Microsoft first announced on October that it will soon release its newest smartphone that will run on Windows 10 - the Lumia 950 and 950XL. Generally, most critics view the new Windows 10 smartphone as a decent device but hardly a threat to mobile devices running on iOS and Android.

The Verge reported that the Lumia 950 lacks the aesthetic appeal of most high-end or even medium end iOS or Android smartphones. In fact, the flagship smartphone for the Windows 10 virtually has the same look as the older and cheaper Lumia models except that it is more expensive at $600. Critics are wondering how Microsoft can convince people to buy the Lumia 950 when they can get a sleekier iPhone 6S for almost the same amount. There are also a lot of nice looking Android smartphones that are far cheaper than the Lumia 950.

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The Lumia 950's specs are decent enough. Its processor is a Snapdragon 808 from Qualcomm and has 3 GB of RAM. Internal memory is a big 32 GB and if that's not enough, the phone also has a slot for microSD for extra memory. The Windows 10 phone's battery is an exchangeable 3,000 mAh and offers a fast as well as wireless charge. The 5.2 inch screen displays Quad high definition resolution.

It is also equipped with a 20 megapixel rear camera which gives decent pictures even though it can take a while for the images to appear on screen. The front camera is equipped with a wide angle 5 MP. This newest Lumia model however, does not offer any spectacular feature in contrast to its predecessors.

The Lumia 950s most attractive feature when it comes to software is the Windows 10 operating system. There is also Cortana, Windows virtual assistant, an Edge browser as well as email and calendar apps.

For security, the 950 has the Hello feature which lets the user unlock the phone by simply looking at it although the user must hold it very close to his or her face and it takes a while too.

The Lumia 950 has a feature that an iOS or Android device does not have - the Continuum. This nice option can in theory, make your smartphone transform into a functional personal computer. All a user needs to make this happen is a display dock or dongle as well as mouse, keyboard and monitor. Users have the option of using a USB or Bluetooth to plug the various devices.

Tagswindows 10 smartphone, windows 10 device, Cortana, Continuum, windows 10 phone hello