The Nokia Lumia 1020 Chronicle: Cameraphone Royalty Part 1 - First Impression

In my prelude article, I wrote about the accounts of my historic Nokia Lumia 1020 purchase. It was unexpected but cannot be turn aside due to circumstances that were nevertheless euphoric and overwhelming. Read the full prelude article here.

07:25 +8GMT, February 9, 2014

I meet with Sir Dan at the Davao Ecoland Bus Terminal, the very person that I was referring to in my Prelude article who sold his Nokia Lumia 1020 for almost half the price.

Very anxious, yes, I was that time because it might be that everything was just a set up and that he was only making fun of me being dead desperate, but Sir Dan came with his wife and 2 kids. They were a decent family actually, kinda well-off financially and obviously techy in some ways. But of course, I was more interested on "the phone" which he freely showed to me for checking.

My first impression, typical Lumia, attractive, bold, compact, well built, but compared to Nokia Lumia 925, its a bit bulky and heavy to my liking and less the premium metal feel. I think Nokia had overplayed with the uni-body polycarbonate design already that their is less of the "wow factor" anymore unlike when they introduced it with the Nokia N9 back in 2011. To be honest, I like the Nokia Lumia 925 more design-wise being refreshing and unique in metal than the Lumia 1020. 

I then played with the phone for awhile to ascertain its genuineness and if everything was working. I also looked into the unused accessories and tried them to examine any defects. After the thorough run-through with the phone, I then chat with the family to know them better. Interestingly, I found out that they were really a Lumia enthusiasts. The wife was using a Nokia Lumia 625, the son, a Lumia 720, and the daughter who was about 10 years old, had a yellow Lumia 520. I told them that its a wise choice having Lumia devices for unique differentiation from bunch of Androids, at the same time beneficial since Windows Phone as a system focused on family and people that matters. With it they can easily maintain a strong bond among themselves personally and socially.

And speaking about Windows Phone, the phone interface-wise, as I expected it to be, was buttery smooth beaming beneath the lively and vibrant screen display. The ClearBlack display and the PureMotion HD+ technology of Nokia worked their way best on the phone making it very pleasurable to gaze. The phone was already running the Windows Phone Black update but I have not notice any remarkable changes that comes with it just yet since I did not snoop further on the phones settings being very tired from a grueling 13 hours of sleepless overnight trip and that the seller still had files and information's on the phone being not resetted.

I then handed the money to Sir Dan and close the deal outright. They were even gracious enough to offer me a tour around the city but I modestly refuse since I need to travel back home for another 13 nonstop hours.

I then tact the phone back to its box and planned to reset it only when I get back home. It would be safer and wise to have a full WiFi access in doing so to prevent huge data upload in accessing and activating existing Microsoft accounts.

08:00 +8GMT, February 9, 2014

I was already in the bus on my way home, very excited and fulfilled. It felt like I just did one of the most important decision in my life. Happiness and contentment lingered in my thoughts for the rest of that day. Never in my wildest dream, did I expect to own a Nokia Lumia 1020 being far beyond my financial reached. Somehow destiny had works it way in my favor.  

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The Nokia Lumia 1020 Chronicle: Cameraphone Royalty Prelude

This is not just any of my ordinary device chronicle ladies and gentlemen, besides that fact that the phone is extraordinary being a cameraphone royalty, it will also serve as my smartphone and the blog's official camera for the next few years, so expect a never ending features and biz-a-bits about it in full scale.

Being a preliminary article, I'm going to share with you the story behind this very important device purchase. For those who follow my blog posts, I had always assert my unwillingness to switch to Windows Phone being incomplete for the time being and not yet worthy to replace Symbian, but a call of urgency and opportunity came giving me no choice.

About two months ago, the blog's official cameraphone for almost 5 years, the Nokia N8, need to be sent for repair due to a damage Sim card slot. I inserted a micro-cut Sim to it with a loss SIM adapter. Somehow, the adapter snarled some pins beneath that it no longer read inserted Sim cards.

I had my regular Sim cut to micro SIM that time because I had a Nokia Lumia 925 trial device with me. I was supposed to have it fixed to a Nokia Care facility but unfortunately, Nokia Cagayan De Oro doesn't accept old devices anymore other than Lumia's, Asha's and some newly released featured phones. I suspect this has something to do with the Microsoft's take over of Nokia's device division. Anyways, they told me that I have to send the phone to Manila because their is now a single authorized facility who will handle it. Since I don't really have extra phones on hand, I went instead to a local repair shop to have it fixed so I could use it right away. The said repair shop did fixed it within an hour but unfortunately, after a month of used, the screen went black that I have to sent it back again for repair to the same shop.

This time though, they told me to seek the help to an authorized Nokia Care facility since they don't know how to fixed it. I then decided to have to sent to Greystone Nokia Manila. I also asked the help of Bryan Lee of Nokia Philippines to have it checked, the least I can be assured that its safe and well taken cared of. After four days, a technician called me up informing me that the motherboard got damage because the repair shop that I had it fixed previously used a non-prescribed glue or something that melted causing irreparable damage. Devastated, I then tweeted about the incident and desperately called to everyone who wants to sell second hand Nokia Lumia 920, 925 or 1020. Why second hand? Simply because I cant really afford to buy brand new, one of the perks of being poor. I even asked Bryan if theirs anyone from Nokia Philippines who wants to sell one, but unfortunately, nobody could or would want to, they must have love their Lumia's much. Nevertheless, a shout-out to Sir Byran for the assistance. :D

A week after the tweet and to my surprised, I received an email from someone in Davao City offering his Nokia Lumia 1020 for almost half the price to the original. He told me that he was an avid reader of the blog and understand my desperate plea for help! Just imagine a PhP35,000 phone to be sold only for PhP20,000 in an almost pristine condition with all unused accessories intact, a huge saving on my part and far better than buying a brand new Nokia Lumia 920 that currently costs PhP21,000 or the Lumia 925 that is prized at about PhP25,000. I then replied to his email and in a matter of hours, we were already negotiating as to the meet up place and all.

He told me that he is selling it because he realized that he doesn't like the white version and wanted to buy the black one instead, and that he wanted also to help me buy my dream phone. I was like, wow, at least somebody cared, and the rest is history. Anyways, Sir Dan, your an angel, THANK YOU! :D

An extraordinary event leading to an extraordinary blog features, expect a Nokia Lumia 1020 coverage like no other with no holds barred. I wont feature a review article anymore because I don't want to limit myself to phone specifications and featured apps, my chronicle will offer real world experiences that everyone can relate to most specially articles that could help you decide if the phone suites you or not.

Anyhow, hit the comments section below if you want me to cover a specific aspect of the phone. I'll be very glad to post an article about it. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more...

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