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Sony Xperia Z: A smarter, tougher phoneMar 09, 2013 (Mint - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Sony's newest flagship, the Xperia Z, has everything you'd want from a top-end phone. It has an amazing display, and some remarkably powerful hardware driving the experience. Thoughtful software tweaks improve the user experience, while the phone's sleek and stylish design belies the fact that this is one of the hardiest smartphones. The Sony Xperia Z was first revealed at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which took place in Las Vegas, US, from 8-11 January. The phone wowed the audience there, and will be launched in India on 12 March, just a few weeks after its international release. Available for Rs.38,990, the Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) phone is not a cheap buy, but Sony has definitely done more to justify this kind of pricing than many competitors. The phone is made of a fibreglass material which doesn't just look good, but it also keeps the phone light and increases its durability. What's more, Sony's earlier experience with making rugged phones has given us the first high-end phone with IP57 certification. This means that the phone is dust-proof and water-resistant up to a depth of 1m for up to 30 minutes. That it has been able to achieve this without making the phone heavy is an impressive feat, and frankly, more top-end phones should try and emulate this -- the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your expensive device won't die in your hands just because you got caught in the rain in itself makes the Xperia Z worth the price. The only downside to this is that the ports for the charger and headphones have small flaps you need to pull out each time you need to use the cable -- it's a minor annoyance, though, and worth the added security. The phone really falls into phablet territory with its 5-inch display, but the borders are so sleek and the overall design so good that the phone doesn't look or feel bulky. While it absolutely dwarfs the iPhone 5 (which has a 4-inch screen), it's only a little bit bigger than the Samsung Galaxy SIII (4.8 inches), though if there's one complaint about the design, it's that the glossy body is an absolute fingerprint magnet. The screen runs a full HD 1080p display, with a pixel density of 450ppi, far outclassing Apple's "retina display" screens. That's not a measure of quality in itself, but Sony's screen is gorgeous -- the brightness and contrast levels are fantastic indoors, and it's amazing for watching movies and looking at photos. Adding value, Sony has announced two services, Sony Music and Sony Liv (for movies), offering six months of unlimited music downloads and popular TV content for free. The phone is also great for gaming -- something that's improved with the high-end hardware powering the phone. There's a quad-core CPU running at 1.5 GHz, along with 2 GB of RAM; testing games on the Xperia Z, performance was excellent even with graphically demanding 3D shooters. Everyday tasks such as browsing the Web, updating your social networks, taking pictures or watching movies are, obviously, perfectly smooth. The phone has a 13 MP camera, and while a higher megapixel count doesn't mean you get better pictures, Sony has made sure that the software also delivers. Aside from features such as high dynamic range (HDR) and image stabilization, there is a "superior auto" mode which uses the same kind of algorithms as Sony's larger digital cameras to get you the best possible image settings for each frame. The results are pretty good, with excellent colour reproduction and sharpness even without great lighting. We're reaching a stage where phone cameras can't really offer a significant advantage any more, but it's safe to say that the Xperia Z's camera is among the best in smartphones. All these features do burn through the battery at an alarming rate -- on the first day, without looking at the settings and just using the camera, we drained the battery in 5 hours, which is ridiculously bad. However, Sony has included some smart power management features beyond the standard Android settings. The phone can automatically cut data transmission when the screen is off, and activate Wi-Fi only when you're near a known network, for example. Features like these can extend the battery life to a full working day, but it is still the one weakness in an otherwise phenomenal phone. ___ (c)2013 the Mint (New Delhi) Visit the Mint (New Delhi) at www.livemint.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |