So what are the best-designed Android devices out there? It appears we’re looking at a few Sony creations that have been honored by red dot awards. Apparently Sony scored not one, but four red dot awards for product design, with three of them going to two Xperia devices:
Xperia active and Xperia ion earn plaudits for high quality and stylish minimalism
Smart Wireless Headset pro and SmartDock for Xperia ion recognised for discreet design and impressive functionality
Xperia ray receives an honourable mention for appearance and usability
The awards were presented at a special ceremony in Germany that took place a few days ago on July 2. Apparently the international jury “evaluated entries against key criteria including the degree of innovation, ergonomics, durability and ecological soundness.”
It’s worth mentioning that each year, the red dot award competition receives over 14,000 entries from over 70 countries. It would certainly be interesting to see what other mobile devices the winning Xperia models managed to beat, including Android-based ones.
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http://www.androidauthority.com/son...paign=Feed:+PlanetAndroidCom+(Planet+Android)
Definitely one of the reasons why I bought the phone
Sent from my LT28i using xda app-developers app
Me think the HTC One X and S and White Evo 4g LTE, Galaxy Note, Xperia P, Xperia Ion, White LG Optimus 4X HD, Iphone 4s, Xperia Arc, Xperia GX and SX. Optimus Vu would be ok if it wasnt for the fugly LG UI.
White Xperia S would be perfect too but I hate the huge wasted bezel.
I think Sony designs the best phones, hands down. It's the biggest reason I hung out and waited for the ion.
Everything Sony makes looks awesome & sleek. The Ion is gorgeous, I've got two Sony TV's in my house, mine being their 32 inch Google TV ( Amazing TV btw), and the PS3 is awesome. Putting all 3 together looks like a family haha
Good day fellow XDAers!
I recently received my Xperia Z1 as an upgrade to my Xperia S as my Xperia S was hitting the age two mark, and what better upgrade than the Xperia Z1 I thought? Sure, the Z2 or Sirius is also about to be announced but that'll only mean the Z1 will be priced even better! I've had the Z1 for about a week now and I figured I wouldn't be the only one thinking of upgrading their Xperia S.
So in this thread I will let you know whether it's a good choice for you personally to upgrade (since there is no such thing as a 'smartphone to rule them all').
I will create another post below with a couple of camera comparisons because, if you were like me, you probably also chose the Xperia S for its camera, and are likely to consider the Xperia Z1 for the same reason. I will say beforehand that, yes, the camera is indeed an upgrade. The Z1's camera is not as bad as some review(er)s may have made you believe - at least not with the latest firmware of Android 4.3 installed.
Anyway, let's get to the hardware. The Xperia Z1 feels much, much more premium. It's a really slim device that's cold to the touch and has a bit of heft to it as well, making it feel as premium as it gets. Much more so than the Xperia S, that feels, after having held the Xperia Z1 for a couple of days, very plastic-y. One week prior to writing this I would've said that the Xperia S feels good in the hand, but once you've held the best, there's just no going back.
The processor is just extremely snappy, not much more to say of it. The Xperia S annoyed me with lag occurring more often than not, and if I were to upgrade, it would definitely be a major step upward, hence not going for the Xperia Z (which is probably still snappier than the Xperia S but I don't have experience with it). I wanted to test the Z1's processor but I couldn't find anything graphically intense and fun enough to do. So the Z1 is essentially more than powerful enough
Where the Xperia S had a pretty loose back, the Z1 is as sturdy as it gets with the aluminum frame sandwiched between the glass. If you're coming from the Xperia S, you probably won't mind the flaps. They're a tiny bit harder to open but that's obviously due to the waterproof rubbers (which seem a little too thin for my comfort but hey, Sony tested the device to be waterproof so I'll take that for granted).
I'll have to test the headphone jack some more but so far the quality seems on par with the Xperia S, if not better. I'm not the craziest audiophile out there, but I do believe there's a bit more bass outputting from the Z1's jack. Another thing worth mentioning about the build: the camera button is more comfortable to press and is a little better positioned, and the power button is perfectly in line with my thumb on the side (I hated the top mounted power button on the Xperia S - trying to press it while having it on a table has sent the device flying multiple times). The speaker on the bottom (which isn't the entire grill, just the most right part about one-fifth of the actual grille in size) is less loud as the Xperia S' internal speaker, but the quality to me sounds similar. Again, it's not as horrible as reviewers may have you think, but then again, they always get to review the best devices out there and this is just a mediocre speaker that gets the job done. Finally, the screen is really a joy to look at once you've set the white balance correctly, and the Full HD resolution does make it look better than 720p on the Xperia S. Colours pop more but the screen of the Xperia S seems to have a little more contrast. So yes, the display is indeed another upgrade to the Xperia S from what I can tell.
All in all, what are things you need to consider when you're in the market for a new Sony phone?
- Will the Xperia Z2 / Sirius have anything that *I* really wish I had, that makes me want to wait and get it instead of the Z1?
- Is the Xperia Z1 worth the money, since it's still priced very high?
- Do I want a 5" display on my phone, or is the display size of the Xperia S just fine (refer to the Z1 Compact then)?
- Are the downsides mentioned above not too important?
- How do *I* value waterproofing of a smartphone (I personally value it high, because I lost one phone to a river and it makes life so much easier carelessly taking pictures in the rain or playing music in the shower)
I hope this is of any use to you, looking to upgrade your phone. If this helped you make up your mind, don't hesitate to click a specific button under my XDA name
If you have any questions considering the two devices, please let me know - I'll answer them ASAP! :fingers-crossed:
EDIT:
I've created a video comparison between the Xperia S and Xperia Z1, because I often look things up on YouTube myself
Check it out below:
Sony Xperia S vs. Xperia Z1 - Should you upgrade? <- link to the video
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Now, for the camera comparison of the Xperia S and the Xperia Z1...
Disclaimer: the images were shot with Auto Mode on the Xperia S and Superior Auto Mode on the Z1. I basically compared them as point-and-shoot cameras.
Who would've thought the difference between the Xperia S and Z1 was this big? (zoomed in, that is)
Xperia S:
Screenshot_2014-02-21-16-16-19 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
Screenshot_2014-02-21-16-16-22 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Or let's try one without zooming:
Xperia S:
DSC_0019 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
DSC_0143 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
I'm trying not to be biased, but the Xperia S suffers from much more lens flare than the Xperia Z1 for example I initially held the Z1 on the right next to the S, but after viewing the lens flare on the S I decided to swap the two, the Z1 now being right. Did it make a difference? Nope. Still the same lens flare on the S, still none on the Z1. When you're shooting in daylight, the Z1's camera really is amazing!
Once you take away the sun however, the Xperia Z1 is no longer amazing but just 'good' at best (I don't have examples just yet).
P.S. the full images of the first crop:
Xperia S:
DSC_0022 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
DSC_0146 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
The Xperia Z1 also has the advantage of having a wide-angle lens, as you can see in the pictures above.
If you want to see more, let me know. I'm here to help and answer any questions!
Good point,talking about the camera,does Z1 have 16:9 resolution higher than 8MP?
RodrigoOgasawara said:
Good point,talking about the camera,does Z1 have 16:9 resolution higher than 8MP?
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As of yet, nope. But I expect the update to 4.4 to add a 15 megapixel option. Still, megapixels really don't matter as the 8 megapixel shots seem more detailed in daylight than the Xperia S'.
dam U, my XS just reached the end of contract. I trying persuade myself not to give in to temptation and buy such an expensive phone right away.
I am considering between Z1 or Z1 compact. Waiting for WMC to see if there is any phone to push the price of Z1 down.
Hermantje said:
As of yet, nope. But I expect the update to 4.4 to add a 15 megapixel option. Still, megapixels really don't matter as the 8 megapixel shots seem more detailed in daylight than the Xperia S'.
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I agree with that,but its a bit frustating thing to have a 20mp camera that don't shoot at full resolution,but the quality of the photos looks really good.
Another question,about image compression,pictures take with Z1 are less compressed than XS?I mean,with the Superior Auto mode.
sinple said:
dam U, my XS just reached the end of contract. I trying persuade myself not to give in to temptation and buy such an expensive phone right away.
I am considering between Z1 or Z1 compact. Waiting for WMC to see if there is any phone to push the price of Z1 down.
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If you don't have the cash, don't bother. The Xperia S is still a good phone. Not everyone needs the best high-end device out there, it's just that I love smartphones so much that I oblige myself to get at least a high-end phone (since I consider the Xperia S to be a darn good midrange device, just not high-end anymore).
RodrigoOgasawara said:
I agree with that,but its a bit frustating thing to have a 20mp camera that don't shoot at full resolution,but the quality of the photos looks really good.
Another question,about image compression,pictures take with Z1 are less compressed than XS?I mean,with the Superior Auto mode.
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The Superior Auto mode makes great images in daylight, but once the sunlight is partially gone or you're trying to take pictures with artificial light, the sharpness drops and you get to see this odd Z1 specific 'oversharpening lining' when fully zoomed in. Once you're out of the light, I really recommend using the Manual Mode, because setting the ISO manually makes a huge difference. So if you can live with that, the Z1's camera is as good as it gets (ISO-50 images in darker environments look detailed - Night Mode is even better!).
One other thing I have noticed, is that the Z1 has barely any chromatic (colour) noise - if you can see noise in pictures, it's going to be these 'sharpened lines' that I don't know how else to explain. I really hated how often the coloured noise occurred in pictures taken with the Xperia S, it really ruined the images for me.
Hi there, I liked reading your review as I have had the Xperia S for around a year now on 3 PAYG but Ive been ever so tempted to get either the Z1 or Z1C on contract, but now that ive seen rumours/videos of the suspected 'Z2' which looks pretty darn awesome, do you think its best I get a Z1 or wait for the new release? I mean the Xperia S is a great phone I could cope with it a little more, although stock jellybean 4.1.2 which is what im running has quite a few bugs, also lately my device has been 'overheating' after updating a fair amount of apps which is a sad thing so i guess its nearlly the end for my XS, sad times haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26i using XDA app-developers app
LevsOG said:
Hi there, I liked reading your review as I have had the Xperia S for around a year now on 3 PAYG but Ive been ever so tempted to get either the Z1 or Z1C on contract, but now that ive seen rumours/videos of the suspected 'Z2' which looks pretty darn awesome, do you think its best I get a Z1 or wait for the new release? I mean the Xperia S is a great phone I could cope with it a little more, although stock jellybean 4.1.2 which is what im running has quite a few bugs, also lately my device has been 'overheating' after updating a fair amount of apps which is a sad thing so i guess its nearlly the end for my XS, sad times haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26i using XDA app-developers app
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I was just too eager to get the Z1 that I couldn't wait one other week for the Z2. But as for the leaks, the Z2 does look like a more perfect device, but it's probably going to be about €150 (or a similar amount of dollars) more expensive, and I didn't think the Z1 would get much cheaper instantly.
So if you can wait, do so. It's always better - prices can only drop. I just really wanted the Z1 and I wasn't planning on paying that much more for a Z2 that's a little closer to perfection.
To summarize, here's what the Z2 is probably going to improve:
- IPS display, so no more viewing angle complaints
- Android 4.4 (but I presume all software tweaks will be made available for the Z1 as well, either through Sony or else through the amazing XDA developers we got)
- Stereo speakers
Other than that, the Z2 seems to be similar to the Z1. So for the price, I'd go (and I actually went) for the Z1. But it's all up to you, and wait if you can because phones are only getting cheaper!
thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?
sparxx4 said:
thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?
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I'm not sure what the Z1s is supposed to be, but it's either a specific variant of the Z1 or Z1 Compact.
Either way, if you're in doubt between these two and you have an Xperia S, just think about the size. Are you longing for something bigger?
One thing I have to mention: although I love the size of the Z1, it's just not as practical to use in one hand as my old Xperia S. Keep that in mind.
And have fun choosing your next phone
sparxx4 said:
thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?
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Z1s is only for T mobile in USA and it has a slightly better camera and 32GB storage
please read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2600577
as for me I'll until Z2 is released in my region :good:
Update: I added a YouTube video of the comparison to the original post!
If you'd like to see more of a comparison, ask & subscribe I'd say :angel:
still better S
Still better s because it cheaper Maybe i'll buy z1 when sony will release z2 and z1 went cheaper.
misqowiec said:
Still better s because it cheaper Maybe i'll buy z1 when sony will release z2 and z1 went cheaper.
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Very true that the Xperia S is cheaper now. I can't even sell mine because I'm asking too much apparently :silly:
But make no mistake: the Z1 feels much more of an upgrade than reviews may make it seem.
I purchased the Z1 because the price had already dropped to just above €400, as opposed to the Z2 which is around €550 or even €600 now.
In case of the Z1 vs Z2, I'd go (and I have gone) for the Z1, just for its pricetag.
Genneraly i'm thinking about z1 compact becasue classic z1 is too big for me
misqowiec said:
Genneraly i'm thinking about z1 compact becasue classic z1 is too big for me
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Except for the size there's barely any difference between the two, so I'm hoping my guide will still be useful :3
Hermantje said:
- IPS display, so no more viewing angle complaints
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Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
FaiselW said:
Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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It's all personal preference, but people usually prefer being able to view the display perfectly when it's on the table. It's actually more common than you might think, that you're not looking directly at the display. I'd say, if you're really into privacy, you won't dislike the absent viewing angles. Otherwise the display just looks better overall, when you can even look at it from an angle without contrast loss. The issue I often have is that I can't read text due to lowered contrast when my phone's on the table, for example hooked up to my radio, like it is at this moment. It's more difficult to change songs because the text on the display is not always readable.
FaiselW said:
Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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What privacy issues? Are you concerned someone can read your texts over your shoulder? You'll probably notice when someone's breathing down your neck then, because even with a 5 inch screen, the screen is still small enough to require the phone to still be in an arm's distance from your face to read properly. For everything else like photos and videos, you are aware that you've already shared all of your life with Google, Facebook, etc anyway?
For me, one of the downsides of the Xperia S is how grey all the colours are when you look at it if it's lying down on a table. You can't properly show photos to other people or you need to hand them your phone.
Saying that bad viewing angles are good for privacy is just one of those excuses to avoid criticizing Sony. Sony never made those viewing angles so bad by design, it's not a feature, so the viewing angles should just be as good as possible. If it were a feature, it should be optional because not all of us wear tinfoil hats. If you want bad viewing angles because you're actually concerned about your privacy (and you don't want to tell that creep breathing in your neck to shove off) there are filters you can apply as a screen protector or a case to get even worse viewing angles. I know that Siemens employees need to put a similar filter on their laptops if they're using it in public to avoid leaking company secrets.
About the Xperia Z1/Z2, they're too big for me. I'm considering the Z1 compact but after 2 years of Sony, about half of which with AOSP based ROMs, I've decided I don't like OEM skins and the limitations they pose. So next phone will probably be a Nexus (it's a bit smaller but only just though..) or a Motorola if they release the successor of the Moto X in Belgium at all. I would be tempted to get an Xperia Z1 compact if there were a Google Play Edition.
Hi peeps,
I am not sure about you guys, but I am very happy abt Z3 camera and its features, I came from Z1 and the camera is good too!
I notice some did mention or some of my friends saying Sony camera suck and that the Z3 camera is not as good as samsung s3 or other brands bah bah bah....
But I asked, what Sony phones are you conparing with and what are the camera or display settings of the Z3 phones. Then I reliased the following issues
1) Some are using Xperia Z ultra to compare with Samsung S3. Z ultra only have 8 MP and no ISO settings so if u want to use a mid range camera to fight with a higher range phone who will lose out? Just like I used a 20MP Z3 with the same setting I will surely win...
He also mention the Z ultra camera pic cannot tell the color difference between white and yellowish white but when I took the same pic, with my Z3, he was shocked....
2) Z3 camera by default has set to 8/15 MP for 16:9. So the pic is not the best yet. You need to change the settings....
3) Off the HDR & Display Enhencment settings, u will see a better quality photo on screen and on PC...
4) If you are using matt, anti finger print or privacy screen protectors, please dont even bother to complain abt the screen quality.... You are using a few dollar to cover up 100 dollar stuff...
5) Only a few case is factory defects which need u to send out for repairs... Nothing is perfect just that u are the few unlucky ones to get a defected product...
Oh man, please check where are posting, this forum about Sony smartWATCH 3, not about xperia z3.
and as a z3 owner (and z ultra by chance) I dont even know where to start with the actual content..
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
Flashben said:
Hi peeps,
I am not sure about you guys, but I am very happy abt Z3 camera and its features, I came from Z1 and the camera is good too!
I notice some did mention or some of my friends saying Sony camera suck and that the Z3 camera is not as good as samsung s3 or other brands bah bah bah....
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You are off topic here, should move to z3 board. This is a general problem we've heard many times on net. From my personal experiences, the answer is mixed. Overall, I would say Sony camera sometimes can be very good but in some situation it can be very bad. On the other hand, Samsung, HTC the camera performance is more consistent and most people prefer a stable camera(so most guys said iphone camera the best).
Sony camera generally poor on focus in my degrees of view while the quality can be very good when it can manage to get the focus right which is very annoy for most guys. Plus the Sony camera always compressed the image too much, in some photo when the object/environment is hard to compress, it will just lost the fight for Samsung which is a very clear answer.
Hi guys, need some kinda biased but first hand advice, should I buy a Z5p, brand new warranty $425 au.
Love the idea of 4k screen but most feedback isnt glowing, also is heat an issue and finally what's battery life (sot) like on nougat?
Any feedback appreciated . . .
remacca said:
Hi guys, need some kinda biased but first hand advice, should I buy a Z5p, brand new warranty $425 au.
Love the idea of 4k screen but most feedback isnt glowing, also is heat an issue and finally what's battery life (sot) like on nougat?
Any feedback appreciated . . .
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In this era of technology, i wouldn't take Xperia Z5 Premium even if someone gives it to me free of cost and with warranty.
My advice to you is to buy the Xperia XZ Premium. If you want 4k HDR 10 COMPLIANT display, this phone is the best choice till date. Moreover, it contains the most powerful android SOC SD835 (latest uptill now), stereo speakers, 4 Gigs of RAM, and of course, now youtube allows 4k videos on the phone and NETFLIX has allowed HDR content, so VOILA.
what more do you want, this phone also does not face any kind of heat issues and the apps don't force close due to high temperatures.
Really not recommended..
After 2 years with z1 compact, the z5 premium is disappointing..
Overheating REALLY REALLY fast, and have a LOT of hardware malfunction.
Cheers guys, kinda reinforced what I've been reading.
how about x performance? i dont know if i should get z5p over x performance