The Nokia Amber update has started rolling out globally to Windows Phone 8 devices alongside Microsoft's own GDR2 improvements. The update is being pushed out in waves to the Nokia Lumia 520, Nokia Lumia 521, Nokia Lumia 620, Nokia Lumia 720, Nokia Lumia 810, Nokia Lumia 820, Nokia Lumia 822, Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 928.

The first waves which are being delivered over-the-air (OTA) have already started appearing on Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 handsets around the world, with the Lumia 521, Lumia 810 and Lumia 928 in the US also partaking in the latest Windows Phone software.
So what exactly can we expect from the Amber update on our Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices? Here are some of the key features

• Take better pictures with the improved camera – better low light photos, improved autofocus, enhanced noise filter and more;
• After the update, download Nokia Smart Camera app – choose your best shot, capture a sequence of motion, select the best faces, remove unwanted objects. Available from the Store app in your Lumia phone;
• In addition to Nokia Smart Camera, owners of the Lumia 920 and 928 models will also be able to benefit from the Nokia Pro Cam app (see also http://nokia.ly/16S6hRW )
• Tune in to your favourite stations with the new FM radio (not available for Lumia 620 or 928);
• Switch on Nokia the Glance screen – see the clock and battery status even when your phone is locked (not available for Lumia 520);
• Flip to silence – simply flip your phone face down to stop it ringing;
• Lumia colour profile added – Adjust your screen’s colour profile;
• High sensitive touch added for Lumia 620;
• And as well as these great new features, you’ll also benefit from stability, network connectivity, battery performance, and other usability improvements to your Nokia Lumia phone.

The update is generally pushed out in waves over-the-air (OTA) and you should receive a notification once it is available in your region for your device. If you have set updates to be downloaded automatically you should receive a notification once the update is ready to be installed on your device. You can also manually check for the update availability by heading to Settings > Phone Update > Check for Updates.


Make sure your battery is fully charged and that you are connected to a Wi-Fi connection before initiating the update, which should take around 10 - 20 minutes to complete. Once the update is completed the phone should restart one last time before it is ready for use.

The update is also being rolled out to the international Nokia Lumia 920 and the Nokia Lumia 928 for Veirzon.

The Nokia Lumia 810 on T-Mobile has received a new minor system software update through the Windows Phone Store titled ‘accessories’. Nokia’s Accessories app is a versatile companion for all your Nokia accessories, enabling you to make the most of all their great features. You can monitor and manage battery life, control all of their settings and give them a name.The update which carriers version 2.0.5.3 and is around 4MB in size.

The accessories settings update should also be available to other Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 8 handsets through the Windows Phone Store.

The Lumia 810 features a 4.3 inch WVGA ClearBlack touch display, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics which is capable of 1080p HD video capture, a secondary HD camera for video calls, and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor.

The Nokia Lumia 810 is a Windows Phone 8 device which is exclusive to T-Mobile is the United States. The device has a 4.3 inch WVGA display, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics which is capable of 1080p HD video capture, a secondary camera for video calls, Qi-based wireless charging and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM.

The device is available in the exclusively through T-Mobile in the U.S. and generally costs $150 with a two-year contract. The Lumia 810 is quite similar to the Nokia Lumia 820 on AT&T and Nokia Lumia 822 on Verizon, but has specific features which set it apart.

We were fortunate to get our hands on a Lumia 810 and we will be providing a full review of the device. Meanwhile we have put together our first impressions of each of the features of this device to help anyone who is hoping to purchase this device as their next smartphone.

Display

[PROS] The display features Nokia’s ClearBlack technology and has a 480 x 800 pixel resolution. The ClearBlack display makes blacks blacker and allows you to use the Lumia 810 under direct sunlight quite comfortably. The display also features Nokia’s Super Sensitive touch technology which allows it to be interact with the display even with while you are wearing gloves. This is a very useful feature which most other smartphones including the iPhone don’t have, and will be very useful during the cold seasons.

[CONS] The resolution of 480 x 800 pixels is reasonable, but not the best. We would have liked to see a slightly higher resolution on the Lumia 810, but we have to admit its good enough for general day to day use.



Storage

[PROS] For those who aren't satisfied with the 8GB of internal storage, the Lumia 810 features a microSD card slot which has hold up to 32GB of additional storage. It doesn’t look like you can store your apps on your microSD, but you can save your photos, video and music on your memory card and leave your internal storage for your apps.

[CONS] Even though the Lumia 810 has a microSD slot, we would have preferred slightly higher storage. In an era driven by HD content, its always good to have a device with at least 16GB onboard. However given that the Lumia 810 is a mid level entry and users can always store most of their content on their SD cards, we don’t think this is a big complaint.



Camera

[PROS] The Lumia 810 features an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. Nokia is renowned for producing amazing camera phones and the Lumia 810 doesn’t disappoint. The camera is also capable of capturing full HD video at 1080p which can be enjoyed with your family and friends on an HD TV. Another neat feature is the lenses which allows third party developers to add features to the camera. You can read about lenses in detail in our full review of the Lumia 810.

[CONS] Nokia has actually done a pretty good job with the camera on the Lumia 810 and we couldn’t find any complaints. However given Nokia’s background with smartphone cameras, we would like to see the quality improved some more.



Battery Life

[PROS] Battery life is a main concern for many users these days and the Lumia 810 takes care of you in that department. The device features a generous 1800 mAh removable battery. So you can easily replace it if you need to. The battery life seemed quite impressive and lasts around two days with vigorous use. Considering that modern smartphones sometimes don’t even give you a day of battery life, we were very pleased with what the Lumia 810 offers.

[CONS] Apps are currently the biggest strain on the Lumia 810 battery, we notices this especially with games. Be sure that you close the game you are playing by pressing the back button or you may suddenly find a huge chuck of your battery life missing. Windows Phone 8 is still a relatively new operating system, and we hope that Microsoft will work on improving battery life in future updates.



Performance

[PROS] The Lumia 810 is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor and 1GB of RAM. If you are wondering why this device doesn’t have a quad-core processor, its simply because it doesn’t need one. Windows Phone like Apple’s iOS has been built from ground up. This makes its performance fluid and smooth and you will probably never see your Windows Phone lag. In fact the Lumia 810 even feels smoother to operate that the newest iPhones.

[CONS] While the overall performance of the operating system and navigation is smooth, we did notice that apps sometimes take longer to load than their Android counterparts. As developers continue to improve their apps for other platforms, the apps will require better hardware to operate. While this may go unnoticed by most users, hardcore gamers may want to watch out for this.



Connectivity

[PROS] The Lumia 810 runs on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network. We tested the device on T-Mobile’s unlimited plan and saw good reception and 4G connectivity almost consistently. The connection is very capable and we were able to enjoy music streaming on XBox Music and video streaming through T-Mobile TV without any choppiness or delays.

[CONS] T-Mobile unfortunately doesn’t offer the much faster 4G LTE which is available to Windows Phones on other carriers. The HSPA+ connection can go as high as 42Mbps which should take care of most of your tasks. But certain users may find LTE a requirement for their devices.





NFC

[PROS] NFC (Near Field Communication) allows you to share content with your friends by simply touching devices. NFC is also quickly becoming an easy way of making payments using your mobile phone. NFC is also used to quickly pair the Lumia 810 with several supported Nokia accessories.

[CONS] NFC is still a fairly new technology and its not used much in the U.S. While it is still a fun way to share files, not all devices still feature this technology.





Wireless Charging

[PROS] The Lumia 810 features wireless charging, which allows you to place your device on a wireless charging mat to charge it. This means you don’t need to look for your charger or your microUSB cable and makes charging your device quite convenient.

[CONS] T-Mobile and Nokia don’t provide a wireless charger with your device and it would require a separate purchase to use this feature. Hopefully if this standard becomes widely used in devices, you maybe able to easily charge your device at your friend’s place. But we feel it’s a little too early for that at this moment.



App Store and App ecosystem

[PROS] Windows Phone apps are gorgeous and you will definitely enjoy them on the beautiful display of the Lumia 810. You can download the apps through the Windows Phone Store with exclusive apps provided by Nokia and T-Mobile. Windows Phone apps make use of the Metro UI which is now available on Windows 8 and allow you to easily span through the app by swiping.

[CONS] The Windows Phone Store has a limited selection of apps compared to iOS and Android. However you can find most apps you need for your day to day use. Certain apps like Instagram has not been ported for Windows Phone but you may find alternates on the Store.



Nokia Apps

[PROS] Nokia apps add great value to the Lumia 810. You have apps like Nokia Drive with turn-by-turn navigation, Nokia Transit which helps you take maximum advantage of your public transportation and Nokia City Lens which helps you discover the best places to visit, dine in and shop all around you. Nokia continuously brings new apps and content through the Nokia Collection in the Windows Phone Store which is only available to Lumia Windows Phones like the Lumia 810.

[CONS] This may be a limitation of Windows Phone, but we would like to see better integration of Nokia apps with the Windows Phone OS. If you use multiple Nokia apps, we found that you have to sign into each app separately. We hope that Microsoft will allow better integration of apps from partners like Nokia in future.



The Nokia Lumia 810 is definitely not the best Windows Phone in the market, but it is a strong contender. It has a beautiful display and a great camera. We feel it’s a little on the pricey side, but once you hold this device in your hand, you will feel you have gotten good value for money. We will continue testing the Lumia 810 in the coming weeks and have an in-depth review of the device soon. So if you are still on the fence on the decision to purchase the Lumia 810 be sure to follow us on Twitter or Facebook for updates.



[DISCLAIMER] This review unit and wireless connection were provided to DJ’s Mobiles on trial for FREE by T-Mobile.

Specifications First Impressions Lumia 810 vs. Lumia 800 Lumia 810 vs. Lumia 820 vs. Lumia 822

The Lumia 810 is available in the U.S. exclusively through T-Mobile and is currently available for FREE with a two-year contract. The device is generally priced at $150 after rebate.


Microsoft and their partners have released their first lineup of Windows Phone devices in time for the Holidays, and if you are a T-Mobile customer you have a choice between the Nokia Lumia 810 and the high-end HTC Windows Phone 8X. We have been fortunate to get the opportunity to test the Nokia Lumia 810 which is exclusive to the T-Mobile network in the U.S.

The Nokia Lumia 810 is a mid-range smartphone and can be considered the direct successor to the Nokia Lumia 800. Its siblings the Nokia Lumia 820 on AT&T and the Nokia Lumia 822 on Verizon share some hardware similarities while offering a unique experience to their users.

The Lumia 810 costs $150 after rebate which is a little expensive if compared to the $50 for the Lumia 820 and the $100 for the Lumia 822. But we feel that the more affordable monthly fees on T-Mobile will make up for this. Lets take a quick look at the three handsets side by side.


You can check a detailed spec comparison between the three devices here.

When you are purchasing a new device you can choose between the Black and Cyan shells which enable you to wirelessly charge your device.
 
[NOTE] The device we have currently received on trial from T-Mobile comes in black. doesn't feature a means of demonstrating the wireless charging. You can head over to a local T-Mobile Store or the T-Mobile website for more information.

INTRODUCTION

The Lumia 810 doesn't blow you away with its specs, but it performs extremely well with what it has. By including microSD storage it even manages to trump the current flagship the Nokia Lumia 920.
The build quality and design of the device is of high standard and you immediately get the sense you are handling a premium device. The fact that the Lumia 810 lacks a selection of vibrant colors like its sibling the Lumia 820 is a little disappointing, but it matches its features in every other aspect.
While several others would easily dismiss Windows Phone for its inability to compete with Android or iOS with their sheer volume of apps, we found the platform would satisfy most users in their general day to day activities. Windows Phone 8 maybe new, but the platform is growing fast and since it shares the core of Windows, we hope to see the platform quickly rise to match if not surpass its competitors.  


UNBOXING

The retail packaging of the Lumia 810 fails to impress, which has become a common theme with most U.S. smartphone these days. The package only includes the USB cable and power adaptor and you will have to purchase the other components you need separately.




Hardware Review


The Lumia 810 is the first Windows Phone 8 handset we have trialed and coming from Windows Phone 7.5 you wont immediately notice the difference. However Nokia has continued to improve their hardware design and we were immediately impressed with the device build quality.

The front of the device is mostly made up of its 4.3 inch WVGA Gorilla Glass 2 display. The AMOLED display has a somewhat low 480 x 800 pixel resolution. It uses Nokia's ClearBlack technology which makes dark colors appear darker which results in very clear performance, even under direct sunlight.

The display is also extremely sensitive and allows you to operate the device using gloves. This is very useful for those living in cold climates as you wont need to remove your gloves to use your device. You can get access to this feature by download the update for your device from the Windows Phone Store.

On the top you have the front facing camera and the ear piece between the T-Mobile and Nokia logos. The ambient light sensor and proximity sensor are also hidden at the top. Below the display are three touch sensitive buttons which you will use to navigate through the Windows Phone platform.

Above the display you will find a 3.5 mm headphone jack and the secondary microphone pin-hole.

Below the display is the microUSB port between two speaker grills.

The left side of the device is empty
On the right you have the Volume rocker and the power button and below that the dedicated camera key. The buttons are relatively easy to operate, but we felt they should have been a little wider for single handed operation.

The camera key will even launch the camera when the device is locked, when makes photo capture much faster. The buttons have a glossy metallic finish which adds to the richness of the device.

The device is encased by it's back cover, which has a matte rubber like texture. This make the device easy to hold and a treat to handle, with an assurance that you wont have fingerprints on the body like certain handsets.

The rear also houses the main 8 megapixel camera which is decorated with a metal plate carrying the Nokia and Carl Zeiss logos. The rear also houses the dual-LED flash, which may not be as powerful as the one on the Lumia 920, but effective.

The entire back cover can be removed to reveal the  somewhat generous 1800 mAh battery, which is slightly more than the 1650 mAh on the Lumia 820. The device managed to over 2 days on a single charge during our tests.

Camera

The Lumia 810 has an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash. We found the quality of photos to be pretty good during our tests and the camera easy to operate with a single hand because of the dedicated camera key.

The camera performs quite well in general daylight conditions, but we did notice a little noise in the photos. But what impressed us the most was Nokia's improvements in low light photos. While the Lumia 810 doesn't have the camera capabilities of the Lumia 920, it still does very well in low light photos and performed much better than its predecessor the Lumia 800.

Check out some photo samples captured by the Lumia 810 camera below:

The camera on the Lumia 810 allows up to 1080p full HD video capture, but is set at 720p by default. You also have the option of enabling continuous autofocus to make sure your video never looses focus of its subject.

[VIDEO SAMPLE COMING SOON]

Camera app

The camera interface is quite straightforward with quick options to access video mode, front camera, flash and lenses. Lenses in an enhancement to the camera introduced in Windows Phone 8 will allows certain apps to interact directly with the device camera.

For example the Panorama lens allows you to capture Panorama photos through the camera and the Cinemagraph lens which allows you to make small animations from captured photos. However one of the most impressive is the Smart Shoot lens which uses the Scalado technology Nokia acquired earlier this year. It captures multiple photos in succession and allows you to select the face from a selection of photos it has captured.

Which you swipe the quick settings to the left, you can get access to the detailed Photo and Video settings. Settings include Scenes, ISO, Exposure and more.


SOFTWARE

[SOFTWARE OVERVIEW VIDEO]

On the first boot you are greeted by T-Mobile's magenta themed customizations and the Windows Phone 8 logo until you land on the Start Screen. Swiping to the left will take you into the apps list and you can always return to the Start screen by swiping back or pressing the touch enabled Windows logo.

Clicking the search button takes you to Bing Search, which includes Music, Vision and Microsoft's voice assistant. Music – This is a great alternate to apps like Shazam and it will help identify the the music by listening to it. Vision – Vision allows you to scan bar codes, QR codes, Microsoft Tags and others using the device camera. This is similar to Google Goggles and its great to have this feature integrated into Bing Search.

The Bing Search tool also includes voice recognition system which allows you to search the web, send emails and messages and perform some simple tasks using voice. The voice assistant is not as comprehensive as its competitors and isn't a great leap forward from WP7.5. You can initiate the voice assistant from the Search app or with a long press of the Windows logo.

The Start Screen is made up of a collection of live tiles which is a hybrid of icons and widgets. You can resize these titles to three different sizes and move and arrange them in any order on the 'Modern UI'. You can even pin contacts or web pages to your Start Screen. The live tiles display information like current date, calendar events, missed calls, unread emails and other notifications.

While Windows Phones are criticized for the lack of a notification center, we feel that the live tiles are a perfect alternate and hope that Microsoft finds a way to enhance their tiles to show more information rather than copy what Android and iOS have already.

Microsoft has also enhanced the lockscreen which now allows apps to interact with it. You can setup a single app to display detailed notifications or up to five apps with limited information. Apps can even control the lockscreen wallpaper and great examples of this are the new Facebook app and the Bing app wallpapers.

Pressing the back arrow on your device initiates the multitasking on Windows Phone 8. The multi tasking isn't as comprehensive as it is on Android and iOS but it works well enough. Once you have pressed and held the back button, you will have a list of all the opened apps. You can swipe through them and open the app you want. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a method of closing one or multiple open apps and the only way to close your apps is by continuously pressing the back button until each one is closed.

The Kids Corner is another new feature of Windows Phone 8 which allows you to preselect apps and games which your kids can access. This will keep your own data safe while your kid can enjoy your phone safely.

The Kids Corner can be activated through the Settings and accessed by swiping to the left from your lockscreen. Just make sure you set a password for your own account to make sure your content stays safe.

Microsoft has also built Windows Phone 8 for business users and you can get access to your company apps by signing into your company account.  

You can learn more about Windows Phone 8 below




Call Quality

I used the Lumia 810 as my primary phone during the two weeks we tested the device and had no issues with call quality or reception. The signal bar constantly showed three to four bars and the 4G indicator was on most of the time.
T-Mobile even includes visual voicemail with the Lumia 810 (depending on your plan) which allows you to read your voicemail instead of having to listen to them.

Phone app

You can get access to your voicemail, dialer and phone book through the Phone app or search through your call history to quickly find the people you have been in touch with recently.
When you receive an incoming call your lockscreen will indicate that you have to slide up. At this point you are asked to either answer or reject the incoming call.  

Messaging

Windows Phones feature a messaging hub which combines all the texts, IMs and social messages which arrive on your device. You can view all your messages in threads of go to the online tab and view all your friends who are available on chat.

You can delete or forward individual messages in a thread and easily switch conversations between Facebook chat and SMS within the same thread.

Windows Phone offers a standard QWERTY keyboard, which works pretty well. There is no haptic or vibration feedback, but the audio feedback is clear enough.

You can select a word by pressing on it. Once the word is selected you can expand or reduce the selection and copy the word to the clipboard to be used in a different app or message.

 

Your Microsoft account includes a Hotmail (Outlook) email address but you can also add a Nokia, Google, Yahoo  or other email account to your Windows Phone. Various email accounts can either be linked together or viewed individually.


The email app is not the best in the market, but very user friendly. You can select individual email and mark them as read/unread or set a flag.


T-Mobile apps

T-Mobile has included a collection of exclusive apps for the Lumia 810 through the VIP Bonus Apps application which comes preinstalled on the device. These apps include

• T-Mobile TV which allows you to stream and view TV shows and Sports on your mobile device for FREE through a wide selection of channels. You can enjoy this content on your Wi-Fi connection or on the go using your T-Mobile 4G connection.
• Slacker Radio is similar to Pandora and gives you access to its collection of 2.5 million songs for FREE. You can personalize your music by creating your own station.
• 411 & More gives you access to listings and your favorite updates while you are on the more. T-Mobile customers get access to free weather reports, sports updates, horoscopes and more.
• Caller Tunes allows you to record your own personal status greetings. You have over 80,000 titles to choose from and a free track every month. Callers are treated to music while the wait for you to answer.

Additionally you get T-Mobile My Account which gives you information, notifications and quick access to T-Mobile support and other resources.

Finally T-Mobile has offered Lumia 810 users exclusive access to premium Zynga Games like Draw Something and Words with Friends. These games generally cost $2.99 each through the Windows Phone Store, so you are getting a nice savings here and are exclusively free for the Lumia 810.  


CONCLUSION

The Nokia Lumia 810 is a great device and a suitable mid-range device for most people looking to get a new smartphone. Even through the Lumia 810 cannot compete with the AT&T exclusive Lumia 920, it is still worthy to compete with most devices in the market.

The only shortcoming of the device is its selection of apps, which cannot be compared with Android or iOS. However most users should be satisfied in the selection which covers most of the basics.

The Lumia 810 was previously priced at $99.99 with a two year contract, but the device has only grown in its appeal since T-Mobile reduced the price to FREE on contract. You definitely get great value for the cost of this device.