Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Sony’

10
Sep

Add the original PlayStation boot screen to your PS4 gaming videos


Nothing promises gaming excitement like the dramatic eight-second boot up of the original Sony Playstation (below). You can now add it to your game play videos, thanks to Sony’s free 20th anniversary theme pack for SHAREfactory, the video editing tool for the Playstation 4. It comes with four intros (including the original boot screen), four outros, 11 titles clips, eight transitions, 26 stickers and four backgrounds. Sony notes that this can only be used in SHAREfactory, not as a PS4 home screen theme. Luckily, it already has a Playstation One theme pack if that’s what you’re after.

Filed under:
Gaming, Sony

Comments

Via:
Venture Beat

Source:
Sony (Playstation Store)

Tags: 20thAnniversary, Playstation1, Playstation4, PS4, ShareFactory, sony, Theme, video

10
Sep

Sony mocks Apple over iPhone 6S battery life


sony xperia z5 premium

Product launches often present your rivals with an opportunity to score some extra publicity for themselves by drawing attention to some features that they can do better. Sony seems to have found such a sore spot, taking aim at Apple’s newly announced iPhone 6S and its unchanged battery life.

Apple declared that the iPhone 6S will offer the same battery performance as last year’s flagship, meaning that we’re probably looking at a similarly sized 1,810mAh battery. Apple claims around 12 hours of internet use and 24 hours of talk time on a single charge, which doesn’t sound too bad, but the iPhone is pretty well known for not lasting heavy users through an entire day. However, Sony boasts 2 days of use with its newly announced Xperia Z5 line-up, which feature batteries ranging from 2,700mAh to 3,430mAh depending on the model. The company took to Twitter to ask Siri “what about the battery life?”

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsIf that wasn’t cheeky enough for you, the Tweet also contains a link to Sony’s website, where users are guided through how to switch from iOS to a new Sony smartphone. Sony isn’t the only company lining up jabs at Apple’s latest release either. Samsung has been posting a series of Tweets about its latest Galaxy S6 line-up and has also spotted a familiar feature in among Apple’s new products.

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

These jabs are unlikely to alter many minds, but do you think that Samsung or Sony are also making a valid point? What do you think about the features included with Apple’s latest smartphones?


iphone-6s-1Read more: By the numbers: iPhone 6S vs the Android competition6324356

9
Sep

Our Best of IFA 2015: the 5 most impressive products from the show


Rain and chill blanketed Berlin last week, adding a gloomy hue to a cityscape that, even in the nicest of weathers, can be described as austere. But there was no gloom in the buzzing halls of Messe Berlin, the sprawling exhibition venue where IFA takes place every September.

best of ifa 2015 badge

A spectacle of light, color, and sound, IFA is Europe’s biggest electronics expo, and the place to show your products, if you’re a mobile company looking for exposure ahead of the crucial holiday season.

From boutique case makers to the biggest tech giants, hundreds of companies hawked their newest products at IFA 2015. The Android Authority team has sifted through the most interesting mobile announcements from the show, to bring you Our Best of IFA selection. Let’s see them, shall we?

Huawei Mate S: the finest phone at IFA

awards huawei mate s ifa aa (1 of 5)

Huawei is not yet a household name in the West, but it’s fast becoming one. The Chinese company is about to enter the very select Nexus club, and its self-branded smartphones are increasingly valued by customers and reviewers. In this context, we were eager to see the new Mate S in action, and we weren’t disappointed.

The Mate S is a beautiful beast. Featuring the metallic design that Huawei has come to be known for, the Mate S is compact, sleek, and attractive. The fingerprint sensor on the back is new and improved, and once you get used to it, it will be really hard to go back to phones that lack this feature. A gorgeous AMOLED screen and strong performance complete the portrait of a true flagship that is worth its salt.

Read on:

Yoga Tab 3 Pro: versatility redefined

awards lenovo yoga tab 3 pro ifa aa (2 of 7)

Tablets are boring, right? Wrong, says Lenovo, and the company has a pretty strong dissenting argument in the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. Billed as the ultimate video tablet, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro shows that tablets don’t have to be indistinct slabs of metal and glass. Sure, the asymmetrical design and above-average weight are not for everyone. But that distinctive spine hides some very interesting features, including a full-blown video projector and a multifunctional stand (it even has a hanging hole!).

Unique features aside, this ultimate media consumption machine can stand against any competitor when it comes to its fine QHD display and excellent performance, powered by Intel. Plus, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro offers what’s probably the best sound we’ve ever heard coming out of a tablet.

Read on:

LG Rolly Keyboard: simply clever

awards lg rolly keyboard ifa aa (1 of 7)

It’s not often that we’re impressed by a tablet accessory, let alone a Bluetooth keyboard. But LG managed to do just that with the clever little Rolly, a keyboard you can roll into a wand of sorts and carry in your pocket. It’s a little gizmo that you may be inclined to dismiss as an exercise in gimmickry, but playing with it turned us into converts.

The clever Rolly transforms into a wand with a satisfying click, but LG didn’t sacrifice functionality for the sake of the compact form factor. The keys actually have a nice travel (for a keyboard of this type), so you don’t feel like you’re tapping on a slab. There’s also a built-in stand that lets you prop up a phone or tablet, so you can get in productive mode just about anywhere and anytime.

Read on:

Samsung Gear S2: color us impressed

awards samsung gear s2 ifa aa (9 of 10)

Tizen has a pretty bad reputation with the Android crowd, and for good reason. Samsung’s would-be Android replacement OS has failed to impressed us so far, and the various wearables that make use of it the more so. But the Gear S2 is different, and in a very good way. Samsung took its time bringing a new wearable to market, and this atypical restraint seems to have paid off.

The Gear S2 looks great, feels great, and thanks to the use of a rotating bezel, it actually works pretty nice too. Rotating the bezel with your index is an intuitive and simple way to go through a redesigned UI and for picking just the right app. It’s so good that, in most cases, it will replace tapping and swiping, which can be a pain on a small screen. It remains to be seen if Samsung can make Tizen work, but our initial impressions are very good.

Read on:

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium: more than just 4K

awards sony xperia z5 premium ifa aa (9 of 9)

Sony launched a world first at IFA: 4K resolution on a 5.5-inch display. Despite the almost casual manner in which this breakthrough was announced, we were impressed – and pleasantly surprised – by Sony’s 4K Xperia Z5 Premium. The sheer technical achievement of shipping a 4K display deserves plaudits, even if you probably won’t be able to tell the difference.

It’s good to see Sony holding a technological lead in smartphones, but the Z5 Premium is more than just a pretty display. It feels as premium as the name implies; it’s fast, despite the added pixels; and it comes with a great camera that pushes the envelope in terms of resolution and quality.

Read on:

There you have it: Android Authority’s Best of IFA 2015. Let us know your thoughts, thanks for following our IFA coverage, and see you at the next show!

9
Sep

Sony Xperia M5 launches in India today


Sony Xperia M5 back colors

The Sony Xperia M5, which was unveiled at the beginning of last month, is heading to India and Hong Kong today, according to Sony’s social media accounts. The ‘super mid-range’ smartphone arrives with a Rs. 37,990 (HK$ 3,698, £372, €512, $572) price tag, which might prove to be a tough sell against the low cost competition in India.

For a recap of the specifications, the Xperia M5 comes with a 5.0-inch Full HD display, a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 SoC, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory, with a microSD card slot for expansion if desired. The phone ships with a 21 megapixel rear camera that features Hybrid Autofocus. There’s also a 13 megapixel front facing camera for high resolution selfies, although there isn’t a flash on the front like there is with the Xperia C5.

http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The phone also comes with a 2,600mAh battery, Android 5.0 Lollipop on board, and IP65 and IP68 certifications for water and dust resistance. It’s not quite clear if this is the dual-SIM version of the Xperia M5 or not in India, although there’s a strong change that it is.

The Xperia M5 will be available in black, white and gold colours. We will keep an eye out for a list of retailers.

8
Sep

Android OEM strategies in 2015: which OEM’s are heading in the right direction?


sony xperia z5 premium vs galaxy Note 5 aa 6

The year 2015 has been a mixture of rebirth and, arguably, stagnation, depending on the OEM in question and who you ask. Some players have largely kept the same strategy, for better or worse, while others have started to plant the seeds of change with shakeups in design and software. We have to wonder, which OEMs are heading in the right direction, and which aren’t?

Before we ask that question, let’s take a look at each OEM and highlight their basic strategy for 2015 so far.

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Quick look-14

One the biggest examples of change in 2015 can be seen in Samsung. While the company’s button layout and UI design has largely stayed the same in 2015, they have considerably evolved their design language and streamlined the software experience starting with the Samsung Galaxy S6. At the same time, they have also made some stark changes in their product philosophy with the decision to cut microSD and removable batteries from their key 2015 flagships.

Not everyone is a fan of the changes Samsung has made, but there’s no denying that people are now buzzing about Samsung in a way they simply weren’t in 2014.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

HTC

htc-one-m9-4

An example of a company that has done little to change their strategy this year is HTC. Despite continued hard fiscal times, HTC did little to raise the bar with its 2015 One M9 flagship. The year isn’t over just yet, and HTC may have a few cards up its sleeve, but ultimately the lack of change is probably a big surprise to fans who were hoping to see something a bit more awe-inspiring from the troubled handset maker.

Bottom-line, HTC’s reluctance for change has led to many would-be consumers dismissing the brand as a viable option in 2015.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

Motorola

Moto X Style Hands On-69

Starting with the Moto X, Motorola has been firmly planted in the philosophy that experience is really what matters, not the specs or even the shiny extras. This had led to the company focusing on customization, pricing, user-friendly software, and a near-stock experience that flies.

In 2015, Motorola has kept this philosophy, while taking a few steps forward. The Moto G introduced Moto Maker support and waterproofing, while the Moto X Style (aka Moto X Pure Edition) has followed the trend of bigger QHD displays, and yet at the same time managed to cut pricing down to as little as $400 without sacrificing any of the elements that have made the Moto X series a popular choice for Android fans.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

LG

Buyers are not swayed by the G4's leather back

The year 2015 has been all about change for Samsung. In contrast, LG’s 2015 strategy seemingly is to see whatever Samsung is doing, and offer the opposite experience. This has meant a continued push for microSD and removable backs, the continuation of plastic bodies (though they’ve also offered premium options like the LG G4 leather back option), and, while they optimized the software, the LG UI is as feature packed as ever.

While LG is rumored to have a super-premium phone that might make some more aggressive changes when compared to the LG G4 and its earlier 2015 releases, this year LG seems content to continue largely doing the same as it has in past years.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

Sony

sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 18

For the most part, Sony has followed a similar strategy as LG and HTC in 2015, namely kept things pretty status quo. While the Japanese giant did slow things down a little by only releasing the Xperia Z4 (aka Z3+ or Z4V) in select regions, the company has continued to push the same overall aesthetics and experience. That said, the latter half of 2015 has now introduced a small shift for the company.

The Xperia Z5 family largely looks the same as its predecessors, but the company did surprise the world with the first 4K smartphone, dubbed the Z5 Premium. The software experience has also become even more stock-like than in the past, retaining many of the menu choices and material design influences found in stock Android. The biggest difference is now custom icons and the presence of select Sony apps.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

The rest of the pack

ZTE Axon Phone-2

These are obviously far from the only OEMs out there, though they are arguably the biggest and most popular, at least in the western world.

As an honorable mention, ZTE has made some pretty big shifts this year with the Axon, a nearly OnePlus One-priced flagship with a lot of potential. Huawei is also looking to turn its attention further to the North American market releasing at least a few US-focused devices this year, and will introduce a Nexus flagship later this month, at least if rumors prove correct.

We’ve also seen Alcatel change its direction by bringing us the Idol 3, one of the first Alcatel OneTouch devices to actually be worth our attention, due to a competition of good looks, solid hardware, and an aggressive price. And then there’s Asus, which has kept a similar direction in 2015, but taken it to a whole new level with the ZenFone 2.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

Who is heading in the right direction, who isn’t?

To be fair, the answer to that question is completely subjective. Looking at the strategies, Samsung is the OEM that has made the most aggressive changes this year, though it remains unseen if whether or not these changes will truly pay off in 2015 and beyond. Motorola has kept to its guns, while making a few refinements in its strategy that has really put the company in a good place. LG falls somewhere in the middle.

With minor changes in strategy, LG has yet to “fall on hard times”, but the LG G4 hasn’t been a runaway success either. That said, LG has the Nexus 5x and likely one other flagship coming our way before the end of the year that could help further push the company upward in market dominance. Out of the bigger OEMs, it is Sony and HTC that have disappointed the most this year. Though the two companies are both falling further down the ladder, neither seems to be making the bold moves needed to turn their perspective ships around.

What do you think, which OEMs do you feel are heading in the right direction in 2015? Which aren’t?

(function () ());

(function ()
document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(opst);
());

8
Sep

The Xperia Z5 Premium has 4K: A picture-perfect product , or not?


sony xperia z5 premium aa 15

Have you heard the latest re-invention in the street?
Take me on a journey with the rhythm in my feet
Takes me to the left and it takes me to the right
Posing as a savior if you fall across the night

Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution by Cut/Copy

While we may never know exactly what major shake-up was being described, Cut/Copy has arguably, years earlier, defined that which Sony brought forth at its IFA 2015 conference last week. Indeed so minute a mention was it given during their press event that if you dared shut your eyes for even a split second, you’d miss it entirely: The Xperia Z5 Premium has a 4K display. Yes, a 4K display. This is big if not positively enormous. In fact, the only thing small about what’s going on here is a diminutive 5.5-inch screen that will house such a pixel perfect panel.

Ahead of IFA, the tech world has been up-in-arms over the possibility of Sony’s “surprise” with many doubting the possibility of such. As it now official, we take a look at Sony’s motivations for going 4K and whether such a jump was really needed.

Why 4K?

In Sony’s defense, we can see at least four reasons why going 4K was the right move for the company. Let’s run through them:

Definite differential

Sony has, for reasons seemingly unknown to the public, opted to avoid including QHD displays on any of its phones. This includes, for reference, the Xperia Z4/Z3+ that was, until recently, a “new” phone having been released only in June. Indeed Sony Mobile Taiwan openly proclaimed the OEM had no plans to offer such a panel for the future. The sole white unicorn in the pasture, the Xperia Z4v, which does make use of QHD, hasn’t even been released yet by Verizon Wireless, and was inevitably a strict demand the carrier placed on condition of selling the device.
sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 11

If Sony simply stepped up to QHD for the Xperia Z5 Premium, it would be seen as simply one of the crowd. No one really cares about quad HD these days, given that it’s become a status-quo for most top-level flagships. The sure-fire way to get people talking, to turn heads, and to make an impact for the immediate future was to announce a product that packs a true punch, and one that has never been seen before on a commercially released smartphone.

 A premium product

The second major reason Sony had to include a 4K display was to literally give the Xperia Z5 Premium a reason to have such a name. Given that all other specs not related to the resolution or screen size are exactly the same as the two “lesser” models, what real selling point could there be for an extra few fractions of an inch? By bumping things to a truly eye-searingly high resolution, the Z5 Premium appears more than worthy of the lofty name.

Forgotten flagships

While Japanese customers may be reeling over the idea of a new Xperia flagship so quickly after the last one released, in other parts of the world the Xperia Z4 was never branded as such, rather it was a mere intermittent update known as the Xperia Z3+. For all these markets, Sony has yet to release a halo product this year and hence the Z5 -all three of them- are filling a great void.

Sony to be taken seriously

It’s no secret that Sony’s smartphone brand isn’t a big seller globally. While the company has, and will continue to have, its fair share of devoted customers, the masses just don’t care. Well, the Japanese do, but for everyone else, Samsung and LG have far more relevancy. There has been a great deal of analysis on this matter, largely boiling down to poor choices regarding carrier exclusivity and downright poorer marketing.
sony xperia z5 premium aa 8
With the golden halo of a 4K display tacked onto a product, Sony is undeniably going to be taken seriously. OEMs around the globe are no doubt still in a state of shellshock. Samsung in particular, which has been touted with having the best displays of any smartphone on the market and has been pushing curved SAMOLED QHD panels, is suddenly not the brightest star in the resolution wars. Neither, for that matter, is LG, who was the first big name OEM to bring QHD to the masses last year with the LG G3.

4K: Are you kidding me?

So it’s done and dusted. Sony has changed the mobile marketplace, as far as display prowess goes. And yet, something feels quite off. In fact, despite the reasons for why it made sense for Sony to jump into the 4K ring, we can also think of a new of reasons why the implementation here seems a bit odd.

A strange strategy

sony xperia z5 aa 5

The Standard Xperia Z5 has but a plain FHD panel. Now let’s clarify for a second here, full HD is actually a fantastic resolution for something hovering around 5 inches. With that said, Sony has created a very peculiar status-quo. The standard Z5 will inevitably cost a lot of money, probably hovering around $700+. Sure it comes with a fancy new camera that can take better pictures and a nice sound system. But so does the Z5 Premium.
In fact, it’s hard to even see why Sony even made the standard Z5 period when the Z4 exists. Instead, it should have released a Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium, much like how it only had the Z3 Tablet Compact last year, no standard sized one. The answer would be simple: customers who wanted the benefits of the Z5 could just select from the two new options, and those who wanted more of a standard affair could go for the Xperia Z4 which, we point out again, is not even three months old.

Performance problems

While it’s too early to make and final judgments about the performance of the Xperia Z5 Premium, let’s consider for a second that the Xperia Z4 has problems. Major problems, and they relate to overheating. So bad was this, that Japan’s largest mobile carrier, NTT docomo, actually placed warning papers in stores to inform customers about the Snapdragon 810.
Sony-Xperia-Z5-family_6
So now, Sony has unveiled a 4K display that will also run on a Snapdragon 810. And it will use the same 3430mAh battery, apparently, that powers the standard Z5. Take this, and now couple it with the most fundamental question possible: can a new version of Qualcomm’s maligned chip effectively support 4K display resolution without any throttling or major heat issues? The phone only has 3GB of RAM: how far will that go? And the battery, it has enough power for two days of use?
Sony wants the world to believe the answer is ‘yes’ to all the above, but something just doesn’t add up. Will the battery life take a hit? Will the product overheat severely? Will the 4K pixel power be reserved for specific media playback functionality, as some have claimed it would? How can this product possibly have the same performance as the smaller variants despite having a larger, more pixel-packed display?

Is 806ppi even tangible?

There is a large collection of critics who feel that QHD is absolutely overkill on a display measuring under 12-inches, if that. Still, companies around the world have pushed forth the advent of such saturation and used it to market with mucho gusto. For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has a 5.7-inch screen and the LG G4 has a 5.5-inch screen. Both are of QHD resolution. Take a good, hard, headache-having look at them: are the pixels discernible?
sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 2
Now basically double that number but don’t do so with the screen size. Is there actually, truly, a point to this other than for marketing purposes? Will any mainstream customer be able to even notice the Xperia Z5 Premium has such a dense display? And what of the fact it’s still LCD? How will the color tones and saturation compare to Samsung’s SAMOLED panels? There will be a horrible irony at hand if consumers still perceive the “lesser” QHD OLED phones as better when compared to Sony’s 4K offering.

Sony has -arguably- already failed

Think back to the opening of this piece, at the song lyrics. They were used to illustrate the point that Sony glossed over the 4K aspect of the Z5 Premium with the same amount of disinterest as Tim Cook showed to last year’s iPad Mini 3. In fact, going by various live streams of the press event, it was difficult to even understand there was a Z5 Premium given how it, and the Z5 Compact, were basically tossed in as afterthoughts.
Sony’s PR event was based more on a self-conscious attempt to try and tell the world it’s still relevant rather than unveil some truly impressive, unprecedented products. With respect to mobile, Kaz Hirai spent almost the entire time discussing the camera and the audio features, and essentially referred to a single “Xperia Z5”.
sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 11
Companies like Samsung may be over the top at times with their PR excess, but they actually unveil products, not preaching platforms. Even marketing spin doctors like the late Steve Jobs knew the whole point was to sell, and therefore the actual item had to be the center-point of the entire experience. Sony should have, and arguably needed to, systematically introduce the Xperia Z5 and then go into specific details about the abilities, uses, and unique selling points of each.

Wrapping up

It’s truly difficult to understand what to make of Sony’s 4K bombshell. What should have been one of the most jaw-dropping moments in mobile tech history by the company that arguably defined it for so long, was glossed over like so much fluff. Sony wants the world to take it seriously, to buy its products, and to fall in love with it again.
Sure the fantastic new camera on the Z5 is worth mentioning, but it’s one part of the phone. Then again, save for the camera, the Z5 has very, very little to differentiate itself from the Z4/Z3+. With this in mind, all eyes should have been on the Premium and Compact offerings, and fostering a reason for their existence.
What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

(function ()
document.getElementsByTagName(‘body’)[0]).appendChild(opst);
());

“]

8
Sep

Sony brings Android 5.1 to the original Xperia Z Series and T2 Ultra


Sony_Logo_395

Sony has announced that it will be rolling out Android 5.1 to the original Xperia Z series in addition to the T2 Ultra. Yes, folks, that is the Z Series from March 2013, a year that many devices from haven’t even seen the upgrade to Android 5.0, let alone 5.1.

Sony has never seen as much popularity as Samsung or even LG in the smartphone market, but they certainly should be one of the more respected companies after announcing updates and continued support for what are essentially outdated phones.

Here’s the official word from Sony:

The T2 Ultra comes from January 2014, which is still quite old by technology standards. Either way, Sony is looking to keep its customers happy by offering this continued support and the latest software for many of its older devices.

All that said, be sure to keep an eye out for the update from Sony. As per the norm, updates like these do take some time to get out to everyone.

source: Sony (Twitter)
via: Android Police

Come comment on this article: Sony brings Android 5.1 to the original Xperia Z Series and T2 Ultra

8
Sep

Sony now pushing out Lollipop OTA for the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z


Sony_Logo_01_TA_CES_2014

Sony is now rolling out the long-awaited Android 5.1.1 update to all unlocked variants of the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, and the Xperia Tablet Z located in the United States. In addition to the latest build of the operating system, this upgrade also transports a much-needed patch for the Stagefright security exploit.

All the changes you’d expect to find in the Lollipop software are bundled into this upgrade, including support for multiple accounts, improved notifications, stronger 256-bit encryption, a smoother multitasking experience personal unlocking and Material Design.

As is the norm, the update is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the upgrade manually. To do so, open the Settings app, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”.

Come comment on this article: Sony now pushing out Lollipop OTA for the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z

8
Sep

The display on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is only 4K some of the time



http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Many of you will have heard that the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium was announced at IFA 2015 with the world’s first 4K display in a smartphone. Overkill perhaps, but Sony claimed that their device would still be able to last 2 days on its sizeable, but not gargantuan, 3,430mAh battery – naturally, we thought something was amiss, but this perceived mismatch has a very logical explanation. That reason is that the display on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium isn’t actually operating as a 4K display all the time – rather, it’s 1080p during normal operating and only 4K when it needs to be.

That’s rather genius, for quite a few reasons – most of you will know that when you increase a device’s resolution, you make your device’s processor work harder to do the same things, just with more pixels. This is why devices with the first Quad HD displays, like the LG G3, performed so badly on benchmarks back then compared to devices with 1080p resolution. In this way, the Z5 Premium will continue to perform optimally during everyday tasks, and when you are watching media or playing games, scales up to 4K for the short period that you’re doing it. Not bad, Sony; not bad at all.


What do you think about the display on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: XDA

The post The display on the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is only 4K some of the time appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

8
Sep

Sony Xperia Z5 devices get a significant price cut (yes, already)


sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 18

The Sony Xperia Z5 smartphones haven’t even been released yet, but it seems the Japanese manufacturer has changed its mind and decided to cut down the prices before launch. The Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Premium were expected to cost £549.00, £599.00 and £699.00, relatively. Those cash sums definitely seemed fair, but we suppose Sony figured they could do a little better; now the official site shows a completely different set of prices.

Instead, the new pricing goes as follows. The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact carries a £429.00 price tag. Meanwhile, the Xperia Z5 will set you back £549.00 and the Premium version will go for £629.00.

sony xperia z5 & z5 compact & Z5 premium aa 16

Of course, these are the UK prices. We are still not sure if a similar discount will be applied on devices from any other markets. I suppose we will have to wait for more availability details to show up. Until then, you can check out our hands-on content on the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Premium. The latter happens to be the first smartphone to get a 4K resolution display, making it one of the most stunning mobile screens around. The other two handsets also offer great specs and awesome functionality… as well as value, now.

Are any of you wondering why Sony did this? Maybe they simply want to stay more competitive in this fierce market. Whatever the reasoning behind these price reductions is, we definitely won’t be complaining! Are any of you buying one of these? I am seriously considering upgrading to an Xperia Z5.

.rvs_wrapper
width: 350px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left
float: left;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none
width: 100%;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center
text-align: center;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: none;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos:not(.align_none) ul li:nth-child(2n+1)
clear: both;

.rvs_title
font-weight: 600 !important;
margin: 0 !important;
font-size: 24px !important;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right .rvs_title
padding-left: 20px;

.rvs_title a
font-family: ‘Roboto Condensed’;
color: #3a3a3a;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
padding-top: 10px;

.rvs_wrapper.align_left.cbc-latest-videos ul li,
.rvs_wrapper.align_none.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 15px 0 0;

.rvs_wrapper.align_right.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 0 0 15px;
float: right;

.rvs_wrapper.align_center.cbc-latest-videos ul li
padding: 0 7px;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a
font-weight: 400;

.rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li > a .yt-thumbnail
margin-bottom: 0;

@media only screen and (min-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
width: 100% !important;

@media only screen and (max-width : 480px)
body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos
width: 100%;
float: none !important;
overflow-x: auto;
overflow-y: hidden;

body #page .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul
overflow: auto;
max-height: none;

body .rvs_wrapper.cbc-latest-videos ul li
float: left !important;
clear: none !important;

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »