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Affordable and packed with features [New Straits Time (Malaysia)](New Straits Time (Malaysia) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) THE Nokia Lumia 630 packs a lot of smartphone for the price you pay, writes Izwan Ismail Many people still believe that cheaper smartphones are not as good or capable as the expensive models. However, with advances in mobile technology, that is set to change. The Nokia Lumia 630 belongs to that category of affordable smartphones entering the local market. LOOK AND FEEL The Windows 8.1 device comes with vibrant, bright colour casings, which should appeal to young adults or teenagers. Although it doesn't look as sleek as the brushed aluminium ones, the thick polycarbonate casing gives the assurance that it is long-lasting and strong, a characteristic of Nokia phones all these years. It may look plasticky, yet solid. If you're the type who want a different look for different days, the Lumia 630 exchangable cover lets you choose between green, red, white or black, depending on your mood. With a 4.5-inch display and weighing just 134g, the Lumia 630 feels just right and comfortable in the palm. I find it so convenient to be able to hold the phone in one hand and navigate the screen with my thumb. I can easily access the volume and the On-Off button on the left side of the phone. What's more, the Nokia 630 features swipe-based typing, which means users can key in words without lifting a finger. You may need some time to master this but once you're comfortable with it, writing will seem faster than the conventional way. The Lumia 630 boasts a 4.5-inch ClearBlack, IPS LCD that offers a resolution of 854x450 pixel, which is not the best of display. Nevertheless, considering it's an entry-level smartphone, that's not too bad. The display is protected from scratches by Corning's Gorilla Glass 3 but the highly visible smudges and thumb prints make me want to rub the screen all the time. SOFTWARE Under the hood is the 1.2 GhZ Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Quad Core processor, and 512MB of RAM. Not the best of specifications, but the phone still runs rather smoothly and, at some point, fast. The internal storage capacity is 8MB, but for storage-intensive users, there's an external storage slot which can take a whopping 128GB more, plus a cloud storage via Microsoft One Drive. And speaking of Microsoft, owning a Lumia gives you access to Microsoft Office, OneNote, OneDrive and Outlook - all built into the phone to give you the advantage of viewing/editing documents on the move. As for the Lumia live tiles screen, you either like it or hate it. Users of iOS and Android phones may find it awkward at first and may need time to adjust. The tiles are highly customisable too and users can change the colour schemes and shortcuts to the screen. The phone dual-SIM capability is a plus for users who use two numbers. It also shows the network status for both SIMs separately. You can select which SIM to use straight from your start screen. For example, to make a call or check your messages, simply tap the tile you want for SIM1 or SIM2. If you'd rather have only one tile, you can link the two together. Even when dialing, you can quickly switch between the SIMs. If you always use a particular SIM for a certain contact, such as the work SIM for colleagues, you can set the SIM preferences in Contacts from the drop-down menu. What's good is that both SIM cards are available at the same time when the device is not being used. One complaint I have is that when a call comes in during sleep mode, it needs two steps to take the call: First swipe the screen and then press Answer. It would have been more convenient with just a single step. APPS Interestingly, this phone comes with plenty of useful apps. If you're into online chat, Line and Skype are pre-installed or you can easily download apps like WhatsApp from Windows Phone Store. Apps like Here Maps, Here Transit, Here City Lens and Here Drive+ are built-in to work together to help you around. For music lovers, the unlimited, commercial-free music streaming music at Nokia MixRadio is ready to use as soon as you power up. You can choose from one of hundreds of regularly-updated mixes or customise the music experience. You can even listen when offline. CAMERA Sad news for selfie fans: There is no front facing camera. It only has a rear 5MP camera with no flash. The picture quality is pretty decent though, good enough for social media usage. What I like about the camera is the availability of "smart sequence" function, which allows you to maintain any movement in the picture you took. It's like a mixture of still photos and video in one image. The trick is that the camera will take multiple shots and record any movement. When played, you can see movement such as people walking, etc, but others remain still. CONCLUSION At RM549, the Nokia Lumia 630 is value-for-money. With dual SIM, Microsoft Office, a range of free built-in apps, and a nice vibrant look, this phone should be on the list of those who want an affordable smartphone or a second phone. Nokia Lumia 630 Price: RM549 Enquiries: www.nokia.com/my-en/ Pros: Affordable, Microsoft Office, changable colourful casing, durable Cons: No front camera, no 4G, no HD screen Our verdict: *** Physical design: **** User-friendliness: *** Features: **** Performance: *** Value for money: **** (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |