iPhone 4S vs Nokia Lumia 710: What You Need to Know

Anyone considering one of these phones will likely not be considering the other, but because they are so different, it's kind of fun to see what separates them. First, iPhone 4S isn't even offered by T-Mobile, and that's the only place in the U.S. where you'll find the Nokia Lumia 710. Then there is the vast price difference. iPhone 4S starts at $200 on contract and the Lumia 710 is just $50. So if you're thinking of getting an iPhone, you won't be going to T-Mobile, and if you're a T-Mobile customer, you can easily upgrade to the Lumia 710 but would have to change carriers to get an iPhone.

For the $200 price, you get plenty of high tech in the iPhone, including Siri the voice recognition software, an eight megapixel rear-facing camera and 16 gigabytes of internal storage. But that doesn't mean the Lumia 710 is a dud because it's so much cheaper. In fact, its arrival at T-Mobile is noteworthy because it's Nokia's first smartphone in the U.S. running the Microsoft system. It's called Windows Phone, and it's different from Android because it's not open source.It's different from Apple's iOS because it's not only on Microsoft hardware, but runs on HTC and Samsung devices as well. It's a mobile operating system that has its own app ecosystem and non-icon based menu layout, though. There's around 50,000 apps available in the Marketplace (Microsoft's proprietary name for their app store) and the homescreen on the device is a series of dynamic tiles instead of app icons.

Hardware wise, the Lumia 710 has eight gigabytes of internal storage (Microsoft has the SkyDrive system that stores some data in the cloud), a 3.7-inch display and a five megapixel shooter. There is no front-facing camera, however, and there is no option to turn the device into a mobile hotspot for sharing your internet connection.While it can't compare to the iPhone, Nokia's Lumia 710 is a good option for first time smartphone buyers and anyone who is on a budget. You'll love it unless you are already used to iOS or Android, and then the software might take some getting used to. Tell us in the comments if you remember your old Nokia feature phones.