Tech Review: Nokia Lumia Icon #VZWLife

Disclosure: I received a Nokia Lumia Icon at no cost for review. I am a Verizon Wireless Buzz Lifestyle Blogger. I did not receive compensation for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Picture credits):  Verizon Wireless.

I’ve been working with Verizon and I was given the opportunity to review the Nokia Lumia Icon Black. Nokia has definitely stepped up their game with the Icon. It has the ability to do things that no previous Nokia can.

There are so many features that make it worth buying, but the best one is the camera. I’ve never seen a smartphone with a better camera. Even the Galaxy S4 is only 13 megapixels while the Icon is 20 megapixels.

The Nokia Icon pulls ahead of most other smartphones in some ways. The Nokia Icon is jam-packed with futuristic, cutting edge hardware, including a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core CPU. This is definitely the perfect windows phone that everybody has been wanting.

Specifications-

• Windows Phone 8 Update 3, build 10521
• Lumia Black firmware
• 5” full HD 1080p OLED display, ClearBlack, Sunlight readability, Glare-free, Super sensitive touch, Gorilla Glass 3
• Pixel density: 440 ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad-Core processor, 2.2 GHz
• Adreno 330 GPU
• Camera: 20 MP PureView, ZEISS optics, OIS, 2x lossless zoom, oversampling, dual LED flash
• 2 GB RAM
• 32 GB internal storage (no micro SD)
• Bluetooth 4.0 LE
• Display features: Brightness control, Orientation sensor, Sunlight readability enhancements, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, Easy to clean, High brightness mode, Lumia Color profile, Sculpted glass, Wide viewing angle
• 2420 mAh internal battery with Qi wireless charging
• Dimensions: 5.39 x 2.79 x 0.39 in
• Weight: 166g /5.86 oz
• nano SIM
• Networks: LTE: 700MHz; SVLTE Band 13; Band 4; CDMA: 3G EVDO 850/1900 Rev A with Rx Diversity; Global Ready: GSM (850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, 1900MHz)  UMTS (850MHz, 900MHz, 1900MHz, 2100MHz)

Design-

There aren’t any creative or bold design colors available with the Icon. It is only available in white or black. So if you were hoping for green, yellow, or blue.. you won’t find it. Nokia tried to keep the Icons design as conservative as possible and since most people buy cases, phone color shouldn’t matter anyway. Or at least to me it doesn’t.

It definitely feels sturdier than other smartphones. I needed something that could withstand the torment of my 5 year old and seven year old. I needed something tough and the Google Glass screen makes it just that. The phone has already fallen out of my truck onto the concrete and it didn’t even scratch anything (WITHOUT a case).

Size-

Plenty of people skipped out on buying the Nokia Lumia 1520 because of its enormous size. The massive size made it awkward to hold the phone comfortably. The Nokia Icon has totally changed up the game with the size, it’s only a hair taller than the Lumia 928. Fits perfectly in my hands, and I have small hands.

Homescreen

The Homescreen is fully customizable with Live Tiles and apps that you check the most, such as email or social media. I absolutely love it. I love that the tiles flip and show my updates and notifications. I don’t have to constantly click anything because my homescreen lets me know if I have a new email, message, or Facebook update.

Screenshots

Each smartphone is different in which buttons you should push to get a screenshot. With the Nokia Lumia Icon:

To capture a screenshot, press the Start button and the Power button at the same time.
To view the screenshot you've taken, navigate Photos > albums > Screenshots from the start screen.

I love how easy it is. It’s even easier to screenshot with the Icon then it is the Galaxy S4. With the Galaxy I was having problems getting the home button to push in as the same time as the power button. The home button gets stuck sometimes. With the Icon, the windows button responds very well to my touch. It didn’t even take me a second to get it right. With the Galaxy I’d have to try a couple times before it would work!

Apps

I have been having tons of fun playing around with the apps. There are so many different apps in the Windows Store. There are apps for everything. The Store is an amazing place because you can search for exactly what you’re looking for. I personally think that the apps at the Windows store are somewhat better than regular Google play apps.

I love that I don’t have to keep scrolling through all the available apps and games. I can just jump straight to whatever it is I’m looking to download.

I also love the fact that the apps are alphabetized and can be searched through. I don’t have to spend time searching through the long list. I can just hit the search button and have the app right there. Makes things 10x easier.

Camera & Videos

The 20 megapixel camera puts the icon at the top of the list for the most powerful cameras. It never fails whether you’re in a light or dark place. The pictures are always sharp, never dull and fuzzy like some night pictures are. It also allows rezooming and reframing pictures after they’ve been taken.

There are also a ton of apps that you can download that takes amazing pictures, lets you edit, and lets you add filters. I love the fact that I no longer have to pack around a heavy camera to get high definition, beautiful pictures!

You can record full HD Video with the amazing visual and audio qualities. This is because the Icon has Nokia PureView Imaging. It comes with 4 microphones, which are all high performance. This allows the phone to capture true stereo sound with impeccable accuracy at cutting out most of the background noise.

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for in a smartphone, the Icon definitely has it. There is no better choice and you’ll love the feel of the Windows 8 interface.

The Nokia Lumia Icon is only available at Verizon Wireless.

There will be more app reviews and such to come..

 

-Jessica

Sol Republic Relay Headphones Review - #VZWBuzz #TechReview

The Sol Republic Relay Headphones are designed for both work & play. In ear earphones have always bugged me before because they would slip out when I’d lean too far one way or bend over to pick something up. Music is a big part of my life and I love listening on the go—I’m glad I found these.. they’ve helped in SO many ways.

I strap my phone in it’s case, choose a playlist, and listen to music while I clean. Before, I didn’t have much choice in movement. One sudden movement and there wouldn’t be any music, the earphone down by my side. It would fall out and leave me scrambling for it.

Now I don’t have to worry about that. I love the fact that I can put these in and sweep up a pile of dirt, mop the floor, or fold clothes. I can wear these while I’m walking/exercising which was also always a chore. I’d run a little too fast and the earphones would slip out.

These earphones are true to their word. I love the snug fit and comfortable design. Even after wearing these for long periods of time, they are still comfy. Usually my ear would have started hurting or at least a little irritated from other in-ear buds. These are designed to fit inside the ear at the angle the canal is shaped. These were still as comfortable as when I put them on.

They truly amazed me and have changed my opinion about in-ear earphones. I can’t even wear the left ear bud on most in-ear earphones because I have my tragus pierced. The earphones would get stopped by the tragus bar and not let sound into my ear. Or it would just fall completely out of my ear. These stay snugly in place on both sides, even with my tragus bar.. Yay!

They are designed to flex so that they fit inside any ear without irritation or coming undone. They come with four sizes of ear buds, so that you can choose which size is best fitted for you. These are designed for people who wear headphones while on the move, whether at work, the gym, or cleaning (like I do).

The inside sounds just as amazing as the outside feels with these earphones. They bring with them full sound with amazing quality and a base that booms. This is always a plus with music lovers or those who watch movies on the go. They also have a mic attached and in-line control which allows switching over to a phone call.

This would be the perfect Valentine’s Day Gift for your sweetie.. and Verizon Wireless has a Free Overnight shipping on orders over $49.. woohoo.. JUST in time!

The Sol Republic Relay Headphones  $79.99

Disclosure: As member of a pretty cool team of influencers, the #VZWBuzz Team, I received the Sol Republic Relay Headphones from Verizon. No additional compensation was provided nor did I promise a positive review. All opinions are my own.

 

*Jessica

 

Tech Review: Beats By Dr. Dre Studio Over-Ear Headphone @Staples #TechReview #Beats

The Beats by Dr. Dre Over-Ear Headphones are absolutely amazing. Music is a big part of my daily life as a writer. When I sit down to write, I turn the music up and drown the rest of the world out. I have my tragus pierced and it keeps in-ear earphones from going into my left ear because of the barbell. I was excited to find a stylish pair of over the head earphones that deliver amazing quality. Staples carry them and they are on sale. This would be an amazing Valentines Day Gift!!

After 25 years, Dr. Dre was tired of spending months on a track only to have his fans hear it on weak, distorting ear buds. Two years and hundreds of prototypes later, Beats Studio headphones are the icons that bring you sound the way it was originally intended.

These headphones deliver professional quality sound for those who want to ‘hear” the music. The sound depth is absolutely stunning. We all know laptop and phone speakers are dull and can’t produce the “beats” of the music. These headphones changes everything. It’s like adding surround sound to your TV, rather than just using your TV speakers. Or the difference between regular car speakers and having a system. I love it.

The bass is nicely detailed and deep, which makes listening to any song so surreal. Whether it’s the bass and drums in a rock song, the beat of a rap song, or the melody of a country song.. each song is delivered to your ears unlike any laptop, phone, or MP3 player speaker can give you!

As a music lover, this is a really great gift to give and receive. I would do cartwheels to get these as a gift. I love being able to sit down after my kids go to sleep and put these on, and write as long as I want without my music disturbing anybody.

The headphones do require two AAA batteries to work. If you don’t have them inserted or you don’t have the switch on the right side of the ear piece turned on—you can’t hear anything. The batteries go inside the left ear piece, and snap right to lock the batteries in.

What hooked me was the unique look. The fact that they come in different colors and there’s such a variety for us to customize their headphones. That just adds to their awesomeness. I got the pink pair and absolutely adore them. They’ve added amazingness to my day!

Even when I’m watching movies or Youtube videos- it’s like having surround sound <<FOR YOUR EARS>>! It’s like an addiction,.. once you’ve put a pair of these headphones on, BAM.. you’ll never want to go back to the original speakers!

Regular speakers and headphones produce a flat, boring sound. Add some Dr. Dre beats and you can sit back and feel the music. You feel like you’re sitting right there with the artist as they’re making it. No more boring, dull beats—spice up YOUR music life!

I love the fact that I can use these with all of my electronics. Whether it’s my laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. They are the most comfortable and best sounding headphones I’ve ever used. I am deeply infatuated with them, and you will be too when you try them.

The ear cuffs are super comfortable for long periods of time. They aren’t too bulky or heavy, yet are cushioned. They keep my ears from getting irritated or producing sweat when long for longer periods. I couldn’t be happier with the way they fit! I love them!

The folding design and carrying case make life ten times easier. My older headphones ended up getting worn out very quickly because they were big and didn’t have a carrying case. This hard plastic carrying case comes with a clip on the outside.. I can attach it to the inside of my laptop bag or backpack and not worry that the headphones are going to get broken.

What is inside the box?

Beats Studio on ear Headphones, Two (2) AAA batteries, 3.5mm audio cable, 1/4" audio adapter, In-line remote & mic cable (features may vary), Hard Shell carrying case, Beats cleaning cloth

Get Yours! –> $164.90 with quick 2 day shipping at Staples

 

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more Reviews, DIY posts, fashion & beauty tips and more..

 

-Jessica

Samsung Galaxy S4 Review #VZWlife #vzwbuzz

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the top choice for anyone wanting a large screen and a phone that does everything. It’s long list of features is what draws most people in. There are so many features that make it stand apart from other phones.

The phone is ultra slim and easy to hold in one hand. It runs on a super fast Android 4.2.2 Jellybean operating system. It is the latest and greatest Android phone on the market and for good reason. The S4 is one of the fastest loading smartphones on the planet when it comes to graphics. The phone can do absolutely everything and is fast while doing it. Keeping me organized and entertained at the same time, I love it.

It has a unique textured back and the phone comes in both white and black. It has a rectangular home button with metallic colored accent around it. The Volume & Up/Down buttons are made of polycarbonate plastic with metallic accents. Since I always get a phone case anyway, the plastic design doesn’t matter to me.

I really love the sophisticated sleek design of the phone. I would definitely choose this over the boxier IPhone designs any day!

I am loving the battery life of the S4. I can read, check email, update Facebook or Twitter, watch YouTube videos, and play games without the hassle of the battery going down really quickly. The average battery life is about 10 hours, which is amazing. It does need to be charged daily. I also love the fact that this has a removable/replaceable battery. Most newer phones don’t, I’m glad this one does!

Android is definitely the best OS a phone could have. It has so many extras such as directly connecting to your Gmail account. I have access to Google Play, YouTube, Gmail, Google Calendar and so much more. I couldn’t imagine my life without the Galaxy now, it is AMAZING.

There is no need to download the essentials. It comes with Google Play Store, Gmail, YouTube, Kindle App, and many more. The others can be found in the Play Store (where most are free). I love the fact that I can search through the apps and find exactly what I need.

 

I had a Nokia Lumia 900 before getting the Galaxy. The Window Apps are so different, There was no way to search for certain apps like “Facebook” or “Instagram”. I had to scroll and scroll until I found what I was looking for. The apps are also different. I couldn’t directly get Instagram on the Nokia without paying $1.29. The Google Play store offers tons of apps free that I couldn’t get in the Window apps.

It IS hands-down an amazing smartphone, so smart in fact it should be named SUPER smart! It has a 13 Megapixel camera that gives us the ability to take pictures with our voice. All you have to say is capture or smile. It automatically focuses in eliminating any chance of blur, which is awesome in itself!

1. (Me when I was a little kid) 2. Me, My little cousin Mikie, My sister Brandy, and my cousin Sara

1. My son Aidan when he was a toddler. 2. Me @ the age of 9

1. My daughter when she was a baby   2. My great grandma, me, and my sister.

I love the fact that I was going through some of my grandma’s old picture albums and was able to capture pictures of the actual photos. There was no blur, no issues, and the auto focus was amazing. I was able to share them instantly on Facebook with the people in them, which is also awesome.

It also has dual-shot. The front facing camera is only 2 Megapixels and doesn’t contain a flash.. but still it’s pretty awesome. Usually the person taking the picture gets left out of the fun! Now, they can be IN the picture as well! Cheers! There are tons of settings to use when taking pictures.

I have to admit that I chose the Galaxy S4 for it’s strong camera performance and picture taking options. As a blogger I have to take a ton of pictures. Whether it’s pictures of a product, or a selfie of me with the product in use, I needed a great camera on my phone. I’ll admit I had a ton of fun testing out the different features.

Even if you take away all the other amazing features, the 13 megapixel camera is still stunning. I was very impressed with the pictures and how well they turn out. This phone takes better pictures then the digital camera I have, so WIN! The pictures are clear, crisp, and very detailed thanks to the HD feature.

Taking pictures is so easy. I love how I don’t have to push a button and risk slipping and messing up the picture. I can just say “smile” or “capture.” I absolutely LOVE this feature. It makes it 10x easier to take pictures of myself- both up close and full body pictures. Before I’d have to set a timer for the full body pictures and they didn’t always turn out so well.

 

The phone comes with the ability to add more memory, which is definitely something I look for in a phone. What use is it having a phone if you can’t add your favorite music, apps, and books because you don’t have a memory card slot?

I got the SD-micro mini adapter for about $10 at Walmart, so I can easily transfer music, videos, pictures, and documents from my laptop straight to the phone without a problem. If I had Bluetooth on my computer, I could automatically connect that way, which would be awesome… but my laptop doesn’t have it.

The phone comes with 64MG already on the phone, which is plenty for most people. I love the fact that Samsung gives me the option to add more though. The phone makes it easy to store photos on the SD card even if the pictures were taken on the hard drive of the phone. I also have a lot of music, apps, games, & Ebooks—and am not even close to the 64MG.

This phone does things I’ve never seen and never thought possible before. It has the ability to become a remote for your T.V., (Smart Pause) Can watch your movements and pause when your head or eyes move, and can translate what you say into another language.

 

This phone just keeps on amazing me. I am so in love with how quickly everything loads. Whether I’m reading and replying to emails, searching through Pinterest, or updating twitter or facebook. Articles from blogs and websites are amazing. I can zoom in easily with 2 fingers, which I also love.

As a blogger the phone has everything I need. I can write posts directly to my blogger AND Wordpress blogs, social media, and everything I need to stay organized. Like access to my Google Calendar, to-do list apps, and even Microsoft OneNote. 

This phone will actually let you put it in easy mode if you don’t want all the extra features. The extras might be confusing to those who are new to phones or just want something simple. The Galaxy S4 is definitely ahead of the pack!

I will continue updating about different features of the phone!

 

Jessica