Photographs: Courtesy, Nokia Abhik Sen and Aabhas Sharma
At first glance the Nokia Lumia 820 looks like its elder sibling, the 920, but then you see that you have to take the back cover off to install the microSIM.
"Wow, you can actually open it up and put in an external memory card. Wish my Lumia could do that," a veteran Lumia user passing by said.
After I set up the 820, what was impressive was that I had all my contacts on tap, thanks to the fact that I use the same account with my Windows 8 desktop.
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Nokia Lumia 820 vs. Sony Xperia ZL
Photographs: Courtesy, Nokia
Nokia phones are generally quite good with calls, and this one's no different. The 820 can connect to dual-band Wi-Fi and pulling videos off the home media server and playing them on the phone was no hassle, provided both devices were part of the same Windows Homegroup.
The 820's screen is good enough to use in the sun but not as good as the 920's. Also, we've seen higher resolutions on screens in this price bracket.
The touch interface is pretty good as well. But if the phone's on standby (and on silent), there's no way to know if you've got mail or any other notification unless you wake it up.
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Nokia Lumia 820 vs. Sony Xperia ZL
Photographs: Courtesy, Nokia
One thing we noticed with the phone was if you turned down its volume, alarms were muted as well, which isn't particularly helpful if you've that early flight to catch.
The phone comes bundled with some pretty useful apps such as the Here Drive and Here Maps, which were quite accurate in Delhi. And best of all, the maps are available offline.
The 820 doesn't come with an FM radio, but with Nokia Music. For a year, the user is given access to unlimited downloads from the Nokia store, which had an eclectic collection.
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Nokia Lumia 820 vs. Sony Xperia ZL
Photographs: Courtesy, Nokia
The 8 MP camera is good enough for those candid shots both indoors and outdoors. The front camera is good for video chats but we've seen better on Android phones in this range.
Gaming or multitasking doesn't show lag but Windows Store doesn't have as many games as competing app stores.
The 820 supports wireless charging (but the charging back cover needs to be purchased separately) and back covers in multiple colours. With moderate usage, it lasts more than a day.
The 820 is good enough to withstand falls. I would probably buy the phone, but only if it is available near Rs 20,000.
Click NEXT to see the phone's specifications...
Nokia Lumia 820 vs. Sony Xperia ZL
Photographs: Courtesy, Nokia
Nokia Lumia 820 specifications
Price: Rs 27,559
Screen: 4.3-inch 800 x 480 multi-touch
OS: Windows Phone 8
RAM: 1GB
Processor: 1.5GHz dual core
Memory: 8GB internal, expandable via microSD
Camera (rear/front): 8MP/VGA with HD recording (rear camera)
Battery: 1,650mAh (user-replaceable)
Weight: 160g
Click NEXT to see Sony Xperia ZL review...
The Sony Xperia ZL isn't as powerful as the Z, but costs nearly as much
Photographs: Courtesy, Sony
With the Xperia Z, Sony has certainly created more than a buzz in the market. On the heels of its launch comes its sibling the Xperia ZL.
Just like Nokia Lumia 920's lesser-valued sibling is the Lumia 820, the ZL is a grade lower than the Z. But in terms of price, there's not much of a difference between the two Sony phones.
The Z retails at Rs 38,9990 while the ZL is priced Rs 2,000 less at Rs 36,990? So is the Z worth saving the Rs 2,000 on the ZL?
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The Sony Xperia ZL isn't as powerful as the Z, but costs nearly as much
Photographs: Courtesy, Sony
On the first glance, the phone looks pretty much like the Z except that it has a plastic body and is a bit curvy. The ZL isn't waterproof or dustproof - which is one of the USPs of the Z.
The Xperia ZL has many things common with the Z, it comes the same 5 inch full HD display - which by the way is excellent - 13MP camera and runs on a 1.5GHz quad core processor.
Even though the screen size is same as the Z, the ZL doesn't look that big. The Z at times is a bit difficult to use because of its size but there's no such problem with the ZL.
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The Sony Xperia ZL isn't as powerful as the Z, but costs nearly as much
Photographs: Courtesy, Sony
It's tough not to compare both the phones but even without the comparisons, the ZL is a sturdy device. It runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and the display is a clincher in itself.
The colours are bright and vibrant and although in sunlight you might have to squint a bit, it's still better than its competitors.
The camera gives more than commendable shots and the Auto mode more or less picks appropriate setting to capture - even in low light. The front camera is 2.1MP, just like on any other comparable device.
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The Sony Xperia ZL isn't as powerful as the Z, but costs nearly as much
Photographs: Courtesy, Sony
The Stamina Mode of the battery is another eye-catching feature of the ZL. In fact, overall, the battery life of the ZL is extremely good for a smart phone.
The stamina mode extends battery life and doesn't allow apps to drain the battery and tells you how long it will last on standby.
The ZL is a very good phone but there is a good chance that both Sony models will end up cannibalising each other.
The phone will do well but would have done exceptionally well, if the price point would have been close to Rs 30,000.
Click NEXT to see the phone's specifications...
The Sony Xperia ZL isn't as powerful as the Z, but costs nearly as much
Photographs: Courtesy, Sony
Sony Xperia ZL specifications
Price: Rs 36,990
Screen: 5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 full HD multi-touch
OS: Android 4.1.2
RAM: 2GB
Processor: 1.5GHz quad core
Memory: 16GB internal, expandable via microSD
Camera (rear/front): 13MP/2MP with full HD recording
Battery: 2,370mAh Li-Polymer (non-removable)
Weight: 151g
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