If there is one thing lacking in today’s
power-packed smartphones, it is the rugged factor. While some devices can
scratch easily, or have screens prone to cracking, others have moister entering
into exposed ports, making them unsuitable for sweaty activities like exercise.
Fortunately, there is a niche category of phones that boast protective casings.
One example would be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active, which positions itself as
the ultimate Android smartphone for your active life.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is one of
the most compact phones we have handled so far. However, it does come in rather
thick at 16.5mm. This is due to the two battery covers that seal off the
internals of the Xperia Active from the elements. The dual protective layers
also add to the overall weight of the phone (110.8g). Fortunately, the device
still feels rather comfortable in our hands.
A unique attribute of the Xperia Active is
its wrist strap catch on the bottom right corner of the device. The retail
package of the phone comes with a Sony Ericsson-branded wrist strap that feels
quite durable, and should come in handy for individuals who want to bring the
device along for exercise but are afraid to accidentally drop it.
Powered by Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine, the
3-inch display delivers good color contrast and rich colors. It is a pity that
this technology cannot be fully appreciated due to its small screen size. The
screen also utilizes a unique wet finger tracking technology that enables you
to use the phone normally even if the screen or your fingers are wet. This
means that you do not have to worry about rain or perspiration getting in the
way of touch screen navigation.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active ships with
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) out of the box with a custom user interface. Users
will also be glad to know that the Xperia Active is among the various Xperia
devices that will get the Android 4.0 update from end April 2012 onwards.
As a sports-oriented phone, the Xperia
Active is preloaded with iMapMyFitness and Walk Mate. White Walk Mate is a
simple app that relies on the built-in accelerometer sensor to track the number
of steps you take, iMapMyFitness is more advanced in terms of its ability to track
your training via GPS.
Two battery covers on the Xperia
Active protect its internals against water and dust.
The 1GHz single-core processor and 512MB of
RAM onboard the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active gave an overall positive user
experience that was quite fluid and smooth. apps loaded fairly fast, while the
5-megapixel camera with f/2.6 aperture lens produced images of average quality.
Our battery test also put the Xperia Active
in good stead with a mileage of 463 minutes; this is ecpected as the Xperia
Active has a rather small screen and a single-core processor.
The Xperia Active is available at a
recommended retail price of $498 (inclusive of GST) without contract. Compared
to its immediate rival, the Motorola Defy ($528), the Xperia Active is a better
alternative for its overall performance and features.
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At a glance
Display: 3.0-inch
Camera: 5.0-megapixel
Battery: 1200mAh
Talk time: Up to 331
minutes
Price: $498
Specifications
Network: GSM 1900 /
1800 / 900 / 850, UMTS HSPA 900 / 2100
Operating system:
Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Processor: 1GHz
single-core processor
Built in memory:
320MB ROM / 512MB RAM
Display: 3.0-inch TFT
touchscreen, 320 x 480 pixels
Camera: 5.0-megapixel
/ Auto Focus / LED Flash and Photo Light
Video support: MPEG4,
H.263, H.264, 3GPP
Audio support: MPEG,
ACC, ACC+, eACC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MIDI, PCM, OTA, OGG Vorbis, MP3, 3GPP, MP4,
SMF, WAV, OTA, Ogg vorbis, 3.5mm audio output
Connectivity:
Built-in GPS with A-GPS and Google Maps / Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP support /
microUSB 2.0 / WLAN 802.11b/g/n / HSDPA 10.2Mbps
Storage type: 1GB
internal (Up to 320MB free) / microSD expandability (up to 32GB)
Standby / talk time:
Up to 335 hours / Up to 331 minutes
Dimensions: 92x55x16.5mm
Weight: 110.8g
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Verdict: 8.0
Physique: 8.5
Features: 8.0
User-friendliness:
7.5
Performance: 8.0
Value: 8.0
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