Special Features: Nokia Drive, ESPN, TeleNav GPS, And T-Mobile TV
Header Cell - Column 0 | Preinstalled Apps on Lumia 710/800 |
---|---|
Freely Available | Slacker Radio, Netflix |
Loaded by Carrier | TeleNav GPS, T-Mobile TV |
Loaded by Vendor | Nokia Drive, ESPN |
Our Lumia 710 comes from T-Mobile, so it includes TeleNav GPS and T-Mobile TV. The first might seem like an odd addition since Nokia has its own navigation software. However, T-Mobile includes TeleNav GPS on each of its WP7 phones. At the end of the day it's not addition everyone will want because you have to pay $9.99 per month to get turn-by-turn and voice-guided navigation.
T-Mobile TV is a bit more interesting, as it's a rare demonstration of IPTV. Unfortunately, the number of live TV streams is pretty modest. You're only able to choose between news, business, or sports (via ESPN Mobile TV). Similarly, on-demand programming is also fairly limited. Only shows from TLC, E!, Lifetime, Oxygen, CBS, ABC, and USA Networks are available.
My biggest complaint, though, centers on the quality of Wi-Fi-based streaming. As you can see in the first video above, the picture is exceedingly blocky and choppy. Really, it's unwatchable. Switch to T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, though, and the resulting stream comes through clearly. The problem seems limited to T-Mobile TV, since we didn't have any trouble using Netflix over Wi-Fi.
The Nokia Drive application is probably what you'll switch to once you realize that paying $10 a month for TeleNav GPS is too-pricey of a proposition. It's a simpler app, but it works. You get turn-by-turn instructions and voice-guided navigation, even if the interface isn't as fancy. The real value of this program comes from its ability to download entire maps and work without a data connection, though you do need that connection (or Wi-Fi) when you first type in a destination address.
The ESPN application is the bundle's gem. First, it’s exclusive to Nokia. But it's also just an awesome addition for any sports junkie. This title is split into sections: scores, news, ESPN's twitter feed, and videos. If you want to get more specific, you can also filter by sport and teams.