In a sense, it feels like Windows Phone 8 is Microsoft's first real foray into the smartphone space post Windows Mobile. Of course, Microsoft made a concerted effort with Windows Phone 7, but there's something vastly different about version 8. WP8 borrows from the underpinnings of Windows Phone 7, but there are so many differences in the operating system -- along with its incompatibility with WP7-class hardware -- that it feels like we're evaluating an entirely new product. And in reality, we are.

Nokia's Lumia 920 is one of the first Windows Phone 8 products, along with HTC's 8X, in a holiday smartphone lineup that has become amazingly crowded. Microsoft is trying its best to carve out a niche despite Windows Phone 8 being overwhelmed on shelves by the iPhone and Android-based products. But Nokia's expertise in the hardware business shines through in the design of this particular phone. A lot is riding on the success of the Lumia 920, not only for Nokia but for Microsoft's mobile team as well.

Before we dig in too deep, let's look at the specifications and take a quick tour of the device:

 

Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone (AT&T) Specifications & Features

From a technical perspective, what's immediately clear is that Windows Phone 8 hardware has finally caught up to the iPhone and high-powered Android phones that the platform is competing with. WP8 added support for high-res displays, NFC, wireless charging and multi-core processors. All of those things were necessary to truly rival Android and iOS in terms of features and potential performance. 

Let's delve deeper into Microsoft's new handset OS, its capabilities and this new flagship smartphone by Nokia.