Nokia Lumia 925 SIM-Free Smartphone - Black (Windows, 16GB)

I bought this phone as my iPhone 5 sadly met it's maker after going in the machine, I was a little hesitant to buy in to the WP8 ecosystem as it is not as mature as iOS or Android, but I have to say having bought the device I am very happy with it.The OS is very different in appearance from iOS and Android, but this isn't a bad thing, it's very slick and fluid, I never seem to get any lag from the device. Yes there aren't the same number of apps available in the app store, but all the ones you'd want to use everyday are there.The device itself feels very well built and definitely feels like a high end premium handset in your hand, this is perhaps somewhat helped by the aluminium band encircling the device. The screen is gorgeous, colours are much more vivid than they were on my iPhone 5, similarly blacks are inky black, this is presumably because it has an AMOLED Clear Black screen as a pose to the LCD Retina panel on the iPhone.I know people have complained that the phone is only 16GB with no expandable storage, but at the end of the day I would say most iPhone users buy the 16GB version (due to the cost), and I certainly find that to be more than enough for music, photos and videos. Again the iPhone doesn't have expandable storage,The preloaded Nokia apps such as Drive are fantastic, and you can use maps and the SatNav function while you are out of a coverage area as these are actually downloaded onto the phone and don't require a data connection, as would be the case on Android or iOS.I certainly would recommend this phone wholeheartedly to anyone in the market for a high end phone, and Windows Phone is now a viable alternative to iOS and Android, selling significantly more handsets than Blackberry and now with a market share in double digits, the app offering is only going to grow.

Another nice phone form nokia however i feel they have just tried to commercialize the already popular) 920. Yes its slimmer and lighter but it dosen't feel anywhere near as solid, the buttons are spongier the usb port looks unfinished and there is a tiny gap around the camera (that now sticks out - 920's was flush) that will gather dust. In addition the phone only has 16gb of storage (as opposed to 32 on 920) a smaller speaker and no wireless charging without a 'special' case which actually makes it thicker than the 920? Some will love the design of this phone and the addition of a metal rim but apart from the look nothing has really changed (6th lens element makes minimal difference if any) so if you want this phone for its specs go for the 920.

This is my first Windows Phones that I bought 3 months ago. As with all technology there are pro's and con's:Pro's• Here Drive and Here Transit are excellent! Had to drive from south London to East London recently and Here Drive got me there without any problems and recalculated the route very quickly when I took a wrong turn.• Camera – the white balance on the camera is really good and accurate• Pin to start feature – being able to create a dedicated live tile on my home screen for travel is really useful when I am in a rush to catch the next tube/train and need to check which platform I need to go to.• Mix Radio – free music on the move!• Call quality and 4G signal – I have an excellent 4G signal most of the time and calls have always been clearCon's• Processor – apps can take a few seconds to load which is not really good enough in today's market• 16GB of space – not enough room for me to fit everything on to. I am not a massive app user but already I have used up half of the memory on just system updates, maps, apps and photos. Don't think I will be loading any music on to this phone as I need the space for the next system update!Overall I do like Windows Phones and don’t think the app gap is something to worry about. I do miss Google services like Maps, Chrome browser and a proper YouTube app. Hopefully Google and Microsoft will start playing nicely with each other so I can use my ChromeCast with my Windows Phone too.Would I buy another Windows Phone in the future? Yes but if Google start allowing users to download maps for proper in-car offline sat nav, like Here Drive, then I think I will go back to a Nexus Android.

Firstly, this is a FAST and BEAUTIFUL phone! I am so impressed.I have been an android and windows phone user (work phones etc.) for years. But this is by FAR the best phone ever. Having spent my own dosh on this, I would not hesitate in recommending this to anyone!This phone is even more amazing if you upgrade to Windows 8.1 (google how by loading the "developer app on it") and use CORTANA - the equivalent (and better!) version to Apple's Siri.You can speak to Cortana (the digital assistant) like a human being! I asked her to text my wife and she recognises the name and asks for the message... You can ask her to remind you to ask your grandma how she's feeling and next time you call her (or text) a little reminder comes up!!!Ask her the weather and she tells you. Say "what's that in fahrenheit" and she translates it. Ask her "what about tomorrow" and she tells you... She understands CONTEXT. Amazing!!!!I then tested her more... "Is it warm enough to go running?" and she said "No, its going to rain!". ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!The phone CPU and graphics handles the challenging AI of CORTANA and the apps you love (Facebook, LinkedIn, Nokia GPS Navigation, Ebay etc.) all flawlessly!Serious, this will give Apple and Android a run for its money... and its easy to use, and more importantly, it's a CLEAN and reliable operating system.Buy one today, you won't be disappointed, especially for the money!