Have you ever imagined yourself living a day without any mobile device, especially smartphones and tablets? It would be really hard, right? Since mobile technology is tightly integrated with our daily lives these days, we can’t be separated from our mobile devices even for more than an hour (speaking through personal experience!). For bloggers like us, the need for technology is much greater – we need to write articles, answer comments and feedback, and keep our blog updated almost every day. Not only that, we also need our mobile devices in our personal affairs. As a Windows Phone blogger and fan, let me share to you how my life works with technology, thanks to my Nokia Lumia 1520.
Waking Up and Starting the Day!
Like other people working in the BPO industry, I have a reversed way of living. My day starts at around 3-4PM, when my Lumia 1520 starts alarming to inform me that it’s time to start a new day. Before I get out of my bed, I check updates for all of my social sites. Facebook comes first, where I check for my own notifications, followed by browsing the Nokia Revolution page for comments. Since I am also busy with sharing my precious shots in Instagram, I also check it for new likes and followers, as well as any updates from fellow Lumiagraphers (people I followed who also used Lumia smartphones for photography).
I also love connecting with my friends, so FB Messenger and Viber are next in line when checking notifications. Once I replied to all pending messages, it’s time to blog!
Off to Work and Vice Versa!
Travelling to work takes around 2 hours, but I still check Waze for the traffic situation in Metro Manila – being familiar with how worse the traffic can turn out to be, you need to expect the unexpected, right? In cases when I’m not familiar with the places, I check HERE Maps regularly to see my current location (good thing that this amazing app works even in offline mode!). I also use these apps whenever I’m traveling around for leisure – just to avoid being lost!
While aboard the bus, you can’t just stare out the windows all the time – that’s where my entertainment apps come in. With my Lumia 1520, I can play my favorite games like Subway Surfers, Royal Revolt, and Tribez, listen to music with Xbox Music, read books with BookViser, or watch videos with Xbox Video and Touch Tube. Who says Windows Phone is lacking apps? If people will only learn to explore the Windows Phone Store, the possibilities are endless!
The same routine applies almost every day, unless I’m running out of time to blog. That’s where I work double time in writing articles in the bus.
Mobile Blogging at its Finest!
There are instances when effective time management is really necessary, especially when there are unexpected occasions like sudden meetups with friends, Microsoft events, and work-related conferences that can eat up a large amount of your time. With a few hours left for blogging, what do I usually do? I write articles using my phone.
That’s another great thing about Windows Phone – it is build for enterprise. This means that there are apps that we can use to create documents. So how do I blog with my Lumia 1520? First, I search for our usual sources over the Web using Internet Explorer. Once I’ve read through the topic and formulated ideas, I encode the article in the MS Word app, which is one of the MS Office Tools you can use in any Windows Phone device. After I’m done with the articles, I transfer them to the WordPress app (you can usually do articles directly in WordPress, but I’m more comfortable doing it first in MS Word – the choice is yours!). Now that the article is already drafted in WordPress, all I need to do at home is to create cover photos!
I’ve been writing articles in my phone for two years now – from my Lumia 900, to my Lumia 920, and now in my Lumia 1520 – and it really helped me sustain the blog and share my thoughts to the world.
Shooting Like a Pro – Almost!
Aside from blogging about Windows Phone, I also follow my other passion – photography. I may not have any of those amazing SLR cameras, but since I’m using a Lumia 1520, I can capture almost anything with its 20MP camera.
Lumia smartphones have an amazing collection of photography apps, my favorite ones being the Lumia Camera and the Lumia Creative Studio. I usually utilized the Lumia Camera, since it allows adjustments to photo elements on the spot, except for those times that I need to shoot a selfie – and that’s where Camera360 Sight comes in!
While I initially believe that photos should not be altered at all, I realized later that editing in itself is a form of art – a way of solving issues caused uncontrollable factors like extreme lighting conditions. The Windows Phone Store has some of the best photo editors in town, my favorites being Lumia Creative Studio, Camera360 Sight, Adobe Photoshop Express, and Fantasia Painter. Offering nice filters and editing options, I can recommend these apps to all of our readers!
After processing photos, I upload them in my Instagram account (@lonewizard7) or in my Flickr account (@harryjamespotter12). Why do I even take photos? Not for likes or followers, but to show to many people how amazing planet Earth is.
Other Windows Phone Apps I’m Loving Right Now!
Nokia Revolution – You can check out our latest articles and reviews, as well links to Twitter post and YouTube videos with this simple, yet informative official app. Download it HERE.
Trainr – I recently realized how important it is to stay fit and healthy, so I’m currently using Trainr in exercising. Trainr offers a wide range of workout routines depending on your needs – whether to burn fats, tone muscles, or to make your heart stronger, there is a Trainr routine for you!
6tag – Even though Instagram was made available to Windows Phone users, the app still lacks major features that will give a real IG experience. Thank goodness for 6tag, the third-party IG app by Rudy Huyn, which offers far better service than the official app – you can even regram photos without having to use another app!
Japanese Hub – Learning Nihongo is easier with the help of this amazing hub. Complete with writing and reading lessons, unleash the inner Japanese in you with Japanese Hub!
Disqus – Exclusive for Windows Phone users, Disqus helps bloggers to keep track of comments and suggestions posted in their respective websites. Recently updated with improved look and performance, we can reply to our readers’ thoughts on time with Disqus!
Cycloramic – Shooting panorama is very difficult in the past, but ever since Cycloramic arrived in the WP Store, we can now capture wide landscape images without having to worry about uneven photo stitches – just make sure to keep your hands steady, OK?
Zomato - Looking for the best places to dine? Grab Zomato and you’ll be provided with a long list of excellent restaurants to satisfy your palate!
Microsoft Apps – Whether it’s OneDrive, Skype, Cortana, or MSN Apps, Microsoft makes our life easier with their awesome collection of apps!
So, that’s basically Romeo’s digital lifestyle – I have to admit that I can’t really live without mobile technology, just like all of our avid readers! So keep on reading Nokia Revolution as we continue to report things that matter with your digital life – whether it’s about Microsoft, Windows, Windows Phone, we’ll definitely keep you posted!