lumia 822

Verizon has started rolling out Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 for the Lumia 928 and Lumia 822. Among the other features of Update 1, the 928 and 822 owners are also getting access to Cortana. Better yet, this update will also take both phones onto the latest Lumia Denim software, which is currently pushing out to other Lumia phones all around the world.

It’s just after 1PM ET, so the flood gates are open for the Lumia Black firmware and Update 3 OS update. We just confirmed that the Nokia Lumia 822, a Verizon exclusive, is now getting that update.

To check, head into your phone’s Settings and select Phone Update > Check for Updates. Users should be on Wi-Fi to do the update, as it contains an OS and firmware update.

Confession: we’re not huge users of the Windows Phone FM Radio, a feature that was omitted when Windows Phone 8 launched last year due to the drivers needing to be re-written. Because of that, we didn’t miss it much, though like you, we always appreciate having things on our phones, even if we don’t use them.

But some of you 'FM radio fans' are certainly quite die hard about it and so when the Verizon Nokia Lumia 928 received the Amber + GDR2 update last week, the missing radio feature (which the update was supposed to bring), raised some eyebrows (and ire).

We’re getting a few reports in today that Verizon has begun rolling out some tiny firmware updates for their HTC 8x and Lumia 822 smartphones.  Indeed we fired up an 822 to be greeted with a small update that took less than 5 minutes to install.

So what’s news? Well, this appears to be a very, very small update meant to be a quick fix for some nagging issues. We say that only because your radio, firmware and OS versions will not change with these updates. That tells us that this is basically a firmware patch of some sorts, meant more for tweaks than new features.

The Lumia 822 (or Lumia 820 for those of us outside the US) is a Nokia Windows Phone 8 device that sits comfortably next to the Lumia 920, albeit with a few features missing from the specifications sheet. The smartphone is exclusive to Verizon and the US mobile operator has also taken the opportunity to launch a red version of the device for Valentine's Day. This colour, along with grey are currently both sold out.

What better way to say, "I love you," than with a Windows Phone? Verizon will reportedly be offering their Nokia Lumia 822 in red and for under $50. The already available black, grey and white models sell for $49.99 with a two-year contract, so we likely won't see a price drop. No precise date has been given yet for he red Lumia 822, so keep an eye out for it.

If you've purchased a new Nokia Windows Phone over the past few days, you can cash in on a free set of Nokia Monster Purity headsets (the in-ear models). Just head over to NokiaHolidayHeadset.com and fill in the blanks, print off the completed form, include a copy of the original sales receipt and UPC/barcode from your box and send it all into Nokia.

Images of what appears to be the Lumia 822 being taken apart to reveal what's inside have appeared on Baidu Tieba, a popular community ran by the Chinese search engine. The Windows Phone is exclusively available on US carrier Verizon.

Best Buy is offering the Verizon Lumia 822 (a version of the Lumia 820) to new customers at just $49.99 when taken out with a 2 year plan. The price undercuts Verizon's own pricing at $150 with a $50 MIR (mail-in rebate). The retailer currently has the same handset priced at $99 online, but in-store (as can be seen above) the Windows Phone can be picked up for $50 off.