The Sony SmartWatch 2 has a new heavy hitter app that’s joining the wearables growing array of native apps. Created and maintained by Sony (not Facebook), the Smart extension for Instagram brings notifications and friends comments to your wrist. In a crowded environment? Fear not, as activities like new photos will grab your attention via a simple vibration on your wrist. Unlike the native Instagram app, this “Smart extension” is just that and does not allow for creation or manipulation of photos as you’d expect.
Phones
We’ve been keeping an eye on software updates around here, hints of KitKat and beyond, but there are still rounds of 4.3 rolling out too.
Some hints (here and here) have been coming out about an update to the already released 4.3 uplift, and users here and over at Xperia Care have been crying out for fixes to a few bugs. Some of the downsides of the 4.3 uplift seem to include a drag on performance, some freezing and some models can’t install the new Xperia themes – despite being a feature we were told to expect.
The latest post from Vodafone Australia gives plenty of detail of what to expect, but there is still some ambiguity. Read on for the details.
A curious image (seen above) has been circulating the past 24 hours with Sony’s flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z2, sporting a logo from Verizon. Till this day, Sony has had a less than meaningful presence in the US and only recently has the company partnered with T-Mobile to offer their smartphones through a carrier. A deal with Verizon, the nations largest carrier, would go a long way for Sony and help bring attention to their smartphone that they cannot get in another other way. The image, which was accidentally posted by none other than Sony, seems to hint at just that but according to Sony, it’s just a mock-up of what the future could bring. Their statement:
Canada is already set to get the Sony Xperia Z2, the company’s next flagship Android smartphone through Bell in May. Unfortunately for fans in the US, we’ll have to settle for an unlocked version sometime this summer which will likely garner a price point north of $700. The tablet front, however, is something entirely different. Sony has announced a May 3rd release date for the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet in the US with pre-order spots already open. Now, the company is following through and bringing the tablet to Canada as well with just a few days difference.
If you’ve been eyeing yourself a phablet because you can’t decide if you want a smartphone or a tablet then listen up. As of today, you can get the massive 6.4-inch Sony Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition for $200 less. For those playing at home, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra offers a 6.4-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) Triluminos display on a Qualcomm 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800, with 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, and 4G LTE connectivity. Other noteworthy specs from this mega phone, which dwarfs the Samsung Galaxy Note series, include an 8-megapixel Exmor RS sensor which lacks flash and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera. What made the Google Play Edition of the Xperia Z Ultra different than Sony’s own version was the bump to Android 4.4 Kitkat and a lack of the bundled software from Sony which were in place, swapped out for software from Google.
Sony has officially confirmed that the highly coveted Xperia Z2 with 4K video recording will be launching in the US come this summer. While no exact time frame was given, Sony was keen on using “several months” in their statement, leading us to believe that it’s more likely a July and beyond timeframe and not June for their Android smartphone.
The Sony Xperia Z2 was already released in most of Asia during March and April and is expected to be released in May in Canada. So let’s talk carrier support.
The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is, dare we say, kind of a sexy thing. While maintaining even a thinner profile than its predecessor at .25-inches and weighting in at 15.5 ounces, it still manages to pack quite a punch. How much you ask? I’m glad you asked. Despite such a thin profile that puts the Android tablet on par with the iPad Air, the 10.1-inch Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet also offers 2.3 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801 and 3GB RAM. Like Apple, Sony will offer the Xperia Z2 Tablet in a Wi-Fi only model and Wi-Fi + LTE. Though Sony has yet to announce a specific carrier as their partner, the Z2 Tablet was just recently approved by the FCC for LTE support on AT&T’s network so there may be our owners. With approval out of the way by the FCC, all that remains is the launch date for it.
While Samsung has just released their first smart watch with little traction and rumors continue to swirl around what Apple may do with the ‘iWatch,’ Sony has been busy tweaking and improving the SmartWatch 2. As the name suggestions, this is the company’s second foray into the portable arena and today, the company has announced a major milestone. The Sony SmartWatch 2 officially boasts over 400 apps which include the likes of Facebook and Twitter among more “generic” features/apps like a clock, weather, stopwatch, phonebook, and SMS, to name a few. Along side this milestone, Sony is releasing a major update that will bring a big smile to owners of the SmartWatch 2.
Sony has just updated their PlayMemories Mobile app for iOS devices. The PlayMemories Mobile 4.2.3 update brings with it improved compatibility for the company’s line of attachable lenses which require to be connected via the app to function. The update now allows for an improved photo-taking experience on the QX10 and QX100 by allowing you to touch the shutter icon to focus on the image at hand.
Recently we found what appeared to be new firmware coming for the Xperia M via a major global network, a minor bug-fixing update that many users have been asking for. It’s not unusual for such an update to follow a major uplift.
This would be a timely update as the latest Jellybean version that was released brought elegance and a few bugs for users ranging from uninstallable Xperia themes to bluetooth turning itself off.
What’s appearing looks like fairly early testing so nothing is coming tomorrow. This reveal comes 10 weeks since 4.3 was originally tested, so things are looking good for some fixes. This fresh hint appeared just a few hours ago…
You remember how Sony Announced the Xperia Z2 Tablet back in February? Well your soon-to-be favorite Android tablet with a quad-core processor, 3GB RAM, and a 10.1-inch FHD Triluminos Display is making its way to the US of A sometime in the future thanks to AT&T, as revealed by the FCC.
Sony recently announced which of it’s smartphones are getting KitKat first, along with fresh info on what users can expect with the very latest Android uplift. The first devices to get KitKat were the Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact.
The next round involves many more devices including the Xperia Tablet Z and last year’s flagship, Xperia Z. Both of these devices show firmware versions of 14.x over at the certification body PTCRB.
KitKat brings smart caller ID which identifies an unsaved number when someone calls, an ultra low-power audio playback state to get extra juice out of your media player and the most elegant Android UI yet.
Read on for the full details.
Recently Sony treated Xperia M users (and now Dual too) to 4.3 Jellybean. It brought cool new camera features, a slick, white UI and updated media apps. But some users have not had a good experience with the update. The stunning Xperia Themes which were shown off beforehand appear to be broken as no one can download them, the much-loved T9 keyboard is gone from the English keyboard settings and some users report frequent freezing or a sluggish UI in general.
A major global network has posted details of an update to the Xperia M mentioning “feature release 2”. Is a new update coming?
The Sony Xperia Z2 is the latest Android flagship smartphone that’s designed to take on Apple and Samsung. As a recap, the Xperia Z2 offers a 5.2-inch full HD (1080p) Triluminos display, 3GB RAM, a 20.7-megapixel Exmor RS, and 4K video recording. As we said, it’s certainly flagship quality and it’s now coming to North America. Keyword is North as in the very North.
Sony is continuing it’s Jellybean rollout for Xperia owners, this time it’s the L.
The 4.3″ mid-range device that was released in May last year hasn’t enjoyed may updates yet, and is surely overdue a 4.3/4.4 upgrade that is worthy of it’s reasonable specs.
An update should be coming soon, as a new software version has been certified. It looks to be another 4.2 update, likely bringing bug fixes and a smoother UI.
You must be logged in to post a comment.