Category: Sony Ericsson

  • Sony Xperia XA1 Review

    Welcome to the 2017 Sony Xperia XA1 review. Low to mid range smartphones don't get much popular coverage because there's usually nothing special about them and there's little publicity due as they don't represent the aspirations of the company. They also make a higher profit margin due to lower end technology that they made with.  However make no mistake, the mid-range class for 2017 represent great value in terms of function for your money. They do everything higher end phones do albeit at a second or two slower. The Sony Xperia XA1 is priced under $400 but loser to $350 AUD at the time of this post. In terms of construction and design the Sony XA1 features a mix of metal and plastic. It's box like design is timeless and well put together with no visible flaws. The fact the Sony have stuck with the same design philosophy is brave yet admirable as it is clearly one of the best looking mid-range phones on sale in 2017. It also gets bonus points for not looking like an iPhone. The XA1 looks and feels better than our current favorite mid-ranger the Motorola G5 Plus which is like a tank in comparison. In terms of hardware the Sony Xperia XA1 has a number of features that make it standout in the mid range class. It has a great camera specs with 23MP on the rear and 8Mp on the front and the quality of the pictures are better than any we've seen in the mid range class. A separate camera button is a great feature to take advantage of the very good camera. The Sony also packs a very good set of audio controls including equalization and DAC effects. It nice to see that Sony has kept true to it's former music history. The XA1 CPU is the latest Mediatek Octa-core CPU with a fast x4 2.3GHZ and x4 1.6 Ghz and comes with 3GB RAM, up to 32Gig and decent separate graphics GPU, so it's fast and furious for a mid-range. It also comes with quick charging which is rare in the price range. The only feature missing is a fingerprint reader. The screen resolution is 720P which is virtually the same as the iPhone and on the XA1 it does look good and comes with adjustable RGB if you really want to adjust it. We find reviewers on smart phones saying screen is bad because the compare to RGB chart and saying a phone is bad because of it - which we think it is a little stupid. Our eyes are not RGB compliant people and you really need to judge how a screen looks based  your eyes not some chart. Many also complain that the XA1 only has a 720P screen yet the same don't complain that the iPhone 6 in particular is not even 720P! In terms of use the Sony Xperia XA1 is very good. The interface is smooth and fully functional with a number of Sony developed apps for the camera and Playstation. Apps open quickly and also operate smoothly. We have no complaints in regards to how fast to works considering it's price tag. There is just usual Android OS issue with 'complexity' due to the number of customization options if you don't care about that sort of thing and ignore it. Many people buy the mid range handsets but few bother to write about them because they are in the shadow of the top range counterparts. We liked the Sony Xperia XA1 it looks good in the hand and works well. If you can't afford to buy or don't want the latest top range smartphone the XA1 is a great choice as it will do everything that you want. Those into Instagram and Snapchat will love the quality camera for the price. Note that unlike other reviews we don't compare everything to the top range phones especially when it comes to camera quality and features as they are priced at less than half the price of top range phone you should expect less! As mid-range phone the Xperia XA1 is one of the best mid range phones you can buy at the moment. Yes it is better than the Motorola G5 Plus because it looks better and works just as well. Although the XA1 is priced under $400 we feel the $350 price tag would make these phone had to pass up. Specifications
    • Sony Xperia XA1
    • Network Quad-band GSM - All Tri-band 3G - All Tri-band 4G - All
    • Design Touch screen
    • L145 x W667 x D8 mm
    • Weight 143 grams
    • Display (XA) 5 inch 1280 x 720 IPS
    • Camera 23MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP
    • Video Camera 1080P HD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth V4
    • CPU Octa-core 2.3 GHz Mediatek Dual Core Mali GPU
    • Memory 3 Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 256 Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Compass, Accelerometer,Proximity, Ambient Light Sony Clear Audio system FM Radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2300 mAh battery Up to 22 Days Standby Up to 17 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Sony Xperia XA1 priced under $400 AUD September 2017 Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra prices under $500 September 2017

  • Sony Xperia XA and XA Ultra Review

     
    Welcome to the 2017 Sony Xperia XA and XA Ultra review. Over the last 12 months Sony have revamped their smartphone lineup and the XA is year another model they introduced. The Sony XA and it larger brother the XA Ultra are the new X Series smart phones targeted at other  mid-range competitors in specification and pricing. The Sony XA Ultra in January 2017 recommended retail is $799 but you'll never pay that unless you are brain dead - basically. Currently the XA Ultra appears to be in run out mode so you will be able to find them for under $450 Outright. The smaller Sony XA in January 2017 usually sells for under $300 which is about right. Note that as always there are cheaper high spec phones from other brands but they are not a Sony. In terms of construction the Sony XA feature an edge to edge bubble screen, metal frame and plastic back plate. It's feels good to hold despite the plastic back and looks good too. The flaps for the microSD and SIM (separately) on the side are typical Sony so no complaints while there are benefits we prefer the tray solution as championed by Samsung. The XA Ultra has a significant increase in the camera and features a 16M selfie and 21MP rear camera the regular XA is quite ordinary in comparison. In terms of hardware the CPU is a cheaper Mediatek P10 and basically means it's a different solution to the usual Qualcomm ones. It is championed as a cheaper solution but is all honestly we didn't pick up any difference. The XA's screen is a 72op IPS not the usually LED Triluminos usually used by Sony but the older BRAVIA engine and you can tell it's not the best image but it's not the worst either much like the iPhone. The XA Ultra has a 1080p HD screen but same image engine. Overall it's a mixed bag of specs. The XA has a reasonable 16MP main and 8MP selfie but the XA has the much better 21MP and 16Mp selfie camera. The Sony 'secret source' rarely  mentioned by main stream reviews is the 'Clear Audio' system on the phones which means bluetooth streaming and music via the ear phones are equal or better to the top end phones even the iPhone. In terms of use the Sony XA is pretty good, smooth and fully functional the best feature is the music processor branded Clear Audio and when turned on works amazingly well for this price point, easily superior to the cheap models from Huawei and Oppo and even iPhone. The Android OS has not been significantly modified so works predictably although the smart apps still bugs us. Overall there's nothing to truly complain about. The Sony XA is a decent mid range phone but a little overpriced however the XA Ultra is much better and for not much more if you shop online. Sure the XA Ultra has a bigger screen hence size but in 2017 the more screen you can see the better your eye site will be in the long run. The Sony XA Ultra is a hidden gem and bargain priced at the moment. Specifications
    • Sony XA and XA Ultra
    • Network Quad-band GSM - All Tri-band 3G - All Tri-band 4G - All
    • Design Touch screen
    • (XA) L143.6 x W66.8 x D7.9 mm (XA Ultra) L164 x W79 x D8.4 mm
    • Weight (XA) 137 grams (XA Ultra) 180 grams
    • Display (XA) 5 inch 1280 x 720 IPS (XA Ultra) 6 inch 1080 x 1920 IPS
    • Camera 21MP auto-focus LED Flash 16MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP or 16M
    • Video Camera 4K UHD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi,  NFC, Bluetooth V4
    • CPU Octa-core 2 GHz Mediatek
    • Memory 2 or 3 Gig RAM Up to 16 Gig for user Up to 200 Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Compass, Accelerometer,Proximity, Ambient Light Sony Clear Audio system FM Radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2300 mAh battery or Li-Po 2700 mAh battery Up to 22 Days Standby Up to 17 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx (XA) Under $500 ($300 usually) AUD (XA Ultra) Under $799 ($500 usually) January 2017 (Outright)

  • Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium Review

     2015_z5premium_1
    Welcome to the 2016 Sony Xperia Z5 review. It's been awhile since our last Sony mobile phone review on the forgotten and underrated Sony Z Ultra. Sony is still in financial trouble but there are signs of life beyond it's now core business of being a 'Playstation' company. It needs a tech hit other than the console that allows people to remember the brand and mobile phones are a perfect fit. Sony mobile phones have always been near the top of the charts in terms of specifications and design and the latest Z5 and more so the larger screened Z5 Premium are perfect examples. The Sony Z5 is priced around the $850 although the RRP is $999 and the Z5 Premium is priced around the $1000 although the RRP is $1200. The Z5 and Z5 Premium are really good phones without a doubt. First of all the difference between them is more than size, the Z5 Premium happens to be the world's first phone with a 4K screen! Regardless of model the images and screen quality are excellent, the best way to describe the quality is better than the washed out colors iPhone 6S but not quite as impressive as the amazingly bright Samsung Galaxy S7. When checking out the 4K screen demo on the Z5 premium it was difficult to pick the difference unless side but side. In terms of construction both have to range build and materials. We cannot fault anything in regards to how the Z5 or the Z5 Premium are put together or feel. The Z5 Premium though does feel and look better especially in silver trim. The standard rectangular shape and reflective surfaces look and feel expensive. In terms of hardware the both have the latest tech but the Z5 Premium is the world's first 4K screen and yes there is a subtle difference. We honestly couldn't find anything critical missing from the spec list except for a missing heart rate monitor (not unusual) and a IR blaster which is an odd omission considering they still sell branded TVs. That said not many phones have them these days. In terms of use the Sony Z5 and Z5 Premium have minimal changes to the stock Android interface. That said there are a ton of additional Sony Apps on board but few are truly useful over the long term. We know because we still use the Z Ultra everyday. The lack of in your face interface modifications unlike other brands means it actually works even better. This is short review since Android based phones like the Z5 and Z5 Premium can literally do everything. The only really differences are construction, brand image and if they have useful functionality out of the box. Both are expensive but you will be happy with either although we prefer the Z5 Premium. It's a pity all that design will probably be hidden beneath a rummer case of some sort. Specifications
    • Sony Z5 and Z5 Premium
    • Network Quad-band GSM - All Tri-band 3G - All Tri-band 4G - All
    • Design Touch screen
    • (Z5) L146 x W72 x D7.3 mm (Z5 Premium) L154.5 x W75.8 x D7.8 mm
    • Weight (Z5) 159 grams (Z5 Premium) 180 grams
    • Display 5.2 inch 1080 x 1920 LED Triluminos 5.5 inch 2160 x 3840 LED Triluminos
    • Camera 23MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 4K UHD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi,  NFC, Bluetooth V4
    • CPU Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 + Quad-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A57 Separate Andreno 430 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 3Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 200 Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope Proximity, Ambient Light, Barometer UV, Heart rate, Barometer, RGB, Fingerprint FM Radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2900 mAh battery or Li-Po 3430 mAh battery Up to 22 Days Standby Up to 17 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx (Z5) $850 AUD (Z5 Premium) $1000 March 2016 (Outright)

  • Sony Smartwatch2 Review

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    You've been waiting for this one. This is our long term Sony Smartwatch2 review. This Smartwatch2 is Sony's latest attempt at the emerging wearables technology category that will inevitably become mainstream. While Apple is still floundering or rather copying ideas from other manufacturers Sony has been trying the market with this line of watches. The only competitors to the Smartwatch2 are the Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Pebble watch and are very different from each other. In terms on construction the Smartwatch2 looks good! It's quite stylish really dependent on the band you choose. We chose the metal band since it looks like a movie prop from Aliens or Star Wars. The face is made of hardened glass so it is difficult to scratch and the sine physical button is a solid metal.  The other buttons are touch sensitive but only once you've activated the screen by pressing the main button on the side. As you can see from our comparison picture against a Casio Pro-trek Triple sensor vs Smartwatch2 its not unusually big. The Smartwatch2 is also water resistant which implies its ready for the outside world. Furthermore as you can see, the Sony screen can be easily read in bright light! The only thing amiss in terms of construction was that the back of the watch - it was plastic. Note: The Casio Pro-trek series is a pretty smart digital watch that has a thermometer, digital compass and pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can measure height above sea level and under water along with general atmospheric pressure or barometric pressure. The large bezel houses the solar panels which means that it won't need battery changes for the life of the watch - whatever that may be. This version is circ. 2008.  It's a cool watch. In terms of hardware the Smartwatch2 has the latest tech featuring NFC, Bluetooth and micro-USB. The clever screen which can be read in daylight and looks great but the  color screen resolution is a mere 220 x 176 pixels but is capable of displaying at least 16 bit graphics? It's not bad but could be better. The CPU is reportedly rated at 180Mhz In terms of use the Smartwatch2 is a smooth experience. The single button activate the main touch screen and whatever apps you choose quickly and the only delays if it needs to get live data like weather or pictures from your photo album.  The bluetooth connection is quite strong we estimate about a 10 meters range before it loses connection with the phone. There are a number of Apps which you have to install via your phone first in order for it work and it can take a few minutes on first pairing. After pairing it is mostly automatic apart form the variables to do with bluetooth. Notifications are via vibration which is strong enough not to be missed. Battery life is an excellent 3-4 days unless you have a busy day or playing with it often which then reduces life to at least a day. The main function of the Smartwatch2 is telling the time and notifications which is does very well!  We love the messages showing on the screen rather then having to check the phone. For example new emails will be shown and you can actually read the entire message. Other than that there are a number of Apps than can be installed to keep you busy. Make sure you use the Smartwatch2 versions not the ones for the original Smartwatch. Apps need to be installed through the phone which is seamless once you've installed the main Smartwatch2 App (Smart connect). The same App cleverly integrates the controls of any Sony product with the feature. In terms of stability - nothing went wrong since we installed the latest updates! Make sure the Apps are for the Smartwatch2 and not for its predecessor. When we tried the older Apps it caused some instability. For our usage we only needed to charge it every 2 days! The SW2 works on any Android OS phone running version 4 and above whch means virtually any new Smartphone. The only competitors are the Samsung Gear and the Pebble watch. So why you'd choose the Sony Smartwatch2 over the others? The original Pebble is cheap to look at and wear. The screen is mono scale and not nice to look at. We're sure it will improve quickly though. The Samsung Galaxy gear is big and flashy with lots of state of the are hardware including a camera! but it is over $100 more expensive and can only be used at this point by the Galaxy Note which is thoroughly disappointing. It's appearance cannot be customised but it actually looks quite good. Despite lots of potential the main problem is the Galaxy Gear's instability and lags, there is just too many at the moment.  But otherwise all the hardware features like microphone etc.. but once again given time and software updates it will improve. To conclude, we like the Sony Smartwatch2. It is the best one at the moment for notifications and viewing SMS and email content actively retrieved from your connected phone. It is very stable hence works without any problems. If that is all you want than this is the device to get. If only Sony included GPS software and the latest health tracker functionality and the usual speed and design improvements in the next model the future looks bright. Specifications : Sony Smartwatch2
    • Design Aluminum digital watch with silicone strap/leather/metal
    • L41 x W42 x D9 mm Weight 122 gms
    • Display/s Transreflective TFT 220 x 176 1.6 inch screen
    • Camera N/A
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2 NFC Micro USB
    • Memory Enough
    • Ring tones Vibration only
    • Features IP57 Water resistant
    • Power Up to 4 days Standby
    • Package contents USB cable
    • Price history 2014 Approx $269 outright.

  • Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Sony Xperia Z Ultra review. Although the Z Ultra has been reviewed a number of times else where we decided to add our own voice with this focused review. Furthermore we dumped the iPhone 5s and replaced it with the Xperia Z Ultra, yes we actually bought one. It was perfect for the portable tablet and phone we wanted. We BLOG too honestly to be given anything for any manufacturer to test so you can be assured that if a phone or gadget is good it really is! The Sony Xperia Z Ultra is currently priced at around $700 but can also be purchased on various plans as most other top end mobile phones. Since the Xperia Z Ultra is a very large phone so it can be quite awkward to hold and as a result we also added the new Sony SmartWatch 2 as an accessory. A review on the SmartWatch2 will follow this review - naturally. In terms of construction the Xperia Z Ultra is made of metal and glass. The fit is tight and sturdy meaning that its quite difficult to bend but not impossible as with any other phone. We have accidentally dropped the phone onto concrete from our pocket and there was no damage or scratches apart from a tiny scratch on the side,we'll be much more careful next time! As a result we can say that the screen can take some punishment. It meets IP55 and IP58 standards so it can be dropped in water or easily used when walking in the rain or desert without any damage. Just make sure the flaps for the power via mini-USB, microSD card and SIM tray are properly closed. We are also impressed with the glass as it seems to clean its self when put in our pocket! We are not joking. We do not have any sort of cover or screen protection on the phone. In terms of hardware the Sony Xperia Z Ultra packs what is currently the fastest quad core CPU but rated at 2.2 GHz and the latest graphics CPU Adreno 330 and 2 Gigs of RAM. Furthermore it CPU is rated higher than the original Z and more equal to the Z1. The Z Ultra also has the latest screen technology on the massive 6.4 inch 1080p screen which looks much more amazing compared to say the iPhone5. The end result is a smooth or slick navigation with fast app operation including the web browser.  MicroSD memory expansion means that you'll never really run our of space! The specs are completely top end except for the camera which doesn't even have a flash which is disappointing. Overall very well made surprisingly light and thin phone! In terms of use it has all the FACs things for Android OS but adds few things like standard lock screen widgets and  drop down shortcuts which make day to day use much easier. There are so many more customisation options on Android that it can get daunting but that said the iPhone too has the same problem. Overall its very fast and rock stable! The other reason for choosing the X Ultra was that when we considered the Samsung Note 3 we found that the Note 3 included too much software that makes it seem less responsive than the Xperia Z Ultra. Both are fantastic phones though. The only issue we have with the Xperia Z Ultra is the quality of the camera pictures. It does not produce results good enough for printing on a a large scale but adequate for the social networks like Instagram and Facebook. The missing flash is also disappointing considering the price. We guess it so that people would buy the normal Xperia Z1 for the better camera. The screen brightness also needs to be brighter for use in direct sunlight. The Xperia Z Ultra battery life has extended after charging it a few times including draining the battery completely for calibration. The Xperia should last a day for frequent use or 2 days under normal its use with WiFi and Bluetooth turned on. Due to the large screen it does chew through quite a bit of battery life when in use but the quality is top end HD (it's not perfect though) only the Nokia 1020 screen is noticeably better a first glance. The Xperia Z Ultra is definitely on the limits of what can be called a mobile phone due to physical size. However despite its size it is amazingly light and solid to hold. Normal sized humans can use the phone quite easily and even one handed since you can customize the keypad to left or right small hand layout orientation! Yes - those who claim to have reviewed the phone clearly missed this feature or haven't really used one which is not a surprise! Overall the Z Ultra is very easy to use due to the large touch screen. The SWYPE keypad and superior spellchecker also help convince us that this phone was the right choice. Holding the Z Ultra  to your ear initially can be odd due to size but after getting used to the size it becomes second nature. Earphone sound quality is excellent likewise reception but loud speaker quality could be louder and better. Not too bad considering that the phone is essentially fully sealed unit due to being water resistant! Overall the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is an excellent phone with all the benefits and issues with Android based phones. However due to large size it is on the limit of what can be called a mobile phone! If you where a tall or larger guy or girl it would look much better than a dainty little phone. Of course you can go for the smaller 5 inch Xperia Z1 which has the better camera and easier to handle size. Else if you wanted a tablet and phone than the Z Ultra is a perfect compromise! Just don't buy it for the camera. We liked it enough due to its overall features and currently 100% satisfied it will be hard going back to a small screen phone. That said if we where to consider a replacement it would need to have a IR blaster, a better camera and flash, louder speaker and a few flashy lights wouldn't go astray either! Specifications
    • Sony Xperia Z Ultra
    • Network GSM All frequencies 3G All frequencies 4G/LTE All frequencies
    • Design Touch screen
    • L79.4 x W92.2.6 x D6.5 mm
    • Weight 210 grams
    • Display 6.4 inch 1080 x 1920 Trilluminos
    • Camera 8MP auto-focus 2nd forward facing video call camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 1080p high definition 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU Quad core 2.2 Ghz Krait 800 Graphics Andreno 330
    • Memory 2Gig RAM Approx 12Gig for user Up to 64Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS Gyroscope, Compass, Accelerometer, Proximity Ambient Light Dolby Digital Music and Media player Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others Google Play store Free Google Navigator (requires data plan) MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calendar SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 3050 mAh battery Up to 800 hours Standby Up to 11 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $700UD late 2013 (Outright)

  • Sony Ericsson Cedar Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2010 Sony Ericsson Cedar review page. Released in early 2011 SE Cedar is a completely conventional candy bar style mobile phone. There is nothing special or outstanding about this phone except that it has been designed to be environmentally friendly through the use of re-cycled or eco-friendly  materials where possible. The SE is often part of a under $80 pre-paid package (2011) which means it is a very good deal. The SE Cedar is not a mid-range or high end phone so it can't be compared to the latest touch screens or other GPS or Wi-Fi equipped.  The  Cedar is the latest refinement of traditional mobile phone.  Lots of people do not want or need a large iPhone like touch screen and this is the phone designed for them.  The SE Cedar looks good in real life and it feels light but good to use and won't attract attention remaining anonymous to thieves who target the slab phone users - you get the message. In the hand the SE Cedar is a strange mix of the past and present.  The back of the phone feels light and smooth much like the old Nokia 3120 with changeable covers.  The keypad on the other hand feels solid with the key presses cushioned and feeling distinctly high end, probably the best feel of any design currently available.  The larger buttons also means that most with larger fingers will be able to use it too. We like it and you will too. The user interface is the latest version of the flash based system used by Sony for the last decade.  It works in the same fashion as when the k800i first appeared all those years ago.  We don't have any complaints since it works faster or in a more fluid fashion than previous version. The SE Cedar has 3G capabilities which means you can still get all the mobile phone optimized websites to work at a good speed, albeit on a small screen. The signal reception quality is very good along with the voice quality and the sound of the loud speaker. The battery life is is amazing at about 2 weeks on stand-by and We can't really say much more about the SE Cedar since it is designed to meet the needs of the average user. It hasn't been design to lead the category with fancy functionality apart from environmentally friendly materials. Overall the SE Cedar does the basics very well.  Text, talk and email notifications. You can write emails too but that's difficult without a proper qwerty keypad.  As a basic or traditional mobile phone it looks good and works well, if that is all you need than this is a perfectly good choice. In fact its probably one of the best conventional candy bar phones you can buy in 2011. Specifications
    • Sony Ericsson Cedar
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Tri-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbits data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbits data speed (upload)
    • Design Candy bar
    • L111 x W49 x D15.5 mm Weight 84 grams
    • Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 320x 240 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1
    • CPU XXX
    • Memory Up to 280MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features Web Browser JAVA Apps 3.5mm headphone socket Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1000mAh battery Up to 19 days Standby Up to 12 hours Talk Time
    • Price history From $39 AUD November 2011 (Pre-paid) From $59 AUD June 2011 (Pre-paid) From $79 AUD January 2011 (Pre-paid)

  • Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2010 Sony Ericsson Experia X10 Mini Pro review. The SE X10 Mini Pro is the smaller brother to the X10 and the bigger bro to the X10 Mini that doesn't have a slide out keypad. It is also one of the company's first Android based mobile phones, although running the old version 1.6.  The X10 Mini is available from all networks including the Telstra NextG compatible. We are going to be completely blunt to say the this review is going to be really short.  The main reason is that we simply lost interest in going too deep into the user experience. The user interface uses the first version of the Google Android operating system and it shows.  It cannot do a lot of things you would expect in a mobile phone priced in this category for 2010.  Cheaper Sony Ericsson phones like the Vivaz have a better user experience.  While everything worked smoothly it was a relatively slow experience. The quality of construction is good but it does not give the impression of premium quality.  Even the cheaper HTC Wildfire and Samsung Wave look and feel better.  The X10 Mini Pro may have a good keypad but that doesn't compensate for the bigger screen size required for an interface that is designed for touch screens.  The small and low resolution 240 x 320 pixel screen doesn't help matters wither.  The surface of the X10 Mini may be small but the keypad makes it quite a thick phone. We tried to like the X10 Mini Pro since it had high level marketing but in the end it does not live up to expectations.  There are better phones in the Sony range and for cheaper prices.  The 2010 X10 Mini Pro is what we can call a good phone but not at its present price. In all honestly this phone is perfectly suited to sell as a pre-paid package price? - say under $350 because the HTC Wildfire priced under $350 is a better phone.  Without a low price tag the X10 Mini Pro has short falls in design that cannot be overcome.  In the lower price bracket it would be our recommended model but until then there are better models. Specifications
    • Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Tri-band 3G 850/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 10.2 Mbits data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbits data speed (upload)
    • Design Touch screen and QWERTY
    • L90 x W52 x D17 mm Weight 120 grams
    • Display/s 2.6 inch External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 30FPS
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2
    • CPU 600Mhz
    • Memory Up to 128MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email Andriod Store FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 930mAh battery Up to 360 hours Standby Up to 4 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $500 AUS 2010 (Outright)

  • Sony Ericsson Spiro Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2010 Sony Ericsson Spiro review/information page. The SE Spiro is marketed as a Walkman phone so you can expect a fully functional music player on board.  However it is only a GSM phone which means it will be reasonably priced.  It hasn't been released yet so we can only tell you the basics of what's included on the Spiro. Essentially if you like listening to music or the radio then the Spiro has you catered for.  It can do the usual voice, SMS and Facebook, Twitter and email too if required but due to the lack of 3G it won't be a fast experience.  It will come in a wide range of colors too so even the boys will be happy with one. Overall this should be a reasonably cheap phone for people with basic communication needs but want fully functional music system. Specifications
    • Sony Ericsson Spiro
    • Network Dual-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Dependent on country)
    • Design Slider
    • L92 x W48 x D16.75 mm Weight 90 grams
    • Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera Yes
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2
    • CPU ???Mhz
    • Memory Up to 5MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free BST-43 3.7V 1000mAh Up to 13 days Standby Up to 10 hours Talk Time
    • Price history From $xxx AUS 2010 (Outright)

  • Sony Ericsson Zylo Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2010 Sony Ericsson Zylo review/information page. The SE Zylo is the bigger brother to the basic Spiro.  The most important difference and inclusion is 3G capability. The Zylo is branded a Walkman phone and so has a fully functional music system.  Apart from that it appears to have all the features of the current W9xx series phones although SE have not said if it will have an A-GPS chip but they have included geo-tagging and Google maps!  Aside from music it has all the communication options that you need in a mobile phone for 2010! All the latest Sony Ericsson mobile phones use the latest Flash based navigation system and are genuinely decent regardless of model.  The OS is relatively simple and easy to learn and use.  Assuming that competitors phones have the same hardware features the only reason why you'd pick another brand is just based on how it looks and feels and price. To sum up the Zylo appears to be a very decent presumably mid-range but music focused mobile phone.  The PR images show an old school cassette tape as a animated graphics which the younger crowd will think quite quaint since they have never seen one before!  Should be decent phone. Specifications
    • Sony Ericsson Zylo
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 900/2100 HSDPA 7.2 Mbits data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbits data speed (upload)
    • Design Slider
    • L103 x W52 x D16 mm Weight 115 grams
    • Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 3.2MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera Unknown pixel main video camera 24FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2
    • CPU ???Mhz
    • Memory Up to 260MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS??? Accelerometer Gesture control JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free BST-43 3.7V 1000mAh Up to 13 days Standby Up to 10 hours Talk Time
    • Price history From $xxx AUS 2010 (Outright)