Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I came home this afternoon to that familiar brown box with the smiley on it, tore into it, and have been playing with my new phone ever since. I bought the 635 as a replacement until I'm eligible to upgrade again. If you intend to use it is a GoPhone, or this is your first AT&T device, it comes with a sim card and directions to set it up. If your current AT&T phone already takes a mini sim, all you need to do is insert it in this phone. If you're like me and need a replacement, (but don't want to spend a small fortune on a new phone) then you can just slide in your old sim. My old sim card didn't fit, so I went over to the AT&T store and they gave me one for no extra cost. To be clear, this works as a GoPhone or as a contract phone for existing plans. When I renewed my contract with AT&T late last year, I picked up the much lauded and excellent 41 megapixel Nokia Lumia 1020 (also a Windows Phone.) I had the phone 6 months before it was stolen, and unfortunately, I did not have insurance :( I loved that phone so much and it's the primary reason I chose to go with another Nokia Window's Phone. Since my phone was stolen, I've been using my ancient HTC Desire HD which has been acting really wonky the last week or so. Enter the Nokia Lumia 635. After much research on budget phones, going back and forth over whether or not i should upgrade to a high end phone via the next installment plan, I decided to go with this one for a few specific reasons: The 4G LTE, it's a brand I know and trust, and the price. Coming from the 1020, this phone pales in comparison. However, for a $99 phone (and we should judge it for what it is), you couldn't ask for much more. I've owned and used iPhones, Window Phones, and Androids. I have a windows laptop, a Chromebook, and a Kindle HDX. I'm not committed to any one system and enjoy using them all. All have their advantages and disadvantages. I won't spend much time addressing those here, as I will assume that you've done your homework and are familiar with Windows OS. This phone does everything that Windows Phones can do, so I will focus instead on the pros and cons of this particular device. PROS: 1. Speed and Memory Phone is fast and responsive. Switching apps, loading browsers, setting up email accounts was quick and easy. The phone is 4G LTE so there are no issues with speed here. This phone is just as fast as every high end phone I've ever used. I was able to transfer all of my contacts without incident (under 3 minutes for 594 contacts) using the bluetooth transfer data app. I've had issues before, and was weary of this process as I was coming from an Android. It was seamless and easy. I was able to easily link the email server to all of my accounts, my primary being Gmail. The phone has 8 GB of memory and comes preloaded with apps for Microsoft's OneDrive and the AT&T Locker if you wish to store your data remotely or back it up. There is a slot for a micro sd to expand your memory up to 128GB. 2. Cortana The Personal Assistant "Cortana" (Microsoft's version of Siri) works very well and is a nice feature that I anticipate will be very useful. I wasn't aware this phone came with this feature which was a really nice surprise. She is able to locate and give directions to local businesses, search the internet, set reminders, make phone calls, and send texts quickly and accurately. It is a really excellent feature that works just as well (and imo, better) than Siri. At setup, Cortana gives you a survey to learn your interests and preferences for content. Based on your responses, she gives you live updates on the Cortana Title on your homescreen. (For example, one of the things I selected was to get live updates on headline news.) 3. Customization, Appearance, and Settings Phones are highly customizable. You can arrange the apps (tiles) you use the most on your homescreen wherever you want and can change the size of the tiles. You can also change the color theme of the tiles, and you can choose a background photo of your choice for your lockscreen. Security is limited a numerical pin; you don't have any options for fingerprints or alphabetical passwords. The settings menus and options for the phone itself and apps are impressive. You can set up your preferences for when to use data plan vs wifi, your battery life, and much more. You have a lot of control over what the phone does and when. The phone itself is relatively light and Nokia sells interchangeable backings in a range of colors to personalize your phone. On this point, it is reminiscent to the colorful personalization of iPhone 5c. This isn't a feature I was too concerned with as I prefer to use a case for added protection. I think it is an attractive looking phone and I prefer the rounded edges to the square edges of previous models. The screen resolution is quite good and colors are bright and vivid. The quality was much better than I anticipated. The volume levels are good on videos, calls, and the ringer. My 1020 was stolen when I was on vacation in NYC so I bought a temporary flip phone at a Walgreens. The volume was SOOO poor and so low, so I was nervous about getting another budget phone but this is not an issue. The sound quality, on the other hand, isn't so great. (see more below) 4. Ease of Use The phone is very easy to use. If you use Windows 8 or 8.1 on your home computer, this phone should be relatively intuitive for you. The settings menus have a bit of a learning curve, but are relatively easy to manage and figure out by playing around with them. To customize your homescreen, move tiles, or change their size, you simply touch and hold down and then either drag where you want it or use the arrow to enlarge or shrink. For those of you that have a Kindle Fire HDX, you will recognize the easy swipe type function. This allows you to drag your finger across the keyboard to type, which is much faster and easier to do than touch typing on a screen this size. 5. Price The price of this phone was the ultimate deciding factor in my decision to buy this phone. I wasn't sure whether I should go with this one or the older Lumia 520 which is selling for $49 at the moment. I decided to go with this one because it has 4G LTE, something that is lacking in most other phones in this price range. It is VERY fast and I've had no issue with loading times or download speeds. It's just as quick as my 1020 in this respect. CONS: 1. Camera The worst thing about this phone is the poor camera quality. There is no forward facing camera, so no skype or selfies unless you stand in front of a mirror. It wasn't a deal breaker for me personally,but it is something to consider if you use your forward facing camera a lot. The back camera is a grainy 5 mp that has no flash. It works fairly well in daylight, but struggles to focus indoors and is very grainy and blurry in low lighting. It has a lot of nice features and the ability to change some settings, though. The video quality is mediocre, even worse than the stills. If taking photos isn't a priority for you or you can carry around a decent point and shoot as a substitute, then this won't be a major drawback. However, if you rely heavily on your phone as a camera, then you will be disappointed with the quality of this phone's camera. I feel that I should mention that I don't have much basis of comparison for other phones in the same class as I've only used higher end phones prior to getting this one. I imagine it's probably on par with them, though. For a phone under $100, you shouldn't really expect quality to match or replace your point and shoot. 2. Sound Quality The second biggest concern I have with this phone (after camera) is that the sound quality in calls is rather tinny. It's not so bad that I'm going to return it, but it's the worst sound quality I've heard since my Motorola Razr went on the fritz in the early 2000's lol. I did some research on this phone to see if others had this experience. I seem to be in the minority, so it may be I got a bad phone or maybe that the T-Mobile version is slightly better. The mic quality is fine, though, as everyone I've spoken to has reported that I sound perfectly clear on their end. The audio quality of speakers is just okay. If you're an audiophile, you will want to invest in a good pair of earbuds. A couple of other issues I've noticed: the youtube app doesn't work (but hopefully this will be resolved soon.) An app for Amazon Music is allegedly in the works, which I am really looking forward to as I am a prime customer. It came preloaded with the kindle app and there is an Amazon shopping app available in the store. I was considering the Fire Phone and going with the next installment plan, but figured I will eventually have access to all of my Amazon content. Obviously, if you're heavily invested in Google Play or in iTunes, Windows Phone is going to limit your experience and options. That said, there are many excellent apps for entertainment available. IN SUMMARY: This phone is much better than I expected for a phone at this price point. The camera quality leaves a lot to be desired, but otherwise it does everything you'd want from a Windows smartphone. It is a good choice for those on a budget or in need of a temporary phone. It is not as good of a choice for those who are expecting stellar performance on par with higher end phones, have a need for a quality camera, or are heavily invested in other ecosystems. If money is not an issue, then there are other choices out there worth considering. But be assured, this is a high quality device. After using my 4 year old HTC for the past few months, this is a decidedly good upgrade. The HTC was considered one of the best in 2010. Its camera and flash are still better than the 635, but the 635 outperforms on all other points. However, the 635 doesn't compare to the monsters of smartphone technology that exist today. My 1020 looms a large shadow over this little lumia. I think the 635 meets expectations for what it is; however, I've deducted a point for the camera quality, and moreover, for the in-call sound quality as my expectations for any phone, regardless of price, are that it operate optimally as a phone. That said, the smartphone experience on this phone surpasses expectations. Cortana, 4G LTE speed, settings, interface, and the quality of the apps available make it an attractive and worthy consideration as a budget phone. I will update this review once I have a better feel for battery life and should any other issues arise. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.