferred, Wi-Fi Only).

EMail/Social Media set-up: was a Breeze. I set up Hotmail, outlook, Gmail, roadrunner and a business email. Facebook and other social media is also very easy to set-up.

Font size & High contrast screen is at Settings - Ease of Access.

Tethering is at Settings - Internet sharing.

(This review is not intended to endorse a third party seller.)

SOFTWARE UPDATE (news release 8/16/13):
The Windows Phone Amber update--available for Nokia's Lumia 920, 820, 720, 620, 520, 928, 822, 521 and 810--includes Smart Camera, which promises users the tools to create higher-quality photos by taking a series of rapid-fire shots then editing the best elements of each image together, further bolstered by filters and effects.

Windows Phone Amber also touts Nokia Glance Screen, which adds a clock to the screen when the phone is inactive, alongside indicators that depict the battery level when the device is running on a low battery, charging or set to silent mode. "You can activate the Nokia Glance screen in the 'display and touch' section in Settings by swiping left to 'glance,'" said Nokia Conversations blog editor Ian Delaney. "Nokia Glance screen will be available for all WP8 Lumia devices except the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 625, which have a smaller display memory."

Following customer requests, Windows Phone Amber additionally resurrects features from older Nokia handsets. Users may now flip the phone over to mute incoming calls and double tap the screen as an alternative to the unlock key.

"The rollout starts now first for the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in selected countries as well as the Lumia 521, Lumia 810 and Lumia 928 in the U.S.," Delaney said. "Exact delivery timings will vary by region, phone and operator, but we expect the update to reach your Lumia 520, Lumia 620, Lumia 720, Lumia 820 or Lumia 920 by the end of September."

Amazon.com Nokia Lumia 520 GoPhone (AT&T)

The good: Nokia's Lumia 520 packs in a better camera and more software features than you might expect for its $99 off-contract price tag.

The bad: No LTE, no camera flash.

The bottom line: Nokia's Lumia 520 is one of the best bargain smartphones on any platform, but skip it if LTE is of paramount concern.

If you're all about value Nokia Lumia 520 is an amazing deal. This Windows Phone 8 device brings on solid performance and Nokia's signature apps for a bargain price.

Its biggest drawback -- besides the obvious step-down in screen and camera quality compared with the now-discontinued Lumia 810 and upcoming Lumia 925 flagship -- is that the 520 lacks LTE support. However, you won't be hobbled by 3G speeds; the 520 will still ride T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ network.

Most $100 smartphones give you exactly what you pay for, namely cheap, functional hardware that sometimes struggles with the OS demands. The Lumia 520 delivers an above-average experience that more than fits the price. Customers looking for a more complete package should look at Lumia 810 or hold out and save up for the Lumia 925, which will admittedly cost hundreds of dollars more.

Design and build
Matte white and square-faced, the polycarbonate Lumia 520 is smaller than its other Lumia brethren -- 4.7 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide -- but still typically thick at the standard 0.4-inch depth.

At 4.4 ounces, it feels sturdy and substantial, and the prominent curve of the back plate balloons out to fit comfortably in the hand. It slid into my back pocket just fine, though its curvy dimensions did cause it to protrude a bit.

Nokia Lumia 520
Nokia's Lumia 520 is the company's least expensive Windows phone yet.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
The contrast of black buttons and screen paired with the white backing and rim is striking. However, when it comes to looks, the 520's dull white color, thick black bezel, and faded display keep it in its budget place. Neither is it very bright at automatic settings. I needed to turn off automatic brightness and set the screen to medium strength to make my peepers happy.

Speaking of that screen, the 520 sports a 4-inch LCD WVGA display (800x480-pixel resolution) that lacks the glare-fighting ClearBlack filter and lustrous sheen of Nokia's high-end Lumia line. That's an expected trade-off for struggling to hit a lower cost. However, Nokia did include the high-screen sensitivity of other Lumia phones, which means you won't have to shuck off your gloves to operate the 520.

I find typing more comfortable on Lumias with larger screens, but 4 inches is hardly small, and thankfully the standard Windows Phone keyboard is nice and accurate.

Nokia Lumia 928, left, and Lumia 520, right.
Side by side with Verizon's flagship Lumia 928 (left), you can see the Lumia 520's less premium build quality, but it fits the price.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Now for a tour through the other external hardware appointments. There are those signature oblong Lumia buttons on the right spine to control volume, power, and the camera shutter. Up top is the 3.5mm headset jack, and down below is the Micro-USB charging port. The Lumia 520 has no front-facing camera, but there is a 5-megapixel shooter on the back -- no flash, though.

The Lumia 520 can hit up to HSPA+ 21 speeds on T-Mobile's network. It's a little disappointing that it doesn't support the carrier's faster HSPA+ 42 or LTE networks, but it still managed to pull in some good data speeds, with an average of 5.4Mbps down and 1.5Mbps up. It also supports 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling.

You may not know it by looking, but you can peel back the back cover to get at the Micro-SIM and microSD card slots below decks. It was hard to pry off the first time (hint, curl your fingers and pull the cover toward you), but it loosened up after that.

OS and apps
A Windows Phone 8 OS at is base, the Lumia 520 also includes all of Nokia's custom software that helps set its phones apart from other manufacturers' Windows phones.

You'll find Nokia's Here Maps and Here Drive apps with turn-by-turn directions, Nokia Music, which does song mixes, and various apps to enhance the native camera experience. Lenses, apps that hook into the camera app, add extra shooting modes and options like Panorama and Smart Shoot, nice touches for otherwise bare-bones hardware.

In addition to Nokia's haul, T-Mobile sprinkles in some apps of its own, like Caller Tunes, Scout, T-Mobile TV, and a data transfer app. Mostly, though, the preloads are at a minimum, with just Microsoft's ecosystem apps (like Office and the digital wallet) and Nokia's add-ons prepopulated.

As a reminder, Windows Phone lets you change theme colors, task-switch, and voice search, plus identify songs and change the sizes of the home screen's dynamic live tiles.

The OS has all Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS connections you'd expect, plus support for multiple e-mail inboxes and social networks. There's no NFC onboard, so you won't be able to use the Tap + Send feature to share photos, for instance. Wireless charging also fell by the wayside in an effort to keep costs down.

Camera and video

Although the 5-megapixel camera has no flash, it took decent photos. Images looked better when taken in scenarios with abundant, even lighting, though even a low-light photo of dessert looked much better than on other cameras.

Nokia Lumia 520 camera test

This photo of CNET's home office is totally usable, but not as sharp or colorful as on other cameras.
(Credit: Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)
On the whole, the Lumia 520 doesn't produce photos as distinct, detailed, or rich as do other smartphone cameras. That said, the photos are better than average for the phone's price. In other words, you'd never buy the Lumia 520 for the camera, but budget-seekers should be pleased with what they get.

Nokia Lumia 520 camera test

Cheers to this usable indoor photo, shot with a mixture of artificial and ambient natural light.

As usual with Windows Phone, shot-to-shot times are slower than what they are on other smartphones. It's very possible to miss a moment. That said, I do greatly appreciate built-in autofocus.

Nokia Lumia 520 camera test

These berries never quite got into focus, but the bright reds are at least accurate.One telling test is our indoor studio shot, which we take with every smartphone camera (see our comparison gallery here). Colors were even and objects were more or less sharp. Smartphone cameras often throw a brown, red, or blueish tint onto the scene. The 520, happily, did not.

When it comes to evenness and tone, the Nokia Lumia 520 pretty much aced our studio shot.


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