Nokia Lumia 822 software update adds messaging features

Nokia Lumia 822 owners can expect a small gift from Finland today. An over-the-air software update began rolling out to the Verizon Wireless Windows Phone 8 device at 1 p.m. ET.

New features in the update include improved performance for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and support for more microSD card brands. You'll also gain the ability to select an MP3 file as a ringtone, edit a multimedia message when forwarding, select multiple recipients for a message (yes!), and ignore calls with a text message reply.

A slightly downgraded Nokia Lumia 920, the Lumia 822 is one of three Windows Phone 8 devices that Verizon carriers, the other being the HTC Windows Phone 8X and the Samsung Ativ Odyssey (the older HTC Trophy runs on Windows Phone 7). In her Lumia 822 review, CNET's Jessica Dolcourt said that the smartphone was a good value for its features, but that its boring design and scratchy call quality fall short.