TECHNOLOGY TIPS – MOBILE TRENDS: OFF-CONTRACT SMART PHONES

TECHNOLOGY TIPS – MOBILE TRENDS: OFF-CONTRACT SMART PHONES

Want a cheap gateway to the world of smart phones? In the US it won’t get much more affordable than AT&T’s new version of the Lumia 520. Nokia’s starter device will cost just $100 contract-free when it hits AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid service on July 26th — that’s $50 less than T-Mobile’s already inexpensive Lumia 521. There won’t be LTE support or other frills but we suspect that many customers won’t mind at this price.

"We are excited to launch the first 4G Windows Phone 8 smart phone in our GoPhone portfolio" said Jeff Bradley senior vice president – Devices. "A diverse device ecosystem benefits everyone and the addition of an affordable Windows device gives our customers yet another choice that fits their needs."

It comes with a 5-megapixel camera and Nokia digital camera lenses. Users can add motion to pictures with Cinemagraph or capture super-wide-angled pictures to take in more of the scene. In addition Smart Shoot captures five sequential images and selects different faces and portions of the photos to compile into one final group picture.

The super sensitive 4-inch IPS LCD WVGA display allows use of the phone with fingernails or while wearing gloves.

The Nokia Lumia 520 comes with access to free global maps which provide information photos and reviews on popular nearby places. Use Drive to access turn-by-turn navigation even when offline or Transit which provides instant access to the best ways to cross town using public transportation offering a detailed overview of stations and stops departure and arrival times and estimations on your walking times.

The Lumia 520 comes with Nokia Music that lets you stream unlimited music for free. Select from various apps to be placed as Live Tiles and resize to reflect your personal priorities. Microsoft Office is built into your phone and can seamlessly sync with laptops.

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO