Develop Bugs

Coming From Galaxy Note 2 - Thread

I thought I might start a thread for people who are getting or want to get the Xperia ZL coming from the Galaxy Note 2.
I myself just listed mine up for sell to pay for the ZL I could had last week but didnt know so I canceled it which I should not have
So Will you be switching from the Note 2?

Kind of "I selling my horse to bay an donkey" story! But maybe you can explain why?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

zmadaric said:
Kind of "I selling my horse to bay an donkey" story! But maybe you can explain why?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
Huh?

hyelton said:
Huh?
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Click to collapse
What he meant is Galaxy Note 2 is better than the Sony ZL. I want to try one but but it is more expensive than the note 2. I am not a Samsung fan but I have to admit that No other smart phones can beat the Note 2 right now.

I just sold my note 2...going get xperia zl when it becomes available...

htc fan89 said:
I just sold my note 2...going get xperia zl when it becomes available...
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Click to collapse
I sold mine a few days after I bought my ZL, Now to pay the credit card haha. I love the ZL! The Note 2 camera was way better though.

zmadaric said:
Kind of "I selling my horse to bay an donkey" story! But maybe you can explain why?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha ha.. Sold my note2 as well in a heartbeat as soon I laid my hands upon the ZL. And I'm very happy with my decision.
Apart from the bigger screen & battery life on note2, I find everything else better on the ZL (which also doesn't have buggy emmc nor corrupts those 64gb SanDisk SDXC cards like note2/GS3 ).

Sold note 1 for zl tho.. Im quite satisfied. My samsung experience was horrible. Batt bloated 3xs for one year of usage. Cant waste more money.
Sent from my C6502 using xda app-developers app

what? note 2 camera much more better?hyelton

jianlinooi said:
what? note 2 camera much more better?hyelton
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Click to collapse
I think this camera is better than the note 2 camera
Sent from my C6502 using Tapatalk 2

Yes it is
Sent from my C6502 using xda premium

Camera wise, it seems out of focus at times... From my opinion, samsung is a lil bit better.. For now. Not sure bout you guys
Sent from my C6502 using xda app-developers app

safuan7822 said:
Camera wise, it seems out of focus at times... From my opinion, samsung is a lil bit better.. For now. Not sure bout you guys
Sent from my C6502 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
It really depends on how u use it. If u like to simply point and shoot, I would say Samsung (note2/GS3) is bit better for day photography, but Sony is better for indoors & night shots. But, if you workaround (play with different modes/settings ), then Xperia camera beats Samsung's, whether day or night. I've had some decent shots with my note2, but some really good ones with the ZL. Having said that, I have no doubt that the camera hardware is much better in the ZL, but sony really need to fix the default high ISO preference (auto mode) & resulting loss of sharpness (due to over smoothening). Besides, I feel that Samsung camera software is zippier, with better optimised post processing, but always liked the colours (also details due to higher pixel count) captured by Sony more than by Samsung.

Dpk1 said:
It really depends on how u use it. If u like to simply point and shoot, I would say Samsung (note2/GS3) is bit better for day photography, but Sony is better for indoors & night shots. But, if you workaround (play with different modes/settings ), then Xperia camera beats Samsung's, whether day or night. I've had some decent shots with my note2, but some really good ones with the ZL. Having said that, I have no doubt that the camera hardware is much better in the ZL, but sony really need to fix the default high ISO preference (auto mode) & resulting loss of sharpness (due to over smoothening). Besides, I feel that Samsung camera software is zippier, with better optimised post processing, but always liked the colours (also details due to higher pixel count) captured by Sony more than by Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you gives us some pointers on what mode/settings to use for best pictures in different sceneries.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

cheapshot789 said:
Can you gives us some pointers on what mode/settings to use for best pictures in different sceneries.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
I don't know about Dpk1's experience, but I've had better luck with getting good pictures switching to Normal mode instead of using the default Superior+ mode. I seem to be able to get the right exposure and focus on a consistent basis this way.

cheapshot789 said:
Can you gives us some pointers on what mode/settings to use for best pictures in different sceneries.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this. What I usually do is use the auto mode with auto flash at night/poor light, and Normal mode with ISO auto, hdr off, center metering, flash off in bright light. For indoors ISO 200/400, flash off, hdr off, average metering. For landscapes (in daylight), the scene mode "landscape" does a decent job. I'm yet exploring other options. I've also noticed that auto mode sometimes delivers quite good results even in daylight (its a hit or miss). Burst mode (mid) does provide crisp images in bright daylight. Sony really needs to improve on the post processing, i.e reduce & optimise its aggressive noise reduction. Hope it helps.

Iv been a Note 2 user since it came out and i have zero complaints..I wanted to give the ZL a try because i figured google wallet would work on an unlocked phone. When i got the ZL i was very happy. But the happiness didnt last long. I love the looks of the phone but there are alot of downsides that i experienced (which might not be what you guys experience).
First the size, im so used to using the big note 2 its hard to use something smaller even if it is only .5 smaller. its a big difference when you type and web browse etc.
2nd, google wallet doesnt work unless you root and tweak and tweak and etc..i want google wallet working straight out of the box since its an unlocked non carrier specific phone with nfc.
3rd, the signal on the ZL is not the greatest, it doesnt seem to get my wifi signal too well compared to my note 2 and it would be in hsdpa(+) mode in an LTE area sometimes where my note 2 would be in LTE all the time. also the LTE signal is weaker by one bar compared to my note 2.
4th, the screen is beautiful and crisp but the note 2 screen seems so much brighter and more vibrant, thats just my opinion.
5th, camera start up time is like 4 seconds..this is on the initial start up..from then when i close the camera and reopen it it starts up within 2 seconds which the note 2 does every single time.
6th, i compared the call quality to the note 2 since i heard the quality on the ZL was awesome. I heard alot of hissing noise when calling someone and during the call. I know that has alot to do with the network but when i called on the note 2 right after i get no hissing noise. its just a cleaner call quality on the note 2..much cleaner..for me
7th, battery. I knew going into this the battery wouldnt compare to the note 2 but my god the battery sucks..im to used to the note 2 lasting 2 days.
8th, the loud speaker sounds good but the note 2 speaker blows it away..there is a big difference in the speaker quality and music output
there were few other minor issues like the notification light bug which i got around and fixed it.. but those r the main ones..so im keeping my note 2 and selling the ZL..I hope you guys have a better experience with the ZL than me..i wanted to like this phone so bad but it cant beat the note 2 sorry guys.

I LOVE The size of my zl but its sitting in a box. I ordered a note 2 and should be here Monday. The value of the zl dropped big time. I paid 635 when it came out and I can't even sell it used for 500
Sent from my HTC One X+ using xda premium

Well
I Just ordered a Xperia ZL today - Will be here Tuesday - Paid $515 delivered to me - Put my Note II for sale online and locally.
The 1080p Screen and easier "pocket-ability" is what got me Interested - and the fact that I could get it for almost nothing after I sell my Note II.
It was an impulse buy as it was a good price and only 2 of them were available.
This thread has me wondering - I expect the battery life to be less - But I think I'll be happy with it.

bigystyle84 said:
Well
I Just ordered a Xperia ZL today - Will be here Tuesday - Paid $515 delivered to me - Put my Note II for sale online and locally.
The 1080p Screen and easier "pocket-ability" is what got me Interested - and the fact that I could get it for almost nothing after I sell my Note II.
It was an impulse buy as it was a good price and only 2 of them were available.
This thread has me wondering - I expect the battery life to be less - But I think I'll be happy with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is definitely note2's forte (7hrs vs 5.5hrs screen time for me). But I am enjoying my ZL and certainly don't miss my note2 (sold). It's more portable & fits in pocket/hand better than note2. I'm much impressed with sony's build quality! Mine survived a 3ft drop (without case) on concrete floor with minor scratches on two edges, which note2 certainly wouldn't have imo. I think the call signal/volume is as good as on note2 (even louder maybe) on C6502. Camera launches faster than note2 within 1-1.5 secs from screen off/sleep (using camera button). Default sound quality (via headphones) is better on the ZL to my ears & speakers are loud enough (note2 was louder). I can't even think of going back to 270ppi AMOLED display after being spoiled by super crisp 441ppi Sony ZL's display! Reading text is much better on ZL, its like night and day for me !
Remember, every device has its pros n cons. So, don't be bothered and enjoy your new purchase!

[Q] Based on your experience with the ZL, would you buy another Sony phone?

I'm interested to know how likely ZL owners are to buy another Sony phone in the future, based on their experience with the phone.
Consider build quality, frequency of firmware updates, reliability of software, etc.

Best
Worst
Best
Would buy another...

I'm satisfied with the ZL. My only complaint is about the poor viewing angles, but despite that, I'd surely buy another Sony.
Enviado de meu C6503 usando o Tapatalk 2

With good cam and better screen, definitely yes!
Sent from my C6502 using xda app-developers app

Coming from a SGN and seeing my wife's SG3, I would buy Sony again. It has less bloatware and better build than Samsung. Very happy with the phone.

galaxy s4 vs xperia zl
I got 2 phones here gt i9500 and xperia zl. I thought my exynos octa core phne wil b blazing fast compared to Xperia zl but it is slower lag and have many bugs.

ryude said:
I'm interested to know how likely ZL owners are to buy another Sony phone in the future, based on their experience with the phone.
Consider build quality, frequency of firmware updates, reliability of software, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes any time,looking forward for ZR
Sent from my C6506 using xda app-developers app

Absolutely yes!
It has a good build quality, feels like a phone and not like a piece of plastic. It looks and feels very elegant and not like a toy. Except facebook there is very few bloatware, and the UI is simple, but smooth.
Frequency of updates is ok for me, because there are no major bugs in the software. I'm coming from LG Optimus 2x, believe me, LG sucks compared to sony. The software has lots of bugs and there are no updates. Without the great support of the xda community I would have sould my 2x way earlier.
But I am still waiting for 4.2, not because I am missing something, but because sony promised to deliver it soon after launch...
So at the moment I definitley would buy another sony.

Im having good experiences with my ZL.. although compared to the SGNote2 has a better wifi range, smooth UI and louder speaker.. But its also have much more bloatware that eat rams a lot.. my friends SGNote2 stock rooted tweakes has only 330MB/++ free ram compared to my ZL.. has 1.2GB/++ free ram now.. With stock untouched..
Sent from my C6502 using xda app-developers app

I think Sony has earned a lot of respect with the Z/ZL. Sure it has it's faults, but what phone doesn't? I was curious to see if I was the only one who has been "converted". As long as Sony keeps making good phones I will buy them.

The ZL is my first Sony phone, I'd happily buy another. I feel like Sony's finally on the right path, they've gone from completely reworking the Android UI to a very minimalistic change or two, not like Samsung and HTC who still feel they need to re-write the OS.
Also, I liked how easy it was to flash a stock generic rom, got rid of the Bell bloatware the 2nd day i had it.

I had only Ericsson phones, then Sony Ericsson ones (in between one Nokia) and now first Sony i.e. Xperia ZL, and was very happy with all of them I still remember my first GA628 from late'90 ... Neither one did not need servicing. Very durable phones:good:

sarobi said:
I had only Ericsson phones, then Sony Ericsson ones (in between one Nokia) and now first Sony i.e. Xperia ZL, and was very happy with all of them I still remember my first GA628 from late'90 ... Neither one did not need servicing. Very durable phones:good:
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Click to collapse
Wow, I feel so old I actually remember those phones

I certinaly would, but I wish the earpiece was louder. I can't hear anything!

Funk2641 said:
I certinaly would, but I wish the earpiece was louder. I can't hear anything!
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Click to collapse
You know now that you said something, I learned that call volume isn't just controlled when in the call but also the ringer volume. It could be a bug, but I notice significantly higher call volume when my ringer is turned all the way up.

Yes. Been with Sony Ericsson/Sony since "K" series.
Sent from my C6506 using xda premium

This is my first Sony phone. So far very happy with the phone best since hd2. Build quality way better than Samsung. Not sure about how frequently Sony releases firmware upgrades.

I would. This is my first sony android phone (first Sony since the t68i).
I came from the LGOG E970 which I replaced mostly because I wanted AWS Bands. My timing meant I was choosing between this, HTC and Samsung. I decided for a variety of reasons to give the ZL a shot. I bought a white 6502 (Cincinnatti Bell) which I unlocked. This allowed me to get the phone for a great price (130 more than where I sold the LG OG).
Here are my reasons:
Compared to my 4.7" OG, the ZL has a bigger screen, and is the same size to smaller in every dimension but thickness. Having used a blockly phone, I decided I'd rather have the back's curve and thickness. I hated the glass back on the OG so having a comfortable back
The HTC is too metally to feel comfortable. It is also too tall for a 4.7" phone. I also use a 64gb microSD
The SGS4 seems fine. I had the SGS3. If I had gotten the SGS4, I would have replaced the battery cover with a non-oem cover.
The ZL met my desire to at least match every spec my old phone had. I don't know if I'll keep this phone past the Snapdragon 800s/Tegra 4s but frankly, I probably wouldn't keep a snapdragon 600 once the 800 is released.
Since getting the phone, it has been fine. I put on the custom .253 rom, did not unlock the bootloader and have taken the onscreen buttons to 25px. It took a week for the battery life to normalize (for the first week, the phone battery was awful... then it seemed to normalize to an acceptable level). The phone/calendar apps seem good. I used album and walkman on my old phone so there was no learning curve to sony's superior apps (Ironically, my Google Music unlimited membership has cost walkman it's default status). It holds a bluetooth connection with my car better than the last 5 phones I've had. Now what has been the surprise is the camera. I was at my wife's birthday party (nighttime restaurant visit with family) and randomly gave the phone to take a picture on superior auto with her iphone 5. All of a sudden, I realized this is an amazing camera/app combination for both no-flash night and short range flash photography.
Things I love: Screen, small size, camera, not seeing 50 of these everyday.
Things I wish it had... 180 degree rotation (the charger port location makes me want to use the phone upside down on my desk), adjustable vibration levels (would like to use touch vibrations but softer). LG's setting to tone down the processor for battery life.
Things that annoy me: I can't get the noise suppression/speaker enhancement settings to stick after reboot. I don't know whether unlocking my bootloader is worth it (custom Kernels). I think sony's launcher is slow and use Nova's instead (I'd used stock launchers on every phone I'd owned)

The ZL is great fopr my needs, though the call quality is the worst I've ever heard. I've tried other phones in the shops, everyone is better :/

Yes I would buy other one! great phone great design! few little things here and there but love it!
Sent from my C6503 using xda premium

Should I get this phone?

It is August 3 2013 and this phone has been out for a little while now. I am looking for a new phone because I need to switch carriers. I currently have a Galaxy Note 2 and I absolutely love it. I see that Sony announced they will update it to 4.3. The screen is only 0.5" smaller then my Note 2. The Sony has a higher resolution though. The battery life doesn't seem to be a problem for most of you (I checked the battery thread). Do all of you who currently own the Sony absolutely love the phone? Do you wish you tried a different phone? I love the look of the phone.
I am stuck between the Galaxy S4, HTC one, and this ZL. The S4 seems to have a ton of bloatware that I will never use but since the Google edition was announced, I might be able to flash a stock version of android on it once they figure out the battery drain issue. Same goes for the HTC one. I love the Sony for no apparent reason. It looks like a decent phone on paper and I remember reading about how Sony is really making an effort to help out developers. They also seem to keep updating this phone (4.2.2 and 4.3).
I need to decide soon so I appreciate any responses!
Edit** was this phone really just released 4 months ago? For some reason I thought it was older.

It's your decision of course and nobody here can really make that decision for you... it's a very subjective topic and you will get 100 different "answers".
However, I'll give you my highly subjective and personal opinion... for what it's worth.
I have both the Z and ZL, a GS3 and have had an HTC One. The GS3 is a reliable and usable phone that is easy to mod. It does everything well, except the screen is really unreadable outside. The 2 particular key points for me on phones, other than the ability to function reliably as a phone, are a good notification LED and a decent FM radio. The Radio is quite passable on the GS3. I bought an HTC One to replace the GS3 and was both impressed by some aspects and seriously disappointed by others. The notification LED is a joke and the FM radio was chronically insensitive to the point of being worthless. Plus the speaker grilles didn't fit correctly. It lasted a week and then got returned.
The GS4 doesn't have an FM radio... pathetic discrimination
Anyway, on to Sony...
The Z was bought in lieu of the H1. I've always liked Sony and SE phones, they are designed in Scandinavia and it shows, certainly in the electronic design and qualification. I also bought the ZL whilst on a business trip in Germany a week or two later. Both phones are great, but I prefer the ZL - because it is physically smaller (thicker but nicer to hold), has a better screen (higher brightness and contrast plus better viewing angles), no flaps to mess about with, the Sony logo is on the phone not the ASF (gives you more options) and has a slightly better notification LED. The FM radio is fantastic on both, although for some reason the Z is more sensitive, by about 10% I reckon. I also prefer the easy access SIM and SD card slots. The loudspeaker on the ZL is not restricted by waterproofing and is thus a fair bit louder...
So for me, the ZL is my phone of choice. It does everything I need and well. Sony are quick with updates and there are no obvious bugs. The UI is rather less "Noddy" than TW and less intrusive than Sense. The call quality is excellent too, in case you need to use it as a phone!!!
So it's down to what is important to you...

That was a awesome post very informative of different phones. I just got a zl to replace my broken HTC one xl and I love it I'm a big Sony fan they make solid products and I've never had a issue and when I have Sony has been quick to respond. It's a good choice
Sent from my Xperia Arc using xda app-developers app

It's honestly a great phone and highly underrated. Maybe it is a very polarizing phone, in that some hate it while others absolutely love it.

Well it's down to what your needs are.
For custom roms development support go for either Htc one or S4.
For sound Htc one.
For screen brilliance HTC One or possibly S4. Zl screen looks washed out and very poor viewing angles.
Camera. ZL or S4.
Memory Zl or S4.
Smoothness UI Htc one.
Design HTC one.
Speed HTC One or S4.
Notification light ZL or S4.
Premium build HTC One.
For me it has to be HTC One.

riz157 said:
Well it's down to what your needs are.
For custom roms development support go for either Htc one or S4.
For sound Htc one.
For screen brilliance HTC One or possibly S4. Zl screen looks washed out and very poor viewing angles.
Camera. ZL or S4.
Memory Zl or S4.
Smoothness UI Htc one.
Design HTC one.
Speed HTC One or S4.
Notification light ZL or S4.
Premium build HTC One.
For me it has to be HTC One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had someone offer me a HTC One + $50 the other day. I just don't see the appeal.

Which HTC One has...
4G (LTE)?
notification toggles?
support to microSD card, including SDXC (I still believe Sony will really fix it )?
Sony design?
Sony UI and Sony exclusive widgets?
full integration with Sony products (PS3, Bravia, Muteki, Music Unlimited...)?
movie player with BE2?
a full 5" screen almost to the edge of the bevel of the phone?
a 2013 main camera (against the 2009-compatible 4 Mpx from HTC one?)

Andre Verissimo said:
Which HTC One has...
4G (LTE)?
notification toggles?
support to microSD card, including SDXC (I still believe Sony will really fix it )?
Sony design?
Sony UI and Sony exclusive widgets?
full integration with Sony products (PS3, Bravia, Muteki, Music Unlimited...)?
movie player with BE2?
a full 5" screen almost to the edge of the bevel of the phone?
a 2013 main camera (against the 2009-compatible 4 Mpx from HTC one?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The One has LTE and notification toggles. To the OP. I switch phones A LOT so I've had all the big boys and I have to say the ZL is a really nice phone. The One is definitely a good competitor though. As for the S4 that has been my least favorite as it feels so cheap and i hate the home button. It all depends on personal preference but as for me I'll probably keep this for the next 2 months and then get the Moto X.

I think the answer depends on your timetable and perspective:
On 8/7, the LG G2 is going to be announed, which will be the first American-carrier snapdragon 800 phone. A month later, Samsung is expected to announce the Note 3 and a Galaxy S4 advanced. By the late fall, there should even be a Nexus 5.
Battery may not be a problem for us... but we don't have notes. We have small phones with giant screens and have (relatively) low standards like a phone lasting 12 hours on a charge rather than the Note's 2 day/no charge norm.
--
I like the ZL (bought 3 months ago). It has met my needs pretty well. I find that it's easier to make a mistake flashing mods and have bootloops needing reflashes... compared to my Samsung experience. I dislike its bluetooth stack... as I have to disable wifi for it to facilitate phone calls in my car. I have a slight feeling of it being the stepchild of the Sony family, as the developer of the only kernel stopped supporting the phone (he never owned it) and the custom roms are not as numerous as the Xperia Z. I had an AT&T LG Optimus G (same processor, smaller screen, wider body) directly before it and the SGS3 before that. I don't wish I had the HTC One.

I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?

ajhavery said:
I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me, screen quality is much much better after the Update. Camera vise its really improved. If i am at a party with friends its like they want me to click pics from my ZL and day light pics are just great.
Compression Issue has been fixed in HDR. So its less noisy in low light condition with HDR.(Really Improved)
close up i would prefer my ZL.
But macros are not that great.
New update increased screen responsiveness. Frankly speaking Its getting better in every update.
But Beware, in Some phones there seems to some sort of Microphone bug which i am facing right now.(software May be as it works in everything else like recording)
Happy with Sony Xperia ZL Using from Past 5 Months.
Price has also been reduced. so its a best buy as of now.

IMO,if you need phone that trending (more dev support),go for HTC One or S4,since it also have Google Edition
but here few advantage of ZL to me:
-compact size 5' screen: -it slightly thicker than z,but more compact,it have thin bezel (fit into my pocket)
-omnibalance design: -slightly curve on the back,which support better grip,not need for cover since it make from plactic (still look premium)
-don't have to worry to put with key in pocket (still you should at least use screen protector to prevent direct scratch)
-camera : hv 13mp back n 2mp front,can recorded full hd video,have hdr,and hv dedicated shutter key with 2 press mechanism
image captured viewed beautiful on the phone with bravia engine 2 on
-notification light: at bottom,look really premium to me
-hv expandable storage (compare to HTC One)
-hv ir blaster: can control tv (compare to xperia z)
-speaker: average to me (htc one better i think) but it still able to make me up in the morning (i'm a heavy sleeper xD )
the earphone include is good enough (but can't compare it with high end earphone)
-sony software that does matter : walkman,album,movie,etc- support BE2,xloud,clearphase equalizer,which make music better
disadvantage:
-highly under rated (less dev support,however most dev in xperia z do port to zl,we still hv CM,PAC support )
-camera apps takes some times to launch (about 1-2 sec)
-screen does hv limited viewing angles but still visible in bright sunlight (with the help of UI itself that mainly white/grey colour)
Last word: xperia ZL does not hv the hype of other phone such as HTC One or S4 but it does hv enough power to run almost any apps in the play store,moreover with gr8 support from sony,i believe you could stay in stock firmware for quite sometimes,i used to unlock my bootloader and use custom rom for a week (to do this make sure you read all FAQ first if you not used to sony devices) but i'm back to stock and i'm happy with what sony offer to me
---------- Post added at 10:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------
ajhavery said:
I have checked almost every review available on the internet and they all wish the device had better screen and camera.
The screen has poor viewing angles and camera is gainy in low light and looses focus even in bright light.
Well I don't want to base my idea totally on reviews, since they compare it with the best.
Will you guys recommend if the Screen and camera quality are at par with a high end phone, so that I can consider buying it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i suggest you bring ur current phone and compare it with zl at retail shop,i u satisfied then grab it,if not choose others,review is useful but sometimes the company hv push updates to the phone to fix/improve the problem appear,while review stay the same,for example we recently received updates that improve touch sensitivity,ram management,camera low-light performance,etc,the latest firmware changelog can be view here

Ya I wasn't really looking for a specific yes or no. I was looking for things like: are you happy with it? Things you like about it and things you dislike. Did you find out anything after you bought it that you wish you knew before you bought it?
I really wish I could wait for the Note 3 but I need the phone basically this week. I am not a heavy user so I am pretty sure the smaller battery in this phone will be fine. My current Note 2 is amazing though. I understand that there will always be a better phone that is out or coming out soon. The Sony zl is free at Rogers right now so if I hate it that much I can sell it and get a nexus 4 or something. I don't really care about custom roms that much anymore. I used to care more because my first android phone was an LG G2x and they never updated it so I had to rely on custom roms for upgrades. As long as Sony will update it for another year or 2 ill be happy.

htc one vs sony zl
After many reviews online, I could not decide between One and ZL, so I bought both on eBay for my personal evaluation but will sell the other one later. HTC One is very good phone, high contrast screen, hi-powered speakers and responsive touch (very good if you want to watch YouTube). But, my choice is Sony ZL. There are much talks on the internet about washed screen on ZL. Do not believe it and I tell you why. For some reasons Sony designers chose to use the theme with dark grey background and white letters which is easier for eyes for long time but losing on sensation of hi-contrast. However, if you can choose a dark theme, it will change the game. Also, latest updates for ZL tend toward black background. Really, do you think that Sony, that makes TVs, laptops and professional monitors can not make phone screens? The speakers of One is better but that does not apply for the speaker when you make a phone call, which is sensational for ZL with xLoud and noise canceling enhancements. Overall the ZL looks and feels much more modern with very thin bezel while the One feels like an upgrade from old one. I thought BraviaEngine is there for commercial reasons but its really good when you watch movies and videos.

ZL is a awesome device. Its that developers don't do anything currently. There is a dev kamarush who said if he get the device he will do the kernels. But he didn't have money AFAIK. Some1 should come and help the community. Looks like we gotta donate a device to a very well know xda member: suggestion - tonyp, slim_rick, pulser_q2 etc etc
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Never really understood the issues people are having with the screen. All the reviews made it out to look like it was the most horrible screen on a phone to date. That is simply not the case. Having came from a galaxy note 1 I can honestly say the screen is on par with it. The viewing angle issue is a joke and should be experienced first hand and not from some reviewer with his head stuck up his ass. Thank god I got this phone despite what the reviews said. I'd have missed out on a great device.
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Agree that the screen (as stated in my post above) is not at all bad. Better than the XZ
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devilsshadow said:
Never really understood the issues people are having with the screen. All the reviews made it out to look like it was the most horrible screen on a phone to date. That is simply not the case. Having came from a galaxy note 1 I can honestly say the screen is on par with it. The viewing angle issue is a joke and should be experienced first hand and not from some reviewer with his head stuck up his ass. Thank god I got this phone despite what the reviews said. I'd have missed out on a great device.
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I agree 100% ! I just love it.
The viewing angle is indeed deficient but I dont care. Its still bright and colorful. The FM radio and the loads of media formats it can play built in, are a great plus for me Really enjoyable device. Cant wait for an aokp 4.3 custom rom

unoo said:
Ya I wasn't really looking for a specific yes or no. I was looking for things like: are you happy with it? Things you like about it and things you dislike. Did you find out anything after you bought it that you wish you knew before you bought it?
I really wish I could wait for the Note 3 but I need the phone basically this week. I am not a heavy user so I am pretty sure the smaller battery in this phone will be fine. My current Note 2 is amazing though. I understand that there will always be a better phone that is out or coming out soon. The Sony zl is free at Rogers right now so if I hate it that much I can sell it and get a nexus 4 or something. I don't really care about custom roms that much anymore. I used to care more because my first android phone was an LG G2x and they never updated it so I had to rely on custom roms for upgrades. As long as Sony will update it for another year or 2 ill be happy.
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i would not sure if there will be update for 2 years,you said u used note 2,so r u using the s-pen heavily,i hv a friend that like to sketch cartoon with his note 2,and i think that phone really suitable for him,if you one of them,you should wait for note 3,if not,i suggest you give zl a shot,nexus 4 also a good phone but i choose zl instead of nexus 4 when i buy it because i want to hv expandable storage n i also use fm radio quite frequently,i use zl since early 3 april until today and so far i'm happy with it.what i like mainly the phone shape,different from other and the only thing i dislike is the camera takes some times to load as i mention earlier,hope sony will fix it later on

ihsan123 said:
i would not sure if there will be update for 2 years,you said u used note 2,so r u using the s-pen heavily,i hv a friend that like to sketch cartoon with his note 2,and i think that phone really suitable for him,if you one of them,you should wait for note 3,if not,i suggest you give zl a shot,nexus 4 also a good phone but i choose zl instead of nexus 4 when i buy it because i want to hv expandable storage n i also use fm radio quite frequently,i use zl since early 3 april until today and so far i'm happy with it.what i like mainly the phone shape,different from other and the only thing i dislike is the camera takes some times to load as i mention earlier,hope sony will fix it later on
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I never use the sPen. I don't care about the speakers either because I never use external speakers in a phone. I never heard anything bad about the screen but I make the assumption that sony makes TV's so that can make a decent cell phone screen haha. The more I think about it, I just want a properly functioning phone. If Sony updates it then that is great but as long as it is smooth and everything works then ill be happy. It is going to be my phone for the next 3 years so it needs to last!

Xperia ZL or Galaxy S3?

I found a deal that would get me a Galaxy S3 or an Xperia ZL at the same price, the S3 is new, and the Xperia ZL is a used one. I've been having many problems with my Galaxy Nexus lately and am looking for a suitable replacement.
Which one is a better option?
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If ZL is in good condition then you can go for Xperia ZL becoz you will get latest tech spec compare S3, and S3 is now year old device..........

However, Galaxy S3 has an SAMOLED screen (far better blacks and far batter viewing angles), replacable battery and a way bigger developer community. It depends what you expect from your phone.
I had to face the same decision and decided to get the Xperia ZL for the Full HD resolution and hopefully better lifetime of my screen (SAMOLED screens tend to get worse over the course of years).
Greetings

Yeah, coming from a Galaxy Nexus, I was searching for a phone with a great dev support. I like everything about the S3 except the design. And I like the ZL because of it's newer innards and FullHD screen, but I've heard that it's really washed out, color wise..
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yeah the display appears washed-out when you don't look directly into the screen but in real life it does't matter much at least for me now its depend you...... i had same problem choosing between this phones but i wanted latest spec so that i can have good gaming experience as well as watching video on 5" Full HD screen its too Good, you can compare both phone online that may help you.....

Get ZL if its in good condition.
Its better than s3.
But just make sure ZL is not opened and repaired...before
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Well actually i came from S3, i love the viewing angles, and battery replace. but i decided to buy the ZL and let me tell you. ZL its like 1000 times better than S3 in terms of support, hardware, and even quality and design, viewing angles i dont really care, its not that bad at all. the truth is that the screen it the best screen i have seen on a phone, really 441 pixel per inch and a 5'? wow in a compact design even much smaller than S3.
In other words, go for the ZL if the phone is in excelent condition and never had been opened.:good:

Yeah, I went to a nearby shop and got a hands on of the ZL, really nice phone.
What's the battery like? Screen on with 3g?
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With 3G I'd say 3-4 hours but WiFi I get around 5 hours max.
Screen pixels are awesome but energivore. You'll get used to it tho.
The Sony UI is also a huge bonus over vanilla Android UI. At first I was annoyed by it but now I feel like I'm really using my Android phone for real.

I'd go for the ZL. It feels much better than the S3, and looks much better, too. On top of that, you get a better processor (Snapdragon S4 vs Exynos 4412), a better graphics chip (Adreno 320 vs Mali 400), and twice the amount of RAM (1 GB vs 2 GB). On top of that, you get a full HD screen. There have been complaints about the viewing angles, but I'd say the viewing angles are not as bad as they are made out to be. Viewed top-down, though, the display is really, really good. For some reason--and I've observed this on a couple of units--the ZL's display is better than the Z's (I've actually got to evaluate both side by side with a Z).
So, if the ZL's in pristine condition, I'd say you go for it. Otherwise, if it's been "damaged" to some extent--you know, scratches and stuff--opt for the S3. Because personally, I wouldn't go for a damaged phone, no matter how good it might be specs-wise, and neither would I advise anybody to. That said, if you're going to be using your device heavily, and there's the need to carry around a spare battery, then it's obvious the S3's the best bet for you. So, weigh up your options, see what you need. If you're going to be carrying around a spare battery for backup, you're good with the S3. Otherwise, I'd definitely pick the ZL over the S3.

S3 is good, but ZL it's better, for me. :good:

Zl user here.. I was in similar confusion, well the chose zl over one x plus and s3 mainly its full hd display, I agree that viewing angles are not that great but normally the colors of the display cone out really well, camera though there is a problem with over compression and macro, it gives better results with manual settings, ir blaster is added feature, hardware wise its good too, not too old either. And frankly receiving updates faster than other companies. With every updates its improving, battery is better than s3 for sure. Interface is simple yet beautiful, no bloatware, I have tried most of the high end games, there is a heating issue.
Conclusion at this point of time I would buy zl over s3 or one x plus, or wait for mini version of z1
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coolrevi said:
Zl user here.. I was in similar confusion, well the chose zl over one x plus and s3 mainly its full hd display, I agree that viewing angles are not that great but normally the colors of the display cone out really well, camera though there is a problem with over compression and macro, it gives better results with manual settings, ir blaster is added feature, hardware wise its good too, not too old either. And frankly receiving updates faster than other companies. With every updates its improving, battery is better than s3 for sure. Interface is simple yet beautiful, no bloatware, I have tried most of the high end games, there is a heating issue.
Conclusion at this point of time I would buy zl over s3 or one x plus, or wait for mini version of z1
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the iverheating is firmware version the 67, have that issue. we are all w8ting for the fix ore the update

Thanks guys. Add a Note 2 and Htc One X plus to this mix.
Also, battery life is important for me.
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danieldp1990 said:
the iverheating is firmware version the 67, have that issue. we are all w8ting for the fix ore the update
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From 6.7 I got that issue... That's really strange, a repair might just fix that. Didn't get time to do it yet..
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---------- Post added at 08:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 AM ----------
jonathanpeter said:
Thanks guys. Add a Note 2 and Htc One X plus to this mix.
Also, battery life is important for me.
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Note is different kind of phone. Bigger screen, s pen, these are some added features, which is not there in any of these phones discussed. And all of these are priced at similar range. my suggestion, go to a store use all these phone side by side pick the one you like most, if you are routine phone switcher consider note 2 as is got good resale price of all these phones.
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Is the battery life on the One X+ really bad? I'm in love with this phone.
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Will you buy another Xperia?

So just wondering how everybody feels here, after your experience with the XZL, will you buy another Xperia device?
I myself am conflicted. I loved this device when I bought it, the way it's built and the hardware were awesome. Plus I love the screen.
But I actually feel like this was a bad investment now. Sony takes ages to make software updates, and then takes ages to actually really roll those out (seriously 2 months between starting it and it getting to me?).
The customer service is pretty awful, and on top of that the expensive laptop I bought from them last year is no-longer supported an I need to fiddle about with it now to install drivers.
So on the one hand I really like the hardware they make, but on the other hand I feel like I'm not getting any value from it past the first 6 months of its shelf life. And that's simply not something I want to experience when I pay the kind of money the stuff costs.
How about you?

I love sony and their products..
Their build quality is awesome, not crappy plastic like samsung.,
Lovely ui
But I hate the way they update us..

Sony makes good hardware and good software but every manufacturer needs a lot of time.
But I will not invest in one more Sony because there is one better investment. An unbeatable one:
Project ARA
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Build quality? Crappy screen for flagship phones! Bad viewing angles (xperia z, xperia z1 and my ZL). Even mid range Moto G had better screen. Thank God! now they fixed it in xperia z2. Severe heating issues in xperia z2 that force closes after 2 mins while recording 4k videos. Only good things are looks. Flagship phones for every 6 months. That's insane. Sony releases n number of phones. Instead they should concentrate on few phones.

Yeah absolutely
I will buy XZ2...
Well not now, maybe couple years later xD

Probably not. Their phones are getting too big for my liking. Sucks though, as i love the camera and walkman apps.

Honestly the XZL is a nice phone, but owning one kind of feels like I've signed up for something that's nearly unsupported in the dev community... *shrug*...
It feels like we're constantly waiting for an update to actually push out... (eg .230 and now .233)

For me this is a perfect phone.
I don't care about viewing angles, when I look at my phone I look at it straight ahead and not from the side. In fact, I would prefer even worse viewing angles so when I'm using my phone in the train or bus my neighbour isn't able to see what I'm doing...
Updates are ok! I once had a lg phone, it took them two years to get android 4.0 running... And 2.3 was full of bugs, didn't get any bugfix release.
This phone has a great hardware and a very cool UI. No need for me to run any custom rom. Rooting is very easy, so the social media crap can be deleted (in fact facebook as a system app is the only negative point so far).
Short answer: yes, I will certainly buy Sony again. And again I will not get it through my provider, I will buy it in store to get an unlockable bootloader.

I will switch back to Samsung or go with a Nexus the next time. The CM support is just crap for my xperia zl and many other xperia device.

The XZL is my third xperia. After this, I'm going with nexus. I've been so disappointed in so many ways.

Xperia X8, X10Mini Pro, X10, Arc S, PLAY, Pro, Mini Pro, Live With Walkman, P and Xperia ZL..
this is my tenth xperia's phone, probably i would get Samsung Galaxy K Zoom after this.. it has 20.7MP with XENON Flash..
I really miss a phone with XENON flash.. last phone i owned with xenon is lumia 1020, before that is SE Satio..
My question, why sony didn't want to include Xenon flash to it's Xperia?
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The XZL is my second xperia and i like sony, the UI is one of the best i see in an android phone, the walkman app is amazing, i dont have any plans of change it anytime soon, but i will probably buy another xperia, or a nexus..

Love my ZL but I won't buy another unless they produce another the same size. All the newer stuff have giant bezels and make the device way to big. Also don't like the glass backs.

I think whatever I buy next will be a Google play edition...
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You know the main things that made me move towards the XZL over other phones were:
Camera
Walkman
IR blaster
The other specs were covered by other phones, but since I had this I noticed that while the camera is really nice, I bought a much better one from the store. Walkman seemed cool and all, but Poweramp which I still had from before was superior in pretty much every way. And Samsung is now putting IR blasters on everything they make.
And others use Sony's camera sensors as well. So the only way Sony could really persuade me to stay with them is if they made my experience with this phone so good, that I stay out of solidarity.
But so far they have done their level best to alienate me, slow as hell updates, which when they finally arrive are so buggy that they feel unfinished, and terrible customer service.
This entire time I feel like I have an unfinished product in my pocket or hand, it never feels complete or well finished. Which is not cool if you spent this kind of money in one go.
So really, I could just buy a Samsung and continue using the apps I bought and have a better experience than this.

If the next Xperia got a camera like Lumia1020 (manual focus/xenon), surely i'll cancel my order for Samsung K Zoom and go for another Xperia..that would my eleventh Xperia phone ?
i'm a die hard fan of sony product, even home theatre and tv at my home is sony branded..
even my car audio system also is sony branded.. ?
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Absolutely not - unfortunately, as it turns out, the Xperia Support is probably the most terrible you can get. I made a post on it in their forums, but I doubt it'll lead anywhere. If you're curious: http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-Z-ZL-ZR/Horrible-Support-Xperia-ZL/m-p/751775#U751775

Yes.
This is my second xperia (X10 was the first). The only thing with this phone I still not getting used to is the front camera. I love the size and if Sony releases another handset like this, I would give it a try.

Meister_Li said:
Absolutely not - unfortunately, as it turns out, the Xperia Support is probably the most terrible you can get. I made a post on it in their forums, but I doubt it'll lead anywhere. If you're curious: http://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xperia-Z-ZL-ZR/Horrible-Support-Xperia-ZL/m-p/751775#U751775
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oh damn, this made me lose all my trust to Sony.. well f**k you sony for terrible customer care..
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Personally I don't care much for the Sony software, I'm using PA 4.4 and I'm quite happy with it, and any other phone I get will probably end up being the same.
What it really depends on is if they make a phone with everything I want in terms of hardware, currently what comes closest is the Oppo Find 7, if that was 5" it'd be perfect, but alas there's the trend to make phones bigger...
I'm pretty happy with my ZL so I'll probably end up waiting another year at least before getting a new phone.