Phones

Sony Xperia Z1 f Japanese Promo Video Revealed

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 10, 2013 | 0 comments

Not to be outdone by the iPhone 5C, Sony has released a new promo video, highlighting their up coming Xperia Z1 f for Japan. While Apple has taken the more fun rough with their advertising, the Sony promo video highlights some of the smartphones technical capabilities like its multi-focus point timed photo mode where after you’ve taken a shot, you can pick from a host of stills that were taken prior and after your shot to help you capture potentially missed moments. The Xperia Z1 f will be released on NTT DoCoMo in white, black, yellow, and pink. After the jump, the promo video awaits you and did I mention there is a dinosaur in it?

Will Sony Smartphone Shipments Rise by 55% in 2014?

by Sohrab Osati | Oct 2, 2013 | 2 comments

If DigiTimes sources are correct, Sony Mobile is quite pleased with its smartphone division which is making strides far faster than anyone had predicted. For its part, Sony has announced that they expect to ship 42 million smartphones in the physical year 2013 which ends in March 2014. While not a bad tally for a company who had little to no presence in the mobile market, DigiTimes goes on to note that Sony will increase its physical year 2014 forecast by 55% which will have the company ship 65 million smartphones from March 2014 to March 2015.

Sony Xperia M Update September Version 15.1.C.1.17 (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Oct 2, 2013 | 6 comments

The Sony Xperia M (C1904/C1905) has been updated from its initial launch firmware of 15.1.A.1.9 to 15.1.C.1.17. It remains on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean but should offer improvements in a number of areas.

The details of the code suggest that this is a relatively minor update though the first few updates after launch tend to sort out any major annoyances that users may have. The change in digits from 1.9 to 1.17 suggests relatively minor bug fixes or improvements.

Read on for details of changes and locations of reported updates.

Sony Xperia Z2 Avatar: The 2014 Flagship Born to Lead (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Sep 16, 2013 | 25 comments

It’s a new year and fresh start for the smartphone industry. Sony stole hearts and minds with the Xperia Z this time last year and a new flagship is surely in the making. Despite using January as the launch of flagships in years past, Sony has divulged that the Xperia Z1 will continue as flagship into January 2014.

But we know that a flagship is coming.

It is rumoured that the next flagship is the Xperia Z2 codenamed ‘Avatar’ featuring a 5.2″ IGZO Triluminos Display at 500 PPI, 4K video camera with 3GB RAM and a 20.7 mega-pixel camera. But there is talk of a hot new feature – a full charge in just one hour! Is it the end of multiple-hour charges? What other goodies is Sony bringing to the Avatar?

Sony Xperia Z1 f Mini Rumours (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Sep 11, 2013 | 3 comments

Images have been rapidly circulating the internet of what appears to be a smaller version of the new Xperia Z1 flagship known as the Z1 f. The latest leaks allgedly come from a brochure from Japanese network DoCoMo indicate that the device is a 4.3-inch screen with 1280 x 720 resolution, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal memory, 2300 mAh battery and comes with the Z1’s premium F2.0 Sony Lens G. Sources indicate January 2014 CES release. Will this be an Xperia Z1 Mini?

Editorial: 2013 – The Rise of Sony (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Sep 10, 2013 | 5 comments

Xperia Z, Ultra, Z1, Z1 Mini, Tablet Z, PlayStation 4, more EISA awards for Bravia TVs, QX10/QX100 camera lenses, Smartwatch 2 – Sony is undoubtedly on the move this year as multiple investments reach a pinnacle in their cycle. Some of them, such as the PlayStation 4, represent a multi-billion dollar investment spanning several years that is only appearing above the horizon now as it prepares for major release. Economic, political and cultural events in the background may mean that 2013 is not only the year that Sony is back, but as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says: “Japan is Back“.

Sony SmartWatch 2 Announced, Gives 4 Day Battery Life Versus Samsung’s 1 Day

by Sohrab Osati | Sep 4, 2013 | 3 comments

Sony SmartWatch 2

Before we get things started, I have to say that the above title is slightly misleading but not in the way you’d expect. The new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch does indeed only have a 24 hour battery life leaving the misleading part of this title as to when Sony actually announced the SmartWatch 2. Technically, Sony unveiled their next generation smartwatch in June but knowing that the company is at times not the best at educating the public about their products, we thought it would be a good time to review what Sony’s watch has to offer. To be fair, Sony also knew that Samsung would be debuting their smartwatch at IFA 2013 and included the watch in their presentation and showed it off again on the show floor. With the backstory behind us, let’s talk details.

The Sony SmartWatch 2, as the name would suggest, is Sony’s next generation smartwatch. Designed as a companion for smartphones running Android 4.0 and higher, the Sony SmartWatch 2 includes a host of improvements over its predecessor, including a larger screen and better battery life.

Sony Xperia Z1 Tears up IFA with 20 Megapixel Shooter

by Jonathan Nolan | Sep 4, 2013 | 6 comments

After months of speculation, Sony has finally lifted the veil on the Xperia Z1, previously rumoured as the Honami at IFA in Berlin. What’s new? A 20 megapixel camera with G lens and Bionz image processor that can take 61 images in 2 seconds, a full HD 1080p Triluminos 5″ display shining at 441ppi and is powered by a 2.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 800 processor. Sony assures this is the phone that brings premium digital camera quality to the smartphone. Smartphone cameras just got interesting again.

Sony Image Sensors in Gesture TVs, Wearable Computers, and More

by A Glitch | Sep 4, 2013 | 1 comment

Earlier, we reported on the use of Sony image sensors in rival smartphones. According to Sony leadership, the innovations expected from this technology goes far beyond smartphones. Predicting a peak in smartphone sales in 2015, Sony is looking at producing sensors for products ranging from gesture TVs to self-driving cars.

So what are Sony’s plans for these image sensors beyond the smartphone market?

Sony Xperia Tablet Z Scoops Tablet of the Year Award at EISA 2013, Wins Four More

by Jonathan Nolan | Aug 27, 2013 | 4 comments

It’s award season – and Sony has won no less than five Product of the Year awards at the annual European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), awards, the largest editorial multimedia organization in Europe. The seductive Xperia Tablet Z won outright in the coveted Tablet of the Year 2013-2014 category, a stunning victory in Sony’s attempt to set new standards in the rapidly expanding tablet sector. Other accolades went to two Sony cameras, a Bravia TV and a HT receiver in a thrilling night.

Sony Xperia M Now on Sale (Updated)

by Jonathan Nolan | Aug 26, 2013 | 5 comments

Sony’s latest addition to its 2013 lineup of smartphones, the Sony Xperia M (model C1904, C1905), is now on sale. It’s a slick mid-range device that punches above its weight in features with specs like 1GB RAM, 5-megapixel camera, 720p video recording, NFC for easy pairing, and LTE connectivity. After the jump, we have all the full specs and details on the Xperia M.

Want a Piece of Key Lime Pie With Your Xperia? (UPDATED)

by A Glitch | Aug 20, 2013 | 8 comments

With new details emerging every week about a particular fruit-flavored mobile OS due out in September, anticipation is also growing for the next iteration of Android, dubbed “Key Lime Pie”. Whether or not it will be branded version 4.5 or 5.0 remains to be seen, but Google is definitely hard at work fine-tuning the next phase of the Android operating system. TechRadar even reports that the new Android flavored dessert may be served up with an unnamed Sony smartphone. The latest news certainly has this writer’s tech taste buds watering…

After the break, check out the newest developments surrounding Key Lime Pie, and for you Android aficionados out there, weigh in on what you are hoping to see in the newest version of Google’s mobile OS.

Manual Images and Specs for Sony QX10 and QX100 External Lenses for Smartphones Leak

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 16, 2013 | 0 comments

We’ve been reporting for some time on Sony’s ambitions beyond the compact camera market which includes a new product category. The idea is that as smartphones continue to grow with consumers and offer better cameras, that the consumer will continue to rely more on them and thus, less likely to purchase a pocket camera like Sony’s Cyber-shot series. Still, due to our affinity with thin products, a smartphone will never be able to match what a quality camera will offer and many consumers might still not want to carry a DSLR with them, even those as compact as the NES series. Enter the Sony QX10 and QX100. Designed to attach to your smartphone via a magnetic lock, the two units will house their own image sensor, battery, and memory. The QX10 and QX100 are meant to cater to those who wish to take more serious photos but don’t necessarily need a dedicated camera and with features like 1-inch SMOS sensor, 18-megapixel, and 10x optical zoom, Sony has a compelling case.

Now, thanks to the newest leak, we know a little more about the two models that may change the way we think about compact cameras and smartphones.

Sony Xperia Honami to Record 4K Video?

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 16, 2013 | 0 comments

For months now, we’ve been reporting on rumors that the Sony Xperia Honami, the companies next flagship Android smartphone would include a 20.7-megapixel camera sensor. Despite having screenshots of the phones setting screen which pointed out the Honami’s cameras resolution, we can now very confidently confirm the megapixel count thanks to a sample photo from the camera which was uploaded to Google’s unpopular Picasa photo service. The photo in question which appears to the left of this post is snapped at a whopping 5248 x 3936 pixels, which if my math is correct, comes out to be about 20.66-megapixels. Since then, the photo has been taken down from Picasa but we of course still have the photo to show you, thanks to the magical capabilities of computers saving images from the web.

Sony Xperia A (ZR) Outsells Samsung Galaxy S4 by 2:1

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 14, 2013 | 9 comments

Back in June, we reported on how Sony smartphone sales were exceeding that of Apple in Japan, thanks to the company having their phones on DoCoMo, the country’s largest carrier with more than 60 million subscribers in a country of 127 million people. Apple, on the other hand, does not enjoy carrier support at this time from DoCoMo. In addition to Sony’s smartphone line being available on DoCoMo, the telecom operator as of recent has started a new initiative where the company only promotes two phones. Think if AT&T or Verizon only offered subsidies on only two devices. With Sony Xperia phones being half of the promotion, it’s easy to see why they’ve been enjoying a surge in sales.

New reports now indicate that the Sony Xperia A, known as the Xperia ZR in other countries, is outselling the Samsung Galaxy S4 by a margin of 2:1. Now before you point out that Sony is enjoying the promotion from DoCoMo, we should point out that the other phone offered in the promotion is the Samsung Galaxy S4.