Nokia has released the Lumia 928 Windows Phone on Verizon, and it's not a mid-range phone - it's a high-end Windows Phone for the nation's largest wireless carrier.  At $99.99 with a two-year agreement, the Lumia 928 offers a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 4.5-inch HD display, 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 1 GB of RAM, 2,000 mAh battery, and 4G LTE connectivity.  It packs Windows Phone 8 with Nokia's value added applications like Nokia Music, HERE Maps, and more.

It's a great addition to Verizon Wireless, and with their status as the largest wireless carrier in the US, it brings much needed visibility to Nokia and Microsoft.  Is it worth it and more importantly, can it compete in the mobile battle against the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S 4, and Apple iPhone 5?  Part 1 of 2.