Windows Phone 8 has arrived. Nokia has thrown absolutely everything at it with a pair of smartphones that bring major updates over its current Lumia range - the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820.

Both new smartphones feature Windows Phone 8, naturally, but also plenty of other Nokia tweaks. Below is everything you need to know about the new Nokia handsets.

Nokia Lumia 920

Processor and internals

This is Nokia’s quickest Windows Phone yet, with a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 32GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM. Couple that with Windows Phone 8 and you should have a very speedy WP experience. There is a big 2000mAh battery inside keeping everything running. 

Screen

Then there is the screen, which is a high-resolution 1280 x 768, 4.5-inch display, packed with Nokia's new Pure Motion HD+ technology as well as an updated version of ClearBlack found in older Lumia phones. 

Pure Motion HD+ is all about getting rid of things like screen flicker and motion wobble when looking at web pages. It ups the screen refresh rate, like you might a high-end TV or computer screen, so that motion is smooth. 

Clear Black has also had a rethink and now responds intelligently to bright and direct sunlight. By adjusting contrast levels dynamically, the idea is that the Lumia 920 retains best-in-class contrast in any light conditions. 

Camera

Throw in an 8-megapixel camera and Pure View technology and you have quite a phone. This is a bit of a show stealer for Windows Phone 8 and should, given the processor speed and already snappy OS, handle incredibly well. It will shoot 1080p HD video as well, which Nokia already has shown off in this early teaser video for the Nokia World event. 

The aperture in the camera is very quick at f2 and the sensor itself also uses optical image stabilisation which should keep shots steady while you are trying to snap images. Nokia has also included a pair of flashes to keep things balanced when using the camera flash at night. 

Design

Nokia has kept up its design philosophy with the 920, which looks very similar to the Lumia 800 and Lumia 900. The difference? No Cyan this time, instead we have colours like banana yellow and even a silver. All matte naturally though.

The phone is put together from a combination of polycarbonate and ceramic plates and buttons. It is also said to be a lot stronger than previous Lumia phones, which were tough enough already. Nokia has also thrown in super sensitive touch technology that lets you use the phone's screen while wearing gloves.

Wireless charging

Pairing up with a company called Fatboy brings with it wireless charging to the Lumia 920. This means you can simply plonk the handset on to what is called the Fatboy recharge pillow and the phone should start charging straight away.

On top of this Nokia has made deals with the likes of Virgin Atlantic and the Coffee Bean to try to get these wireless charging pads in shops. 

Apps

Included in the Lumia 920 package is a newly updated augmented reality app called Nokia city lens. Working in tandem with Nokia Drive and Nokia Maps, the app lets you do things like search for restaurant phone numbers as well as details about shops on the high street, just by aiming the phone camera at them.

There is also a series of apps which capitalise on Windows Phone 8's new lenses function to add extra features to the camera. Smart shoot for example will let you remove blurred objects from images using a single tap. Another called Cinemagraph captures motion and stills and lets you edit parts of them to create partially moving images.

Angry Birds Roost is the final app addition. Acting like a hub for all things AB, it gives you access to stuff like tips videos and walkthroughs. 

Nokia Lumia 820

Processor and internals

Taking the same processor from the top of the line Lumia 920, the 820 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core chip clocked at 1.5GHz. On top of that is the same 1GB of RAM, but here is where it gets different; you only get 8GB of internal memory and microSD expansion instead. Nokia has opted to put in a 1650 mAh battery this time, which should mean slightly reduced battery life over the 920.

Screen

This is where the Lumia 820 really misses out. Instead of having the large Pure Motion screen found on the bigger 920, you get a Clear Black OLED display that is 4.3-inches in size. The screen is also only 800 x 480 resolution. The screen also has Super Sensitive touch so you can use it with gloves on. 

Camera

No Pure View here unfortunately but Nokia has thankfully still included an 8-megapixel snapper with Carl Zeiss optics and a pair of flashes. Better still you get proper 1080p video recording and a VGA front facing camera. 

Design

The Lumia 820 is a touch more customisable than its 920 cousin, with a removable back that means you can change around the colour of the phone. It also allows you to purchase wireless charging capable cases that will make the phone compatible with the Fatboy wireless pillow.  


Apps

Everything included with the Lumia 920, including things like city lens and Nokia Drive and Maps, also comes with the 820. Angry Birds is there as is all the rest, in fact Nokia plans on extending most of the apps out to the rest of its current generation Lumia line up. 

What do you think of the new Windows Phone kit? Let us know in the comments below ...