Lumia 610

[Drake2007]

yeah I have one from mtnsp, dirt cheap (R139 / month on R100 topup contract with 25 free sms) and I knew it would be the lower end of the scale. Anyway, just started this thread so there's a place for fellow forumites with this phone to share experiences, especially with the low RAM limitation and no SD card support.

I'm so far impressed with the build quality, I have dropped mine several times with just a ding and a scratch to show for it with out any pieces scattering everywhere and no crashing.

Beyond the bundled software I use:
Skydrive - trash the odd stuff I might need later
freda+ ebook reader
twitter
facebook
5 Days weather
evernote
flashlight XT
SkyMap - works but a hardware compass would've been nice
WhatsApp

The only most annoying thing is the Bing search button which gets pressed by mistake quite often. So any hints how to customize it or disable it would be appreciated.

Zune on PC - **** me I can't figure out how this software is supposed to work, it's pretty limited and I find quite useless in that I can't actually browse the files on my phone like I used to with PC Suite / Windows Explorer on S60 nokia's. Any alternatives?

 

[kingrob]

Ouch.

The Lumia 610 will never get the Windows Phone 8 software, so no USB mass storage mode for you.

I'm afraid you'll have to use the Zune sync software for as long as you have this phone. :erm:

Enjoy your phone!

 

[Drake2007]

Ouch.
I'm afraid you'll have to use the Zune sync software for as long as you have this phone. :erm:

Yeah, Ouch.

Just thought of another annoying thing, larger apps won't install over 3G and it insists on having a wi-fi connection.. :wtf:

Anyway, it's not as bad as that, as a phone and messaging device it works pretty well.

 

[Drake2007]

**** another annoyance I came across, copy a phone number from e.g. WhatsApp to the Phone app, just won't.

I'd rather this not become a bitching thread about this phone, any usefull apps you use please post here.

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

I have a Lumia 610.

The 610 is a great device, build quality wise but as far as apps are concerned, it won't be giving you much joy unless if you appreciate the fact that WP7.8 + 256mb ram will give you a major cost saving device, which is the biggest and best benefit of this WP phone.

Apps?

I love my live tiles and I do have quite a few on my start screen. Stock live tiles are: Me, calendar (which syncs very lovely with social n/works), twitter and fb. Other great live tiles that actually work are CNN (by CNN and not Nokia), Forecast (the only weather app that updates automatically and has 'goodish' graphics that I've seen so far in 6mths of use), XE currency and Shazam (not really a live tile but it is very useful, flips and looks very good on the start screen).

With WhatsApp, long pressing appears to do a few things with contacts. The app is being improved with improved functionality being added every so often, like every 2 mths or so.

Overall, I like my 610. It is a great smartphone for the price.

P.S. I am not a fan of Zune either. Rather just send your pictures to your SkyDrive or email. That one is a bit of a shlurp. However, note that Nokia/WP has True offline maps, unlike Android/iOS maps meaning further cost savings. And navigation is very good and immensely accurate. With the WiFi story, it seems it is industry or at least WP standard not to allow downloads of over 50mb via your mobile connection, so even WP8 devices need WiFi for bigger downloads. It is a pity that they defaulted all map downloads to WiFi only because some maps are pretty small (~5mb).

 

[kingrob]

I have a Lumia 610.

Goodness me, I really really want you in my PR team!!

The way you are singing the praises of Windows Phone, I thought Microsoft has sent you a Nokia Lumia 920.

You can polish a turd into a golden nugget, non-stop. Simply amazing.

I think you should start focusing on Windows 8.

 

[Drake2007]

...And navigation is very good and immensely accurate.

Navigation is awesome and has put my TomTom to shame on a number of occasions.

Without coming across as a fanboi, the phone is really good for the price, it has it's limitations but that's the trade-off.

I find 5 Days Weather gives me really accurate forecasts.
Have Shazaam on as well, don't use it much but it is a cool app.

WP really have done some work on social networking integration. When I first got the phone I basically retrieved all of my contacts out of fb, gmail and win live and just linked the duplicates - very cool.

 

[cavedog]

If only you have gone with the Nokia Lumia 520 or 620 then you would have been amazed by how flawless windows 8 works on these devices....

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

If only you have gone with the Nokia Lumia 520 or 620 then you would have been amazed by how flawless windows 8 works on these devices....

Funny enough, I was at a cellular shop this morning and the sales lady told me that she doesn't like WP8 because it doesn't sync well with Win8. She told me that WP7.5 is much better - lol. I also thought it was pretty sad that she failed to highlight the positives of a product she was selling especially because she was acting more like an ill-informed Android fan and not as a sales person.

Yeah, the 520 is a really great phone but I'm quite happy with my 610. I just couldn't wait for the 520/620.

The money I'm saving is meant for a Win8 device. I'm just waiting for the right one. At the right price. Maybe the Samsung Ativ Tab 3 coming in September will be the one. It is a toss up between that, the Vivo and the Surface, if we get the Surface at all. I'd buy an RT. It's still better than an Android or iOS tab. Esp. with Office preloaded.

 

[Drake2007]

She told me that WP7.5 is much better - lol. I also thought it was pretty sad that she failed to highlight the positives of a product she was selling especially because she was acting more like an ill-informed Android fan and not as a sales person.

She was also a bit behind as the 610 upgraded to 7.8 which made quite a difference to Live Tiles.

 

[Bar0n]

At least they've updated Angry Birds to support it.

I also like the 610. Would have liked WP8, but I'm past the point of playing with phones for the hell of it. As long as it can run the apps I want, I'm happy. And I like the WP Metro interface.

 

[Drake2007]

My sentiments exactly Baron, no time to stuff around rooting phones and writing themes - all for what?
I've found Easy Dial which solves my little niggle copy pasting a number into Phone

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

Goodness me, I really really want you in my PR team!!

The way you are singing the praises of Windows Phone, I thought Microsoft has sent you a Nokia Lumia 920.

You can polish a turd into a golden nugget, non-stop. Simply amazing.

I think you should start focusing on Windows 8.

My next device is going to be a Win8 tablet, within the next two to four months.

 

[Drake2007]

My next device is going to be a Win8 tablet, within the next two to four months.

My 610 is still working condition, even after I broke and replaced the touch screen myself. Now I've upgraded to Sony Xperia M2 Aqua.

No more accidentally hitting that Bing search button, that really did piss me off more than a few times especially with the crappy multitasking on the phone.