Sony Xperia Z Reviews

Sony with the Sony Xperia Z has taken the lead in the 5-inch movement in the coming months the market will flood. We have previously viewed this unit on the eve of the CES where it was announced and then we were pleasantly surprised with the progress that Sony has made the Xperia Z.

Design
Sony is for devices where the design an important role. Where other smartphone sometimes a lot alike, gives you a Sony device like this. Maybe that's also a bit the Achilles heel of the brand, not everyone agrees with the design choices that Sony makes

The Sony Xperia Z is at first sight a little less exuberantly designed than its predecessors in the series as the Xperia NXT P. In Z we find no different materials and we have not the transparent border on the bottom. What we do have is a nice rectangular device on the front almost completely from the screen is a relatively narrow bezel and on-screen buttons. The screen is located in the metal housing which there is a gap between the screen and the cabinet, and there may come into junk. The back is completely smooth and of a high quality plastic and definitely nicer than the plastic we encounter on Samsung phones in the middle is tastefully Xperia name and at the top of the camera and flash.

Around we find the various buttons and all connections are hidden behind covers that you should open your nail picking. Such a cover is not handy but in this case unavoidable because the Xperia S is in fact completely waterproof, at least if you have the valves shut. The lower right corner still has a lanyard ring where you can hang on, I'm no longer met for years doing that, but it can!

And then there's the big button on the left. For some it is a big pimple and the other a sparkling diamond and I belong to the latter group. I think it's daring but very cool and it ensures that the Sony Xperia Z is distinguished from others. Another advantage is that you faster the on / off button takes you to an ordinary flat controls on the side.

Waterproof
Sony already has a device that is waterproof and that trick they have on the Xperia Z applied. They chose the unit of tabs to provide at any place where a jack. Perhaps the best way to get something waterproof, but on the other hand also very annoying. Every time you open a cover to pry him to charge or connect your headset.

But the consideration for this effort you need to do is a device that you do not have to throw away when you see him once in the toilet dropped or when you're drunk head in the pool gets.

Specifications
this flagship model has a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset for the underlying with 2 GB of RAM. The internal memory is 16 GB but you can expand with MicroSD card. The Xperia Z runs on Android 4.1 and is wonderfully fast.

Display
The Sony Xperia Z is equipped with an "ultra-clear high-definition Reality Display" with a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This image specification provides more text on your screen when you visit a website and a harder-white display. Personally I am a fan of the color display on this screen, the colors where others sometimes 'to' want to put the Xperia Z remains close to nature. This is also due to the Bravia Engine 2 which automatically optimizes the picture taken in terms of sharpness and colors. The screen of the Xperia Z has a 443 pixels-per-inch, and you can see that when the sharp photos you can take with this unit looks on your screen.

Not everyone has to speak when it comes to the screen of the Xperia Z is, as has been criticized on the viewing angle and the display. Of course some things very personally, as the experience of the colors on the screen.

Photo and Video
The Sony Xperia Z is equipped with a camera on the back of 13 megapixels, you can see that fact is not reflected in the institutions because there he goes up to 12 megapixels. Before you can use the camera you have to have patience because more than half of the time that you start the camera you have quite a long wait. It seems that there is considerable 'lag' in it and that can be annoying if you want to shoot a quick picture. The camera application is loaded with features like filters and a burst mode. It is up to you to see what you think of that use.

For video you will not separate to boot, the record sits next to the button for the camera. During filming I noticed is that the camera was jerky when I moved from left to right. During filming, you can also take a picture by simply pressing the camera button. The results of the camera you can see below.

Software
Sony also uses its own shell on the Android Devices. I am pleased that the adaptations of Sony are not very thorough, but in appearance but activates example Google Now in the same way as on the Nexus devices. More important are the applications that Sony itself has made and supplied to the unit. For example, there the Album application where you pinch (pinch to zoom) very simple example, the order of the pictures change.
Furthermore, Sony has installed apps such as Walkman and Films and Sony Select for applications.

SmartConnect is a unique application that can connect to different events. When you power on the charging cradle you can use this app by setting it on vibrate for example the sound goes. I have created a setting for the drive when I connect to the Bluetooth car kit puts the sound. It goes so far that you make automatically a Facebook or SMS can be sending to someone when you're in the car.

Energy efficient with the Stamina application
a large screen consumes more energy than a smaller screen, logical. The Sony Xperia Z has a 5-inch Full HD screen, which consumes a lot of energy. To the user it a whole day with his phone to operate Sony has an additional option in the settings put. When in the institutions 'power' you can select a number of measures to save energy and the most important is the Stamina mode. This setting assumes that when you are not using it you do not need to receive any notifications, so when the screen is off, the Stamina mode makes sure that no data is retrieved. You also have the option of several apps to exclude from this mode so you always can receive.

Unfortunately, the battery suddenly two days when the Stamina mode is activated. The first 48 hours the battery is very fast empty, then stabilized and that I could (in Stamina mode) a whole day with my device do. During that day I normally use the phone, call, send messages, but I have not navigated.

Conclusion
Sony with the Sony Xperia Z dealt with his past, they finally have a device on the shelves which is at least equal to the competition. In the preceding aircraft was mainly the processor at the exit of the model already obsolete, in the case of the Xperia Z is not so. The 5 inch screen is large, but the device is not much bigger than what we usually use. You notice it, because you are not as easy thumb reach the other side of the screen.

Starting up the camera often takes too long and that is something they have to adapt in an update in the coming time. The Xperia Z is packed with additional software from Sony, it is up to the user to use it or not. But the Walkman application is very good example to use. Are you looking for a great phone and the Samsung Galaxy Note just too big then you should definitely consider the Sony Xperia Z look.

Samsung Galaxy S II: battery problems after Jellybean update

Last week, the update to Android 4.1.2 for the Samsung Galaxy S II started. This was enthusiastically received by many users, but now we have more than twenty people received notice that the battery life seriously deteriorated.

Samsung Galaxy S II
the Samsung Galaxy S II was (and is) the --Samsung in 2011 and there are still many users. It is a nice gesture from Samsung for this device, which now goes towards the two years, to provide an update to Android 4.1.2.

Battery Problems
As so often come after the update directly a number of 'complaints' via the info-mail, forum and social media. This weak after a few days usually off and everything seems to work well. In the update of the Samsung Galaxy S II, we get more and more messages within the battery life would be much worse, some even speak of a decrease by 50%. This is not the first time that there are problems with the battery after an update of the Samsung Galaxy S II, this was also the case with the update to Android 4.0.

There are also people who say that it restore to factory settings would help for battery use. Samsung also recommends owners of the Galaxy S II to do this if battery problems after the update. For a more or less mandatory update course this is very strange.
Samsung

we have contacted Samsung this afternoon, there were currently no signals received at our contact, but she would demand it off 'in the organization. “We have not received a reply, but as soon as we know more, we will of course let you know immediately. For now, we are naturally curious if you have the same experience, will shorten the battery after update to Android 4.1.2? You can also select on our Samsung Galaxy S II forum.

Comment Samsung: A factory reset (restore factory settings) would have to solve the problems. However, it is recommended to make a backup, all settings and any files will be lost!

Wireless Charging Orb: Monday model or a fiasco?

Wireless charging is the future, or will at least much more will be deployed in the coming years. The Nexus 4 is one of the devices that support this standard, and therefore has a LG Wireless Charging Orb released, which can only be ordered through the Google Play Store, unfortunately only abroad. We have received, time to test!

Wireless charging
The Wireless Charging Orb LG (WCP-400) uses the so-called Qi technology worldwide embraced by manufacturers to continue to make available wireless charging. This has the great advantage that this Orb can also be used with other devices that support for it here. Wireless charging is not entirely without cable, the device itself is still via a micro-USB connector is connected to the mains, but the device itself need not be plugged.

Experience Wireless Charging Orb (WCP-400)
The Wireless Charging Orb LG is about as big as a tennis ball cut in half and the back room for a microUSB connector. I was, before I received the product, it seemed quite enthusiastic and helpful to me on the nightstand to turn, especially since I use my smartphone as an alarm clock and if so at night time could see. After the first night and woke up to the "click sounds" of the phone (in airplane mode and silent), I decided the Orb still a chance.

Wake up
Unfortunately, the second night is not better and I heard the sounds again and again, which are made when the unit is laid out and the battery is almost empty. The Nexus 4 that I tested slid slowly down until no further contact was made. There was no longer charged, the smartphone was empty with the result that the alarm did not drain the next day. Very annoying!

After testing the charger during the day, it seemed indeed very easy to slide down and soon lost contact to the part which can be recharged. It therefore appears that the magnet that is inside the unit in place to hold not strong enough. In addition, there is a lot of dust on the front paste.

Our regular U.S. courier, Arvid, has itself a LG Wireless Charging Orb ordered his experiences are different. There is even possible the unit upside down to keep the charger, without falling off. It would thus be possible that I just sit saddled with a Monday morning model of the Orb, however there are also many stories on the Internet to read from people who have similar problems. There was only one way in which the Nexus 4 well sat on the Orb ...

Buy?
Insofar as it is possible via the Play Store to order , I would, based on my experience this is definitely not recommend. Again, it may be that my model has a defect, but experience shows that it definitely will not work this way. For me, just another old-fashioned cable in!

Adobe Reader for Android: night mode and synchronization acrobat.com

Many forms and documents are now available in PDF format. For Android, there are a number of applications available that you can use to create PDF files. The official PDF reader, Adobe Reader, yesterday another big update. This will include more convenient navigation features, a night mode, and support for Google Cloud Print.

Adobe Reader
What navigation options are concerned, Adobe Reader is a piece become wider. It is now possible to go directly to the last page to go to the previous location, and can be cleverly hemmed. When you are in bed yet anything documents or want to take an e-Book in PDF format to view, there is now a night mode. It is also possible to lock the screen brightness so the screen is automatically dimmed during reading.

In addition to these new features is support for Google Cloud Print is added, forms can be validated through Form Central and annotations made to the 'free form tool be undone. If you ever use the form function of Adobe Reader are there issues, including foreign characters and the representation of currencies.

Adobe also has a cloud storage service for documents on Acrobat.com. If you are reading documents saved there on your Android device, the progress is automatically synchronized.

Availability
The official Adobe Reader application is free and can be downloaded

HP Android tablet comes with Tegra 4

HP has the last two years regularly made the news, unfortunately this was not always positive. A few years ago, the company bought Palm mostly for its WebOS, but a first tablet was already after 7 weeks of the market. The stocks were dumped and bought by fans who flock to the WebOS operating system replacement for Android. Now the rumors started that a HP tablet on the market will be running on Android.

HP does not have a lot of fun for the purchase of Palm for $ 1.2 billion. The HP Touchpad was shortly after its launch in the market. The promise that the Touchpad is the best in the world was going to be was not fulfilled by HP.

There have always been rumors that HP to launch with Android at all was experimenting. Some people even had a new Touchpad receive what Android operating system already turned on.

HP is currently the market leader in terms of tablet PCs if you do not count, otherwise the big competitor Lenovo upside down. Logical that HP has yet again in the market for mobile products will collapse because they are different for the future major problems foreseen.

NVIDIA Tegra 4-tablet
HP will the next time with more Android Tablets on the market and according to ReadWrite, the first tablet from HP with the new fast NVIDIA Tegra 4 chipset on the market.

The successor of NVIDIA's Tegra 3 chipset (Cortex-A9) is the Tegra 4 and this chipset, NVIDIA announced at CES. This is a quad-core chipset based on the Cortex-A15 specifications. There are few manufacturers that have indicated this new chipset to get started. NVIDIA will own a handheld gaming console with the name Shield on the market on this chipset running.

This first and equal top tablet would according to various sources, several months in development. We do not do big announcement expected in Barcelona, only a select number of parties will be behind closed doors have been given a preview.

Google wins
It is a victory for Google that there will be a major player in the market to make devices that run on Android. Not so long ago they found no android system suitable for a tablet, but with the growth of this market, the new versions of Android and the opportunities that the budget tablets companies can offer that has changed. Recently released HP already a Chromebook that runs on Google's Chrome OS.

HP Android Phone
the rumors that HP is also an Android phone will be release time being contradicted by CEO Meg Whitman. She explains that this year certainly no HP Android Phone on the market will come. But as we all know, there is nothing as changeable as the industry.

Useful Android apps on Windows 8

All Android apps since yesterday also be used on Windows 8, for example, on the Microsoft Surface tablet.

BlueStacks has since yesterday there for a Windows 8 version of its App Player available. The software is free to download at GetYourAppsBack.com, which is also necessary to put the apps on the computer. After installation of the App Player Android apps to install and work on the full screen width and with full touch capabilities.

BlueStacks delivered earlier an App Player for Windows 7 and Mac OS X. According BlueStacks are already 5 million downloads started BlueStacks.com. In addition, the company works with OEM partners such as Lenovo, the software immediately flour springs with new hardware.

The company exists since 2009 and received $ 15 million in funding from Andreessen-Horowitz, Radar Partners, Redpoint, Ignition Partners and Qualcomm.

Nexus devices to Android 4.2.2

there are reports of users who can install Android 4.2.2 on their smartphone. Only the Nexus 4 remains behind.

Slowly drip the reports of users of Nexus devices that an update to Android 4.2.2 dished. Users of tablets Nexus 7 and 10 and the Galaxy Nexus smartphone have so far been reported.

Improvements
Google reports that the new Android Jelly Bean offers improvements in performance and stability. Furthermore, there is actually very little known about the update. It is therefore not a major update, but according to users with Android 4.2.2 in any cases a problem with the Bluetooth streaming audio. It is a bug of the Nexus 7 in this case, which faltered streams via Bluetooth. It seems likely that the bug is included in this Android version, since Google last month reported that the problem was solved and the solution in the next Android version would be.

Nexus 4
The Galaxy Nexus seems the only smartphone that has received the update. The Nexus 4 seems according Tweakers not yet been included in the rollout of Android 4.2.2. Of that update is known that new baseband firmware for 2g and 3g will be pushed. It could be that the firmware is also more efficient battery consumption shall be of Nexus 4 devices. Users of smartphones Nexus 4 report that the battery is empty lapped by the device when the device is not on wifi, but with 2g or 3g is connected to the Internet. We were here in December already set to work.