Ever since Facebook added 360-degree photos to your news feed last year, more and more images of this type have appeared. You can even take and share these full-circle images right from your mobile device, as well, making them even more ubiquitous. F…
Positioned as an enthusiast phone just below Sony’s XPERIA XZ Premium, the new Sony XPERIA XZ1 displaces last year’s XZ model. It comes with the same 960 FPS video camera experience introduced with the XZ Premium. Designed to be price $100 below the XZ Premium, the XPERIA XZ1 is priced at $700. To achieve this, Sony is using a 1080p display and reduced the battery capacity among other small tweaks to segment its line of products. We’ve had some hands-on time with the product, here are our impressions.
The XPERIA ZX1 follows the same design language as the XZ Premium. Because it is smaller and a little thinner, the XPERIA ZX1 feels more comfortable than the XZ Premium (I wear M-size US gloves).
Sony uses a full-metal frame, and I always liked how different recent XPERIA phones looked with their angular/boxy design. The lines are pure, and the colors are often selected with taste. The surface treatment of the high-end phones matches their price. There are a lot of good things to be said about Sony’s designs.
However, there are also some technical things that I think the company should improve upon. Aesthetics aside, the XPERIA phones tend to have a much lower screen-to-body ratio than other phones within the same price range. The ratio between size and battery also doesn’t play in Sony’s favor.
It’s true that the XPERIA XZ1 has a stereo dual front speaker setup. That is the absolute best speaker setup when it comes to sound quality. However, it doesn’t completely justify the phone’s size, and I’m not sure that it is a great trade off when you see the wave of screen-only phones which started to hit with LG G6, S8, Note 8 and soon iPhone 8…
To draw a comparison, Sony’s 5.2-inch XPERIA XZ1 has about the same size as the new LG V30 6-inch HD display…
There isn’t a fingerprint scanner in the US version of the phone. This is not due to technical limitations, but rather to some legalities that Sony has to work around. International version might have the fingerprint unlock feature.
Sony has been one of the first Android phone OEMs to introduce water-resistance with an IP68 rating. The XPERIA XZ1, of course, has this feature which is a must-have in Japan.
The 5.2” 1920×1080 LCD is bright enough to support HDR playback (high dynamic range). I’m not yet sure what certification Sony has (HDR10/Dolby Vision), but we’ll check on that later. At launch time, the phone will be able to play HDR content from Netflix and Hulu. HDR makes a significant contribution to content playback if the movie has been authored in HDR.
Multimedia aside, bright screens are great when you are using the phone outdoor on a sunny day. Many phones come with a ~300 NITs brightness. Although Sony doesn’t mention the brightness level, it’s probably beyond 600 NIT to be an HDR mobile display.
Sony uses its TRILUMINOS technology, which is based on Quantum Dots technology. Quantum Dots are electrically-charged crystal particles that can bend light waves and provide some control on the color hues. As a result, it makes it possible for the display to boost color saturation well beyond the level of a non quantum dot LCD.
This handset also uses X-Reality, which is an image processing methodology developed by Sony. The idea here is to separate different layers of the image and enhance them with the best algorithm depending on their nature. Once enhanced, all layers are re-composed to form the final, beautified image.
All of this contributes to having a very good LCD display. By nature, such displays can’t reach the black levels of OLED screens, but with the technologies above, Sony is capable of very high quality in the LCD space.
At the $700 price level, most competitors will have high-PPI displays with larger sizes
The XPERIA XZ1 has a 19 Megapixel camera with a Sony Exmor RS sensor equipped with 1GB of on-board memory to shoot 960FPS video. It has an optical stabilization and an anti-distortion shutter.
Opinon: What’s a Great Mobile Camera Experience?
Learn more: What is Image Stabilization?
The most impressive technical feature of the XPERIA is the 960 FPS video recording. This is a feat introduced with the XPERIA Premium, which is now slowly trickling down in the line-up. At the same time, the feature is not entirely easy or intuitive to use in the real world. Because 960 FPS produces an insane amount of data, even with the 1GB of memory directly stacked on the sensor, you can only record a very short time.
In addition to this, you must be already recording a “normal-speed” video before you can activate the 960 FPS recording. The short lag between tap and 960FPs switch isn’t known, but it adds some difficulty to the process. Although you can shoot amazing slow-mo videos, the process is challenging, even in a staged environment.
Because the camera is fast, there’s a burst-mode couple with a predictive autofocus (AF). This is particularly useful to capture subjects that come towards or away from you because the focus might need to change at every frame. Sony’s predictive AF works by estimating the object’s position for the next frame so it can activate the AF motors and be ready. That is why it needs to be predictive.
Sony has added a cool 3D-scanning feature that lets people take a bunch of photos of a person or an object, then turns the photos into a 3D model. Since the pictures are shot in high-resolution, the model and texture produced in 3D are surprisingly beautiful.
The user interface is intuitive, and all you have to do is follow the guide which will tell you exactly how to take the photo. Super-easy. What you do with the 3D models is the real question. I’m not sure that they can be easily exported to apps such as Maya, 3DS max or even game engines.
The 2700 mAh battery has a decent size but feels a little under-powered in the $700 price range. With many competitors at that price boasting battery sides of 3000-3500 mAh, it’s difficult to be happy, even though one may be content. The XZ Premium has a 3230 mAh battery.
Regarding battery capacity in relation to the size of the phone, at 553 mAh/CI (cubic-inches) the XPERIA XZ1 sits right between the Galaxy S8+ (605 mAh/CI) and the Galaxy Note 8 (519 mAh/CI). The thing is, these phones have displays of 5.8 and 6.3 inches respectively.
Sony is somewhat compensating this with proprietary software features such as Smart STAMNIA Battery Care and Qnovo Adaptive Charging. However, there isn’t a good way to assess their actual effect. Some of these strategies could be used without branding by other OEMs.
Fast-charging is present with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0, and that should help things out if you have frequent access to a plug. There is not integrated wireless charging.
The XPERIA XZ1 will be one of the first handsets to ship with Android 8 (codenamed O for Oreo). There are a lot of features in this new release, but two are of importance. First, Google is (finally) clamping down on background app activity, partly because battery life is under assault from all those apps that keep wanting to know what the current location is, etc. This is incredibly battery intensive.
Secondly, the framework to integrate drivers from silicon vendors such as Qualcomm, Huawei or Mediatek will decouple device software from operating system code. This may lead to better and faster upgrade processes and cycles. At this point, we’re not sure what the real impact will be, but this creates a lot of potential.
Going with the leading Android hardware platform is always a good idea, and that’s exactly what the Snapdragon 835 SoC is today. It is used quasi-universally in high-end Android phones, with some exception such as the Samsung Exynos version of the Galaxy Series-8 devices, and Huawei high-end phones. Both those companies also produce their own chips.
Snapdragon 835 brings a great deal of computational power on the table, especially when it comes to photo and 3D graphics, two things that Sony is particularly interested in. Without a doubt, in terms of speed and capabilities, the XPERIA XZ1 will rank with the best there is on Android.
Snapdragon 835 also bring Gigabit-class LTE speeds if your carrier has a compatible network. Not only peak speeds would be significantly faster, but the overall network will be more available as more people move to better LTE devices.
Learn more: what is a SoC or System On a Chip?
The Sony XPERIA XZ1 is a beautiful handset that has an attractive design and “out of the box” ideas. The powerful camera sensor and the new capabilities such as 3D scanning spark the imagination and are a wow factor.
Sony is right in analyzing that users want formidable camera capabilities, but in general, this means excellent low-light photography, and a great photo experience in general. Wide angle and portrait photography are also relatively understood. However, Sony is trying to create a new market for extraordinary camera features that people aren’t asking for, yet.
I’m not sure that Sony will be able to compete effectively in the $700 space. With the Galaxy S8 and S8+ 64GB selling at ~$675 unlocked, the XPERIA XZ1 is facing a very tough pricing environment. The LG G6 64GB now sells for ~$510 unlocked. I could continue to go on, but you got the picture. Unless you really want something that only Sony offers, there are a lot of attractive alternatives out there.
It’s true that Sony phones often have unique features, but it seems hard to believe that the brand can command such a pricing power in the current market. This handset will be available on Sep 19.
Sony Xperia XZ1: Hands-On , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
According to the rumors, Apple’s iPhone 8 event is said to take place on the 12th of September. As it turns out the rumors were right on the money because Apple has since confirmed and sent out the invites to an event that will be taking place on the 12th of September where it will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater at the new Apple Park campus.
Prior to this, it was reported that there was a chance that Apple could pick a new date as it wasn’t sure if the Steve Jobs Theater could be ready in time for the event, but we guess it was. While Apple did not specify what will be announced, it’s safe to assume that we will be treated to the new iPhone 7s, 7s Plus, and the iPhone 8.
It is also expected that Apple will be launching the Apple Watch Series 3 which will introduce LTE connectivity. There are also rumors that Apple could be launching a 4K Apple TV, which we guess is a long time coming since 4K has been around for a while. Other than that we doubt that we will be seeing any iPad or Mac-related announcements at this particular event.
We can also probably expect that Apple will announce the release dates of iOS 11 (and maybe macOS High Sierra), but either way do check back with us then if you’d like all the official details.
Apple’s iPhone 8 Event Confirmed For September 12 , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
#IFA2017 – While it did take Apple a while before they decided to open up Siri to third-party developers, companies like Amazon and Google wasted no time, which probably allowed them to get a headstart when it came to third-party devices that came bundled with either Alexa or Google Assistant.
Now if you’re looking for a set of smart speakers with Google Assistant built into it, you might be interested to learn that you’ll have more options to choose from, thanks to JBL announcing the JBL LINK series of speakers that will come with Google Assistant integrated into them, thus giving users the ability to control their speakers and other devices through voice commands.
There will be three different LINK speakers to choose from at the start. There will be the LINK 10 and LINK 20, both of which are designed to be small and portable and will offer up 5 and 10 hours of battery life respectively, and will also be IPX7 certified, meaning that they will be waterproof up to a certain degree.
Then for those who are after something a bit more robust, there is the LINK 300 which will be bigger and will offer up a more “powerful sound”. Just link JBL’s other speakers, these LINK speakers can be daisy-chained together to help create a multi-room effect. The speakers are priced at 169 EUR, 199 EUR, and 299 EUR respectively and will be released in the UK, Germany, and France this fall, but no word on a stateside release just yet.
JBL LINK Speakers Announced With Google Assistant Integration , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
#IFA2017 – Back in the day, memory cards could not store much data on them, and those that did were pretty damn expensive. Fast forward to today and it’s a different story where we can buy microSD cards with a few gigabytes for pretty cheap, although it looks like the folks at Western Digital are pushing the envelope with their latest offering.
The company has recently taken the wraps off the latest SanDisk microSD card which will come with a whopping 400GB of storage! According to the company, this is the world’s biggest (in terms of capacity) microSD card to date, and we find it hard to disagree with them about that claim.
Given that these days we are starting to capture and record higher quality photos and videos, especially if you’re dealing with 4K resolution, it actually makes sense that our storage cards are going up in capacity in order to fit as much data as possible on them. According to the company, the 400GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card is capable of transferring 1,200 photos per minute, has A1 App Performance Class specification, and will be able to hold as much as 40 hours worth of Full HD video on it.
Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) the microSD card does not come cheap and is priced at $250, which is a lot of money to pay for storage, but we guess if you have the need for it then the price could be justified.
SanDisk Unveils A 400GB microSD Card , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
After hearing about the rumors for a long time, it looks like Motorola has officially taken the wraps off their latest smartphone in the form of the Moto X4. However it looks like the Moto X lineup is no longer the flagship lineup for Motorola, which has been replaced by the Moto Z series, but it does not make the Moto X4 any less interesting anyway.
Getting the main specs out of the way, the Moto X4 will feature a Snapdragon 630 chipset and 4GB of RAM. It will also sport a 5.2-inch Full HD display, a 3,000mAh battery, and will come with Android 7.1 Nougat preinstalled. As for its cameras, that’s where it gets interesting because for a mid-range handset, the Moto X4 will come with a dual camera setup.
According to Motorola’s description of Moto X4’s cameras, “12MP Dual Autofocus Pixel sensor (f2.0, 1.4um), 8MP ultra-wide angle with 120° field of view sensor (f2.2, 1.12um), Color Correlated Temperature (CCT) dual LED flash, Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF), Ultra-wide angle shot, Professional mode, Depth detection and depth effects, Selective Focus, Selective Black & White (beta), Background Replacement (beta), Spot Color, Landmark/Object Recognition, Scan barcodes/QR codes/Business cards, Panorama, Slo-motion video, Best shot.”
In terms of pricing and availability, the Moto X4 will be released in Europe this September where it will retail for €399. Unfortunately there is no word on if and when it will see a release stateside, but we’ll definitely keep our eyes peeled.
The Moto X4 Has Been Officially Announced , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Recently Nest took the wraps off the Thermostat E, which is the company’s latest and more affordable smart thermostat. However if you thought that the company was done with announcing new products, think again because it seems that the company has another event planned for next month.
Nest has recently started to send out invites to an event that will be taking place in San Francisco on the 20th of September. It is unclear what they are planning on announcing, but it’s an odd choice given that IFA does seem like the perfect platform to unveil new products and/or services.
However according to the invite, it talks about popcorn and a couch, which seems to suggest that we could be looking at some kind of entertainment device. Could Nest be getting ready to launch a smart TV of their own? Or maybe some kind of smart DVR, or a smart remote control? Either way we guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
So if you’ve been a fan of the company’s products, which range from smart thermostats, smoke alarms, and cameras (so maybe a smart TV wouldn’t be completely out of the question), remember to check back with us on the 20th of September for all the official details.
Nest Sends Out Invites For Event On September 20 , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Uber Movement, the initiative the company launched in the recent past that gives city planners and other related organizations/professionals access to the company’s traffic data, has just opened its doors for everyone. Now anyone who creates an account can log into Uber Movements and view the traffic data, doing so for personal projects, academic work, or maybe even just idle … Continue reading
Twitch released a desktop app earlier this month offering more functionality than its browser version, but they saved even bigger news for PAX West. Today at the games show, the streaming channel platform announced that creators will soon be able to…
We love Oxenfree around these parts. The paranormal thriller captures the awkwardness of being a teenager incredibly well, tasking players to uncover the mystery of an abandoned military base while managing relationships with friends along for the ri…
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