Nokia Lumia Icon

Feels good in the hand. Denim is a great skin to have over the Windows Phone 8.1 Interface. Camera is good enough for even some professional shots, but still no longer the best on the market. Waiting for Windows Phone 10...
Windows has come a long way. There are probably a small percentage of people out there that cannot do everything that they need to do on apps available on the Windows Store. However, good news is that Windows Phone 10 is promising more apps being brought over from Android. My suggestion is, if you have never used a Windows phone before, it is very simple to use and you should give it a try if you are in the market for a new phone. See what the return policy is wherever you are looking to purchase a phone. There is a chance that you can try one out for a 14 days to a month and then return it (if you do not like it) for a very small fee. You can also buy something like the LG Lancet for pretty cheap. It won't be the best Windows Phone Experience, but it'll give you a good feel for what it's like. If you like the experience, but not the LG Lancet, you can then buy a better Window's Phone, such as the Lumia Icon, and keep the Lancet as a backup in case you ever break your daily phone.

The title says most of it.

This is my second windows phone. When I first got it I put it through its paces while I could still return it (VZN gives you a 30-day period in which if you're deeply unsatisfied, you can return the phone). I took pictures in bright sunlight and movies in the dark. I recorded outdoor concerts and used the speakerphone from a moving train. I did just about everything I could to test the phone, and my conclusion: with one notable exception, I like it even better than my earlier 822 (which I had for two years prior).

The phone looks cool. It's still small enough to hold, but has a bright, easily-viewable full-HD display. The camera is simply awesome - one of only 3 phones on the market with a backside-illuminated sensor, and the 4-mic audio pickup is quite amazing, especially at concerts or outdoor events.

In short, this is a brilliant phone with very few drawbacks (which I'll mention, below).

My first smartphone was an Android, and I've been hooked on google since. I have a chromebook, nexus 7, iPad, and always had an Android phone... until now. Even with the new KitKat update, I was still experiencing lag when unlocking my phone, opening the app drawer, opening the gallery, making a call, hanging up on a call, opening messaging, etc. After 6 years of android, I was starting to get tired of it and started to explore my options.

iPhone option: I know that iOS is stable with no lag (I have an iPad), but it is so much more boring than android (no widgets, lack of customization, etc.).

Blackberry option. Laugh and move on.

Android option. Galaxy S5 almost got me to bite. Great device, but looks ugly, and I know that after a year, it will be lagging just as bad as my current android phone because its packed with 9239848 features that I will never use.

Windows option: Nokia Lumia Icon - Played around with windows phone 8 and got depressed... it sucked. Thought I was going to be forced to chose between iPhone 5S and Galaxy S5 for features and functionality. Then I read about WP 8.1 - and REALLY glad that I did. Basically WP 8.1 is like iOS and Android had a baby. It has the stability of iOS, the customization of Android, with the capability of Microsoft Office when you need it. The app gap is largely a joke now. Yes WP is behind, but it has all the apps that I need, every single one. Bought the Icon and haven't looked back! There isn't a single app or feature that I miss on my Android phone.

Oh, and the camera is PHENOMENAL! 20 megapixels allows for great loss-less zoom, the larger sensor gives great bokeh and depth of field, and the Nokia camera apps smoke everything else out there - easy to use and extremely powerful. 4 mic set up allows for class leading noise cancellation and superior audio for all your videos!

I'm also glad that I don't look like an iSheep or a SAMEsung like everyone else out there - phone simply looks amazing in white with black front, aluminum sides, and curved glass display! Great job NOKIA! Love my new phone!