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Nokia Lumia Icon coming to Verizon February 20th for $200 (hands-on)
Yes, Windows Phones are finally keeping up with the Joneses. Thanks to the latest update, smartphones running Microsoft's mobile OS can now have top-of-the-line components. We got a good taste of how this feels with the Nokia Lumia 1520 (spoiler: It's pretty dang good), but most people would prefer flagship specs in a smaller phone. Enter the Lumia Icon, a loaded 5-inch WP8 device exclusive to Verizon that goes on sale in black and white colors February 20th for $200 with a two-year contract. (It'll cost $550 at full retail or Edge pricing.) The Icon comes with nearly all the same specs as the Lumia 1520: a 1080p display, 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 20-megapixel PureView rear camera (with optical image stabilization, a 1.2MP front-facing webcam, a Gorilla Glass 3 screen, Qi wireless charging, NFC, dual-band WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0 + LE. Unsurprisingly, the 2,420mAh battery is smaller, and we hope it can efficiently manage the high-def screen and quad-core processor without a huge drain to the battery. Aside from the battery and smaller screen, the Icon is an exclusive to Verizon, as evidenced by the three carrier-specific logos on the front and back. And while we wouldn't be surprised to see a 5-inch 1080p Lumia device hit the rest of the market at some point, it probably won't look like the Icon. The phone sports straight aluminum sides and a curved back fashioned out of matte polycarbonate. In many ways, the setup reminds us of the Lumia 925, which features rounded metal sides and the same plastic back; the Icon is 0.5mm thicker, but it also doesn't have a distracting camera hump like the 925 has. We'll offer more impressions below, but not before showing off a gallery of images and a brief walk-through video.
Nokia's long-awaited Lumia Black update rolls out to the Lumia 820 and 920 on AT&T
It was just three weeks ago that Nokia pushed out its Lumia Black software update to the Lumia 925 and 1020, with the promise that other Lumia phones would get updated asap. Well, sure enough, the Lumia 820 and 920 on AT&T have received the software patch, according to WPCentral. As on other Lumia devices, the update brings app folders, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support, an updated Glance screen and the unified Nokia Camera app. No RAW shooting, unfortunately -- that's a luxury reserved for 1020 and 1520 owners -- but you'll otherwise enjoy the same updates as anyone else with a newish Windows Phone 8 device. At any rate, feel free to get your download on, and do let us know in the comments how it all goes.
Nokia's Lumia Black update starts rolling out worldwide (update: App Folder download)
Nokia knows how to start a new year properly -- it gave Americans a first shot at the Lumia Black update as 2013 came to a close, and it's starting 2014 by rolling out the software to Lumia owners around the world. The Windows Phone 8 upgrade is reaching the Lumia 925 and 1020 first; other devices should get it in the weeks ahead. The fresh software brings common features like app folders, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support, an updated Glance screen and the unified Nokia Camera app. Some improvements depend on beefier hardware, however. You'll need at least 1GB of RAM to use Beamer transfers or Refocus image processing, and only 1020 owners can shoot RAW photos. Whatever device you're using, you'll want to hit that Phone Update option in the near future -- you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Update: Nokia has posted App Folder as a separate download.
Nokia Black update to add Bluetooth LE across entire WP8 Lumia range
Bluetooth low energy compatibility arrived on select Nokia Lumia models (520, 620, 625 and 720) through the Amber update, but now it's making its way to the rest of the line. A new FAQ entry on Espoo's website has confirmed that the feature will come to all devices in the range (even the more high-end ones) via the upcoming Lumia Black update. The Bluetooth 4.0 mode mode uses less power than traditional Bluetooth data connections, and its arrival will allow all Lumias to connect with accessories and other gadgets that use the technology exclusively. Nokia has yet to reveal when Black will be released, but we'll update you faster than a Bluetooth transfer as soon as we find out.
Nokia's incoming Windows Phone update will teach new Lumia 1520 tricks to old(er) smartphones
Nokia, now under the Microsoft umbrella, will combine an incoming Windows Phone update with its own smartphone upgrades. Lumia Black is its name, and it'll bring the new, unified Nokia Camera, alongside Storyteller and Beamer apps found on the new Lumia 1520 and 1320, to existing high-end Windows Phone 8 (namely the 920 series and the 1020) -- soon. The company didn't specify a roll-out date, however. According to Elop: "This will happen later on, it won't happen immediately. Some of the key updates for Windows Phone are in GDR3, so the notifications... will come through across all devices and be combined together with the Black update."
