Review: Sony Xperia Z
How it must gall Sony to find that along with the likes of HTC, ZTE and LG it is now firmly in the second division of Android phone makers, floundering in the spume and wake of the global sales monster that is Samsung. Sony Xperia Z Xperia Z: a bit of a slab Personally I blame a ludicrously complex model portfolio as much as …
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"The Xperia Z is frankly a bit of a slab."
This from the company that produced the genuinely brilliant design of the Xperia Arc S, with the sculpted side trim accentuating the slight curvature of the back and cunningly adding apparent thinness to an already anorexic object.
Now, I'd have thought it was the Ericsson side of Sony-Ericsson that was the staid and stodgy bit. Apparently not.
I like the waterproof feature
I'm surprised I've not dropped my phone in water yet and forever bending over it in the rain to shield it while I send a text.
However, if I have to pop open a waterproof rubber cover every time I want to charge it, its just not going to work. The cover will ether snap off or the rubber will wear out, leaving it just as susceptible as any other phone.
Waterproof with either inductive charging, or a charging port that doesn't mind getting wet and I'm sold.
Re: I like the waterproof feature
>or a charging port that doesn't mind getting wet and I'm sold
Seems Sony have anticipated your concern:
Those two exposed metal contacts on the side next to the uSD slot are for charging. [Charging cradle an optional extra, I would imagine]
Re: I like the waterproof feature
While i agree that the inductive charging would be much better than a charging socket i have the Xperia Go (baby brother of this and also waterproof) and that has the same (i assume) covers for USB / Headphones. I have to say there is very little risk of breaking them off or wearing out - they are really well made and i am 6 months into the phone with zero signs of wear on them...
Re: I like the waterproof feature
Agree entirely about covers on charging ports. That was pretty much the one thing Nokia got wrong with the Lumia 800 whose cover was fiddly and fragile.
Re: I like the waterproof feature -No plastic Baggies as with iPhones
Sony has always wisely featured waterproof phones as many regions of the world need them.
If you have ever experienced a Singapore drenching rain, or DakLak Province, VietNam, in the spring you will realise what a strong sales feature waterproofing is.
I always get a laugh when some iPhan pulls out an Apple cell phone, covered in a Baggie, but ONLY they have found somewhere dry to hide in.
Build quality
The build quality is fantastic! Finally there is a well built android phone. It feels far better quality than phones like the S3 (and even the S2 which was better than the S3).
And personally I love the minimalist styling
Re: Build quality
The razr i seems pretty-well nailed together to me. It's also supposed to be splashproof?
i've just got one of these
made the big switch over from iphone no less.... has been a breeze and i much prefer android. anyway, i love the xperia z but the main problem i have with it is the ridiculously low volume when playing back MP3s through the headphones. For a "Walkman" phone, I thought the sound quality would be top notch (and plently loud) but alas, no. I've had to install PowerAmp and use it's software amplification to boost the volume to an acceptable level and for the more longer term, am going to have to get a dedicated mobile headphone amp. which is slighly annoying.
great phone in all other regards though and i manage to make my battery last 2 DAYS without a charge (admittedly not with heavy use).
Re: i've just got one of these
Are you certain there is no "sound pressure" override setting?
My old Sony MP3 Walkman had an sp setting which prevented the sound being "too load", which depending on the impedance of the headphones meant "not load enough".
Just saying ...
Re: i've just got one of these
hmmm, i haven't seen a sound pressure override setting no...but i may be missing something..
*investigates*
Re: i've just got one of these
Hmm, like MP3 players 'back in the day', when you had to select a country outside the EU to get a decent volume. Not that I'm cavalier with my hearing (tinnitus sounds like hell) but headphones do vary.
Re: i've just got one of these
My pet peeve with the Sony Walkman app is that is doesn't support WMA. Otherwise it is very good.
Re: i've just got one of these
And the problem with supporting a codec is...?
True, Sony are the only company I know of to be named in an XP BSOD (SonicStage, and MS abandoned their traditional esoteric hex to name Sony as the culprit... as New Scientist remarked at the time "We cannot even begin to imagine the level of acrimony that lead to this message being displayed")
4.7" smaller than this 5" ≠ necessarily true
The fact is, the HTC One has buttons off screen, this has buttons ON screen, so in reality the usable screen space is almost certainly similar.
"Finally, like the Nexus 4, the Xperia Z gets rather warm when worked hard, playing games like NOVA 3, for example. Say what you like about Qualcomm’s high-end chipsets, they can’t half pump out the thermals when they get busy. I demand many things from a mobile phone but keeping my nuts warm in the winter isn’t one of them."
Erm... I know touchscreens are nice and all that, but surely you're not supposed to be using your nuts to play games with them?
MHL and Host mode...
Can we have a standard that does both? Then I can have a cradle attached to a screen and a USB hub and fulfil the dream of having a cradle that turns phone into computer.
The narrow gap that collects dandruff
May I suggest Head & Shoulders or an alternative medicated shampoo?
"alongside the iPhone 5, the HTC One, the or the Nokia Lumia 920, let alone the Galaxy S4."
What is the the other model you were thinking about?
"Currently running the show is Android 4.1.2 though Sony is promising an upgrade to..."
Sony promising. Precisely why I wouldn't get one.
Re: "Currently running the show is Android 4.1.2 though Sony is promising an upgrade to..."
>Sony promising. Precisely why I wouldn't get one.
All of last year's Xperia phones have been upgraded to ICS, and most of them are receiving a Jelly Bean update this month. When I got my Xperia P, many of the online forums echoed the negative view you have just expressed re Sony's abandonment of 2011 models, so it seems they have listened and upped their game.
-http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sony-starts-rolling-out-jelly-bean-for-xperia-users-1130304
Re: "Currently running the show is Android 4.1.2 though Sony is promising an upgrade to..."
Fair play. Thanks for the reply.
Though I prefer a Nexus device to be absolutely sure.
Re: "Currently running the show is Android 4.1.2 though Sony is promising an upgrade to..."
Sony? Upgrade? Pot luck, we have three Xperia T's all unlocked, two were upgraded a month ago, the third, is well still waiting.
Sony did at-least communicate, and it appears unlike Apple, they are unable to release updates globally on the same day, or within the same month for that matter even for one model of phone, in just one country...
http://furbian.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/android-and-sony-mobile-dislike-lot-of.html
Avoid - screen scratches very easily
Sony really screwed up with the screen on this phone. Even though I keep mine fully protected in a book case, the screen is already scratched just from normal use - my phone is a week old.
It's the anti-shatter layer on the screen that's really soft and scratches easily. Sony do include additional screen protectors in the package, but nowhere does it say these need to be installed even if you're using a case for your phone. At the very least, these should be factory installed, as they are clearly a necessary part of the phone. I tried to install these screen protectors at home and screwed it up as I'd not done it before; I bought more and dust got under the front one, looked terrible so I had to take it off.
I liked EVERYTHING else about this phone - but I feel really let down that Sony didn't use Corning Gorilla Glass, like the competition. It's a big enough negative that I wish I had't bought it - it looks bad after a week, it will look terrible after a year. Conversely my 18 month old Xoom tablet is still pristine, despite being regularly prodded and swiped by my two-year-old daughter, and my three year old HTC Desire's screen is also still perfect.
Re: Avoid - screen scratches very easily
That thing you are scratching on the screen IS a screen protector, all Sony phones have had an "invisible" one since the X10. In the case of the Z, I believe the Sony logo is actually printed on that rather than the phone itself.
And as for them not using Gorilla Glass, looks like they do - for the back. The front is Dragontrail, according to collateral released in Hong Kong.
http://www.xperiablog.net/2013/02/20/does-the-xperia-z-use-both-dragontrail-and-gorilla-glass/
Re: Avoid - screen scratches very easily
Oh well. I stumbled across some forum reference to this anti-shatter layer when I was trying to track down an official Sony replacement for the screen-protector included with my Xperia P. Some people suggest that you just remove the scratched 'anti-shatter' layer http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/41307?start=0&tstart=0 (how-to video in above link), and install a screen protector ASAP. I can't vouch for the advice given above, but it might be worth you having a look.
The included screen protector worked and protected my screen, but eventually became scratched itself . I bought a replacement at a market stall, but it was poor, and quickly became covered in microscratches, making the thing tricky to use in sunlight (hence, I searched for an official Sony one, since the first had been good). Thankfully, being a 4" phone a widely-available iPhone 5 protector can be cut to fit.
A bit of care is required to install them, but as long as you are in a fairly dust free environment and take care to clean the screen with the included cloth, it should go okay. Don't worry about little bubbles, they can be pushed out to the side after it's laid down. I'm sure the nice young man in your phone shop will install it for you if you buy it from him.
Good luck.
Err...
"go like a privy door when the plague’s in town"
Mixed metaphor of the month?
Re: Err...
i think you'll find it was first uttereth by Lord Edmund Blackadder
Re: Err...
Ah. My humor gland has recently been damaged. Thank you.
Just Puked In My Mouth A Bit
Looking at that dated boring UI on this phone. Why would you keep a UI that looks like it was designed in 2007???
Re: Just Puked In My Mouth A Bit
You have posted on the wrong thread, this is for the Sony Xperia Z not the iPhone 5.
"Sony promise to update to 4.2 soon..."
Yes, when pigs fly to their skiing holidays in hell.
I have been burned too many times to believe that rubbish.
A
Re: "Sony promise to update to 4.2 soon..."
See how they have supported all their 2012 handsets. My Xperia P has already been updated to ICS, and is getting JB this month (whatever, ICS seems good enough).
Sorry you got stung, but those 2011 handsets seemed a bit lacking in RAM at the time.
They gave me a free pie
I lost my phone a few days ago (sob sob) and so was thinking about what phone to get, when Sony turned up at my work showing everyone it and gave everyone a free pie. So when I was thinking of what phone I took the following into account:
- Well Samsungs newer model is a while away and I need one today
- Apple is yesterdays technology at tomorrows prices, in chrome
- All phones have different features, none of which I will ever use
- All phones are phones
- Sony gave me a free pie
I'll take the Sony.
My review...
It's doing ok, not tested the water feature, and probably never will. The camera is ok at stills but rubbish if the object is moving even slightly (even with their 'special' technology activated, the menu's are just as confusing as all phone menus, it runs android so all apps are fairly consistent, screen quality is good, the sound quality on calls is actually very impressive compared to the htc sensation and iphone4s i had in the past.
Oh and 3 days after buying it I found my old phone in the boot of my car under a box.
Are memories of Sony's Digital Walkmans....
...and their dreadful bloated and buggy software the reason a lot of folks stay away from Sony phones?
Re: Are memories of Sony's Digital Walkmans....
Possibly, SonicStage was pretty awful. Still, so is Samsung's Kies phone management software, and it doesn't seem to have hurt them!
No camera button?
I bought an Xperia S about a year ago - my first Sony phone.
As an owner of a digital SLR, I really appreciated the fact that it had a two stage button to enable you to focus first then capture the picture. Plus you could actually hold it with two hands like a real camera, dramatically improving the picture quality.
This one doesn't seem to have a camera button so (by my reckoning) that makes it inferior to the model it is supposed to replace.
Doesn't really matter as I took out a 2 year contract so I wasn't going to buy it anyway - I just wonder why Sony think they can't have more than one USP (Waterproofing being the new one) per device? They're competing with Samsung not the rest of their own range.
Very nice but RIDICULOUSLY overpriced...
...like just about everything in the recent ~6 months from Sony - is it the sign of the Japanese (CEO) hubris again...?
I'm the first one t admit that Sir Stringer was an embarrassment, an utter disaster at Sony, he should've been literally kicked out many years ago but this crazy price gouging clearly won't work for Sony, the Japs are really out of their mind if they think over-hyping an otherwise great but not exceptional phone would make up for the price tag shock when someone decides to check it out...
...over $700, at $750? =O
Are you f''n kidding me? I've owned 4-5 Xperia phones - currently running on T, bought in Nov for $539, ahem, already a tad over my usual max) and even I say FO, Sony - imagine what people who never owned any of their previous (bugfest) Xperia phones will say...
...time to check out others, primarily LG and HTC, perhaps even BB Z10 - thanks Sony, it was nice while it lasted, you may go back to red again but this time without me sticking alone, sorry.
Well the review lacks some software. There are pop-up "mini apps" you can launch from the tasks screen, it's interesting...
I don't mind the viewing angles as I'd be looking at the front of the screen when using a phone, never from the side. :P
Poor Sony.. just can't get out in front in this race
They don't have the nice position of Samsung, where the sheer volume can make a more expensive to build device extremely profitable.
And since they're not doing so well overall, they can't seem to justify producing a potential flagship loss leader stuffed with everything good and expensive that would only turn a profit if they managed to sell 10 million or more.
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