Engadget Reviews T-Mobiles Lumia 710 Claims it’s “Must Have”

So… The moment of truth, what does Engadget ( = general American Public) think of the Lumia 710; well they quite like it actually!

Nokia’s first stateside Windows Phone Mango handset is an all around solid performer and for the budget price, it’s a must-have.

• Even though it doesn’t have an Amoled Screen (no mid-range phones do)

The 710 isn’t privy to that oversaturated treatment, but its 3.7-inch 800 x 480 ClearBlack LCD does a surprisingly good job

• However they did state that the colors on the screen seem a bit washed out; but with decent outdoor viewing:

Viewing angles hold up just as well as they do on the 800, though you’ll notice the 710 falls prey to significant washout

• They didn’t seem to impressed by the camera though, claiming that the auto-focus sensor is basically rubbish

 The Lumia 710’s five megapixel rear shooter with f/2.2 lens is a massive underwhelmer and stops just short of being totally unworkable. It’s a confounding experience, with a hit-or-miss autofocus sensor that borders on schizophrenic, occasionally resulting in decent to above average shot.

• On the otherhand they seemed to like the video shooting abilities of the 710 quite a bit.

 Video on the Lumia 710 however, seemed to be just the opposite. As you can see in our brief clip above, colors appear bright, moving objects remain mostly in focus and, although there are minor issues with image stabilization, the frame rate holds up well. Similarly, audio recording was excellent, with our voice coming across crisply.

• Of course everyone hates bloatware that comes pre-installed on Carrier subsidized phones, but the 710 seemed to be quite the opposite, carrying useful high end apps that can be removed if you want

Nokia and T-Mobile have both pre-loaded a good amount of apps onto the 710 and thankfully most of it harbors on the solid end of desirable. There’s an exclusive ESPN app for scores, news and video, Netflix, Xbox Live, Nokia Drive and Maps, Slacker, T-Mobile TV and The Weather Channel. That’s certainly a long list of apps, but with the rare exception, they’re also miraculously uninstallable.

• Warp-up is that they basically liked the 710, especially considering it’s low-low pricetag; however this ISN’T the phone that’s going to bring Nokia back into the game, (which is obviously no surprise, this is just a water tester)

Contrast the 710 with its other budget WP 7.5 peers, factor in that super affordable $50 on contract pricing and, hands down, it’s easily the most attractive of the single-core lot. Will it succeed in giving Nokia the US market traction it’s long sought after? Probably not. The Mr. and Mrs. Johnny-come-latelies of the mobile world will neither make nor break the company’s stateside success. That heavy lifting will surely fall to future Lumia progeny of the higher-end sort. No, the 710 is a solid smartphone for first-timers marred only by its faltering camera and nondescript construction. If you’re just learning how to surf the internets and / or send a text, this phone’s for you.

Check out the rest of the review down below:
Engadget

*Note: Me stating that Engadget = American Public; is basically because engadget have always had a sort of ‘hostility’ towards Nokias, meaning that if the 710 impressed them it might have a chance with the less opinionated public.

Tags: Engadget, lumia 710, Review

Category: Mango, Nokia, Versus, Windows, Windows Phone