A small mid-range Android smartphone from the new Xperia NXT line
At the beginning of the year, Sony Mobile (formerly Sony Ericsson) expanded its family of smartphones on the Android platform with three new products. The phones were united under the common subname Xperia, entering the new Xperia NXT line under the letter designations S, P and U. Sony Xperia S is the flagship of the new line with all the ensuing consequences, Sony Xperia P is a slightly simpler model, but also very technically advanced and not at all cheap, and we recently talked about both of them in detail in the corresponding reviews.
Today we will look at the third of the new products - the least expensive and, accordingly, the simplest of them in hardware. However, this does not mean that the model is completely weak and can only be attributed to the initial level - far from it. Sony Xperia U is a fast and modern dual-core smartphone with a high-resolution screen. Its “weaknesses” in relation to the older models of the Xperia NXT line are its smaller dimensions and, accordingly, smaller screen size, as well as a less powerful hardware platform and a simpler body structure. However, even this little one had several features that positively distinguished it from the general list of new Sony products. But first things first.
All phones in the new series have a very similar design, which is called “Iconic Design” within the company. The appearance of all the devices is really so similar that they can hardly be distinguished individually in photographs. Our little one has the smallest dimensions of all.
The differences start right from the packaging. All communicators of the new Xperia NXT line are supplied in exactly the same outwardly flat and wide boxes. But this is only at first glance. The Sony Xperia U has the simplest packaging of the three. It does not have a separate upper casing, and the printing is applied directly to the opening parts.
Otherwise, the boxes are identical, and they can be differentiated by appearance only by small inscriptions at the bottom of the front surface. In our case, it says “Xperia U” and there is an icon next to it, meaning that the device can be updated to the new Android 4.0 operating system. So Sony Xperia U buyers do not have to worry about future support for their new device from the manufacturer.
In addition to the smartphone itself, the kit includes a universal charger with a USB output, a USB-Micro-USB cable for charging and synchronizing with a computer, a simple wired stereo headset with a standard 3.5 mm jack, as well as 3 additional replacement covers and documentation. The contents of the kit vary from country to country - for example, in our “European” kit there was only one additional white plastic cover, but a protective film and an adapter for Micro-SIM were included.
Characteristics
- SoC ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500, CPU 1000 MHz, ARMv7, two cores
- GPU Mali-400MP
- Operating system Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread (upgrade to Android 4.0)
- TFT TN touch display, 3.5 inches diagonal, 854x480 pixels, capacitive
- 512 MB RAM, 8 GB flash memory (approx. 4 GB available)
- Communication GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- Communication 3G UMTS HSPA 900, 2100 MHz
- Bluetooth v2.1 EDR
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Hotspot
- GPS, AGPS
- FM radio
- G-sensor
- Electronic compass
- Proximity sensor
- Light sensor
- Camera 5 MP, autofocus, LED flash
- Lithium-ion battery 1290 mAh
- Dimensions 112×54×12 mm
- Weight 113 g
It is interesting to compare the main characteristics of all smartphones in the new line, summarized in a single table. Let's add here another new model from Sony - not included in the Xperia NXT, but already on sale and quite interesting Sony Xperia sola (we will talk about it in the very near future).
| Sony Xperia U | Sony Xperia P | Sony Xperia S | Sony Xperia sola | |
| Screen (size in inches, matrix type, resolution) | 3.5″, TN, 854×480 | 4″, WM, 960×540 | 4.3″, TN, 1280×720 | 3.7″, TN, 854×480 |
| SoC | ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500 @1 GHz (2 cores, ARM) | Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 @1.5 GHz (2 cores, ARM) | ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500 @1 GHz (2 cores, ARM) | |
| RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 512 MB |
| Flash memory | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory card support | No | No | No | microSD |
| operating system | Google Android 2.3, update to Android 4.0 | Google Android 2.3, update to Android 4.0 | Google Android 2.3, update to Android 4.0 | |
| SIM format | standard | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM | standard |
| Battery | removable, 1290 mAh | non-removable, 1320 mAh | non-removable, 1750 mAh | non-removable, 1320 mAh |
| Cameras | rear (5 MP; video - 720p), front (0.3 MP) | rear (8 MP; video - 1080p), front (0.3 MP) | rear (12 MP; video - 1080p), front (1.3 MP) | rear (5 MP; video - 720p) |
| Dimensions | 112×54×12 mm, 113 g | 122×59.5×10.5 mm, 122 g | 128×64×10.6 mm, 146 g | 116×59×9.9 mm, 107 g |
| average price | N/A() | $112() | $123() | $58() |
Appearance and ease of use
Sony Xperia U is a very small smartphone in size. It has the smallest dimensions in the Xperia NXT line. Next to the flagship - Sony Xperia S - it generally looks tiny.
However, the smartphone fits quite comfortably in the hand. Not too thin, it fills the entire palm and fits securely in your hand. It would be even worse if the manufacturer made it a thinner case. The light weight coupled with its miniature size allows you to carry the phone in any pocket, even the breast pocket of a shirt, which is important for summer time.
The case materials are solid plastic, with most of it being the removable rear cover. It is not flat, and covers not only the back, but also the side edges. Below it there is a slot for a full-size SIM card and a removable battery, which is nice.
The lid has a fairly thick profile and is securely fastened with several latches, fits like a glove and fits tightly to the body - there is no play, cracks or squeaks here. At first, you might even think that the case is non-separable, because all the buttons are located directly on the lid. However, this is not the case - the cover is removed along with the buttons, revealing the contacts that these buttons close.
The cover itself is made of rubberized plastic with a soft touch effect, so the phone does not slip in your fingers, is pleasant to the touch and does not retain fingerprints. Traditionally, there are holes cut in it for an external speaker and a camera eye with a flash. The speaker is covered with a painted metal grille to prevent dust from getting inside and to protect the speaker. Its hole is located on the beveled side, so the sound is not blocked by the table surface.
But this is not the only cover in the Sony Xperia U. At the very bottom of the phone there is another cover - exactly the same as the Sony Xperia P model. Only unlike it, the Sony Xperia U comes with three such additional covers. They are all multi-colored and are designed to change the appearance of the device, that is, to individualize it. The phone comes in black and white colors, and in addition to these two colors, each will also come with yellow and pink covers - four in total.
At first, putting a yellow cover on a black case, for example, seems absurd, but customizing your own phone doesn’t end there. It turns out that the transparent strip above the lid also comes in different colors. It can be brightly highlighted in the same color as the selected theme. So if you put, say, a yellow theme on the Sony Xperia U desktop and put on a yellow lid, you already get an interesting, complete solution. The same goes for other colors. Multi-colored themes are already pre-installed on the phone, and the strip automatically adjusts its color to the selected theme. In addition, the strip changes color depending on the overall color of the photo you are viewing. For example, if there are blue clouds in the photo, then the strip will light up blue, if there is a lot of greenery - green. An interesting and bright solution, which is designed mainly for young people.
The front side is almost completely covered with protective glass, in which there is a hole cut for the earpiece, not covered by any grille. It gets dusty, but that's Sony's new design, and all phones in the line are the same in this regard. Nearby you can see the proximity and light sensors, as well as the front camera peephole for video calls.
The control keys, like those of the flagship, are printed on a transparent strip, but are not pressed. You should click just above the icons, on barely noticeable points. Unlike the flagship, the Sony Xperia U is not so large in size, and all buttons can be easily reached with the fingers of one hand.
The remaining buttons are assembled on one side - the right: there is a power button, a two-position rocker key for adjusting the sound level, and a camera start button. Traditionally for Sony smartphones, the Xperia U also has a separate hardware button to activate the camera, which is convenient. As in other smartphones of the new line, this button can not only activate the camera, but also take a snapshot, even from a locked state. Users like this property, it is in demand, and reviews on this matter are entirely positive. Most people like that they can take out their smartphone and take a quick photo without having to search through any menu icons.
For communication and synchronization with a computer, as well as for charging, a Micro-USB connector is used, which is located in the upper part of the left side of the smartphone.
An audio jack for headphones with a standard diameter of 3.5 mm is located at the top, and there is also a hole for an additional microphone. At the bottom, under the removable cover, there is a special fastener for a strap, which is convenient, but, unfortunately, extremely rare in modern devices. The main microphone hole is also here.
In general, the new communicator looks modern and stylish, it is made in a recognizable Sony design. The smartphone does not look cheap, and it is not a shame to appear in public with it. The phone does not have a distinct gender; it will suit both male and female users. Most likely, the Sony Xperia U will appeal to young people - due to its low price and bright color design, which you can partly customize to your taste.
Screen
The Sony Xperia U display is a regular TFT TN matrix, which does not have large viewing angles, but has a good amount of brightness. Not to say that the brightness reserve is excessive, but at the maximum level it is quite enough. True, the screen goes blind in the sun.
In terms of physical parameters, the Sony Xperia U's screen resolution is 854 x 480, with physical dimensions of 44 x 77 mm and a diagonal of 89 mm (3.5 inches). With a sufficiently high resolution in small physical sizes, the picture turns out clear and smooth; naturally, you won’t notice any graininess - the pixel density in this screen is quite high (PPI = 279.9).
The picture is further improved using proprietary Mobile Bravia Engine technology, making it even more realistic. This technology is software, and it only works while viewing photos and videos. According to the manufacturer, the technology allows you to display the picture in a more natural way for the eye, adding clarity, saturation, contrast and also removing some of the noise.
The colors on this screen look realistic, not as bright as on AMOLED displays, the picture is soft and slightly velvety. By the way, unlike the flagship, the Sony Xperia U settings have both manual and automatic brightness settings. However, in this case it is better to keep the slider closer to the maximum value, otherwise it will be a bit dark.
The outside of the screen is covered with protective mineral glass that is scratch-resistant. The screen responds sensitively to finger touches; no erroneous clicks were noticed. Unlike most of the latest Sony smartphones, this little one does not have a factory protective film on the screen. The screen reflects well and gets dirty quickly - unlike the body. An anti-reflective film would come in handy here.
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Sound
The sound from the external speaker is not too loud, which is what you would expect from an inexpensive and small phone. In addition, high frequencies predominate, there are no bass. It doesn’t even help that the sound here is additionally processed using proprietary xLoud technology. This technology developed by Sony does not affect the sound quality in any way, but serves to enhance the volume of the main speaker. But we couldn’t notice any difference between xLoud mode on and off.
The situation with the auditory speaker is approximately the same: the sound is not too loud and not very clear - however, the frequencies are quite rich. The speech and intonations of the interlocutor are conveyed quite tolerably, but there can be no talk of any loud and crystal clear sound here. Both speakers of the Sony Xperia U are average in terms of sound quality.
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As for the sound in the headphones, the included stereo headset is too simple to speak of any sound quality. In addition, the headphones themselves are ordinary here - not in-ear - so in this case, hands themselves reach for higher-quality in-ear headphones. The audio jack here is standard - 3.5 mm in diameter, so any will do. With high-quality headphones, the sound becomes more interesting - especially if you adjust the equalizer available here to your taste. You just need to remember that listening to music for a long time with the equalizer turned on will drain the battery faster.
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The smartphone traditionally has an FM radio, and it traditionally only works with a connected headset. The settings are simple and easy to understand.
Camera
I’m glad that even in such a small device, which occupies the lower price position in the overall line, Sony was not greedy and included a front camera for video communication. Of course, it’s nothing special - no one expects quality from a resolution of 0.3 megapixels, but it’s quite enough to join a video conference.
The main camera module is a little more interesting, but it is, of course, inferior in quality to the cameras of its older brothers. Here the maximum image resolution is 5 megapixels with an aspect ratio of 4:3. The resulting photos are 2592×1944 in size. If you want to shoot in a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, then the frames will be obtained with a resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels, that is, 3 megapixels. The quality and clarity of photographs in original resolution can be assessed by clicking on the thumbnails.
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Thanks to automatic focusing, close objects, as well as text from paper or a monitor screen, are captured well by the camera.
The camera can shoot video in HD resolution. Here are a couple of ten-second videos shot at maximum settings at 29 frames per second. The videos are saved in mp4 format and have a resolution of 1280×720 pixels (No. 1 - 10 MB, No. 2 - 8 MB).
Sony representatives separately emphasize the shooting speed of the cameras of their new smartphones. When you press a hardware key, the camera turns on and takes pictures, even if the phone was locked. In the settings, you can change the purpose of this button to activate the camera, but without shooting. The shooting itself can also be carried out without using a hardware key - by pressing a virtual button on the screen.
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Software and telephone part
As for the software, everything here is identical to the contents of the other brothers in the line - Sony Xperia S and Sony Xperia P, about which we have already written a lot and in detail. Like them, the Sony Xperia U went on sale and runs the familiar and already obsolete version of Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread OS with the promised upgrade option to version 4.0.
The standard Google Android interface is modified using its own software shell, which slightly changes and complements it, but not much. Branded widgets (like the weather) are scattered across the five initial screens of the desktop, the general internal list of programs can be sorted by several parameters, and when you turn it on for the first time, the proprietary application offers to configure the smartphone.
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Sony Xperia U copes with telephone functions at the level of modern devices. The phone maintains the cellular network reliably and does not lose connection in conditions of poor reception. No freezes or spontaneous reboots were observed during two weeks of testing. The Wi-Fi and GPS modules have also been tested in operation, and there are no complaints about them either.
Performance
The Sony Xperia U hardware platform (model ST25i) is based on the ST-Ericsson NovaThor U8500 SoC. The central processor here is a dual-core ARMv7 operating at 1000 MHz. It is supported in graphics processing by the Mali-400MP video accelerator. Everything here is exactly the same as the older model Sony Xperia P. However, unlike it, the Xperia U has only 512 MB of RAM. The storage available to the user for uploading their own files is about 4 GB without the possibility of expansion with memory cards, because there is no slot for them.
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In Quadrant Standard, the Sony Xperia U scored a respectable 2223 points, overtaking the older model Sony Xperia P, but slightly behind its own flagship - the Sony Xperia S scored 3104 points in this test.
According to the results of the comprehensive AnTuTu Benchmark v2.8, the picture was repeated: the device is slightly faster than a model with a similar hardware platform, but a larger screen in area and resolution, and, of course, slower than the flagship.
We tested graphics performance in NenaMark2 (v2.2). Based on the results of several runs, the Mali-400MP graphics accelerator in this device produced a good, but not the best among its neighbors in the line, average result of 27 fps.
As for my own impressions, communication with the Sony Xperia U evokes only positive feelings: the small screen allows you to easily reach any element on the screen, all lists and desktops scroll smoothly, without jerking, there are no sticking points when flipping; programs open quickly, and games from the Google Play Store do not slow down. The device is quite capable of playing video with a resolution of up to 720p without slowdowns - another thing is that there is no point in filling the small amount of built-in memory with such large files (the screen resolution is much lower, and the smartphone does not have a video output).
Battery life
The lithium-ion battery installed in the Sony Xperia U is replaceable. It has a capacity of 1290 mAh that is not too large by modern standards. However, with such a small screen - the most energy-consuming element of any phone - the battery is quite capable of supporting the device at the level of other modern smartphones.
Testing the battery performance of the Sony Xperia U made a better impression than in the case of the Sony Xperia P model. That battery turned out to be unable to support the operation of the device within reasonable limits. Here, continuous MP3 playback with the screen off lasted more than 31 hours on a single charge, and continuous reading in the FBReader program at a medium brightness level lasted 8 hours.
Watching a video in an MKV container with a resolution of 720p lasted 3 hours 20 minutes, but this is only because MX Player did not support hardware decoding when playing MKV, and the entire load fell on the processor. When viewing a file in an AVI container with a resolution of 624×352, the smartphone worked quietly for 5 hours or more.
The Sony Xperia U charges quite quickly. Full charging time was less than 2 hours.
Prices
The average retail price of a device in Moscow at the time of reading the article in rubles can be found by moving the mouse to the price tag.
Bottom line
Summing up today's review of the Sony Xperia U, I would like, first of all, to note that this is the smallest and most inexpensive of the devices in the Xperia NXT line. Even the new Sony Xperia sola costs a little more than this model. At the same time, the Xperia U is fine not only with its design—the smartphone also received Sony’s signature “iconic design”—but also with its hardware characteristics. This little one has exactly the same powerful dual-core platform as the older model, the Sony Xperia P, but with a smaller screen it delivers even better performance. To put it in youth language, the model turned out to be very “nimble”, which, in fact, was what the manufacturer was counting on when developing a smartphone for young people. The Sony Xperia U phone will appeal even more to young people, given its customization capabilities through the choice of different color variations of pre-installed themes and complete covers. True, young people may not like the lack of the ability to increase the storage size of their own files using memory cards; this imposes its own limitations on the use of a smartphone. However, this is already becoming a general bad trend, and not only Sony has been subject to it lately.
As for competitors, the only model that comes to mind is the HTC One V, which occupies a similar position in the line of new smartphones from the Taiwanese manufacturer. It has a slightly larger screen (3.7 inches), but a slightly lower resolution (480×800) and, accordingly, a lower pixel density (PPI = 252). At the same time, the screens of these models are not inferior to each other in picture quality and viewing angles. The HTC One V has a single-core processor, but a larger battery capacity. In general, the models are almost equal on the scales, but the Taiwanese smartphone costs much more - about 3 thousand rubles at the moment. However, the presence of a memory card slot on the HTC One V is already a significant advantage.
In general, the choice and purchase of Sony Xperia U can be considered quite justified for those people who do not need a large screen. In all other respects, except for the screen, the device looks no worse, and in some ways even better than competing solutions.
The device is made in a monoblock form factor and is equipped with a 3.5-inch LCD display with Mobile BRAVIA technology. The display resolution is 854 x 480 pixels. The screen is capable of displaying 16.7 million colors. Communication capabilities are presented: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, DLNA and aGPS.
According to ZOOM.Cnews readers
Sony XPERIA U:
Beautiful, ergonomic, functional, has a capacious battery, has a good camera, can be a replacement for a player, can act as a GPS receiver, lightweight, affordable.
CHARACTERISTICS
BeautifulErgonomic
Functional
Has a capacious battery
Has a good camera
Can be a replacement for the player
Can act as a GPS receiver
Easy
Affordable
Collapse
MAIN TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Nutrition
Battery capacity: 1320 mAh Talk time: 6.6 h Standby time: 260 h Operating time while listening to music: 45 hAdditional Information
Features: 4GB of memory available for use; possible battery capacity - 1290 mAh; talk time: GSM - 6 hours 36 minutes, UMTS - 5 hours 36 minutes; waiting time: GSM - 260 hours, UMTS - 472 hours. Contents: smartphone, charger, battery, headset, USB cable, 3 replacement coversGeneral characteristics
Type: smartphone Weight: 110 g Control: touch buttons Case material: plastic Design: replaceable panels Operating system: Android 4.0 Case type: classic Number of SIM cards: 1 Dimensions (WxHxT): 54x112x12 mm SIM card type: regularScreen
Screen type: color TFT, 16.78 million colors, touch Touch screen type: multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal: 3.5 inches. Image size: 854x480 Pixels per inch (PPI): 280 Automatic screen rotation: yes Scratch-resistant glass: yesMultimedia capabilities
Camera: 5 million pixels, LED flash Camera functions: autofocus, digital Zoom 16x Video recording: yes (3GPP, MP4) Max. video resolution: 1280x720 Front camera: yes, 0.3 million pixels. Audio: MP3, WAV, FM radio Headphone jack: 3.5mm Recognition: Face recognitionConnection
Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB Standard: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G DLNA support: yes Satellite navigation: GPS A-GPS system: yes Use as a USB drive: yes USB-host: yesMemory and processor
Processor: ST Ericsson U8500, 1000 MHz Number of processor cores: 2 Built-in memory: 8 GB RAM capacity: 512 MB Video processor: Mali-400 MP Memory card slot: noneOther functions
Controls: voice dialing, voice control Sensors: light, proximity, compass Speakerphone (built-in speaker): yes Flight mode: yes A2DP profile: yes report an errorSony Xperia U smartphone review: experiments with color and sound
The Xperia U smartphone model was announced by Sony at MWC 2012, but went on sale only recently. It belongs to a new line of smartphones, which also includes the Xperia P and Xperia S, which share a similar hardware platform and design in the same style. Xperia U, according to the rules of orthoepy, is pronounced as “Ixperia U”, which can be translated as “Ixperia You”. It is the “youngest” of the three, containing a not the most powerful processor and a moderate amount of memory, and has a predictably low price. However, this does not make the device a useless toy, since, despite the above, its capabilities deserve some attention.For most companies producing smartphones, 2012 is very important. Competing with such strong players as Apple and Samsung is becoming more difficult every day. According to the latest data, these two giants occupy more than 80% of the smartphone market. To stay afloat, other companies had to mobilize all their strength. One such company is Sony, with their debut line of NXT smartphones. We have already talked about the flagship Sony Xperia S, but the hero of this review is the younger model - Sony Xperia U. Xperia U will have to fight for a place in the sun with HTC One V, LG Optimus L7, Fly IQ285 Turbo and Acer Liquid Glow. Each of them has its own advantages over Sony, so the battle for the buyer will be serious.
Realizing that characteristics alone will not be enough, Sony Xperia U attracts attention even in its packaged form. The unusual two-section box, in addition to the smartphone, contained a protective film for the screen with a special piece of material and something like a mediator, as well as two replaceable panels - pink and yellow. Since the color of our smartphone is white, the panel is also white. The second color option for the case is black. In this case, the main panel will also be black, but the additional panels will remain the same - pink and yellow.
Appearance and ergonomics
Like LG's L-Style, the NXT line of smartphones from Sony is united by one style - straight corners, a transparent strip with touch key indicators at the bottom and a rounded back.
Regardless of the color of the case, the part located under the protective glass is black. At the top there are indicators, a speaker and a VGA camera. A 3.5” TFT screen with a resolution of 854x480 pixels, typical for devices of this brand, is installed in the center. Unfortunately, apart from the resolution and software enhancer, the display has nothing else to boast of. This is surprising, because Sony Ericsson and Sony Xperia S smartphones have long acquired an airless layer between the screen itself and the touch panel, which makes the image brighter and more vibrant. It can be assumed that technology no air gap not the cheapest, and introducing it into a “budget” smartphone is not entirely rational. Then what about, which can be found for 2100 hryvnia? Three dots are visible at the bottom of the black panel. As in the Sony Xperia S, they indicate the location of the touch keys - “Back”, “Home” and “Menu”. The designations of these keys can be seen on a transparent insert, which visually divides the case into two parts. Unlike the flagship, here the insert has two purposes. It helps you navigate the location of the keys and, depending on the main color of the display, is illuminated in all the colors of the rainbow.
The bottom part only has the XPERIA inscription.
On the back there is a 5 MP camera, flash, speaker and Sony Ericsson logo. The removable cover covers not only this part of the case but also the top end and sides. The material used in it is similar to that installed in, it easily tolerates minor scratches.
There is a MicroUSB connector on the left side of the case. On the opposite side there are three keys responsible for, from top to bottom, turning on/locking, adjusting the volume, and launching the camera.
Two slots are visible at the bottom end. One for the speaking microphone, and the second for the strap.
At the top end there was room for another microphone and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
After devices equipped with 4.3-4.8” screens, this one looks miniature. Xperia U is perfect as a second or “summer” communication device. The build quality was slightly disappointing; the case creaks noticeably when pressed, and I would like to see the back panel material softer.
Dimensions comparison
Sony Xperia U, 112 x 54 x 12 mm, 110 g
Samsung Galaxy Ace, 112.4 x 59.9 x 11.5 mm, 113 g
Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos, 112.7 x 61.5 x 11.5 mm, 122
, 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140 g
, 113.4 x 60.8 x 11.9, 123 g
As you can see, with the exception of thickness, in all other respects, including weight, the smartphone is the slimmer of the devices equipped with a 3.5” screen. If we consider that he could easily do without the part located under the transparent insert, his performance would become a record.
In conclusion, let's talk about replacement panels. As you already know, the kit comes with two additional panels - pink and yellow. To remove and install any of them you need to try hard, which may be the reason why you will get tired of changing them after two or three times. It turned out that, apart from the visual effect, they do not carry any other semantic load, which once again emphasizes their purpose: set and forget.
Operating system and interface
Similar to the other two members of the NXT line, the Xperia U uses the Android 2.3 operating system. Judging by information on the Internet, the smartphone should receive an update to Android 4.0 in the next two weeks. Most likely, we will tell you about these changes using the example of the Sony Xperia P. In the meantime, we invite you to look at the screenshots of the interface. There is no point in describing its features, since there are simply no changes in comparison with the same Sony Ericsson Xperia ray.
Platform
The junior model of the line is equipped with an ST-Ericsson processor - NovaThor U8500. The processor is based on ARMv7 architecture with two Cortex-A9 cores operating at 1 GHz. Mali-400 MP is used as the graphics core. The smartphone has 512 MB of RAM and 8 GB of Flash memory, of which 4 GB is available to the user for storage and just over 1.5 GB for installing applications.
It should be noted that a similar ST-Ericsson U8500 processor is installed in the Sony Xperia P, Sony Xperia Sola and Samsung Galaxy S Advance.
This smartphone model is almost the only one of the new products of 2012 with a dual-core processor costing up to 3,000 hryvnia. If gaming performance and HD video support are important to you, then the excellent Fly IQ285 Turbo or the slightly more expensive Xperia Sola can serve as an alternative. You can also pay attention to last year’s cheaper devices, for example, Motorola Atrix 4G, HTC Evo 3D, LG Optimus 2x.
Playing video files
| Codec/Name | FinalDestination5.mp4 | Neudergimie.2.mkv | s.t.a.l.k.e.r.avi | Spartacus.mkv | ParallelUniverse.avi |
| Video | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×798 29.99fps | Video: MPEG4 Video (H264) 852×362 29.994fps | Xvid 712×400 25.00fps 1779kbps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×720 29.97fps ] | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×536 24.00fps 2726kbps |
| Audio | AAC 48000Hz stereo 96kbps | Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 96kbps | MPEG Audio Layer 3 48000Hz stereo 128kbps | Dolby AC3 44100Hz stereo] | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo 256kbps |
Camera
Most smartphones costing up to 3,000 hryvnia are equipped with a 5 MP camera. The Xperia U was no exception. The quality of pictures and videos is average, you can evaluate them using the examples below. For some, having a mechanical camera shutter button will be an advantage. And the undoubted advantage is that using this key you can launch the camera from any mode. From the moment of launch until the frame is captured, it takes approximately 3 seconds.
Examples of 5 MP photos
HD Video Examples
Results
Like last year's Sony Ericsson smartphones, with their rounded ends and convex back, Sony's debut models also have their own face. Sony Xperia U in white can be safely recommended to girls. The black device is more suitable for young people. The smartphone has a number of advantages, which include performance, dimensions, camera capabilities and an imminent OS update to Android ICS. Among the shortcomings, we note the creaking body and the inability to turn off the backlight of the transparent panel. The device has more than enough competitors, from its own devices to similar smartphones that initially run on Android 4.0 - HTC One V, LG Optimus L7 and Acer Liquid Glow. The choice depends only on your own preferences, since they all deserve each other.
Liked
Appearance
Housing materials
Availability of replaceable panels
Presence of a mechanical camera launch key
Performance
Possibility to upgrade OS to Android ICS
The color of the keypad depends on the image on the screen
Equipment
Did not like
Build quality
Lack of memory card support
Inability to turn off the keypad backlight
The camera shutter button is tight
Increased minimum display brightness
Inconvenient keyboard
The device was provided by the Notus online store, notus.com.ua
 | Sony Xperia U (White/Yellow) Notify when on sale |
| Type | Smartphone |
| Type of shell | monoblock |
| Standard | GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 800/850/1900/2100 |
| High speed data transfer | GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA |
| Dimensions (mm) | 112x54x12 |
| Weight (g) | 110 |
| Processor (for smartphones) | NovaThor U8500, 1 GHz (dual core) + Mali 400MP |
| Memory | 512 MB RAM + 8 GB internal memory (up to 6 GB user accessible) |
| Expansion slot | No |
| Main screen | TFT (Bravia Engine), 3.5″, 480×854 pixels, 16.7 million colors, touch, capacitive, multi-touch support, protective coating (mineral glass) |
| Additional screen | No |
| Keyboard type | screen input |
| Accumulator battery | Li-Ion, 1300 mAh |
| Operating time (manufacturer's data) | conversation - up to 6h36m, standby - up to 472h, in audio player mode - up to 45h, in video mode - up to 6h |
| Communications | USB 2.0 (micro-USB), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (A2DP), WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA |
| Supports 2 SIM cards | No |
| Photography | 5 MP, auto focus, 16 x digital zoom, shooting three-dimensional panoramic photos (3D Sweep Panorama technology), geotagging, front VGA camera |
| Video shooting | 1280x720 pixels, 30 fps |
| Flash | LED |
| operating system | Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread), with subsequent update to Android 4.x |
| Phone book | Yes |
| Working with messages | SMS, MMS, E-mail (Gmail) |
| Organizer | alarm clock, clock, tasks, notes, calendar, reminders |
| Voice functions | voice recorder, voice dialing, voice control |
| Speakerphone | Yes |
| Internet access | WAP 2.0, xHTML, HTML |
| Additional utilities | calculator, currency and unit converter, voice recorder, timer, stopwatch, world time clock |
| Games | Yes |
| Sound signal | polyphonic |
| MP3 player | Yes |
| FM radio | yes (87.5-108 MHz, RDS support) |
| Additional features | replaceable panels, media player, a-GPS receiver, video telephony, synchronization with Google services, accelerometer, integration with social networks, work with office documents, light and proximity sensors |
The latest solution from Sony is interesting both in its features and design. One body combines everything you could want from a compact smartphone: a 3.5-inch screen, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video recording, a future update to Android 4.0 and, of course, a proprietary shell.
Contents of delivery
- Smartphone
- Stereo headset
- High Power Charger
- MicroUSB cable
- 3 replaceable covers
Design
Sony Xperia U is designed in the same style as the company's new devices. The body is angular, small in size, although quite plump. Dimensions 112x54x12 mm, weight 110 g. The smartphone fits well in the hand, fingers rest against the non-slip plastic of the straight side surfaces of the case.
The appearance of the smallest new smartphone reminds us of the company's flagship. It looks like a smaller copy, neat and tightly knit. There are two versions to choose from: black and white. Each of them comes with a set of multi-colored covers that are attached to the bottom of the case.
The idea with such replaceable caps is original. We usually find replacement panels that are replaced entirely. But in our case, everything is limited to only part of the body.
The attachment holds tightly and is removed with moderate effort, so you don’t have to suffer when you want to change the image of your smartphone.
It is completely made of one-color plastic, so there is no need to worry about it peeling off over time. There will be parts in different colors depending on the version. Black, pink, yellow for a white smartphone and white, pink, yellow for a black model.
Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Sony Xperia U will be the backlight built into the transparent layer. Everything works very interesting. Depending on what design is selected on the screen, this layer will also have the same color. It adapts to the wallpaper, album cover or picture in the gallery. There are many scenarios, as well as possible shades. For a youth model, this function is just right; it should immediately distinguish the smartphone from other models.
The front panel contains a light and proximity sensor and a front VGA camera. All of them are located at the top, above the screen.
A block of three touch buttons is located at the bottom. Here the keys are located not on the transparent line, but above it. The exact same idea is used in . They press well, without errors or false positives. On the transparent strip you can see symbols indicating the actions of the keys, but when the backlight is on, they are difficult to see. However, given the logical placement of the back, home and function buttons, there shouldn’t be any problems.
On the right you can see a set of convenient buttons. It includes a volume key, a screen lock button and a separate key to launch the camera.
On the left there is a microUSB port.
At the top end you can see a second microphone and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
At the bottom end there is a strap holder and a microphone.
The back panel is removable, underneath is the battery.
There is a hole in the cover for the camera lens, flash and speaker.
The standard large size SIM card compartment is located on the side.
Screen
The screen diagonal is 3.5 inches, the resolution is 480x854 pixels, and up to 16 million colors are displayed. The display is covered with tempered glass; it should serve as reliable protection against scratches and abrasions.
Just in case, all smartphones will be sold with the factory film attached. It is practically invisible; additional protection never hurts. Outdoors, the data on the display fades significantly in bright sunlight.
The Mobile Bravia Engine is turned on to increase the contrast and brightness of the image in various applications. For example, this may be relevant when viewing pictures in the gallery. The picture is bright, colors are vibrant, viewing angles are good. The display is superior in image quality to its predecessor, the Sony Ericcson Xperia Neo V; there is more brightness margin here.
Viewing angles and brightness margin are typical for a screen of this type. TFT does not have such maximum angles as SuperAMOLED, which is noticeable in the pictures.
Filling
The smartphone runs on the Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread operating system. There will subsequently be an update to version 4.0 in the second quarter of 2012. It uses a dual-core STE U8500 processor with a frequency of 1 GHz. There is 512 MB of RAM, as well as 8 GB of internal memory. It is not possible to install a memory card here; there is no connector. Of this memory array, about 4 GB is available for user data.
The smartphone works quickly, without delays.
Menu
At the top of the screen there is a service line, which displays the time, battery charge, and signal reception level indicator. Active connections and other data are also displayed there. By clicking on it, you can find out in more detail what programs were downloaded, what messages and letters were received, or what files were received via Bluetooth.
Both preinstalled images or wallpapers from Sony, as well as your favorite pictures, are used as design elements. There are seven different colored menu themes available. In addition, shortcuts and folders are placed on the desktop. For the latter, you can choose one of eight design options and assign it a name. Icons are added by dragging them from the phone menu directly into this area.
Of course, there are widgets here too, you can also add them to your desktop. There can be five such screens, their number does not change. At the same time, an interesting function works: you can swipe with two fingers from different angles, all desktops will be reduced and displayed on one screen. The widgets have been improved, for example, a large list of icons is available for making various connections, which is initially hidden in a small rectangle. Weather forecast data is animated and beautifully displayed.
There are 5 icons at the bottom of the screen. These are multimedia, messages, menu entry, contacts and dialing. If you click on media, an additional menu will pop up with those applications that are in this category.
The Application Manager is activated by the Home button. It displays 8 programs and in essence it is not a traditional task manager. As you know, Android closes applications on its own, based on the amount of free RAM.
The smartphone menu consists of several work zones, initially there are three. If you install additional applications, then over time there will be more such areas. There are 20 icons on the screen on a translucent background, under which you can see the wallpaper installed on the main screen. Icons can be arranged in a way that is convenient for the user. There is also sorting by several criteria: alphabetically, frequently used, recently installed. The icons are beautiful and neatly designed. The camera icon will remind you of the NEX series cameras, and the radios are Sony receivers.
When the screen is locked, the display shows the date and time. To unlock the screen, you need to swipe your finger along from left to right. If you do it the other way around, the silent mode is activated, as indicated by the additional icon. This may display additional information about missed calls, new messages, emails, calendar events, and Facebook notifications. If such notifications seem unnecessary, you can turn them off.
Phone book
The smartphone has a convenient assistant for importing contacts both from a SIM card and from Facebook and Google accounts; they are displayed in a single list. A backup copy of the list of numbers is created on a memory card; the data can later be restored. Sorting by first and last name works.
When you create a new contact, many fields are created. These are various types of telephone numbers, email addresses, means of quick communication (AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, Skype and others), residential addresses and others (nickname, note, Internet call).
The smartphone has a list of letters of the alphabet located on the right side of the screen. If you press your finger on this line and move down or up, a letter will pop up on the screen - a kind of quick search, which helps in cases where the phone has several hundred, or even thousands of contacts. The search works by the first letters of the contact name for both language layouts.
There is a menu of favorite numbers where you can add the most popular contacts. A quick menu is available: you need to click on the icon with a contact photo, after which you can call, send a message via SMS or email, or view data on Facebook.
Call log
You can access the call log directly from the phone book; it is highlighted in a separate tab. There, a single list contains dialed numbers, received and missed calls; for clarity, they are marked with icons of different colors. By clicking on a line, you can delete a number from the call log, add it to a contact, or perform some other actions. If you select a number from the list, detailed information about the call will be displayed.
By viewing your call history, you can not only make a telephone conversation with the selected subscriber, but also send him an SMS or an email from this list without going to another menu. Dialing is carried out using a convenient virtual keyboard. There is an automatic search for numbers that match the numbers.
Messages
For SMS and MMS there is a common folder where received messages go. When sending, adding various objects to the SMS can automatically convert it into an MMS. Messages are grouped by recipient into a correspondence feed. When dialing a subscriber's number, the phone displays a list of matching numbers in alternating numbers.
While typing, a small field reserved for characters will be displayed. The longer the message, the more the space allocated for the character set increases. The device can copy, cut and paste text. A convenient cursor is used for navigation, which helps to correct typos and highlight the necessary sections of text. In addition, you can use arrow buttons.
Intellectual text input is available, when word correction and auto-completion systems help you type text, allowing you to avoid wasting time correcting errors. Possible word options are shown in a separate line above the keyboard. Copying and pasting of fragments is supported. Now Sony has implemented Swype, which simplifies text entry.
To work with email, the mailbox is automatically configured (if it is not Gmail, which connects immediately after the email address is entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone perfectly understands various encodings, supports loading attachments (you must insert a memory card, otherwise this function will not work) in familiar formats.
When creating a letter, you can also attach various files from the device memory to it. The function of copying text and automatically checking the mailbox works (the interval is set manually). The device simultaneously runs two applications – Gmail and E-mail. The only difference is that in the first, mail comes only from the gmail.com server, while the second application works with any mail storage.
You can create multiple email accounts, each with its own color. This is convenient because you can view mail for each mailbox separately, and display messages from all accounts in one. Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.
Camera
The smartphone uses a 5-megapixel Sony Exmor R module with backlighting, autofocus and LED flash. To launch the camera, use a dedicated key on the side of the smartphone. By holding it down for a few seconds, the shooting mode starts; this can be done from any application; it is not necessary to go to the main menu. I liked the high launch speed of the camera, as well as the very fast saving of pictures.
The most original feature of the device is fast shooting. The smartphone can take a photo in just 1.5 seconds. You need to point the device at the target, hold down the shutter button, and in a moment a photo will be taken. It’s very convenient because you don’t need to unlock the device, wasting precious time. The main thing is to hold the button until the frame is displayed on the screen, otherwise you may shoot the wrong object.
The interface is designed not only for landscape, but also for portrait mode. The screen displays auxiliary icons that make it easier to set up photography modes and conditions. In the upper left corner there is a settings mode, at the bottom the flash is turned off. At the top right is a lever for switching between photos and videos, then there is a shutter button. Even lower is a stack of icons that show thumbnails of recent photos. If you click on it, you can go to the gallery.
Various options are available:
Image capture mode: normal, panorama, 3D panorama, multi-angle view, front camera.
Photo size: 5M (2592x1944), 3M (2048x1536), 2M 4:3 (1632x1224), 2M 16:9 (1920x1080 pixels).
Shooting conditions: normal, portrait, landscape, night photography, night portrait, beach and snow, sports, party, document.
Exposure number.
Flash: auto, off, fill, red-eye reduction.
Timer: 2.10 seconds.
Smile detection.
Focusing: single autofocus, multi-autofocus, face detection, touch focus, infinity.
ISO: auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.
White balance: auto, indoor lighting, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy.
Metering: center, middle level, point
Geotags.
Shooting method: screen button, touch shooting, key only.
Shutter sound.
The smartphone has good detail, adequate color rendition and convenient shooting with a dedicated key.
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There was an announcement of two new devices from Sony Mobile, the Xperia P and Xperia U. In fact, this is the main backbone of the 2012 line, today I would like to briefly talk about the event, the devices, the thoughts around it. The fact is that the presentation itself was no longer connected even with new products, but with the fact that Sony Ericsson now seemed to have returned to the fold of the parent company, this was clearly indicated on the slides, One Sony, and all that jazz. This is the first thing. Secondly, the company continues to develop the concept of four screens, that is, the user should conveniently switch between the same information on a smartphone, TV, tablet and laptop - fortunately, the company has all this in its product range. In my opinion, the concept is somewhat far-fetched; not many users connect a smartphone or tablet to a TV. Moreover, we are accustomed to accessing various information from the mentioned devices. For example, on TV I watch videos and play games, a smartphone is needed for everyday affairs, communication, listening to music, taking photos, a laptop for work, but a tablet is a kind of assistant, its use depends on the specific situation and aspirations of the owner. Thirdly, it was not for nothing that Sony talked about the uniform design of smartphones in 2012, and P, S, and U are similar to each other, not twins, but it will be difficult for an ordinary consumer to distinguish them. Let's say, a similar phenomenon is observed with Audi, people who are not familiar with the brand confuse A4, A6 and A8, as my friend says, they are the same, only different sizes. In my opinion, uniformity in the line of smartphones is necessary, and for the first time Sony devices of different price groups are so similar, let’s see how this will affect consumers’ perception of the brand. Fourthly, the last event should have fixed in the heads of journalists (well, we should have fixed it in our heads) a simple thought: Sony Ericsson is no more. There is Sony Mobile. New website, new products. Finally, a lot has been said about the concept of Entertaiment Unlimited, you can download videos directly from smartphones or watch online, the same with music and games, everything from the company store - it will not work in Russia yet. Well, now let's talk about devices.
There is just one thing, there is a leapfrog, the line of three smartphones is called Xperia NXT (that is, next), but it is not clear how to use this NXT, or add it to the name of the devices, or is it the name of the line, or something else. Dont clear.
To begin with, I suggest you watch a video about the announced devices.
Sony Xperia S
On our website there is a first look and other materials about this smartphone, a review will appear soon, if you have a desire, I can walk around with the device and take pictures. Relatively speaking, now this is a senior smartphone, not a flagship, but rather a senior one. I don’t think it will be possible to say anything new about the device here; I recommend turning to existing materials. The device goes on sale in Europe this week, they have been reminded of this several times. As they say, sales will show how well Sony has chosen the strategy.
Sony Xperia P
As they say, the average, but the average is not easy. Sony talks about an all-metal case, but in fact, only the battery cover is made of metal, and all the holes are cut out. The device fits well in the hand, the metal feels pleasantly cool on the hand, and the silver one looks much better than the black one. As you can see, here at the bottom there is a luminous strip separating a small area of the body. I hasten to please you that the P has buttons built into the strip, or rather, it’s as if there is one button. It may sound incomprehensible, but it is much more convenient to use than the sensors of the Xperia S. 1 GHz processor (dual-core), 16 GB of internal memory, Android 2.3 (update to the fourth version will be), 8.1 MP camera, worse than S, but the device takes another. Actually, there are two main stories here: the already mentioned metal in the case and the display. The diagonal is four inches, I won’t give the exact resolution now, since there is some confusion in the press materials. I can only express my admiration for the WhiteMagic technology - this is the addition of another pixel, joy and happiness, Sony does not have time to say that this is the brightest display among all smartphones on the market. Well, I liked something else more, for example, in the browser, each letter seems to be drawn with a thin needle, everything is so clear and beautiful. The brightness is very high, in low light it literally hurts the eyes. A clear and really cool screen compared to everything I’ve seen recently - moreover, WhiteMagic, in theory, does not abuse the device’s battery, and for smartphones with Android this, you know, is a sore spot.
As I said, the camera is 8.1 MP, it is possible to shoot video in Full HD, and among the accessories there is a kind of stand to facilitate connection to a TV.
I won’t say anything yet about the price and time of appearance on the market; I will try to get to know the device in more detail during the exhibition and find out all sorts of details. I will also note that Sony continued to work on the interface, more of its icons, the necessary programs, and so on.
Sony Xperia U
Little brother, there is no metal in the case, but there are replaceable caps for the lower part; the set for Russia will include four such caps. The idea is good, the perception of the device is changing. Everything is simple with the U, it is designed to be a budget Sony smartphone, so don’t expect miracles - the display diagonal is 3.5 inches (854 x 480 pixels), no miracles like “white magic”, a processor like the P, 512 MB of RAM and about 8 GB of internal memory. A 5 MP camera with all proprietary options such as facial recognition and easy creation of panoramas, the stated operating time in music playback mode is about 45 hours, which is not bad, according to colleagues, the Sony Xperia U works in autonomous mode for a long time, longer than its older brothers.
The case is made of plastic, inside there is Android 2.3, an update to 4.0 is promised soon. My impression is simple: the device is for young people, and its fate on the market will very much depend on the price.
While I will dispense with conclusions, the line turned out like this, as they wrote more than once on Mobile-review (both Eldar and I), in SE they fought with themselves for a long time to come to the same thing where they started - to a compact line, where Each device is a kind of pearl. The announcement of 2012 did not bring any pearls, this must be understood absolutely clearly - this is not the K750. But Sony has put together a line of three products, each with its own differences: if you want a good camera, pay attention to S; if you want a cool screen and metal, take P; if you want a small and beautiful smartphone, take U. You know, there’s some driver missing here , some kind of killer - something like the Galaxy SII, pulling other models in the line with it. I would like to believe that there will be some other letter from Sony that will cause teeth gnashing among competitors. There isn't one yet.
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Sergey Kuzmin ()