Sony Xperia SP review

20130429_124232When there are as many smartphones available today as there are it is really quite hard to stand out from the crowd, unless there is something truly unique about it or the manufacturer has a massive budget to publicise the handset and make you notice it.

The Xperia SP doesn’t have either of the above but what is does have is countless charm and an appeal that really can’t be explained until you hold it and use it.

Please feel free to read my review below, but if you prefer to sit back and watch then this unboxing will give you an overview of the review.

Design/Build/Size/Hardware

With a 1.7GHz Dual Core processor and 8GB of internal storage the Xperia SP will not get the smartphone enthusiast hot under the collar, but the SP is not aimed to do this. The SP is the higher end of the mass market smartphone that will serve the needs of a much wider audience at a much more attractive price than the more publicised competition.

With 8GB of internal storage and a microSD slot there is little need to be concerned about a lack of storage, especially when the phone can accept 64GB microSDXC memory cards (some restrictions apply). The only thing you need to be concerned about is if you install games or memory hungry apps as these need to be installed on the internal memory and with 8GB of internal, by the time the OS is installed there is only circa 5GB for you to actually use. Having said this, if you are generally installing apps like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, BBC News etc. you haven’t got too much to worry about.

The SP has a 4.6” display which we will cover in more detail later, but this is encased in a really quite comfortable and strong feeling chassis that weighs in at 155g and measures 130.6 x 67.1 x 9.98 mm.

I can’t really explain what it is about the SP, but it just feels right in the hand for me. I have recently switched from the S3 to the S4 but the SP I actually prefer when it comes to in the hand use.

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Sony tears down the Tablet Z, builds it up again

The Sony Tablet Z is not only the world’s lightest, slimmest tablet, but it also shares the water resistant properties of the Sony Xperia Z handset. It’s a great looking tablet, and it’s IP57 protection rating will give you pice of mind when using it out and about.

Sony Tablet Z side

The Tablet Z is due to begin shipping shortly – our stock is due to arrive June 1st – and to promote its release, Sony has released videos showing its construction and deconstruction. They’ve also published an interview with some of the designers involved in the production of the Tablet Z, which you can read over on the Sony Product Blog.

Here’s the first video, which briefly runs through the specs before disassembling the Sony Tablet Z. The second video where it’s put back together can be seen after the cut.

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Sony DK26 charging dock now in stock

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It has been some time coming but we now have stock of the Sony Xperia Z DK26 charging dock in Black, White & Purple.

For more information or to order yours, please CLICK HERE.

How Sony’s STAMINA Mode works

How does STAMINA mode work?

Sony Xperia ZBattery life is one of the aspects of smartphone design that still requires significant improvement. One way to facilitate this will be through hardware technology breakthroughs, one of which we recently covered here. The other approach to improving battery life, however, is by optimising the software used on handsets. With handsets such as the Xperia Z, Sony has tried to do just that with STAMINA mode.

An easy assumption to make when it comes to smartphone battery life is that placing your handset on standby will stop apps from running and therefore stop power consumption. This is incorrect – apps still run in the background and there are constant synchronisation requests for things such as message updates and notifications.

Using STAMINA mode, Sony does its best to address the problem of apps running in the background. It achieves this by blocking data traffic a minute after the handset is placed on standby. Whilst doing this the phone automatically logs your IP address, meaning you are instantly connected once the phone is powered on again.

When STAMINA mode is activated, you will still receive phone calls, text messages and picture messages. However, you should be aware that notifications that require an internet connection will stop.

So, if I have STAMINA mode on, I won’t get alerts such as Whatsapp, Email, Facebook, etc?

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Sony Xperia T reduced to £215

Whilst stocks last, we have reduced the price of the Sony Xperia T to just £215+VAT (£258 including VAT).

The Xperia T may have been superseded by the Xperia Z, it still has a lot to offer:

  • Android
  • 4.55″ touchscreen display
  • 1.5GHz dual core processor
  • WiFi
  • Bluetooth
  • 3G
  • NFC
  • DLNA
  • Sony PlayStation certified
  • GPS with GLONASS
  • 13 megapixel camera
  • 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
  • 16GB internal memory
  • TV out via microUSB/MHL AV link
  • 1850mAh battery

Grab yourself a great deal today!

Sony Xperia L now in stock

We mentioned on our blog only yesterday that the Sony Xperia L was due to arrive this week.

Good news, slightly ahead of schedule the Xperia L has landed and is now available for order and immediate dispatch.

For more information and to order yours, please CLICK HERE.

Sony Xperia ZR not coming to the UK

imageSony Mobile have been coming on leaps and bounds with devices like the Xperia Z & SP and it seems that there is no stopping them with more and more devices like the Xperia L and the ZR being announced.

Initial thoughts would be that the ZR is an upgrade to the Xperia Z.

HOWEVER, fear not all Xperia Z owners, your device is not yet ‘old’ or ‘out of date’.

The ZR is actually a slightly smaller device with 4.55”display and a bigger battery.  It also has a slightly different rating of IP55 & IP58 as opposed to the Xperia Z IP55 & 57.

We can however confirm that there are no plans for the ZR to arrive in the UK, so if you think this is the device for you then you need to source elsewhere or opt for the Xperia Z instead.

Sony Xperia L arriving 15th May

We expect the first stock of the Sony Xperia L to arrive on Wednesday 15th May.

A lower end handset in comparison to the popular Sony Xperia Z and Sony Xperia SP, the L still has a lot to offer:

  • Android operating system
  • 4.3″ touchscreen display
  • Scratch resistant glass
  • 8 megapixel camera with Exmor RS sensor
  • HDR photo & video
  • 720p HD video recording @30fps
  • Weights just 137g
  • 8GB internal memory
  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • NFC
  • PlayStation certified

For more information and to order yours CLICK HERE or see what it looks like by viewing our hands on video below.

Our Top 10 Smartphones

The world of smartphones is constantly changing and there are lots of top 10 lists out there, so here we have our current top 10 smartphones of the moment. Check back because we will keep this post updated as new devices are released

So without further or do our top 10 smartphones are:

1. HTC One

The HTC One brings a new experience to Android users with a dramatically improved HTC Sense user interface, great design and cutting edge hardware, with a 1.7GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM the HTC One will handle most things that you can ask of it, and with a 2300mAh battery you should too get a full day’s usage.

Interact with all this great content through a stunning 4.7 inch HD capacitive display, which has a 1920 x 1080 resolution for an incredible 468 PPI (points per inch). It has various new features such as ‘Blinkfeed’ which streams live updates from a variety of feeds, be it social or news direct to your Home screen, ‘HTC Zoe’ Made up of 4 components, Zoe Photos, Highlights, Editor and Share.

More features including HTC Boom sound, Sense TV.

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Sony Xperia Z tablet water test

The Sony Xperia Z Android tablet boasts an IP57 rating meaning it is waterproof and can survive being submersed in water for up to 30 minutes.

We put the tablet under running water just to convince any sceptics out there!