Sony Xperia T
Its Android experience may lack
sparkle, but it more than makes up for matters in the camera department
The Sony Xperia T is similar in size to the
other smartphones, but despite its curved rubberized backing and stylish black
look, its build quality still felt a tad under par. But unlike the HTC and LG,
the Xperia does feature a small dedicated camera key which gave us more
flexibility when taking shots. Couple that with memory card expansion and you
have an effective camera platform ready to go.
Of course, being a traditional smartphone
it boots straight into its Android ICS OS, though you can quickly access the
camera interface via the lock screen, icon or camera button, even when the
device is locked and password protected. We found the Android experience was
okay, but nothing more.
Sony
Xperia T
As for the camera interface, it contained a
solid range of features with a much more intuitive interface than the HTC, but
like the LG you will find that some of these features, such as the special
effects like transforming an image to sepia, are hidden under the app’s
separate editing functions.
Outdoors we found the 4.55-inch HD screen
coped well and we liked the various focus modes, including the HD recording and
the camera’s multiple autofocus which finds the high contrast points for focus.
However, the shot times were slower due to the time it takes to lock in the
focus. Mind you, the slight delay proved effective with pictures producing
stronger detail and better color accuracy than the HTC. Digital zoom was no
match for the Samsung (and best avoided altogether) and indoors in low-level
light conditions, the results were somewhat grainy.
On the flip side, you have its auto scene
recognition mode, which provides the best exposure for any given scene. As
cameras go, it was certainly the most consistent performer out of the phones on
test.
The fixed battery (850mAh) was reasonable,
but you should expect regular charging with heavy usage. With its on-board
smart power-saving modes and a future power-saving Jelly Bean update, this may
improve battery life down the line.
Multiple focus
The Sony has various focus modes including
auto and macro. You can even access a multiple auto-focus option which
essentially tries to find the higher contrast point for focus to get the best
results (it’s a quick way of getting improved results without a lot of setup)
4.55-inch HD screen with Sony Bravia
Engine
The screen’s HD resolution and Bravia
Engine did help produce more natural/sharper color tones for video playback
(though it was still less impressive than the Samsung). But, more importantly,
it coped well shooting outdoors
Design and build quality
The Sony Xperia T features a stylish curved
backing and a side port for quick access to the micro SD card slot and SIM. The
build quality struggles to match that of the HTC or LG though
Dedicated camera button
Sony’s dedicated camera button may be a tad
small, but it still gives you more control over the standard touchscreen
variants that are supplied on the HTC and LG. You can also use it to launch the
camera interface
The
Sony Xperia T is similar in size to the other smartphones, but despite its curved
rubberized backing and stylish black look, its build quality still felt a tad
under par
Sony Xperia T information
Price: $520.50
Website: www.sonymobile.com
Head to head
Picture quality
A few shots came out slightly overexposed
in overcast conditions but for the most part the images captured the colors
correctly with a pleasing natural tone. In indoor low-level light conditions it
suffered more from noise, but not much more than the others.
General performance
The shots times were a tad slower than the
others due to the time it takes to focus, but the interface was much more
intuitive and better laid out than the HTC. It also helped having a dedicated
camera button which gave a reassuring feel.
Features
Its camera features are dwarfed by the
Samsung’s with special effects handled by the Album editing app. But it does
provide a respectable spec with expandable storage, great auto modes and
effective HD video recording.
The
announcement of Xperia S is supported by the launch of three new Smart Extras
accessories to enhance the experience on Android and to your smartphone.
Battery life
From a camera point of view it was on par
with the Samsung, but from an Android experience it fell short of the HTC.
Disappointing given that it has a smaller screen, yet a decent-sized battery.
Verdict
Its Android experience was not the best,
but its camera was, producing some very impressive shots
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Technical
specs
§ Operating
system: Android OS, 4.0.4 (ICS)
§ Processor:
Dual-core 1.5GHz Krait
§ Memory:
1GB RAM, 16GB storage expandable via micro SD
§ Dimensions:
129.4 x 67.3 x 9.4 mm
§ Weight:
139g
§ Display:
4.55” (323 ppi) shatterproof and scratch-resistant glass, 720 x 1,280 pixels
§ Connectivity:
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.1, GPS (including tagging), HSDPA, 42.2Mbps;
HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, TV-out
§ Camera:
13-MP rear (LED Flash), 1.3-MP front with 720p video @30fps
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