Alongside its new Xperia tablet, Sony today launched three new Android-powered smartphones: the Xperia T, V and J. Wired goes hands-on.
The headlines belong to the Xperia T, the company's new flagship. It's a large but lightweight Android phone with 1,280x720 pixels squeezed into a 4.6-inch display -- the result being an extremely sharp screen, that's just the tiniest bit crisper than Samsung's Galaxy S III.
In addition there's a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 13-megapixel camera on the back (and a lower-resolution camera on the front), GPS and movement sensors, up to 16GB of internal storage and it's powered by Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich, but a 4.1 Jellybean upgrade is promised).
Notable as well is Sony's choice of microSD for expanding the memory of the phone. Sony, ever the fan of creating custom memory cards that only work in its products and cost an arm and a leg more than the standard alternative, appears to have seen sense on the memory front. Well done, etc.
Hands-on
It's a sweet phone to use, too. The Android implementation is basic, which is a good thing -- Sony hasn't tried to skin the operating system, so you're effectively getting the standard Android experience. The screen is wonderful -- arguably on par with Samsung's Galaxy S II and III in terms of vibrancy, and with terrific crispness. There was no notable lag when navigating homescreens and apps, and the chassis is thin and lightweight (9mm and 139g, respectively).
It's a sweet phone to use, too. The Android implementation is basic, which is a good thing -- Sony hasn't tried to skin the operating system, so you're effectively getting the standard Android experience. The screen is wonderful -- arguably on par with Samsung's Galaxy S II and III in terms of vibrancy, and with terrific crispness. There was no notable lag when navigating homescreens and apps, and the chassis is thin and lightweight (9mm and 139g, respectively).
We were looking for something unique though. As good as its internal specs are, and as nice as they make the phone to use, Samsung's Galaxy S III beats it in terms of processing power and screen size. The key appears to be the camera, which adds a hefty five megapixels on top of what Samsung offers, as well as Sony's Exmor R sensor so those extra pixels aren't wasted. At least that's the hope -- we're waiting to test the camera out during some decent lighting.
Either way, it's still a decent Android phone, if somewhat lacking its own identity in the ever-expanding Android Who's Who directory.
Xperia V
Also announced was the Xperia V, another 1.5GHz-powered 13-megapixel camera phone with the same resolution display but in a smaller chassis. It's actually very similar to the Xperia T, but likely to be cheaper when it goes on sale. It only has 8GB of internal memory though and the battery is a bit smaller (read: it holds less charge). But it does have NFC for fast pairing with other Sony devices, as well as 4G LTE connectivity and also comes in pink.
Also announced was the Xperia V, another 1.5GHz-powered 13-megapixel camera phone with the same resolution display but in a smaller chassis. It's actually very similar to the Xperia T, but likely to be cheaper when it goes on sale. It only has 8GB of internal memory though and the battery is a bit smaller (read: it holds less charge). But it does have NFC for fast pairing with other Sony devices, as well as 4G LTE connectivity and also comes in pink.
It's not immediately obvious why Sony decided to release two phones with specifications so close to each other. It's no more obvious when you sit and think about it, either. We'll be raising the issue in an interview with Sony later this week, rest assured.
Xperia J
The third and final Xperia device is the one with the most personality, even if its specs are less impressive. It's a four-inch Android 4.0 phone with an 854x480-pixel display, a 1GHz processor, a five-megapixel camera, 4GB of memory (plus microSD), weighs 124g and comes in pink and gold (as well as black and white). It's the lower-end "stylish" phone, but with its simple Android implementation, decent screen and distinctive look, it'll no doubt appeal to the kids who can't afford the bigger, badder T or V.
The third and final Xperia device is the one with the most personality, even if its specs are less impressive. It's a four-inch Android 4.0 phone with an 854x480-pixel display, a 1GHz processor, a five-megapixel camera, 4GB of memory (plus microSD), weighs 124g and comes in pink and gold (as well as black and white). It's the lower-end "stylish" phone, but with its simple Android implementation, decent screen and distinctive look, it'll no doubt appeal to the kids who can't afford the bigger, badder T or V.
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