The Active is designed for outdoor sports
enthusiasts looking for an extra touch of smartphone protection
The Sony Xperia Active is a small compact
handset that can be easily grasped in one hand.
Build quality is also rugged and we liked
the rubberized coating which made it easier to grip with wet hands. All the
ports are also protected from dust and water with rubber seals which seemed
more substantial than on the other products. Likewise its back cover reveals a
further seal to protect the battery and memory card slot.
Sony Xperia
From our tests the phone did survive being
dropped but we felt the phones lanyard connector was a weakness due to the way
it protrudes from the casing and thus it’s less effective than the protection
offered by the JCB Toughphone.
However, it’s still a tough little phone
and despite the lack of an IP67 rating the phone also survived being submerged
in a bowl of water for several minutes. The back cover was wet but the extra
seal protecting the battery held up. We also liked that the phone warns you
about replacing the port covers after a USB cable has been attached - a really
nice touch.
Firing up the OS produced several
surprises. For one, the screen is quite vibrant considering its lowly
resolution, thanks mainly to its property BRAVIA engine. We also liked the Ul’s
Facebook integration and Flash light app/music player - perfect for runners.
Sony Xperia S
Sony has also provided some useful outdoor
sport apps which can be used for training. One of these is MapMyFITNESS+ and
this worked effectively with the on board GPS to track our position during a
run.
Additionally, the phone’s screen copes well
outdoors. Unfortunately the only snag with its lower resolution was that some
games don’t work. However, most people won’t be buying the handset for this
reason so it’s not as disastrous as it sounds. Mind you, those who like texting
may find typing on the small keyboard a little more challenging.
Benchmark tests showed the Active was the
highest performer in the group and web browsing and scrolling was effortless.
Even its camera took some nice shots and the 720p video recording was a welcome
bonus. Its 1200mAh battery was a little stingy, and during an hour run
(utilizing the MapMyFITNESS+ application and music player running at the same
time) the battery drained by a whopping 25 per cent, which may concern some.
Head-to-head
Design
Easily the smallest device in the group and
its compact body certainly suits the target audience. Its rubberized coating
does make it comfortable to hold. However, it still may be too small for
someone with larger hands.
It
still may be too small for someone with larger hands.
General
performance
Unfortunately the lanyard connection is
also a concern as direct hits to this area may comprise integrity. However, its
rugged design helped it survive multiple drops and the rubberized seals to all
ports, were excellent for water resistance.
Features
Sony’s BRAVIA engine certainly makes this
the best low-resolution device in the group, and it’s coupled with an effective
UI and supplied sports apps. Performance was also high, and for all general
purposes, apart from some games, it excelled.
Battery
life
Battery life was on-par with the Motorola
from a video playback point of view. If you use the device as its intended,
i.e. the GPS, music player and sports app, the phone will give you roughly five
hours of use.
Verdict
The Sony Xperia Active is an effective,
small, compact and rugged device with respectable performance.
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Information
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Price:
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$312.55
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More information:
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www.sonymobile.com
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Supplied:
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www.clove.co.uk
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Technical specs
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Operating system
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Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
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Processor
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1 GHz Scorpion
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Memory
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512MB RAM, 1GB internal storage (up to
320MB free), micro SD expansion
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Dimensions
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92 x 55 x 16.5 mm
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Weight
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U0.8g
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Display
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3” with wet finger tracking and
scratch-resistant coating
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Connectivity
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Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V2.1, GPS,
HSDPA, HSUPA
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Camera
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5-MP rear, no front camera, 720p video
recording, 3D Sweep Panorama
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