Since Lumia 800 is a rather popular design, I woke up with the following critique from a lot of mobile industry journalists and from Andrew Kim’s blog:
One logo is enough
And I was thinking - would the Menu button (the Windows logo button) actually be an issue? Since it’s always pressed, and since to some degree is similar to other “app menu” buttons (e.g. Motorola’s ones).
Was wondering that maybe I became too much of a Nokia fanboy lately.
It’s like getting punched in the face twice every time you look at the phone.
What were the other reviews that you read? I’ve seen mostly nothing but positive reviews from a design standpoint, especially in terms of hardware.
I honestly was never really bothered by phone branding as much as the mobile industry likes to grasp at what are really “issues”. I’ve been conditioned to not really pay attention to carrier or brand logos like the Nokia one (from always owning phones with it) and I think incorporating the windows phone logo into the hardware button is clever and becomes less of an eye-sore. That said, I imagine the hardware buttons will go away in the future. I do enjoy that all the branding for my phone (Galaxy Nexus) is on the back and that there’s nothing on the front expect for a black slate until the phone is in use.
Also, to be fair we are buying subsidized phones in the US, and because of that the carrier has the right to blast their logo on their product. It’s essentially a sponsored product at that point. If you wanted one without that branding, buy it unlocked if possible.
The nokia + windows logo don’t bother me on this handset. I’d rather they ditch the magnifying glass and back arrow.
It’s a beautiful handset, better than the 900 which got a little awkward when they had flatten out the screen to make it gorilla glass.
My Droid 3 Global has 5 logos on it!!! I think the Nokia is just fine.
I’d love an 800. Considering a 900, but the huge size (thanks carriers), 3 logos (thanks carriers), and lack of wrapping screen (thanks carriers) have me torn.
As long as I can get storm trooper white with hopefully a matching B+W interface, it would be amazing.
The last 2 won’t be in the international version AFAIK.
I know the White 800 isn’t coming to the states, but could I make a UK one work? If not, I may bite the bullet and settle for the 900, even though it’s huge and makes me resent US carriers every time I look at it.
As a designer and consumer I’m really excited at having a fresh alternative to the iPhone, even if it may be niche and only have 20,000 apps rather than a bazillion. I feel like I should vote with my wallet, both to show Nokia and Microsoft that they’re onto something awesome, and to show Apple that they can’t coast forever.
You should be able to buy an unlocked GSM version and use it on any GSM network stateside (At&t/T-Mobile). It’ll cost a lot more upfront.
Also, outside of the carrier branding the 900 to me is the better phone. “4G”, front facing camera and for me the screen is also more appealing to me on the 900. If you haven’t owned a phone with a 4+" screen you’ll feel like all of them are huge, but after having one (4.6") I won’t go back to something as small as the iPhone screen.
You don’t feel like you’ve got a surfboard in your pocket with that huge phone, do you?
Don’t notice the difference. It just becomes normal. I’m also fairly tall and have big hands so it really doesn’t feel weird. Some of my smaller friends, especially the females of the bunch, can’t really hold on. That said, the iPhone and my old similar sized phone always felt small for me.
Hey, people might think you are excited to see them.
There is a nice review of the 900 on The Verge Blog:
Thoughts on this comment?
Not only is the physical design of the phone different, but so is its coloring. I tested a bright cyan version of the phone (it comes in white and black as well), and I found the stark color extremely pleasing. In fact, it reminded me of how stale and lacking in playfulness industrial design has become in this industry.
Makes me anxious to see this in person.
There famouse quote about the Guegenheim in NY that goes something like: what makes the Gugenheim special is that it is the only white spiral building on the street… In other word, the black rectangle was neat when there was just 1 of them, not that there is 1000 and 1 of them, you start to think, hey, maybe time for something else. I looked at the Nokia myself. I saw a girl in SF using a cyan one the other day and your eye goes straight to it. It is fun. A little fun might be a good thing right now.
Nokia’s new design language is starting to grow on me.
Although investors don’t seem to agree, Nokia’s stock plummeted 16% after the new phones were unveiled today;
I’ve really liked the Lumias since they were revealed. Can’t really see the justification in the share-nosedive.
A shame that they went glossy instead. But interesting colorways, def eyecatching.
Seems like they built a believeable bridge between nokias glory days, the dominance of the iphone and the smartphone market, and made it their own.
IMO it feels like a great contender, which makes me baffled about the drop.
Would probably have bought one if it wasnt for windows-M Os, to alteast give it a go.
Does anyone in here have one? Whats your verdict?
Interesting interview over at wired.
This looks less like a product coming off a production line in a factory — though it does—than a product that might have grown on a tree.
Am I the only one feeling completely unfazed by this design? It’s an iPod mini in plastic. Stoneface. Next!
I like the 920 and it’s language. I’m curious to see how it scales up to the bigger screen size; probably well.
The 820 though is a total bore.