Your Windows Phone 8 Start screen can say a lot about your personality – the things you like most, your priorities, the colours you pick and more. As a Staff Writer for Nokia Conversations, I’ve definitely made a lot of changes to the Start screen on my Nokia Lumia 620 to get the most out of it, and I love the way it looks.

Which apps have you prioritised?
The calendar and Connectivity Shortcuts take up the top of my screen. The former helps to ensure I don’t miss any important calls or meetings, and I probably use Connectivity Shortcuts more than any other app.


For some reason I’m obsessed with trying to get days and days out of a single charge – so spend my time flitting between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Location, a 2G and 3G connection – whenever I don’t need something I’ll turn it straight off again. It’s great to be able to manage everything without going through the settings.

My email account gets a full width position in the centre of the screen, purely because I like the way it’s possible to see what messages are before I’ve opened them. Under that it’s my contacts, and then smaller shortcuts for messaging, Facebook, the phone and alarms.

I like the idea of having my most used apps all in one place, so my Start screen is actually a lot bigger than most. Scroll down and the second page gets my Photos, Shotly Golf (I really couldn’t manage without it) and another row of smaller shortcuts. Flashlight-X, Windows Store, Wikipedia and Twitter. HERE Drive, HERE Maps, Settings and several webpage shortcuts finish things nicely.  

There are a few more apps under that – mainly AccuWeather (although all the details actually show up on my locked screen), and some other apps I don’t use quite so often.  

What apps do you use to pass the time?
I don’t really use that many apps for fun, but if I don’t have my laptop or tablet with me Nokia Reading tops the list. And if it’s not books, then I’ll probably be reading any of the websites I’ve added to my Start screen.

What’s the last app you paid for?
Earthworm Jim. It was more out of curiosity than anything else – I’m not a big gamer. I do remember buying Earthworm Jim some 15+ years ago though, and that it cost me more than £50. It’s still the most money I’ve ever spent on a game. I’m pleased to report that it’s now under £1 on the Nokia Lumia, and it’s eerily similar (from what I remember!). It’s good fun, and looks fantastic.

Which app is your guilty pleasure?
YouTube. It doesn’t matter where I am, or what I’m doing, YouTube has proved to be invaluable on my Lumia over the past year. It has helped me to provide evidence when taking part in silly arguments, it provides light-hearted entertainment when required, and it’s great for sharing clips of events friends have missed on TV. It’s quick, smooth and easy to use, and I really can’t imagine not having it.