Nokia Lumia 710

“The Nokia Lumia 710 has to share what's left of the spotlight with its Lumia 800 sibling - the one with the fancy unibody and AMOLED screen. Looks aside though, the two aren't that different and the 710 does come cheaper. The screen could have been better - in terms of viewing angles in particular - but it stacks up very well against mid-range competition. The camera was also pretty good, especially the HD video recording. And we didn't spend too much time crying over the non-unibody design, easy access to the battery makes up for that (and you get the added bonus of being able to spruce things up with a colorful new back cover). The Nokia Lumia 710 has certain limitations: storage is non-expandable, and 8GB isn't spectacular to begin with. USB and Bluetooth usability is limited too, but those are par for the Windows Phone course. And only two other devices come with free voice-guided navigation, both of which are Nokia made.”

“A decent, well-priced device, the 710 would sell well on an already successful platform. But it's not the kind of must-have shocker that would cause people to take a chance on a new OS, and that's what Windows Phone 7 (market share: 1.5 percent) needs. Windows Phone 7 is smooth, easy to use, and delightful, but as uber-blogger Robert Scoble puts it, it isn't considered safe in families where the influencers—the tech-savvy friends and relatives—all have iPhones or Android devices. There are three ways to see the Nokia Lumia 710. Measured against our standard review criteria, it's a fine midrange phone. Buyers will, by and large, be happy with it. While its build isn't as solid as the HTC Radar, you get more here for less money with the 710's faster processor, free turn-by-turn navigation, and custom setup service. But as a way for either Microsoft or Nokia to finally break through in the U.S. market, the Lumia 710 is a damp squib. It's a solid follow-up phone without anything to follow up from. It's a secondary product that should benefit from a more prominent device's halo, but there's no halo glowing over it.”

“The Lumia 710 isn't as nice as the 800 but then we know that it isn't supposed to be. This is about making Windows Phone 7 affordable, and on that front the 710 is perfectly pitched. With the Lumia 800 around the £35 price point on contract, we suspect that you'll be able to get the Lumia 710 for around £15 - £20 a month with the handset free. That's a good price in anyone's books. The Lumia 710 is perfect at showing that you don't need to have powerful expensive specs to still get a phone that is enjoyable to use day-in, day-out. It might not be as durable as the metal clad HTC Radar, but you won't be disappointed.”

“The only quibble I had with this handset as opposed to other Windows Phone devices I’ve encountered was that it often took a few tries to successfully click a link from a tweet or status update in People Hub, as if I needed to tap the link in a particular spot (rather than anywhere on the URL) for the gesture to register. This phone is proof that you don’t need top-of-the-line tech specs for a great mobile experience. Like the other cheap Windows Phone for T-Mobile, the HTC Radar, it’s good at everything it does, but it’s not out there to wow you. Although it’s targeted at new smartphone converts, in reality, the Nokia 710 is a good option for anyone looking for a phone with a new flavor and a lot of bang for your buck.”