By the holy powers of Alexander, Sony
Xperia Acro S is finally in our office. I can finally stop bugging everyone
about it, including the PR who sends it in. Why am I excited over this
smartphone? Well let’s just say this is the combination that I have always been
looking for: outdoor capabilities with a great processor. I already prepared so
many trials during my wait to test this smartphone out.
With
its water-proof promise, the Acro S does offer something a little different
from most of its stable-mates
In line
There is really nothing to observe here
because the design follows the basis of Sony’s NXT range. However, the lighted
strip is gone but, honestly, I won’t be missing it. Covered in smooth plastic,
there isn’t a lot of ‘premium’ going for it but yet it is nice to hold in the
palm of my hand. The curves at the sides make the smartphone comfortable when
it is in my pocket. Sadly, I can’t say the same about its build. It feels a
little creaky instead of solid like I was expecting. This, I believe, is due to
all the plugs that are being used to keep water out.
Vibrant visuals
The
Acro S uses a scratch-resistant 4.3in 720p HD Reality Display
From the materials used, we now move to the
front screen. The Acro S uses a scratch-resistant 4.3in 720p HD Reality
Display, offering a stunningly beautiful display thanks to the Mobile Bravia
Engine that is equipped within. The screen is vivid and viewable even under
direct sunlight. Additionally, the colors are without exception. There is only
one weak point that is so minor that it is easy to miss: the black seems to
take a slight gray-ish tint.
Bring it back!
If you are wondering about the operating
system, then stop as Sony preloaded the Acro S with Android ICS. It is buttery
smooth but when I pinch on the home screen to access the overview mode, it
seems to experience a slight lag. Nothing to worry over since it rarely occurs.
Opening apps are fast while it encountered no issues when playing 720p movies.
By the way, remember that wonderful ICS feature about having widgets in the app
drawer? It’s gone. I can only access widgets by double tapping on the Menu
button in the home screen. When you double tap, two buttons will appear at the
top. Pick the one on the right and you gain access to the widgets. It can be a
little tedious and counterintuitive.
Swim with it
Opening
apps are fast while it encountered no issues when playing 720p movies
Yes, like the Xperia Go, the Acro S is
water-and dust-resistant. However, it has a lower rating. That doesn’t mean I
can’t have fun with it. The joy of seeing the Acro S functioning underwater
cannot be explained. After a quick swim, I don’t even have to wipe the phone
dry because it also features wet-finger tracking. Suffice to say, I want this
phone so badly because it is a great dual-core phone with wonderful outdoor
capabilities. Even if you are not into outdoor activities, when it rains, you
have one less gadget to worry about.
Specifications
§ Price:
$429
§ Dimensions
(HxWxD): 126 x 66 x 11.9 mm
§ Weight:
147g
§ Processor:
Dual-core 1.5 GHz Scorpion
§ Memory:
1 GB RAM
§ Storage:
16 GB storage (11 GB user available)
§ Operating
System: Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0
§ Display:
4.3 inches LED-backlit LCD, 720 x 1280 pixels
§ Graphics:
Adreno 220
§ Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v3, NFC
§ Ports:
microSD, earphone jack, micro HDMI
§ Expansion:
up to 32 GB
§ Quadrant:
3015
§ Antutu:
6890
|