Giving up Lumia Icon – Phone recommendations

by tamichan

Posted on September 11, 2018

36

I hate to do it, but it’s time for me to let go of my lumia icon. I’m leaning toward Android, but not certain which phone. I need something that is easy to “Windowize”.

Recommendations?

Comments (36)

36 responses to “Giving up Lumia Icon – Phone recommendations”

  1. Chris_Kez

    The first question is always "what's your budget?". Next question is which market are you in. Those two will significantly narrow the scope and make it easier for folks to provide helpful opinions. Good luck finding your new dream device. ?

    4 years ago
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  2. Bdsrev

    I was a long time Lumia hold out too. The iPhone 8 is a no brainer, still the best phone in the world. It's reasonably priced, it has the best unlock mechanism on any phone (fingerprint reader) and it's not Android (i.e., it's an actual production quality product). If you go for one of the new iPhones, you have to deal with the ridiculous notch, the lack of fingerprint unlock and you have to pay literally $1,000. They're not worth $1,000

    3 years ago
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  3. Tamichan

    I ended up with an iphone xr. To much drama with the Pixel line. Now just trying to get it the way I want it.

    3 years ago
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  4. sevenacids

    I'm going to use my Lumia 650 until it dies (hardware-wise), but if I had to give it up right now, I'd consider a Galaxy A5 with LineageOS. Its hardware is comparable but even better than that of the Lumia 650, it doesn't look so different from it, and with Lineage I can get rid of all the Google-crap you get with a standard Android ROM. Perfect for my needs. Apple, on the other hand, is overpriced, and iOS is too restricted. I've got some simple self-made UWP apps I use on the Lumia, and I think if I had to port them over, I'd rather go for an Android-based device because, I guess, it'll be easier to sideload them there.


    So, my two cents: Look what you need hardware-wise, try to avoid out-of-the-box Android if you can, and only go with iPhone/iOS if you really want to because Apple devices are not so easy to repair or it will cost a fortune if something breaks. Unfortunately, all modern smartphones are literally made for the trash bin. That's why I still applaud Microsoft/Nokia for making phones with batteries that were easy to replace.

    4 years ago
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  5. Tamichan

    Didn't mean to disappear, but work. You guys have given me a lot to consider.

    4 years ago
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  6. curtisspendlove

    I’m old and grumpy. I like an ecosystem that works cleanly together. For me, Windows Phone was the start of a journey back to a primarily Microsoft ecosystem...until it collapsed.


    MS are trying to rectify this by dropping their experience onto iOS and Android.


    You will not get a seamless MS experience with iOS.


    However, I leaned more into Apple as the core ecosystem and layered in as much MS stuff as possible.


    I still miss my Windows Phone. But iOS is definitely an option if you are willing to accept the tradeoffs.


    However, it will depend largely on what you consider “windowize” to mean.

    4 years ago
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  7. Bill Russell

    You know the deal with iPhone, choose it or not. Its great for the average person at doing what it does. Problem is the only things going for it is consistent UI physics and iMessage (which personally i only use in SMS mode). As far as for me, someone who uses mostly google and non-apple stuff as well as non-samsung and non-LG stuff, the Pixel series is the idea phone for me. I value not having duplicate, non-installable apps as you encounter on non Pixel phones. Clear your mind of the need for SD cards, IR blasters and removable batteries. Typically the batteries are reasonably easy to replace if you are planning to stick with the phone. Get a battery case if you need it. The pixel 1 can be had for like $150 on ebay probably.

    4 years ago
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  8. wolters

    If you can afford Flagship, then go for the Note 9. You can't go wrong with the Note serious in my opinion as they have (sans the Note 7) really been complete, awesome smartphones.


    If you want a cleaner Android, go with a Pixel but wait for the announcement in about a month.


    Moto Phones have clean installs of Android but usually behind on updates. The G6 is a decent phone but still on April security updates.

    4 years ago
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    • Winner

      In reply to wolters:

      I have a Pixel 2 XL and my wife the Note 9.

      The Note is better hardware *except* that the Bixby button is a pain and easy to hit by accident. I do prefer all buttons on the right side like the Pixels. Also the FP sensor is more finicky than the Pixels, is oddly shaped and too small.


      And then there is the Samsung bloat and slow updates.

      I you love HW you may like Samsung better.

      If you love a cleaner SW experience then you may like Pixels better.

      4 years ago
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  9. snow.steve22

    I like the Nokia 6.1 (by HMD Global) currently running around the low $200 range. It tricks out well with all the Microsoft bells and whistles and will soon become my daily driver since my Lumia 640 LTE is getting a little bit flaky with just too many trips to remove the battery and clear whatever it has in its craw today. I like the brighter screen though I will miss the Lumia's camera.

    4 years ago
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    • AnOldAmigaUser

      In reply to snow.steve22:

      Is the camera in the Nokia 6.1 that bad? The Lumia 640 had an OK camera, but it was not remarkable. I find it hard to believe that HMD/Nokia suddenly lost all ability to implement decent camera software. They are using Zeiss optics, I guess the sensor is a bit cheap?

      4 years ago
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      • snow.steve22

        In reply to AnOldAmigaUser:

        I think it is mostly that I haven't used it enough. The Lumia's software was particularly good at providing feedback to remind me not to zoom too far and get pixelated images. The current camera app on the Nokia 6.1 isn't that sophisticated and I find I have a tendency to zoom too far and get grainier images than I am comfortable with.

        4 years ago
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  10. MacLiam

    I think I recall that the Icon was Verizon's version of the 930, which had a 5" screen. Another one of your basic questions is whether you want to keep the same size or go to a smartphone with a bigger display. Companies that make decent phones are Huawei, OnePlus and HTC. Most would include Samsung in the list, but I'm leery of that company's devices and long term support. Also, at the high end their phones are kind of expensive.


    With Android, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to have Google make use of your metadata to the extent that they do, and on top of that you need to worry about reports that Huawei is an aggressive silent tracker of their users' location and usage data in cooperation with the Chinese government. Huawei devices are now on the US government's no-buy list because of those concerns.


    Since Google's Pixel 3 is about to be released, you could probably expect good deals from now through coming weeks on Pixel 2 models. But not everyone has had a good experience with that phone. See Paul T's articles about his longstanding frustration with this device.


    When I gave up on Windows phones I heaved a big sigh and went with Apple, first with a 6S+ and for the last several months with an 8+. It's not bad enough to dump, but it routinely makes me wish Microsoft had stayed in the phone game.


    As a backup phone I have a now aging Nexus 6P. Good camera, satisfactory in most regards, but it's at the end of its support life and will never move beyond the Oreo release to Pie.

    4 years ago
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    • Tamichan

      In reply to MacLiam:

      I'm trying to remind myself that either way someone is scraping my data. Okay now I'm wavering again.

      4 years ago
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    • Winner

      In reply to MacLiam:

      I've had no problems whatsoever on my Pixel 2 XL. But I don't use the USB C for headphones, either.

      Keep the data issues in proportion.

      Your ISP knows everywhere you visit and what you do on the internet. So does your cellular carrier.

      Your credit card company knows everything you buy with that card.

      Equifax lost pretty much all US consumers' SSNs, addresses, names, and emails last year.

      Countless banks, stores, other companies have had data breaches of your data.

      Google uses your data to sell targeted ads but it is machine driven and so far they've not breached anybody's data. They also don't sell personally identifiable data to anybody else.

      4 years ago
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  11. wright_is

    I've been through a few phones of late. Nexus 5x wasn't bad, but always ran hot and was dog slow under Oreo.

    I swapped to the Hauwei Mate 10 Pro, an excellent phone and Hauwei have announced that their flagship phones will all get Pie and Android 10. I also have the Hauwei P20 as a company phone, again, a very good phone.

    4 years ago
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    • wp7mango

      In reply to wright_is:

      Agreed, definitely awesome phones.


      I highly recommend the Microsoft Launcher too.

      4 years ago
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      • wright_is

        In reply to WP7Mango:

        Yes, I really like the Microsoft Launcher. Not a patch on the Live Tiles of Windows Phone, but for an Android launcher it is great. Always one of the first things I install on a new device.

        I have tried a lot of the Live Tile look-alikes on Android, but none of them have really pulled it off.

        4 years ago
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  12. kherm

    You can't go wrong with OnePlus.

    4 years ago
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  13. rob_segal

    The Pixel 2 is a good phone. Not the Pixel 2 XL. The smaller Pixel 2 has been pretty stable. That's the phone I would recommend.


    I wish OnePlus had better cameras.

    4 years ago
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  14. jltuv

    Amazon got the Essential phone for 300 dollars

    4 years ago
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    • goodbar

      In reply to Jltuv:

      I just did this, awesome hardware, design, latest version of bloatware-free Android, for a great price. I will say though that the camera was worse than my Galaxy S6 in low light. In regular light I think it does the job though.

      4 years ago
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  15. Steven G

    I left WP about 2 months ago and the Essential phone. It is a great phone for testing out Android because it is cheap (on sale), same specs as the Samsung S9, the phone is updated with the latest software (Pie is a lot better than Oreo 8.1) the same day Google releases it, the company is not producing another phone but will support this one for 2 more years, it runs pure android, and the camera works now and as good as my old 950. I have mine setup to use windows launcher after trying to use base Oreo for two weeks. I use Cortana to make phone calls and send texts but have left the google search so that I can try both. I like the phone hardware and apps but I still miss WP10. It was such good OS everything thing was easy connected (you can attach a contact to a text while texting with Apple and Android you cannot. You have to do an additional 5 steps!)

    4 years ago
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  16. Winner

    Samsung HW is best but the UI and apps are a nightmare. And updates are slow when at all.

    Google Pixels are the best Android, most up to date. Hardware is mixed in reviews. I have a Pixel 2 XL which has no notch and although many say the display sucks, it seems fine to me. My wife has the Note 8 and the fingerprint sensor is really finicky compared to my Pixel, the camera is not as good.

    If you want cheaper, there are great reviews for the OnePlus 5/5T/6. Even cheaper and pretty good, but few updates but no bloat are the Motorola G6's.


    I never wanted iOS. For the same reason I run Windows - I want to tailor it to me. iOS ist stable, but really you can't even put icons where you want them on your home screen. Android does this, it also has onscreen widgets, also you can assign default apps as in Windows and Mac. You can even change the screen interface (launcher) including to Microsoft's launcher.

    3 years ago
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