Develop Bugs

[Q] Ion in the UK

hi there
its about time i upgraded from my HTC Desire, and I thought I had decided on the Xperia T, but then there is all the stuff with LTE etc..
the main reasons for upgrading are wanting a decent camera to take snaps and videos. and it to be a bit more powerful.
so I have found an Xperia Ion on eBay here in the UK for 40 or so £ less than the T, its the LT28i version so has the LTE, but only comes with Gingerbread.
my question is (are)
can i stick ICS on it without any problems - there is a post on the Xperria blog that seems to say it goes on there fin (xperiablog.net/2012/09/14/xperia-ion-lte-lt28i-android-4-0-4-ics-update-starts-rolling-out/[/url]) (why does it even come with Gingerbread which is very out of date indeed)
it will work in the UK presumably ?
is it that much worse than the Xperia T
as I am coming from an old Desire - which I love to bits, so any upgrade will be an improvement.
not sure if I should post the ebay link on here so I wont but suffice to say I searched for 'xperia ion lt28i' on ebay uk and it was the second one down
any help, thoughts much appreciated
thanks
nat

xda-nat said:
hi there
its about time i upgraded from my HTC Desire, and I thought I had decided on the Xperia T, but then there is all the stuff with LTE etc..
the main reasons for upgrading are wanting a decent camera to take snaps and videos. and it to be a bit more powerful.
so I have found an Xperia Ion on eBay here in the UK for 40 or so £ less than the T, its the LT28i version so has the LTE, but only comes with Gingerbread.
my question is (are)
can i stick ICS on it without any problems - there is a post on the Xperria blog that seems to say it goes on there fin (xperiablog.net/2012/09/14/xperia-ion-lte-lt28i-android-4-0-4-ics-update-starts-rolling-out/[/url]) (why does it even come with Gingerbread which is very out of date indeed)
it will work in the UK presumably ?
is it that much worse than the Xperia T
as I am coming from an old Desire - which I love to bits, so any upgrade will be an improvement.
not sure if I should post the ebay link on here so I wont but suffice to say I searched for 'xperia ion lt28i' on ebay uk and it was the second one down
any help, thoughts much appreciated
thanks
nat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there, I have an Ion too and live in the UK. If you go on PC companion then it will detect that it has an update and that is the Ice Cream Sandwhich! I bought my Ion in Indonesia but atm it's broken and I can't turn it on (((( been like this for a week but before it happened, I updated it to ice cream sandwhich and it was glorious
and just in my opinion, if you're stressing to find a good browser, the ics stock browser has literally everthing you need that the other browsers have and it's also light so yeah
ENJOY YOUR ION!!!!
p.s Oh and the Ion is a great overall phone, the display, camera, interface, multimedia, and hardware features such as nfc etc is just amazing, althought the battery life could have been better, I think it differs in each device, some had lasted theirs for 10+ hours of heavy usage while mine lasted 8 hours with heavy usage I wouldn't get the T because the on-screen buttons will take a couple of inches from the 4.55" screen

xda-nat said:
is it that much worse than the Xperia T
nat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1904531

hi
thanks for the replies
looks like this might be the one for me..
presumably its not a nightmare to root, and there are some roms knocking about?
does it take a standard or micro SIM ?
..as in do I need to order a fresh one from O2
thanks again
been really helpful
nat

xda-nat said:
hi
thanks for the replies
looks like this might be the one for me..
presumably its not a nightmare to root, and there are some roms knocking about?
does it take a standard or micro SIM ?
..as in do I need to order a fresh one from O2
thanks again
been really helpful
nat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very easy to root. No other roms available and it takes a micro sim.
Sent from my Sony Xperia S

Spectre51 said:
Very easy to root. No other roms available and it takes a micro sim.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi spectre,
thanks, are there likely to be? or is the sony ICS pretty nice, I did like to flash ROMs on my desire - which clearly had a shed load of ROM options.
I know that the Ion is fairly new, but I imagine the number of devs working with Sony phones is fewer? maybe just you
I am so torn at the moment for getting a new phone it ridiculous
the Ion I can get here for £329 and the T for £419
neither is particularly cheap
as I may have mentioned I want a decent camera, but the LTE of the Ion is swaying me slightly, but knowing my luck when it does come to the UK we no doubt will have adopted a completely different version ..
and its not the slimmest of phones either..
still thinking about the HTC one x - but no additional storage may kill that one. I have an SD card in my desire that is brimming with MP3's
nat

Well cyanogen nightlies just started being released so there's hope. Sony's ICS is really nice. Well built and runs great on any of their 2012 phones.
Sent from my Sony Xperia S

Spectre51 said:
Well cyanogen nightlies just started being released so there's hope. Sony's ICS is really nice. Well built and runs great on any of their 2012 phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the reply
given the choice, which would you pick?
think LTE may actually be a pointless specification for the UK for what might be 3 years..
seems like the difference is about 80£ and NFC - which I am not sure I would use anyway. and the T is slightly slimmer and lighter
also hear the Ion battery is a bit rubbish - maybe that is just the LTE clobbering it.

If I didn't have one and was trying yo pick I would probably go for the T seeing as it has the S4 processor and is the new flagship. I do love my ion though and think its a great phone. You can't really go wrong with either phone but if you are gonna want a choice in a bunch of different roms then the T will be a better choice. I think it will have more dev support.
Sent from my Sony Xperia S

do u recommend to have xperia s ???

do u recommend to have xperia s ???
does it lag or something
do u recommend to buy it or locking for HTC or samsung
considering the price point??

kilouhm said:
do u recommend to have xperia s ???
does it lag or something
do u recommend to buy it or locking for HTC or samsung
considering the price point??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If me, i would go for Xperia Ion instead of XS....Just add some small bucks than XS...
Bigger screen, better camera, sleek design...Xperia S ? Yellow tint issue, ICS compatibility problem, this is what i read last time

wajahebat said:
If me, i would go for Xperia Ion instead of XS....Just add some small bucks than XS...
Bigger screen, better camera, sleek design...Xperia S ? Yellow tint issue, ICS compatibility problem, this is what i read last time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better camera? They are exactly the same? Design? Its taste. Yellow tint issue was fixed 2 months after release. ICS problem? What the hell you are talking about?
On the other side, XS have much more and better support of devs.

Felimenta97 said:
Better camera? They are exactly the same? Design? Its taste. Yellow tint issue was fixed 2 months after release. ICS problem? What the hell you are talking about?
On the other side, XS have much more and better support of devs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought ive used a nice language...Ive mentioned that i read it somewhere...Not that i am firm about it...
But still Ion is a better grab than XS, bigger screen, microSD expansion slot?
And about that XS with ICS not stable, well that happens to my country set whom upgrade to ICS through OTA...Maybe yours not
Chill bro

The fact is that you are speaking about stuffs you dont own apparently, and yes, the first things you said seemed to be like: I affirm this. This is it.
No, xperia S has no screen problems since ages, and has no ICS problems..
the only argument will be: price, screen size, memory, and subjective aspect: design.
end of topic about your intervention.

wajahebat said:
I thought ive used a nice language...Ive mentioned that i read it somewhere...Not that i am firm about it...
But still Ion is a better grab than XS, bigger screen, microSD expansion slot?
And about that XS with ICS not stable, well that happens to my country set whom upgrade to ICS through OTA...Maybe yours not
Chill bro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry if I sounded like that. The "hell" part was only a way of like: "Never heard of that".
And I didn't said you were wrong. I just presented my arguments, which are against yours.
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk HD

fabulous69 said:
The fact is that you are speaking about stuffs you dont own apparently, and yes, the first things you said seemed to be like: I affirm this. This is it.
No, xperia S has no screen problems since ages, and has no ICS problems..
the only argument will be: price, screen size, memory, and subjective aspect: design.
end of topic about your intervention.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Felimenta97 said:
Sorry if I sounded like that. The "hell" part was only a way of like: "Never heard of that".
And I didn't said you were wrong. I just presented my arguments, which are against yours.
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what ive read, every XS users who use OTA to ICS will encounter soo much lagginess...Bcoz of the second core disabled...
If its not true then its good to go though...No hardfeelings bro....
So which should be the best ? Xs or what?

XS got great support from XDA. but if you like bigger screen then may go for iON. But for a phone anything bigger than 4 - 4.3 is too much for me.

XPERIA LT26i has a reasonable speed/size internal flash at 32GB, misses out on MicroSD card, but really not a problem to hang a 32GB USB flash off a MicroUSB cable for most people.
XPERIA S is mostly cheaper
XPERIA ion has, LTE or HSDPA giving higher mobile speeds, a bigger battery and microSD card, but lose ~16GB internal flash.
The screen on both are much the same with XPERIA S having ~342 ppi pixel density and XPERIA ion less as it's screen is stretched out.
XPERIA acro S has 16GB internal memory, MicroSD AND is able to go swimming.
Firmware wise plus or minus a MicroSD the devices are all much the same with same processing hardware.
For all these devices JB(yet to be released) is mooted to have a good raft of features coming such as wireless media broadcast to compatible devices and etc
So this gives many of the software features of the new phones if you're happy to live with a ~1.7GHz Dual Core processor and an Adreno 220.
As already stated their will probably be more development around the XPERIA LT26i as it was part of the ASOP before Sony took over this development.

Go for the Xperia SL, with the latest firmware update it's fixed most of the problems. Only thing I dislike is the overheating and stock ROM forcing you to under clock your CPU during heavy use. With general everyday usage you rarely see this happen though.

r0bot said:
Go for the Xperia SL, with the latest firmware update it's fixed most of the problems. Only thing I dislike is the overheating and stock ROM forcing you to under clock your CPU during heavy use. With general everyday usage you rarely see this happen though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it the issue with just Xperia SL ? Xperia S doesnt overheat ?
I am confused between xperia s and sl ( or maybe the new xperia SP , but it will lack community support in beginning ) . Your suggestions are welcomed

Odp: do u recommend to have xperia s ???
hybridic said:
Is it the issue with just Xperia SL ? Xperia S doesnt overheat ?
I am confused between xperia s and sl ( or maybe the new xperia SP , but it will lack community support in beginning ) . Your suggestions are welcomed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, Xperia S isn't overheating. You can surf the Net and you won't burn your hands Only when you are playing good games(e.g. Real Racing 3) phone can be hot but it isn't 100 degrees and you would be able to play normally without problems. After a while you won't see that phone is hot.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app

Vaith said:
No, Xperia S isn't overheating. You can surf the Net and you won't burn your hands Only when you are playing good games(e.g. Real Racing 3) phone can be hot but it isn't 100 degrees and you would be able to play normally without problems. After a while you won't see that phone is hot.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea, my nexus 4 heats way more than my xperia..
Sent from The Beauty - Xperia S

Finding myself on a crossroad - maybe it is time to move on

Hello there,
I am a Sony Xperia S user for 11 months now and so far I have been largely satisfied with my device. I have always run on the Stock ROM, I have not unlocked my bootloader yet and I do not intend to do so.
However, in the light of recent events I find myself thinking of a switch to another phone with better characteristics and more recent hardware. The best deal seems to be Sony Xperia T - newer chip, better support from Sony; perhaps it would receive further JB updates (4.2, 4.3) as well. Still, its recent price is just above 300 euros - unlocked and without contract - in my country. In comparison, I still have to pay about 200 euros for my Xperia S to the end of my 2-year lease contract with my local mobile service provider. That's why I am considering paying off the remaining sum of the lease in advance and then selling my Xperia S for about the same amount of money.
There are several reasons why I am considering such a switch. For one, Sony does not seem too eager to support Xperia S any longer. Yes, the 4.1.2 JB update is on the way but it has been for several months now. The numerous delays, and I am not too interested in the respective reasons, have finally put me off this otherwise pretty good all-rounder phone. Second, we have to take into account that the Snapdragon S3 chip is already heavily outdated and it would most likely not receive any further software development. When considering the alternatives, Xperia T seems to be the best one, because of its price, hardware and software. I am very fond of Sony's interface, indeed.
So I wonder what is your opinion on the matter? Is Xperia T worth it to replace my Xperia S for the next couple of years?
This thread could provide a general discussion of Xperia S's future, too.

I think its time to move on. Im never going back to Sony unless they improve. Im keeping my phone for few months more. I just bought my Sony phone and Im pretty disappointed. HTC and Samsung have better phones than Sony why settle for Xperia T or V, if you can have better.

My friend got Xperia T, and i don't like that phone.
Move on something newer, keep in mind (snapdragon 600) will receive every update before S4 and S4pro
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app

Agree with electrash anyways sony is getting poorer and poorer when it comes to system updates
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app

It is made very clear by the moderators that threads condemning Sony is not allowed. This thread is going to get locked soon. However, I noticed it is always those few monkeys tryin to be funny, not able to listen to simple English. Sony might not be good in updating Xperia S, but they didn't break any promises and my current ICS build is flawless.
Sony might not reach Samsung's level yet but it has suppressed HTC greatly already. Those who don't know, HTC abandons HTC Sensation, the phone with the exact same CPU as Xperia S.

So has sony, it had forgotten about xperia u when jellybean was announced
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

Rangeeshnathan said:
So has sony, it had forgotten about xperia u when jellybean was announced
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I own an Xperia U and it lags badly on ICS. They didnt abandon Xperia U. It is just not fit for JB. Anyways, Sony sales numbers have been steadily increasing YOY and already destroyed Motorola's and HTC's. Sony will continue to rise as 99% of customers dont give a damn about updates, fortunately.

Xperia go seems to have less hardware capabilities than xperia u, no??
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

Rangeeshnathan said:
Xperia go seems to have less hardware capabilities than xperia u, no??
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. Please don't play with me. Xperia Go have the exact same specification as Xperia U. Xperia Go have a lower screen resolution resulting better performance. Then you will ask Xperia J. Sigh, kids these days.

Excuse me then I'm sorry Mr lee
And lol I was not coming to xperia j
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium

R: Finding myself on a crossroad - maybe it is time to move on
Pretty much of your same opinion... I'm totally satisfied until now for what I've done with my Xperia S, but I really cannot stand anymore the politics of software update that Sony is pursuing.
And ok, my phone is fully unlocked and I tried a lot of custom roms to get closer to what is a pure android system, but to me those all are still full of bugs.
And to be honest, stock remains the best deal.
I'd like to switch to a pure Google Phone like the Nexus 4 but his great fragility, the weakness of the camera and the max 16gb of storage are three points that still makes me doubtful.
I'm considering the upcoming Galaxy S4 Nexus Edition...

When the official Sony JB update comes, everything changes. We can run custom ROMs without a flaw with the help of 3rd party developers. There has been rumors that Android 4.3 is still going to be JB. Even if we cant upgrade our phones to Android 5. The problem is our ROMs are'nt stable enough.

lewis021 said:
When the official Sony JB update comes, everything changes. We can run custom ROMs without a flaw with the help of 3rd party developers. There has been rumors that Android 4.3 is still going to be JB. Even if we cant upgrade our phones to Android 5. The problem is our ROMs are'nt stable enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, the current ICS build is stable. Other than some Wifi drops, I dont see any major flaws in it.

lee480 said:
Personally, the current ICS build is stable. Other than some Wifi drops, I dont see any major flaws in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The big problem about ICS is its very laggy, drains alot of battery and not smooth.

cabi.costa said:
Pretty much of your same opinion... I'm totally satisfied until now for what I've done with my Xperia S, but I really cannot stand anymore the politics of software update that Sony is pursuing.
And ok, my phone is fully unlocked and I tried a lot of custom roms to get closer to what is a pure android system, but to me those all are still full of bugs.
And to be honest, stock remains the best deal.
I'd like to switch to a pure Google Phone like the Nexus 4 but his great fragility, the weakness of the camera and the max 16gb of storage are three points that still makes me doubtful.
I'm considering the upcoming Galaxy S4 Nexus Edition...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, the Galaxy S phones are always a viable alternative, but I am not a big fan of Samsung. Too much plastic, and the user interface is somewhat dull and boring. Yes, the horsepower behind the back panel is immense but I am not a power user, not really. In fact, it turns out that Sony are the brand with the highest number of upper-mid-level devices at the moment (Xperia S, T; SP and ZR upcoming; not to mention all the derivatives like SL, TX, Ion, V, Acro S, etc., etc.) and I am rather leaning towards buying one such device. I am not too interested in the current flagship devices (Xperia Z, HTC One, Galaxy S4) since cheaper phones provide similar daily performance for some 2/3 of the price. Snapdragon S4 is one really capable platform and its wide availability makes it accessible to anyone.
To sum up, I am rather looking for a phone with a good manufacturer's support and expected updates till Android version 4.3, at least. The 16GB non-expandable storage of Nexus 4 is a deal-breaker for me as well. Maybe I will wait another couple of months, until SP and ZR get released and their prices decline to their true market values.
And guys, please stay on topic here. We are discussing Xperia S and its alternatives here, not Sony's customer policy in general. I know, there are many of you who are angry at the Japanese, I am somewhat dissatisfied myself. Anyway, please stop the rant because I believe this is a sensible topic and I do not want to see this thread closed. Thanks!

edit: nvm

I had similar thoughts too, until i realized that the hardware in my Xperia S is just fine for my needs for now. What is it you want to do with a newer chipset? And on the software side, I have my hopes on that things will improve somewhat once/if Sony releases the new kernel-sources.

This question has been as so many times, only you can decide what is best for you.
Thread Closed

Just got my Xperia ZL today!

No regrets! I love it. Amazing screen, awesome camera, nice design, and tons of extras on the software end. I am definitely glad I went with the Xperia ZL!
The story is, I was torn between the HTC One and the Samsung S4. I could not decide. Then I happened to be on the Sony website because I had a $250 gift card for the sony online store. I happened to stumble across the Sony Xperia Z and ZL. I liked everything about it, and the more I thought about it I realized how much more unique it would be to own one. Everyone and their brother is running around with an HTC One and S4 right now. So I went for it. The phone was marked down from $759 to $569, I received 10% off for student discount, minus $250 from the gift card, and I got the sales rep to give me free next day shipping. So all said and done I only paid around $275.00, compared to $600 for an HTC One, and $700 for an S4.
(I was looking for an unlocked phone only so that I could utilize a pre-paid service that runs on AT&T for only $45.00 a month. Save big time in the long run)
So any tips and tricks for the Xperia ZL I should know about? I have model number C6506.
Only con I have about the device, is the battery life. It doesn't seem the best, but I also understand that it has a 5" screen, so what does one expect?

Viralistic said:
No regrets! I love it. Amazing screen, awesome camera, nice design, and tons of extras on the software end. I am definitely glad I went with the Xperia ZL!
The story is, I was torn between the HTC One and the Samsung S4. I could not decide. Then I happened to be on the Sony website because I had a $250 gift card for the sony online store. I happened to stumble across the Sony Xperia Z and ZL. I liked everything about it, and the more I thought about it I realized how much more unique it would be to own one. Everyone and their brother is running around with an HTC One and S4 right now. So I went for it. The phone was marked down from $759 to $569, I received 10% off for student discount, minus $250 from the gift card, and I got the sales rep to give me free next day shipping. So all said and done I only paid around $275.00, compared to $600 for an HTC One, and $700 for an S4.
(I was looking for an unlocked phone only so that I could utilize a pre-paid service that runs on AT&T for only $45.00 a month. Save big time in the long run)
So any tips and tricks for the Xperia ZL I should know about? I have model number C6506.
Only con I have about the device, is the battery life. It doesn't seem the best, but I also understand that it has a 5" screen, so what does one expect?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice choice i really like more SONY than SAMSUNG and HTC, this is a really amazing phone its the only phone on the market with 75% screen and the rest bessel. i recomend you to update by OTA to the latest version 4.2.2 , camera improve, sound improve, transparent navigation bar and notification. for the battery use Stamina mode and only mark the really important apps you use. for example i have whatsapp, facebook msn, and gmail. remember that all sony devices have a preinstaled screen protector. i recomend not to take it off. and dont scare if you see a scratch on it ( its a protector the real screen is under ). BTW wich color you bought?

danieldp1990 said:
Nice choice i really like more SONY than SAMSUNG and HTC, this is a really amazing phone its the only phone on the market with 75% screen and the rest bessel. i recomend you to update by OTA to the latest version 4.2.2 , camera improve, sound improve, transparent navigation bar and notification. for the battery use Stamina mode and only mark the really important apps you use. for example i have whatsapp, facebook msn, and gmail. remember that all sony devices have a preinstaled screen protector. i recomend not to take it off. and dont scare if you see a scratch on it ( its a protector the real screen is under ). BTW wich color you bought?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response. I went with black. Not sure about the update quite yet. Everything works great, and I don't like to fix things that aren't broken. Will look into it. What does OTA mean?

OTA means: Over The Air via w_lan...
Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk 2

After you update the phone to 4.2.2, I recommend a factory reset. For some reason, it helps.

Im sorry to ask another question but is better than creating another thread I'm going to the US in a month or so and I wanna know something about the price of the phone, everywhere I read the ZL is ~570$ and up. On Amazon the XZL is 514$+tax (I think its 7% on NJ right?) So if I buy the phone from amazon its about 560$ right? Is there another website that I can check to buy the phone? Thanks!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta

maxee23 said:
Im sorry to ask another question but is better than creating another thread I'm going to the US in a month or so and I wanna know something about the price of the phone, everywhere I read the ZL is ~570$ and up. On Amazon the XZL is 514$+tax (I think its 7% on NJ right?) So if I buy the phone from amazon its about 560$ right? Is there another website that I can check to buy the phone? Thanks!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
New egg currently has the C6506 on sale for $529 for July 4 only.

danieldp1990 said:
Nice choice i really like more SONY than SAMSUNG and HTC, this is a really amazing phone its the only phone on the market with 75% screen and the rest bessel. i recomend you to update by OTA to the latest version 4.2.2 , camera improve, sound improve, transparent navigation bar and notification. for the battery use Stamina mode and only mark the really important apps you use. for example i have whatsapp, facebook msn, and gmail. remember that all sony devices have a preinstaled screen protector. i recomend not to take it off. and dont scare if you see a scratch on it ( its a protector the real screen is under ). BTW wich color you bought?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know sony comes with a real screen protector, good to know. I installed a new one over the Sony one.

Hope you enjoy it man.

I have mine just 2 days back,and completely amazed after galaxy1,2,3.
Back to sony after p1i few years back! :good:

Torn between this baby and the Z
I'm getting a bit of cash soon and decided it's time for an upgrade (My Ion keeps getting grabbed by my kids so i'm left without a phone, besides it will make for a grat media center with my dock), I'm torn between the Z and ZL. so far i've made a list of pro's and cons:
ZL:
pros
-cheaper! (I can get it for less than $500 dollars on amazon, even seen some great deals on it)
-size(it's a bit bigger than the ion but not by much compared to the Z)
-proper camera button( Never understood why android makers never put camera buttons on their phones, its what i missed the most from my N8)
Screen/Bezel ratio(Big screen, small bezel. need i say more?)
cons
-No waterproofing(not a deal breaker but would be nice to have)
-"Limited" dev support(i like to flash custom roms. If i cant find em guess it would be time to learn how to port.
Z
Pros
-Flagship(gets all the attention)
-waterproof
-eye catching design(not that the ZL is ugly, but the glass gives the Z a premium look)
Cons
no camera button
Expensive
Glass tends to pop up and separate from the phone(apparently a design flaw, it's being discussed on the Z forums)
flaps get worn over time and loose waterproofing.
So, ZL users, should i go for it? I dont mind that it has s4pro chipset(same architecture as S600 but underclocked a bit so it's no slouch). WOuld like to hear your thoughts.

I have both currently, and will be returning the Z.
Unless you plan to go underweater with the Z and take pictures, then really that feature is not so great. And having to open/close the flaps constantly is annoying.
You will not regret the ZL, AND when you do buy it, DO NOT LET THE SOFTWARE UPDATE. 4.2 sucks.
luisoman2000 said:
I'm getting a bit of cash soon and decided it's time for an upgrade (My Ion keeps getting grabbed by my kids so i'm left without a phone, besides it will make for a grat media center with my dock), I'm torn between the Z and ZL. so far i've made a list of pro's and cons:
ZL:
pros
-cheaper! (I can get it for less than $500 dollars on amazon, even seen some great deals on it)
-size(it's a bit bigger than the ion but not by much compared to the Z)
-proper camera button( Never understood why android makers never put camera buttons on their phones, its what i missed the most from my N8)
Screen/Bezel ratio(Big screen, small bezel. need i say more?)
cons
-No waterproofing(not a deal breaker but would be nice to have)
-"Limited" dev support(i like to flash custom roms. If i cant find em guess it would be time to learn how to port.
Z
Pros
-Flagship(gets all the attention)
-waterproof
-eye catching design(not that the ZL is ugly, but the glass gives the Z a premium look)
Cons
no camera button
Expensive
Glass tends to pop up and separate from the phone(apparently a design flaw, it's being discussed on the Z forums)
flaps get worn over time and loose waterproofing.
So, ZL users, should i go for it? I dont mind that it has s4pro chipset(same architecture as S600 but underclocked a bit so it's no slouch). WOuld like to hear your thoughts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I am been happy with the ZL, I can upload files from the web browser and i never was able to do it in the Apple iPhone 4s, i sold it and bought this phone. The only thing I would like Sony to modify in future Xperia products is to switch the speakers and put it on the side or front. It is annoying to have a call and use the speaker when this is in the back, you have to basically turn the phone the other way to hear clearly. If you want to multitask while talking it is painful.
Sent from my C6506 using xda app-developers app

I have the chance to trade my nexus 4 for a zl.... Should I go for it?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

How would we know what your needs are?
Jeez

sharky2013 said:
I have the chance to trade my nexus 4 for a zl.... Should I go for it?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I have never been happier than with this phone. My Nexi was great while it lasted, never liked the back being glass. The ZL has everything the 4 had, but just better. Do yourself a favor, and even though the Sony skin is not too cumbersome, just do a custom ROM. You'll enjoy it much more. Sony has made the process of unlocking and flashing almost as painless as possible. I absolutely LOVE the skinny bezel around it. I am happier with this device than I had been with any other.

wonderful, I also wnna one, but it's expensive in my country.

Hi, I have the HTC One Developers Edition on AT&T in the US. I love it but camera is bad.
Question: can the bootloader be unlocked on the ZL?
Does it work on AT&T LTE radios in US? Anyone have any other advise on comparing the ZL to the One?
I sincerely appreciate the help.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

maddie01 said:
Hi, I have the HTC One Developers Edition on AT&T in the US. I love it but camera is bad.
Question: can the bootloader be unlocked on the ZL?
Does it work on AT&T LTE radios in US? Anyone have any other advise on comparing the ZL to the One?
I sincerely appreciate the help.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but you need to buy a version of the ZL that has an unlockable bootloader. The SIM unlocked version that Sony, Amazon and most retailers sell can have the bootloader unlocked. For AT&T you need the C6506 (this is the model made for the US and has both AT&T and T-Mobile HSPA and LTE frequencies). The C6503 will only give you HSPA on AT&T so I would avoid it.
I don't like that the One has permanent buttons. The new Google model (from the Nexus 4) is to have the buttons on screen so they can disappear when you don't need them, like with full screen video. Other than that, the ZL has some decent support for AOSP ROMs. Cyanogenmod 10.2 (Jellybean 4.3) is available for the ZL and it runs pretty well. It's still a work in progress but luckily the Xperia Z and the ZL share similar internals so as long as there is CM for the Z, the ZL will have it.
The stock Timescape Sony ROM is decent, and 4.3 will surely come soon, but I feel the Sony ROM is slow. There is pure AOSP available for the ZL but it doesn't include radio support along with other proprietary drivers, so it won't work as a daily ROM, but CM is very close to AOSP.

havanahjoe said:
Yes, but you need to buy a version of the ZL that has an unlockable bootloader. The SIM unlocked version that Sony, Amazon and most retailers sell can have the bootloader unlocked. For AT&T you need the C6506 (this is the model made for the US and has both AT&T and T-Mobile HSPA and LTE frequencies). The C6503 will only give you HSPA on AT&T so I would avoid it.
I don't like that the One has permanent buttons. The new Google model (from the Nexus 4) is to have the buttons on screen so they can disappear when you don't need them, like with full screen video. Other than that, the ZL has some decent support for AOSP ROMs. Cyanogenmod 10.2 (Jellybean 4.3) is available for the ZL and it runs pretty well. It's still a work in progress but luckily the Xperia Z and the ZL share similar internals so as long as there is CM for the Z, the ZL will have it.
The stock Timescape Sony ROM is decent, and 4.3 will surely come soon, but I feel the Sony ROM is slow. There is pure AOSP available for the ZL but it doesn't include radio support along with other proprietary drivers, so it won't work as a daily ROM, but CM is very close to AOSP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You very much for the detailed reply! Very cool. I will look for the C6506. Take care and I truly appreciate the time you took to help me out.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Loving my ZL!!

Been a long time apple user ..since the original iphone in 2007. had every version of it. Got bored of ios and switched to Galaxy s3 last year and been quite happy so far. Last week i traded the S3 for Sony Xperia ZL..and man..i love this hardware and the version of android..
The sony launcher is by far the best one i've seen compared to the touchwiz and others..I used to have so many launchers and widgets on my S3 whereas i have no launchers and widgets on ZL.. The built in has all the features i need,,
Got the iphone 5S for the wife..but the display on ZL is quite something..camera is great. Battery life is reasonable (compared to my old S3) and the standard android customization is very handy..
Don't think i'll ever go back to ios or other android devices for a while.

I like the Xperia ZL. But this phone has many problems. First it lost the signal. It has some lag. And now overheat. Tomorrow who know? I can affirm that I would like other phone.
Enviado desde mi C6502

melquisedec said:
I like the Xperia ZL. But this phone has many problems. First it lost the signal. It has some lag. And now overheat. Tomorrow who know? I can affirm that I would like other phone.
Enviado desde mi C6502
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well not all ZL have problems. mine works perfect, for me its the best phone made by SONY, small big screen, nice hardware, cool camera etc.
just w8ting for the 4.3.
i had HTC One, iphone 5, S3, and the ZL its like perfect.
BTW I dont like custom roms so im full stuck on 4.2.2 ,67 , as far as i know most of the people that face does issues are using roms...and i keep sayin Custom roms SUCK, just stick with official and dont screw your phone.:good:

danieldp1990 said:
well not all ZL have problems. mine works perfect, for me its the best phone made by SONY, small big screen, nice hardware, cool camera etc.
just w8ting for the 4.3.
i had HTC One, iphone 5, S3, and the ZL its like perfect.
BTW I dont like custom roms so im full stuck on 4.2.2 ,67 , as far as i know most of the people that face does issues are using roms...and i keep sayin Custom roms SUCK, just stick with official and dont screw your phone.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on a custom ROM and I'm having exactly 0 issues from the phone itself. Some people just have bad luck.

I am waiting the update 4.3. Preying God mine fixed.
Enviado desde mi C6502

TheTofu said:
I'm on a custom ROM and I'm having exactly 0 issues from the phone itself. Some people just have bad luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well good to hear that, but almost all problems that people have they all uses custom roms.

danieldp1990 said:
well not all ZL have problems. mine works perfect, for me its the best phone made by SONY, small big screen, nice hardware, cool camera etc.
just w8ting for the 4.3.
i had HTC One, iphone 5, S3, and the ZL its like perfect.
BTW I dont like custom roms so im full stuck on 4.2.2 ,67 , as far as i know most of the people that face does issues are using roms...and i keep sayin Custom roms SUCK, just stick with official and dont screw your phone.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I'm using a custom ROM and I do not face any issues as well so you are wrong when you say that!
Sent from my C6503 using xda app-developers app

einfachgaer said:
Well I'm using a custom ROM and I do not face any issues as well so you are wrong when you say that!
Sent from my C6503 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well what I say is what I read on the web.

danieldp1990 said:
well not all ZL have problems. mine works perfect, for me its the best phone made by SONY, small big screen, nice hardware, cool camera etc.
just w8ting for the 4.3.
i had HTC One, iphone 5, S3, and the ZL its like perfect.
BTW I dont like custom roms so im full stuck on 4.2.2 ,67 , as far as i know most of the people that face does issues are using roms...and i keep sayin Custom roms SUCK, just stick with official and dont screw your phone.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i agree - i love the stock rom as well. I'm with bell in canada. My android version says 4.2.2 build number is 10.3.A.0.423
No updates according to update centre..is the latest .67 udpate not available to bell customers?

Generalities tend to be tough to back up.
As to your question about an upgrade - you should be able to install the "stock" generic 67 rom for your phone via flashtool, and have it work properly on Bell as what's important are the radio frequencies the phone supports. (and you "should" be able to flash it without wiping your data...

On latest Stock rom and 0 problems with this wonderful device. It's high end and a pleasure to use it.
Sent from my Xperia ZL

scifan said:
Generalities tend to be tough to back up.
As to your question about an upgrade - you should be able to install the "stock" generic 67 rom for your phone via flashtool, and have it work properly on Bell as what's important are the radio frequencies the phone supports. (and you "should" be able to flash it without wiping your data...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do i flash? I haven't done this before..Why isn't the latest build not available via OTA?

vhl71 said:
How do i flash? I haven't done this before..Why isn't the latest build not available via OTA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea why it wouldn't be available via OTA.
As far as how to flash... search under the development forum for the ZL for Flashtool. There's also a thread that shows all of the different "rom" versions... I'd look there as well...

I am also super lucky with my ZL. Latest stock firmware and it is my first Android phone, where I don't feel the need for having root access...

I am debating whether i should return my SP and get a ZL. Normally I don't like five inch phones but the ZL is so compact that it wouldn't bother me. I am having a hell of a time deciding. Good thing I have till the end of January. What do you guys think?

mrsatan said:
I am debating whether i should return my SP and get a ZL. Normally I don't like five inch phones but the ZL is so compact that it wouldn't bother me. I am having a hell of a time deciding. Good thing I have till the end of January. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do it. The SP is a nice phone, but the ZL is leagues better in every way. You wont believe how small it really is until you hold it.

Even though my beloved C6503 is away receiving RMA Support.
Leading me to purchase a C5303 as back-up in the meantime.
I can still thoroughly recommend the ZL over the SP.
If you watch a lot of videos, browse the internet heavily, likewise use messaging heavily, then you'll love the extra real estate, and increased sharpness, that comes with the 5", Full HD, ultra compact ZL.
Not to mention the ZL's noticeable increase in both performance, and internal storage.
The advantage of 5" 1080p over 4.6" 720p may read like hype.
But as you'll find out for yourself, once you've tried it you won't go back.
Especially in such compact form, with higher grade, build quality you'd expect in Sony's early 2013 top tier, that is found in the ZL.
Plus you still get a large, but more stylised notification light.
The only cons I find with the ZL is it does generate a lot of heat when worked hard.
More than the SP.
But then that's understandable considering what's under their respective hoods (Z runs hotter still being front/rear glass?!)
So I wouldn't recommend using a case with it.
The other con is the ZL is not as efficient as SP.
This is reflected in their respective Endurance Test ratings at GSM Arena, and sums up nicely my experience with them both.
Finally, I would only recommend buying a used ZL with at least a six month warranty, or preferably brand new with a twelve month warranty.
As I am not alone in my ZL suffering from SOD/Sleep Of Death late last year.
Other than that I eagerly await the return of my C6503 from RMA Support later this month.
To which I'll be gifting my C5303 to my Mum (Love you Mum!)
Look forward to your impression of ZL over the SP should you make the leap.
Sent from my C5303 using xda app-developers app

themanspirit said:
Even though my beloved C6503 is away receiving RMA Support.
Leading me to purchase a C5303 as back-up in the meantime.
I can still thoroughly recommend the ZL over the SP.
If you watch a lot of videos, browse the internet heavily, likewise use messaging heavily, then you'll love the extra real estate, and increased sharpness, that comes with the 5", Full HD, ultra compact ZL.
Not to mention the ZL's noticeable increase in both performance, and internal storage.
The advantage of 5" 1080p over 4.6" 720p may read like hype.
But as you'll find out for yourself, once you've tried it you won't go back.
Especially in such compact form, with higher grade, build quality you'd expect in Sony's early 2013 top tier, that is found in the ZL.
Plus you still get a large, but more stylised notification light.
The only cons I find with the ZL is it does generate a lot of heat when worked hard.
More than the SP.
But then that's understandable considering what's under their respective hoods (Z runs hotter still being front/rear glass?!)
So I wouldn't recommend using a case with it.
The other con is the ZL is not as efficient as SP.
This is reflected in their respective Endurance Test ratings at GSM Arena, and sums up nicely my experience with them both.
Finally, I would only recommend buying a used ZL with at least a six month warranty, or preferably brand new with a twelve month warranty.
As I am not alone in my ZL suffering from SOD/Sleep Of Death late last year.
Other than that I eagerly await the return of my C6503 from RMA Support later this month.
To which I'll be gifting my C5303 to my Mum (Love you Mum!)
Look forward to your impression of ZL over the SP should you make the leap.
Sent from my C5303 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the ZL for about a week now and I am pretty impressed with it. The size of the phone considering the screen size is amazing. It is a solid feeling phone and the red one I bought looks great. The battery life isn't too great compared to SP but that is to be expected. I downclocked it a bit so it does better and doesnt get as hot. The screen is miles better than the SP and the extra internal memory is nice. I did like the fact that the SP didn't have the stupid shatterproof sheet on it and it was advertised as gorilla glass. I also wish the IR blaster was on the top so I could hold it like a remote. I would have taken having the charging pins instead of the IR blaster. Still it is a good phone and probably the best designed five inch phone ever. I would have waited and gotten the Z1 compact but it's just too small for me now. 4.6 is perfect but 5 inch is great if the size is that of the ZL.
The vibration on the ZL is really weird compared to the SP. Its very strong, not sure if that is bad or good. The camera is soooo much better though.

Glad to read you are enjoying ZL.
Having sent mine in for RMA Support last month.
And since, been using first C6603, followed by now C5303.
Its highlighted to me just how superior the ZL is to these two more popular and widely available models.
IMHO Sony made a major mistake not to release the ZL in the same markets globally as Z.
As for the ZL's very strong vibration.
Yes, it is far stronger than both Z and SP.
That's been my experience too.
I don't doubt you are also enjoying the ZL's far superior outdoor visibility too.
As the Z, and the SP, displays are really mediocre by comparison when used outdoors in daylight.
I sure do miss ZL's superior loudspeaker performance too.
Particularly when using Navigation incar, or hearing it ring when you are in noisy environments.
So looking forward to the return of my ZL.
And seeing if Sony will release a true successor to the compact, limited market release, ZL.
Sent from my C5303 using xda app-developers app