There's just not much to recommend about the device. Its design is
unremarkable. Its screen is of lower resolution than those of its
competitors. Its app store lacks the breadth and depth of selection that
you'll find for other tablets.And if those weren't enough reasons to be
unimpressed, there's this: It runs a version of Microsoft's Windows
that seems destined for the scrap heap because it has struggled mightily
to find an audience among either consumers or device manufactures.In
short, if you're shopping for a tablet this holiday season, I'd pass on
the Lumia 2520.Nokia used to be a powerhouse in the mobile device
industry, and has long been known for making high-quality hardware. But
nearly three years ago, the company linked its fate to Microsoft and
subsequently saw its sales, profit and market share plunge.Despite those
results, Nokia has stuck with Microsoft's Windows Phone software and
now has chosen to enter the tablet market with a device running an
out-of-favor Windows flavor: Windows RT.Microsoft designed Windows RT so
its partners could offer Windows-based tablets that could compete with
Apple's iPad in terms of price, weight and design.polyester resin As an added bonus,Cast iron tubs Windows
RT includes versions of Microsoft's Office applications, notably Word
and Excel. And the latest version of Windows RT also has a version of
Outlook.
But Windows RT has one huge flaw: It's not really
Windows at all. It doesn't run any Windows applications that were
written for Windows 7 or older versions of the operating system.Likely
because of that shortcomings, Windows RT devices have suffered poor
sales, and manufacturers other than Microsoft have abandoned the
software. Recently, Microsoft has even indicated that it might get rid
of Windows RT altogether.Chandelier So
you'd be wise to think twice about getting any tablet running Windows
RT these days.And there are other reasons to dislike Windows RT. The
Office apps it includes lack many of the more advanced features found on
Windows 8. And you have to run them using Windows RT's hidden desktop
interface, which wasn't designed with touch screens in mind.And you may
find yourself trying to navigate that old, difficult-to-use interface
for other reasons. Some of Windows RT's more advanced settings can only
be accessed through the old desktop-based Control Panel, one of three
settings areas in the operating system.Like other Nokia devices, it's
solid and well built. But its design is boring: It's just a flat,
rectangular slab. And it's both thicker and heavier than Apple's iPad
Air.The design is more oblong than other tablets on the market, which
makes the Lumia 2520 ideal for watching high-definition, widescreen
videos. But it discourages you from holding the tablet vertically
because it feels awkward and limits what you can see on the screen.
That's unfortunate, because many of the things you might want to do on a
tablet-reading books, making video calls, jotting down notes-feel more
comfortable when the tablet is vertical.
Another thing about the
Lumia 2520 that comes up short is its screen. Apple set the standard
nearly two years ago when it put a super-high resolution "Retina"
display in the iPad. While other tablets now have screens that match or
exceed the iPad's resolution, the Lumia 2520 falls short. Compared side
by side with the new iPad Air, the difference is subtle but noticeable;
text in particular looks fuzzier on the Lumia's screen.Nokia has
included with the Lumia 2520 some of its own applications, notably its
HERE map app and Video Director, an app that helps users splice together
videos they've shot and add titles to them.Those apps are fine, but
they don't make up for the paucity of apps available in the Windows
store, which is the only place to get programs for Windows RT devices.
While the number of apps in that store has increased steadily over time,
it still trails far behind what you'll find for the iPad or even for
Android-based tablets. For example, none of the top 10 paid applications
for the iPad are available for the Lumia 2520.And I had another
complaint about the Lumia 2520 - it was unstable. While updating its
software, the device froze, and I had to reset it. Several apps crashed
or didn't work properly. And I couldn't even get Outlook to connect to
one of my email accounts, even though I used the same settings I use on
my iPhone and other devices.All of this might be tolerable if the Lumia
2520 was a bargain. But it's not. The device will cost you at least $400
with a two-year cellular contract with AT&T or Verizon. Without a
contract, it costs $500.That's more than you'd spend for Amazon's Kindle
Fire HDX 8.9, and the same as the base model of Apple's iPad Air.
Either of those would be a much better buy.
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