1st impressions of this fantastic phone

1st impressions of this fantastic phone - Xperia Z5 General

Hello all just thought that I'd share my opinion of this model and beg Sony/Google to do something about root.
I've had this for 24hrs now and coming from the Xperia Z I'm very happy.
The fingerprint works flawlessly every time and is in a very convenient position.
I feel that the volume button should have been above the power button.
The size compared to the Xperia Z is very similar. Everything is smooth and feels very nice in the hand.
Some ui changes to other Xperia lollipop versions.
The side bar in app drawer is gone. The notification bar is also auto hidden in the app drawer. Oh and where is the rotation option in the home settings.. Very annoying!
Root is very much needed as I feel Android is getting more like iOS everyday.
Battery life is impressive not had chance to test to its full potential just yet though.
I hope they continue in the mobile market as I don't think I'd want anything else.
I have the z4 tablet also and the ui changes I've mentioned here are present in the tablet ? I've loved the Xperia home in the past and also look for ports for other devices my family has. These changes however are making me think about moving to another launcher.
Anyway thanks for reading ?
Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

Thanks for posting your 1st impression, is it possible you make a camera video sample in 720p and 1080p and share it on YT.

Goose Fair Nottingham , shoot in 60 fps . Im reeally impressed with the video and photo capabilities
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA3S2861FAE&feature=youtu.be
It does not look so good on Youtube ...xd

How is the audio quality through headphones? I had the Z3 and the quality/clarity was good but the volume was not loud enough.

Impressive quality on you tube link posted from jimi83 imo, seriously thinking to sell my LG G3 and buy Z5

So Z5 non compact is out?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

augie7107 said:
How is the audio quality through headphones? I had the Z3 and the quality/clarity was good but the volume was not loud enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They fixed that on the z5 series, not only is the volume output via headphones louder now but also the audio quality got vastly improved!
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Great news, getting mine Wednesday, looking forward to it.

Jiyeon90 said:
They fixed that on the z5 series, not only is the volume output via headphones louder now but also the audio quality got vastly improved!
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I had a few niggles with my Z3 I used to own and checked them at a Sony training event earlier this week and they are still present.
Namely,
The audio output is quiet. I tested with my headphones and compared to my LG G4 and HTC M9. Both louder than the Z5
Ringtones/notifications are quiet and only come out the bottom speaker. Still the same behaviour in the Z5.
The bezels. Still huge. Can make my peace with it but the G4 by comparison has a waaay better screen to body ratio.
I hope they sort out how quick they are compared to other brands when it comes to android updates...
Those aside it seems to be a great handset and I definitely miss the battery performance that I got out of the Z3.
The waterproofing was nice to have too.
The fingerprint reader is my favourite implementation of any handset on the market currently. Camera seems a vast improvement but the few dark shots I took were kinda noisy. I'm probably going to pick one up soon. I rather like the green one.

I'm a little disappointed in the camera - the centre of the picture is fine but as you get to the outer edges everything is really blurry/out of focus.

WastedJoker said:
I'm a little disappointed in the camera - the centre of the picture is fine but as you get to the outer edges everything is really blurry/out of focus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I was looking for. I met quite a few people online with exactly the same problem but they had the Z5 Compact just like me. I was hoping that the Z5 would not have this issue since this is really annoying.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=63120497&postcount=44

jonjohnsonwright said:
This is what I was looking for. I met quite a few people online with exactly the same problem but they had the Z5 Compact just like me. I was hoping that the Z5 would not have this issue since this is really annoying.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=63120497&postcount=44
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another QC problem. Sony needs to know this, every time the first few batches of their phones have problems. The Z3 phones had some purplish tint on the middle of the photos, some Z3+ also had lens misalignment.

can you please update us on the battery life ,I had the Z3 and it was great but the battery life on the Z3+ wasn't as good .

itsjustJOH said:
Another QC problem. Sony needs to know this, every time the first few batches of their phones have problems. The Z3 phones had some purplish tint on the middle of the photos, some Z3+ also had lens misalignment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took quite a few pictures with the Z5C and compared them with my Redmi Note 2 and my Vivo Xshot. You can clearly see that the Z5C is only able to focus the middle of the picture. The corners are mostly darker, out of focus and blurry.
Take a look at my album https://goo.gl/photos/t8yMJ1wF7pwf3cPVA
The last two pictures are the most obvious ones.
Edit:
In terms of battery life.... I can not compare it to a Z3, Z3C or a Z3+ since I have never had a Sony phone before. From what I have heard that the Z3C has an amazing up to 3 days battery life I could not manage to get this much time out of the Z5C. I mostly had to charge it every day on normal usage.
One thing that bugs me even more is that if you want to view a picture it takes up to two seconds until the pic gets crisp. This is crazy. I used another picture viewer app as well. Same problem. I tried it with another Z5C in another store which had the same problem. It is really annoying if you want to view pics on your phone or on your TV and you always have to wait 1-2 seconds until the photo gets clear.
I do not think that the reason for this is the 2GB of ram. Can someone confirm this? Does this happen on the Z5 as well?

senjiroh said:
Really? I had a few niggles with my Z3 I used to own and checked them at a Sony training event earlier this week and they are still present.
Namely,
The audio output is quiet. I tested with my headphones and compared to my LG G4 and HTC M9. Both louder than the Z5
Ringtones/notifications are quiet and only come out the bottom speaker. Still the same behaviour in the Z5.
The bezels. Still huge. Can make my peace with it but the G4 by comparison has a waaay better screen to body ratio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree abut the audio being quiet I tested the same song on my Z3 vs the Z5 compact and the compact is alot louder and clearer. I have never tested the G4 but I do agree it is not as loud as the M8/9 but not many phones are.

Thanks for the feedback. I had an M9 and that rocked through headphones. I was hoping they improved volume over Z3 and it sounds like they did. I didn't expect it to track M9 levels, which to be honest, couldn't be played all the way open because it was so loud. Nice to have that option though

I cant wait till I receive this phone. I ordered the Made For Bond version and coming from a s6 I am not expecting super results. I am just tired of Touchwhiz and want to try something new. I hope this phone does it for me.

jetbruceli said:
I cant wait till I receive this phone. I ordered the Made For Bond version and coming from a s6 I am not expecting super results. I am just tired of Touchwhiz and want to try something new. I hope this phone does it for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was looking everywhere for that version. Only saw Vodafone UK and pay monthly. Is that where you got it?

augie7107 said:
Thanks for the feedback. I had an M9 and that rocked through headphones. I was hoping they improved volume over Z3 and it sounds like they did. I didn't expect it to track M9 levels, which to be honest, couldn't be played all the way open because it was so loud. Nice to have that option though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The m8/9 are too loud tbh, no one needs to listen to their music that loud.

augie7107 said:
I was looking everywhere for that version. Only saw Vodafone UK and pay monthly. Is that where you got it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
o2 germany has it! http://www.o2online.de/eshop/sony-shop/sony-xperia-z5

Related

Why I Chose The Xperia Z and not HTC One

I've posted this before on the Xperia Z reviews thread, however, I've been reading lots of posts about the Xperia Z vs the HTC One and I'd thought I'd share my opinions on the Xperia Z and why I chose it instead of the HTC One. I've modified some information in the review to tell you more about why I chose the Z. The original can be found here: [http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40061336#post40061336]
My Honest Sony Xperia Z Review
Why I Chose The Xperia Z
I had the Xperia Z for a month or so and I'm ready to make my review on it. I was up for an upgrade last month(March) and was browsing through phones that may appeal to me. I am coming from an iPhone 5. In the end, there were only 3 phones that caught my eye. The Xperia Z, the HTC One and the HTC Butterfly, or Droid DNA in the USA. The Butterfly was the first to go as it lacked LTE and NFC. The Xperia Z and the HTC One remained. Luckily, I found a HTC One demo unit in one of the Carriers, Singtel(Plaza Singapura if any fellow Singaporeans wanna check it out). Well hidden in a corner, I should say and it was the Black one. At the same time, The Xperia Z just launched like, 2 days ago(At that time). Picking up the HTC One, I realized how solid it feels, and boy, premium was written all over it. I turned it on and played around with the software. It was good, lag-free and looks great. I tried the camera and I have to say it was horrible. No joke. It was not clear and most details looks fuzzy. Maybe thats just me, but it really looks not on par with phone cameras these days. Sense 5.0 was alright, it was clean and fresh from the previous Sense versions. BlinkFeed was just a Flipboard like widget on the homescreen. Sense 5.0 does looks nice, but it was not for me. I am also afraid of the build of the phone. I am a careless person. I have to admit. My iPhone 5 was covered in scuffs and dents all over the place. Having the full aluminium body makes me shudder every time I imagine dropping it. Wanted to know more but the HTC rep was nowhere to be seen. Next, I went to the Xperia Z demo unit. The Sony Xperia rep there gave me a run through on the specs and features. I was actually pretty impressed and excited by the fact I could take my phone to the shower and use it while showering. To me, what it means by having a good phone is having a good experience. When I picked up the phone, I immediately realized how realistic the colors looked when playing video and viewing images. Outside of that, it looked rather dark. The design was sexy. REALLY sexy. It felt extremely good in the hand and is durable. VERY durable. Dropped it a few times and not a scratch. The thing that closed the deal was the UI. I like the stock UI. In fact, I love it. The Xperia Z's UI is extremely close to stock. The Nexus 4 is not available here, so it was out of the question. The UI is neat, smooth and looked fabulous. Unlike HTC's Sense 5.0, which is an extremely heavy skin and does not appeal to me. With the water resistance, it was clear which is the phone for me. I hope after reading my review, you'll know which phone to get. We are all brothers here at XDA Developers and I hope that whichever phone we use, we may contribute to the developer community and not flame each other because of our personal preferences. XDA Developers is a place for developers, by developers. Lets not let our choice of phone affect that.
The Beauty Meets The Beast
The Xperia Z packs a SnapDragon S4 Pro Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor, Adreno 320 GPU and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. It sports an all glass design, similar to the iPhone 4 and 4S. The Xperia Z has excellent build quality and looks absolutely fantastic. The ports are covered by flaps, which may prove to be an annoyance for some but with good purpose. The most prominent feature of the Xperia Z is probably the on/off button. Its large, and ridiculously well placed. It stands where the thumb rests on the phone, or the index finger if you're using your left hand and is incredibly convenient to press compared to the stretch you'd have to make on other phones. Below that is the volume rocker, also easy to access when needed. The speakers are indeed placed in a horrible position, as its easy to mute with your palm unintentionally but its not an issue for me as I use my phone with my left hand.
Overall, the design turns heads and the hardware don't fail to deliver. Feels solid in the hand, BUT might be a problem for people with small hands as it may cut into it and make it uncomfortable. Very, very impressive Sony.
User Interface
Sony's UI is probably the closes you can get to stock android, and I love it. It's simple, nothing fancy and neat, although, I'd like a Black theme rather then the Grey. There are some UI lags here and there though. The lack of Android 4.2.2 also disappoints me a little but its coming, and I'll wait for it. After all, Good things come to those who wait.
Performance Powerhouse
Lag is a thing of the past with the SnapDragon S4 Pro as everything is buttery smooth, with minor UI lags here and there. Problem solved with one of the launchers. I've also noticed a little waiting time when launching the camera. Games run smoothly and without issue, not to mention looks AWESOME on the Full HD display. Although, I'd prefer to see the SnapDragon 600 on the Xperia Z as a future proof maneuver as games get increasingly power hungry.
Camera, Video and Screen
Video playback is amazing on the Xperia Z, as a result of the Full HD 1080p screen. Words are crisp and I rarely see any pixels other then low-res images. The Camera doesn't disappoint either with a 13MP back camera and a 2.1MP front facing camera. Both camera film 1080p videos as well so vlogging on the phone will definitely be great. However, I did notice that the colors are not on par with other phones and look rather dark. The Bravia Mobile Engine 2 does help and actually make the colors extremely realistic, but only when viewing images and videos. Low contrast ratio here doesn't help either. Had no issue using the phone in daylight. The viewing angles are GREAT. Only having some colors being washed out, I don't see any issue with viewing angles. Even if there is an issue with viewing angles, who cares? Nobody, NOBODY uses their phones 90 degrees unless you're a total idiot.
Connectivity
No issues here. LTE, NFC. What else could you ask for? Have to say though, kudos to Sony on having a campaign on promoting NFC usage and even launching new TVs with NFC compatibility. Wi-Fi is great, only had issue when it keeps dropping on free public Wi-Fi access points. But hey, free Wi-Fi, who knows. No issues with the Wi-Fi at home.
Its Music To My Ears
I listen to music. A lot. Everyday to and fro school, when travelling, heck, even when I'm bored. The bundled headset, The MH-EX300AP is AWESOME in providing high quality sounds. Sony also has ClearAudio+, which is like Beats Audio on the HTC, makes the experience all the more awesome. You can say its like having an orgasm in your ears. Eargasm if i may.
Speaker & Microphone Quality
The speaker, is actually quite the disappointment as number one, its placed in a horrible position. Next, its not as loud as I'd like it to be. There's xLoud, but it sacrifices quality for volume. Considering the quality without xLoud, I'd rather have it disabled. Lastly, as said before, the quality isn't all that great. However, I got the NFC Wireless Speaker, The SRS-BTV5 for free, which solves all the above issues, thus no complaints from me. But its kinda inconvenient to carry a speaker around with you all the time, so yeah. It is an issue.
Call quality is great, however. I can hear the other party clearly and they can hear me clearly too. No issues with dropped calls.
The Xperia Z Runs Far, With Great Stamina
I start my day at 4:30AM and end at 6PM. With 80% battery left. Stamina mode is no gimmick, it really does help with the battery life. Awesome battery life. If the screen is mostly off that is, which is usually the case. I find that if LTE is enabled, battery drains extremely fast, which makes me resort to using HSPA+, which isn't that all bad in my country. HSPA+ use nearly 3 times as less battery then LTE on my set. Location Based Wi-Fi is AWESOME. Its really cool to have your Wi-Fi turn off automatically when you leave the house and turns on then you're back. Not to mention the convenience. The phone will probably last me 2 days or so, but I still charge it every night anyway. Don't we all do?
Prepared For Accidents
The Xperia Z is IP57 certified - dust and water resistant with water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes. Let's be honest here. We all had times where we wished we could take our phones into the shower or bathtub. That wish is now fulfilled. I take the Xperia Z into the shower with me everyday and text or watch YouTube videos while showering. When the phone is dirty? No sweat. Rinse it under washing water. Now you also do not have to worry about dropping your phone into the water or bring it camping in the desert(whatever the reason LOL). Plus, you can wow your friends or freak your parents out by pouring water on the phone or dunk it into a glass of water. Heck, even take it swimming. Be careful about salt water though, Sony does not recommend dunking it in salt water. With Wet Finger Tracking technology, you don't have to dry your hands to use your phone, although it does get a little jumpy at times. The phone is also quite durable as I've dropped the phone a few time and there's not a scratch. That a plus as I'm usually very careless.
Take note that the phone disables touch input while underwater so, no texting while swimming.
Conclusion
The Sony Xperia Z is a great phone. Its not for everybody, and it has it's fair shares of ups and downs. I am throughly satisfied with it and do not regret not waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One. Its great for the average user and is definitely good enough for me. The water and dust resistance is not necessary but its nice to have. Its smooth, provide great music listening, plays games like a champ. I would recommend it to anybody, but hey, its your call. You have the decision to which phone is right for you and nobody can force you to take the Xperia Z or any phone for the matter. For me, I made my choice, and I have no regrets whatsoever.
Therefore, I dare say: I'M A PROUD SONY XPERIA Z OWNER
Thank you for taking your precious time to read my review. I'm still a noob, and I hope I may be more useful to the developer community here.
P.s Feedback on my review?

Thanks for your input. I suggest you take a look at the AnandTech review of the HTC One and you'll find the camera is excellent, if not the best available. I really like my Z but I find it unrealistic to say the camera is better if Sony doesn't fix the extreme post-processing. In low-light conditions the One wins hands down. Not so weird with optical image stabilization and pixels that are twice as big.
I'd suggest taking a picture (in auto mode) of a tree or bush at lets say 2-3 meters distance and then look at the picture at 100%. You'll see it's smeared out. Funny thing is, try the same in burst and you'll see it looks MUCH better.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2221246

Great review. I agree with most parts.
Only issues for me with Z, which are a real shame to me, are the mic and ear piece speakers which do not provide the best call clarity, callers and myself experience weird overprocessed sound and issues when on calls, but they are minor, and the waterproofing accounts for this I imagine.
The only other issue for me, which again is a big shame considering the phone is made by Sony, is the music quality.
The music through the earphones is far too quiet, and the quality leaves a lot to be desired.
Say what you will about Beats audio on HTC phones, but the HTC One X beats the Z into the ground on volume and sound quality.
One X has no distortion at volume levels twice that of the Z! Max volume on the Z is around 30% too quiet, and the sound quality
is a little underwhelming, with the EQ having a strange volume limiting effect on walkman player.
Aside from those, and the little lags on the phone, which occur not only in the launcher, but also in the UI such as apps and settings menu's etc, the phone is great.
Knowing me, I will love the Z for a while, but then the little issues will grow louder and louder until deafening and i'll have to go off again in search of greener pastures.
HTC One is looking good, barring the sub standard camera.
I wasn't interested in the One, till I saw on in the shop yesterday, compared the speed (which is lag free and superfast), and a HD movie on Youtube side by side with my Z and was left open mouthed at how much better the One was in those departments.

Great review ! Some of things i don't understand ( and i've seen this a couple of times already ) are :
1. If you don't like the UI of any android phone there are Launchers . I , for example , don't like the sony launcher . No problem , i went with Nova launcher wich is as closest to stock as I can get. I'm sure you could have done the same on the One.
2.It's an open comunity => I flashed mine with Purexaudio mod and now my loudspeaker is too damn loud on max haha ! ( no bootloader unlocked , just rooted )

_JT said:
Thanks for your input. I suggest you take a look at the AnandTech review of the HTC One and you'll find the camera is excellent, if not the best available. I really like my Z but I find it unrealistic to say the camera is better if Sony doesn't fix the extreme post-processing. In low-light conditions the One wins hands down. Not so weird with optical image stabilization and pixels that are twice as big.
I'd suggest taking a picture (in auto mode) of a tree or bush at lets say 2-3 meters distance and then look at the picture at 100%. You'll see it's smeared out. Funny thing is, try the same in burst and you'll see it looks MUCH better.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2221246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have to say the Z has excellent low light capabilities when flash is not required. I am not impressed with HTC one camera or samples at all and have read reviews that rubbish the HTC One camera.
As for burst mode, I have never ever been able to get anything buy a noisy image out of it, and it offers zero improvement in clarity. Interestingly, my pics are generally pin sharp when HDR is off.
The HTC One blurs trees in the distance though.

Thanks for that. I am deciding between the One and Z, and slightly leaning towards the Z at the moment. I do like HTC and Sense UI but then I like what Sony has done too. The Zoe features on the One do look good, but I am sure I could find alternative apps to do similar things, albeit not integrated like on the One.
I do like to flash different ROMs my phones so I guess it might come down to what has the biggest development support.

L0cke said:
Thanks for that. I am deciding between the One and Z, and slightly leaning towards the Z at the moment. I do like HTC and Sense UI but then I like what Sony has done too. The Zoe features on the One do look good, but I am sure I could find alternative apps to do similar things, albeit not integrated like on the One.
I do like to flash different ROMs my phones so I guess it might come down to what has the biggest development support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... Then I would recommend the Xperia Z. Its bootloader is easily unlockable. But if you prefer the HTC One, there's the Developer edition that ships with the bootloader unlocked, but its not on contract, so you might have to pay more as there are no Carrier subsidies.
biffsmash said:
I would have to say the Z has excellent low light capabilities when flash is not required. I am not impressed with HTC one camera or samples at all and have read reviews that rubbish the HTC One camera.
As for burst mode, I have never ever been able to get anything buy a noisy image out of it, and it offers zero improvement in clarity. Interestingly, my pics are generally pin sharp when HDR is off.
The HTC One blurs trees in the distance though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly! When I take an image with the HTC One, details that are in the background isn't very clear and is noisy. Glad to see that someone has the same opinion as me. As for the Xperia Z, I usually use it in Superior Auto and under 9MP. Images are very clear while burst mode are just blurry images.
fookea said:
Great review ! Some of things i don't understand ( and i've seen this a couple of times already ) are :
1. If you don't like the UI of any android phone there are Launchers . I , for example , don't like the sony launcher . No problem , i went with Nova launcher wich is as closest to stock as I can get. I'm sure you could have done the same on the One.
2.It's an open comunity => I flashed mine with Purexaudio mod and now my loudspeaker is too damn loud on max haha ! ( no bootloader unlocked , just rooted )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but then again, whats the point of buying the particular brand or model then? Why not go for the one that has the best specs. Just my 2 cents.
Gonna try Purexaudio. Thanks
biffsmash said:
Great review. I agree with most parts.
Only issues for me with Z, which are a real shame to me, are the mic and ear piece speakers which do not provide the best call clarity, callers and myself experience weird overprocessed sound and issues when on calls, but they are minor, and the waterproofing accounts for this I imagine.
The only other issue for me, which again is a big shame considering the phone is made by Sony, is the music quality.
The music through the earphones is far too quiet, and the quality leaves a lot to be desired.
Say what you will about Beats audio on HTC phones, but the HTC One X beats the Z into the ground on volume and sound quality.
One X has no distortion at volume levels twice that of the Z! Max volume on the Z is around 30% too quiet, and the sound quality
is a little underwhelming, with the EQ having a strange volume limiting effect on walkman player.
Aside from those, and the little lags on the phone, which occur not only in the launcher, but also in the UI such as apps and settings menu's etc, the phone is great.
Knowing me, I will love the Z for a while, but then the little issues will grow louder and louder until deafening and i'll have to go off again in search of greener pastures.
HTC One is looking good, barring the sub standard camera.
I wasn't interested in the One, till I saw on in the shop yesterday, compared the speed (which is lag free and superfast), and a HD movie on Youtube side by side with my Z and was left open mouthed at how much better the One was in those departments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The mic and speakers are alright to me though. Maybe its just me. About the earphones, yeah, they are kinda soft, but loud enough for me. They output the same volume level as I had set before on the iPhone 5 when I was using it. I don't really like my music loud. About Beats Audio, I did not say anything bad about it? I was trying to explain that the ClearAudio+ is similar to Beats Audio on HTC phones that is just a setting that you enable/disable. Don't get me wrong, Beats audio is great. I agree with the little UI lags on the Xperia Z. Its kinda irritating? I don't know. But it does annoy me a little. About the HTC One, yes, its a fast phone, but Sense 5.0 is not for me and no, I won't use launchers. Period. The screen is better? I don't know. Thats what reviews and people that own it say. It actually doesn't matter to me, at least. As long as the screen looks great, who cares if there are other better ones out there. I like my Xperia Z screen just fine, thank you. Call me dumb, but this is just my opinion. And the above is YOUR opinion, and I respect that. Everyone have different views on different phones.
Thanks for letting me know what you think
_JT said:
Thanks for your input. I suggest you take a look at the AnandTech review of the HTC One and you'll find the camera is excellent, if not the best available. I really like my Z but I find it unrealistic to say the camera is better if Sony doesn't fix the extreme post-processing. In low-light conditions the One wins hands down. Not so weird with optical image stabilization and pixels that are twice as big.
I'd suggest taking a picture (in auto mode) of a tree or bush at lets say 2-3 meters distance and then look at the picture at 100%. You'll see it's smeared out. Funny thing is, try the same in burst and you'll see it looks MUCH better.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2221246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... Sure, I'll have a look. In my experience, I find the Xperia Z camera to be better then the HTC One. The Xperia Z takes great pictures. Details are present even far in the background, unlike the HTC One, which is just a fuzzy mess. Maybe its the particular model that I tried out. I'm just content with my Xperia Z camera now. Thanks for sharing your view

Great reviews. I like sony smartphone's special interface very much, and as well as its music. But I just want to experience the Ultrapixel camera of HTC One.

Good review. I did a similar SWOT analysis between the HTC One, the Sony Xperia Z and the HTC Butterfly and finally bought the Xperia Z. Here's the link for those who'd like to see and decide (or comment).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2171584
Dead cookies leave no trails...

I am wondering how many people here that say their pictures with the HTC One looks worse actually own the device and have tested it extensively instead of just a quick pic in the store.
biffsmash said:
I would have to say the Z has excellent low light capabilities when flash is not required. I am not impressed with HTC one camera or samples at all and have read reviews that rubbish the HTC One camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe this is interesting to see: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_software_update_improves_camera_performance-news-5759.php

biffsmash said:
The only other issue for me, which again is a big shame considering the phone is made by Sony, is the music quality.
The music through the earphones is far too quiet, and the quality leaves a lot to be desired.
Say what you will about Beats audio on HTC phones, but the HTC One X beats the Z into the ground on volume and sound quality.
One X has no distortion at volume levels twice that of the Z! Max volume on the Z is around 30% too quiet, and the sound quality
is a little underwhelming, with the EQ having a strange volume limiting effect on walkman player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally disagree on this point. The quality I've heard from the XZ surpasses every phone (In my opinion) If you're having some issues regarding the sound try out the sound mods in the dev section.
About the volume itself: I'm biking each day to work with music on (earpiece) and most of the times I don't even come near the 75% mark of volume and even then i hear everything perfect. So that's while the wind is blowing in/over my ear. I've heard some more people complain about the volume itself, each time I read it, I ask myself: What have these people been doing to their ears that they find the sound too low, or either you're all 60+ (No offense).
So if you haven't tried any of the sound mods, I'd say do so, it might change your mind. Each and every day I'm amazed about the sound quality.
Sounds mods (require root):
[SOUNDMOD] PureXAudio v10.1
AC!D Audio Engine v2

Dsteppa said:
I totally disagree on this point. The quality I've heard from the XZ surpasses every phone (In my opinion) If you're having some issues regarding the sound try out the sound mods in the dev section.
About the volume itself: I'm biking each day to work with music on (earpiece) and most of the times I don't even come near the 75% mark of volume and even then i hear everything perfect. So that's while the wind is blowing in/over my ear. I've heard some more people complain about the volume itself, each time I read it, I ask myself: What have these people been doing to their ears that they find the sound too low, or either you're all 60+ (No offense).
So if you haven't tried any of the sound mods, I'd say do so, it might change your mind. Each and every day I'm amazed about the sound quality.
Sounds mods (require root):
[SOUNDMOD] PureXAudio v10.1
AC!D Audio Engine v2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After your and biffsmash posts I got curious. Quickly tried my Jamo in-ears and AKG DJ619. Result: Jamo's were VERY loud and max volume on the AKG was just about enough, really wouldn't want any louder than that. Not sure wether I heard distortion but this was streamed, need to listen to good quality recordings first before I can judge sound quality. From what I can remember from my HOX it wasn't really louder.

Dannyada1988 said:
Great reviews. I like sony smartphone's special interface very much, and as well as its music. But I just want to experience the Ultrapixel camera of HTC One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be sure to drop by your local Carrier retail store to check it out!
Cookie Ninja said:
Good review. I did a similar SWOT analysis between the HTC One, the Sony Xperia Z and the HTC Butterfly and finally bought the Xperia Z. Here's the link for those who'd like to see and decide (or comment).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2171584
Dead cookies leave no trails...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I'll take a look at your post as well.
_JT said:
I am wondering how many people here that say their pictures with the HTC One looks worse actually own the device and have tested it extensively instead of just a quick pic in the store.
Maybe this is interesting to see: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_software_update_improves_camera_performance-news-5759.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is good to hear for HTC One users and potential owners. Its actually pretty bad. I spent 30mins at the store checking it out. But that's before the update though. Maybe its much better now

Well I am using Xperia Z for 4-5 day's now.. It's really beautiful phone and if I can say - something different for me..
After years of using Galaxy ( S, S2, S3, Note 2) I decided to switch to Sony for the first time.. Some things are different, but I was able to do those simple things root/CWM.. (And that all I know how to do, but again those are most important things for me).. I don't want to play with those bootloaders because I don't know what it's doing and I can f..k up my phone - so no ROM's for me now..
What I don't like about phone (or where I am little disappointed) :
SOUND is too low on max volume.. On my Galaxy I could never put it on max volume.. Here on max volume is just - pfff... weak..
(Headphones which come with phone - REALLY STUPID not having volume up/down, so you have to take your phone every time when you want to change volume.. That cord on right earphone sooo long, on the left so short - annoying... )
CAMERA - I did't use it for this couple of day's - but I was looking here on XDA thread with Xpera Z images/photos... VERY disappointing.. Photos are just NOT SHARP at all.. Only thing that I am hoping for is that Sony will fix that with some software update.. Because you can't tell me that one SONY whose sensor has been used by so many other phones - can't make its camera perfect (at least better than competition)..
Those are things for now that I can see.. But as I said I am using this phone only for couple of days now - will see..

_JT said:
Maybe this is interesting to see: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_software_update_improves_camera_performance-news-5759.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might wanna look at this
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_vs_xperia_z-review-917p9.php
Winner: Sony Xperia Z. The color rendering and HDR could have been better, but if Sony tweaks its image processing algorithms, the Xperia Z can put out some pretty good shots. Even as things stand now though, it has an advantage over the HTC One.
The HTC One enjoys a wider FoV, better color accuracy HDR, but the low 4MP resolution limits the resolved detail and image noise eats further into it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

PokerFaze said:
I've posted this before on the Xperia Z reviews thread, however, I've been reading lots of posts about the Xperia Z vs the HTC One and I'd thought I'd share my opinions on the Xperia Z and why I chose it instead of the HTC One. I've modified some information in the review to tell you more about why I chose the Z. The original can be found here: [http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40061336#post40061336]
My Honest Sony Xperia Z Review
Why I Chose The Xperia Z
I had the Xperia Z for a month or so and I'm ready to make my review on it. I was up for an upgrade last month(March) and was browsing through phones that may appeal to me. I am coming from an iPhone 5. In the end, there were only 3 phones that caught my eye. The Xperia Z, the HTC One and the HTC Butterfly, or Droid DNA in the USA. The Butterfly was the first to go as it lacked LTE and NFC. The Xperia Z and the HTC One remained. Luckily, I found a HTC One demo unit in one of the Carriers, Singtel(Plaza Singapura if any fellow Singaporeans wanna check it out). Well hidden in a corner, I should say and it was the Black one. At the same time, The Xperia Z just launched like, 2 days ago(At that time). Picking up the HTC One, I realized how solid it feels, and boy, premium was written all over it. I turned it on and played around with the software. It was good, lag-free and looks great. I tried the camera and I have to say it was horrible. No joke. It was not clear and most details looks fuzzy. Maybe thats just me, but it really looks not on par with phone cameras these days. Sense 5.0 was alright, it was clean and fresh from the previous Sense versions. BlinkFeed was just a Flipboard like widget on the homescreen. Sense 5.0 does looks nice, but it was not for me. I am also afraid of the build of the phone. I am a careless person. I have to admit. My iPhone 5 was covered in scuffs and dents all over the place. Having the full aluminium body makes me shudder every time I imagine dropping it. Wanted to know more but the HTC rep was nowhere to be seen. Next, I went to the Xperia Z demo unit. The Sony Xperia rep there gave me a run through on the specs and features. I was actually pretty impressed and excited by the fact I could take my phone to the shower and use it while showering. To me, what it means by having a good phone is having a good experience. When I picked up the phone, I immediately realized how realistic the colors looked when playing video and viewing images. Outside of that, it looked rather dark. The design was sexy. REALLY sexy. It felt extremely good in the hand and is durable. VERY durable. Dropped it a few times and not a scratch. The thing that closed the deal was the UI. I like the stock UI. In fact, I love it. The Xperia Z's UI is extremely close to stock. The Nexus 4 is not available here, so it was out of the question. The UI is neat, smooth and looked fabulous. Unlike HTC's Sense 5.0, which is an extremely heavy skin and does not appeal to me. With the water resistance, it was clear which is the phone for me. I hope after reading my review, you'll know which phone to get. We are all brothers here at XDA Developers and I hope that whichever phone we use, we may contribute to the developer community and not flame each other because of our personal preferences. XDA Developers is a place for developers, by developers. Lets not let our choice of phone affect that.
The Beauty Meets The Beast
The Xperia Z packs a SnapDragon S4 Pro Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor, Adreno 320 GPU and runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. It sports an all glass design, similar to the iPhone 4 and 4S. The Xperia Z has excellent build quality and looks absolutely fantastic. The ports are covered by flaps, which may prove to be an annoyance for some but with good purpose. The most prominent feature of the Xperia Z is probably the on/off button. Its large, and ridiculously well placed. It stands where the thumb rests on the phone, or the index finger if you're using your left hand and is incredibly convenient to press compared to the stretch you'd have to make on other phones. Below that is the volume rocker, also easy to access when needed. The speakers are indeed placed in a horrible position, as its easy to mute with your palm unintentionally but its not an issue for me as I use my phone with my left hand.
Overall, the design turns heads and the hardware don't fail to deliver. Feels solid in the hand, BUT might be a problem for people with small hands as it may cut into it and make it uncomfortable. Very, very impressive Sony.
User Interface
Sony's UI is probably the closes you can get to stock android, and I love it. It's simple, nothing fancy and neat, although, I'd like a Black theme rather then the Grey. There are some UI lags here and there though. The lack of Android 4.2.2 also disappoints me a little but its coming, and I'll wait for it. After all, Good things come to those who wait.
Performance Powerhouse
Lag is a thing of the past with the SnapDragon S4 Pro as everything is buttery smooth, with minor UI lags here and there. Problem solved with one of the launchers. I've also noticed a little waiting time when launching the camera. Games run smoothly and without issue, not to mention looks AWESOME on the Full HD display. Although, I'd prefer to see the SnapDragon 600 on the Xperia Z as a future proof maneuver as games get increasingly power hungry.
Camera, Video and Screen
Video playback is amazing on the Xperia Z, as a result of the Full HD 1080p screen. Words are crisp and I rarely see any pixels other then low-res images. The Camera doesn't disappoint either with a 13MP back camera and a 2.1MP front facing camera. Both camera film 1080p videos as well so vlogging on the phone will definitely be great. However, I did notice that the colors are not on par with other phones and look rather dark. The Bravia Mobile Engine 2 does help and actually make the colors extremely realistic, but only when viewing images and videos. Low contrast ratio here doesn't help either. Had no issue using the phone in daylight. The viewing angles are GREAT. Only having some colors being washed out, I don't see any issue with viewing angles. Even if there is an issue with viewing angles, who cares? Nobody, NOBODY uses their phones 90 degrees unless you're a total idiot.
Connectivity
No issues here. LTE, NFC. What else could you ask for? Have to say though, kudos to Sony on having a campaign on promoting NFC usage and even launching new TVs with NFC compatibility. Wi-Fi is great, only had issue when it keeps dropping on free public Wi-Fi access points. But hey, free Wi-Fi, who knows. No issues with the Wi-Fi at home.
Its Music To My Ears
I listen to music. A lot. Everyday to and fro school, when travelling, heck, even when I'm bored. The bundled headset, The MH-EX300AP is AWESOME in providing high quality sounds. Sony also has ClearAudio+, which is like Beats Audio on the HTC, makes the experience all the more awesome. You can say its like having an orgasm in your ears. Eargasm if i may.
Speaker & Microphone Quality
The speaker, is actually quite the disappointment as number one, its placed in a horrible position. Next, its not as loud as I'd like it to be. There's xLoud, but it sacrifices quality for volume. Considering the quality without xLoud, I'd rather have it disabled. Lastly, as said before, the quality isn't all that great. However, I got the NFC Wireless Speaker, The SRS-BTV5 for free, which solves all the above issues, thus no complaints from me. But its kinda inconvenient to carry a speaker around with you all the time, so yeah. It is an issue.
Call quality is great, however. I can hear the other party clearly and they can hear me clearly too. No issues with dropped calls.
The Xperia Z Runs Far, With Great Stamina
I start my day at 4:30AM and end at 6PM. With 80% battery left. Stamina mode is no gimmick, it really does help with the battery life. Awesome battery life. If the screen is mostly off that is, which is usually the case. I find that if LTE is enabled, battery drains extremely fast, which makes me resort to using HSPA+, which isn't that all bad in my country. HSPA+ use nearly 3 times as less battery then LTE on my set. Location Based Wi-Fi is AWESOME. Its really cool to have your Wi-Fi turn off automatically when you leave the house and turns on then you're back. Not to mention the convenience. The phone will probably last me 2 days or so, but I still charge it every night anyway. Don't we all do?
Prepared For Accidents
The Xperia Z is IP57 certified - dust and water resistant with water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes. Let's be honest here. We all had times where we wished we could take our phones into the shower or bathtub. That wish is now fulfilled. I take the Xperia Z into the shower with me everyday and text or watch YouTube videos while showering. When the phone is dirty? No sweat. Rinse it under washing water. Now you also do not have to worry about dropping your phone into the water or bring it camping in the desert(whatever the reason LOL). Plus, you can wow your friends or freak your parents out by pouring water on the phone or dunk it into a glass of water. Heck, even take it swimming. Be careful about salt water though, Sony does not recommend dunking it in salt water. With Wet Finger Tracking technology, you don't have to dry your hands to use your phone, although it does get a little jumpy at times. The phone is also quite durable as I've dropped the phone a few time and there's not a scratch. That a plus as I'm usually very careless.
Take note that the phone disables touch input while underwater so, no texting while swimming.
Conclusion
The Sony Xperia Z is a great phone. Its not for everybody, and it has it's fair shares of ups and downs. I am throughly satisfied with it and do not regret not waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One. Its great for the average user and is definitely good enough for me. The water and dust resistance is not necessary but its nice to have. Its smooth, provide great music listening, plays games like a champ. I would recommend it to anybody, but hey, its your call. You have the decision to which phone is right for you and nobody can force you to take the Xperia Z or any phone for the matter. For me, I made my choice, and I have no regrets whatsoever.
Therefore, I dare say: I'M A PROUD SONY XPERIA Z OWNER
Thank you for taking your precious time to read my review. I'm still a noob, and I hope I may be more useful to the developer community here.
P.s Feedback on my review?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Xperia Z for 2 weeks. For me the battery is horrible, it ends up for only one day. I'm thinking to much about HTC One. Now I rooted my Z, removed preloaded apps, battery is fine now

I just could not decide so got both One and Z

Water proof, without that, i wouldn't have bought Z .

daniel.nguyen said:
I have Xperia Z for 2 weeks. For me the battery is horrible, it ends up for only one day. I'm thinking to much about HTC One. Now I rooted my Z, removed preloaded apps, battery is fine now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm... The battery life on mine is awesome. 8 hours in school and the battery doesn't drop a single percentage. The preloaded apps might be the issue.
mndgz said:
I just could not decide so got both One and Z
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I guess that solves the problem as well
Sent from my Sexy White Xperia Z

I thiink exactly the same, great post

Best of Sony... is not really great..

First, I'd like to say that I'm not trying to hate on Sony or bash them, just pointing out that what they call "the best of Sony" isn't exactly great or better than the competition, though I really just want to point out about the display and camera. I moved on from the Note 3 to the Z1 (lost my Note 3, wanted a good phone with a good camera for a low price so I got an Xperia Z1), and here's what I've noticed.
Display:
Well, there's no other way to say it: for a flagship phone, the Z1's display isn't that great. Viewing angles are poor, and viewing it at even small angles puts a whitish hue over it that just doesn't look good. It might be good for privacy, but otherwise it's plain to see that they're using an inferior IPS tech than other manufacturers. The Note 3 or the Nexus 5's displays are clearly much better, and so is the one on the HTC One from early 2013. I've heard that the Z1 Compact finally has a great screen among Sony devices, so that's great, but I feel that many Sony fans are clearly ignorant of how much greener the grass in on the other side when it comes to displays.
Camera
To be honest, this is the biggest disappointment I've had with the Z1. I don't know if Sony was focusing purely on lossless zoom when adding the 20MP camera, but when it comes to resolved detail and visible noise, the Note 3's camera was better despite no fancy tech and standard sensor. Sure, it has a 13MP camera while the Z1 takes photos at 8MP after downsampling, but in general its photos are clearer and more detailed. I've tried taking 20MP pics, and they just do not come out as great as one would expect (if they focused on lossless zoom, even that hasn't worked out well in general outdoor photos), and Sony has basically squandered a nice opportunity.
But on the flip side, I love some things about the camera. It's fast to open (mainly thanks to the camera button), it's smooth, and is quick to change modes, which helped a lot on my weekend trip with my family.) I don't like that HDR isn't a dedicated mode and is simply a switch when you select 8MP photos in Manual, but other than that, it's pretty good overall. In fact, the quickness and the shutter button are what make me ignore the fact that in quality I've come down to a noticeably not-so-great-at-capturing-detail camera (the Note 3 took ages to select modes, open the camera app, and open pictures.)
That's something that's true in Sony's software overall: it's beautiful, sleek, and quick and responsive. I do miss some features from the Note 3 (Multi-Window, Smart Stay (extremely useful when you can't be bothered touching the screen to keep it awake), some camera modes, and the better multitasking (my Z1 is abysmal at holding apps in memory, and not because it's just 2GB of RAM.) It feels good to use, and that's a pretty good thing.
But again, the screen and camera have let me down considerably. Again, on the flip side, I love the phone's build (though it's a bit too bulky, but then it is waterproof), and things like the lanyard slot and camera button (conveniences manufacturers have forgotten in their quest to copy and follow Apple since the first iPhone arrived on the market).
So in the end it's clear that "the best of Sony" just isn't the right thing to say when your tech is behind the competition in some things and just isn't as great as owners of flagship devices of the competition have become used to. The pricing is great, though, but I kinda don't think I'd want to save a few bucks next time I want a phone, not unless Sony focuses on making the hardware more complete regarding awesomeness.
Sorry for the rant, and again, I wasn't bashing, overall I like my Z1, just don't love it (yet)!
P.S.: My Galaxy Gear is also now sitting idle, but I guess we can blame Samsung for making its watch incompatible with other devices. It's a useful watch, but not in use anymore. There is a hack to make it work with others, I tried it with the Z1, but most stuff just doesn't work. So I guess I'll buy Sony's smartwatch next. :silly:
P.P.S.: I hope KitKat comes soon. I like that Sony takes time to test its software, but with Samsung and HTC moving pretty quick with KitKat despite having heavy skins, and Samsung has even managed to not introduce any quirky bugs (they disabled third-party accessories, but an update over the weekend reversed that), I really want KitKat to come quick. I want wireless printing support (Samsung had this even before KitKat, one of the few reasons I appreciate Samsung's bloat sometimes, it has some useful features), and it might also solve the issue of lack of RAM on the Z1, even if only a little bit.

This is what you do on Sunday afternoon? We know Z1 is not best like expected.

eclyptos said:
This is what you do on Sunday afternoon? We know Z1 is not best like expected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's Sunday night where I am, and I had to get my thoughts out there after using the Z1's camera extensively the last two days (I bought the phone on Thursday.)

addicted2088 said:
It's Sunday night where I am, and I had to get my thoughts out there after using the Z1's camera extensively the last two days (I bought the phone on Thursday.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saturday Night? You should be in some club! ..ahah...just kidding...I know...I am really disappointed by the camera too....what I can surely said is that the problem of the camera quality is related to the Software, but I don't know if we will get better pictures. Many telling me that the Z1 make amazing pictures but mine is not fake and I still not get clear pictures like it should be. Full of Noise, and with Unlocked Bootloader get even worse.

I understand what you're saying, and you have valid points, but these type of complaints come up with every phone out there.
The HTC One has exactly the same Camera complaint that you do. The UltraPixel was a big disappointment for some. The thing about the Z1's camera is that it CAN be improved. The camera is actually extremely good if you use it in manual, and the pictures that come out are the best I've seen on an Android phone. Superior Auto is a bit of a mess though. That's a software problem, not hardware, so we hope kitKat can fix that.
The display is a valid complaint, but I feel head on it's better than the Note 3. The Z1 has one of the most color accurate screens out there, which I prefer over AMOLED oversaturation. The viewing angles personally for me isn't a problem but yes, it is a negative about this phone.
So in the end it's clear that "the best of Sony" just isn't the right thing to say when your tech is behind the competition in some things and just isn't as great as owners of flagship devices of the competition have become used to
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the Z1 IS the best of Sony...not sure what you're trying to say. I still feel like the Z1 is one of the best phones out there. Although lacking in some parts, the overall package is hard to beat: Snapdragon 800 processor, great battery life, great camera (Yes the camera is still very very good, just not as good as advertised), and best of all premium feeling. There is really no other phone that has all that together in one package right now. The Note 3 is better in some respects but for me feels cheap, and that is a HUGE con for me that overshadows anything else. The Nexus 5 has meh battery life and camera. The HTC One has a meh camera and lower end specs. The Galaxy S4 is no longer talked about when discussing high-end phones.
The point is there's no 'perfect' phone, and I concede that the Z1 does have weaknesses, but so does every other electronic device out there

addicted2088 said:
First, I'd like to say that I'm not trying to hate on Sony or bash them, just pointing out that what they call "the best of Sony" isn't exactly great or better than the competition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh huh.
My advice to you, since it appears you wrote this to practice the writing career you're hoping to have, is to consider other career options. You're not good at this.

learn to make the picture and you will find Z1 camera is great. all the comparatives with Note 3 and the other smartphones take Z1 on the top of Android world
display is very good. poor viewing angle are not a gap, but I can assume it is subjective.
when I watch photos and videos on Z1 display they are much nicer than on other displays.

kantk20111 said:
I understand what you're saying, and you have valid points, but these type of complaints come up with every phone out there.
The HTC One has exactly the same Camera complaint that you do. The UltraPixel was a big disappointment for some. The thing about the Z1's camera is that it CAN be improved. The camera is actually extremely good if you use it in manual, and the pictures that come out are the best I've seen on an Android phone. Superior Auto is a bit of a mess though. That's a software problem, not hardware, so we hope kitKat can fix that.
The display is a valid complaint, but I feel head on it's better than the Note 3. The Z1 has one of the most color accurate screens out there, which I prefer over AMOLED oversaturation. The viewing angles personally for me isn't a problem but yes, it is a negative about this phone.
Well, the Z1 IS the best of Sony...not sure what you're trying to say. I still feel like the Z1 is one of the best phones out there. Although lacking in some parts, the overall package is hard to beat: Snapdragon 800 processor, great battery life, great camera (Yes the camera is still very very good, just not as good as advertised), and best of all premium feeling. There is really no other phone that has all that together in one package right now. The Note 3 is better in some respects but for me feels cheap, and that is a HUGE con for me that overshadows anything else. The Nexus 5 has meh battery life and camera. The HTC One has a meh camera and lower end specs. The Galaxy S4 is no longer talked about when discussing high-end phones.
The point is there's no 'perfect' phone, and I concede that the Z1 does have weaknesses, but so does every other electronic device out there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not so sure about that ...
HTC has the best software updates ATM and fastest after Google.
It has the best low light camera + best smart flash with the 5 modes
Average daylight shots
best front cam with wide angle
The best mics hdr mics
The best speakers
The best headphones sound
It's the most quality phone
It has the best screen in overall
It has unmatched feel in the hand
Ir blaster
Ois
60 fps video + zoe + really working hdr video
BlinkFeed which is still unmatched with copies
Decent battery life
Great xda development
Most of these things aren't yet matched by the competition which is shame imo since htc one is 1 year old and it's still considered the best overall package phone even in 2014 and I doubt anything but HTC one 2 will surpass it which is only a month or two away.

A lot on that list are gimmicks and a few items there are disputable. If HTC were as ahead of everyone as you make them appear to be, then that's extremely incongruent to the terrible shape the company is in.

Another "OMG Sony why did you do this to me" thread.
Sony rules!!

Shan89 said:
Not so sure about that ...
HTC has the best software updates ATM and fastest after Google.
It has the best low light camera + best smart flash with the 5 modes
Average daylight shots
best front cam with wide angle
The best mics hdr mics
The best speakers
The best headphones sound
It's the most quality phone
It has the best screen in overall
It has unmatched feel in the hand
Ir blaster
Ois
60 fps video + zoe + really working hdr video
BlinkFeed which is still unmatched with copies
Decent battery life
Great xda development
Most of these things aren't yet matched by the competition which is shame imo since htc one is 1 year old and it's still considered the best overall package phone even in 2014 and I doubt anything but HTC one 2 will surpass it which is only a month or two away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want to get in a fight about whose phone is better, but everyone's got different preferences in a phone. A lot of the points you mentioned are opinions, and really can't be said in a comparison.
The most 'quality' phone and 'ummatched feel' is extremely subjective.
The Z1 is no less in quality than the HTC One and has as premium materials.
The Moto X and Z1 compact both have better feel, just because they're smaller.
Z1's battery life has been much better for me than HTC One in my experience.
Headphone sound is exactly the same for me. Beats is a gimmick and just a equalizer preset which I can also set on my Z1.
I will admit the HTC One's speakers is miles ahead of the Z1's and the display is better.
Camera as well is a lot better in the Z1 in daylight, but I remember you're the guy who wrote that HTC One vs Z1 camera test and I don't want to get in a fight again about that, so I won't go there. HTC One's better in low light, but the Z1 isn't that bad either.
The Z1's camera has a ton more features as well that are pretty cool to play around with. Gimmicks? Sure, but they're still fun. Also the Z1's viewfinder is much smoother.
All front facing cameras suck equally and don't believe there's a 'best' front facing camera.
edit: Oh, also concerning updates: This is the first time HTC have actually done well with updates. We'll see a year from now how they treat HTC One users. One X and One X+ users are stuck with official 4.2 while the Xperia T, which came out around the same time+, just got updated to 4.3. Sony might be slower at giving updates but they support their phones longer.
See, I just refuted half of your points. Of course you will disagree with me, but that's what's great about Android: everyone has different preferences and different opinions on what's the best. The HTC One is a fantastic phone and is my number 2 after the Z1, but it's still not the best for me. Nothing wrong with that.

omnius1 said:
A lot on that list are gimmicks and a few items there are disputable. If HTC were as ahead of everyone as you make them appear to be, then that's extremely incongruent to the terrible shape the company is in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly is gimmic ?
Ir blaster is very useful
Ois is very helpful in low light / movement or any other type of using the camera / 60 fps video is smooth as camera app on z1 and looks like you're looking thru the glass when watching an video / hdr video is awesome as well at low light , so is the zoe especially if you wanna take out some snaps after which are full sized , I forgot slow motion video as well which is fun tho.
Smart flash is very useful indeed and can take photos from 5cm in pitch black up to 10 meters , with the walls it can go even further
Stereo frontal speakers ...how is this a gimmic lol , anything you do on a phone sounds crazy good + loud + it hits you in the face.
Full metal body is always a good thing , it screams premium ...
Feel in the hand indeed is unmatched due metal + device shape
hdr mics pick up the sound you wouldn't believe that the phone is doing it.
I've forgot also talking via phone is unmatched as well , you get stereo sound + you can talk in super loud environment perfectly fine.
Headphones sound wouldn't be a gimmic as well lol ... Ppl just use that ...on daily bases ..
Software updates is definitely not an gimmic we all want fast and working updates ASAP ,which is not the case with the Sony , it's far from it.
Xda development for me personally is very important since I love to flash + the fact HTC one has about 9/10 times more development it's a must have for me.
The only gimmicky thing would be if you don't like the the BlinkFeed that'd be all which can be turned off.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

We have to open a thread " @@Shan89 VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:

lol
I had Xperia z1 , camera sucked , phone was too hot and screen is utter **** , so I changed to HTC one for the same stuff you wrote here!

Honestly I am huge fan of HTC but actually I do not brought HTC One, which was cheaper, just because there is no micro SD Slot, and when Apps to SD will be available on Z1, or even Apk on internal and Data on SD on Custom Roms, I will not have regrets to have Z1.

eclyptos said:
We have to open a thread " @@Shan89 VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah mate it ain't fight Lol. I was just pointing that there are devices which are quite more complete. Of course I can't think of anything else besides z1 that comes equal to m7 pretty much all devices lack design and quality which both z1 and htc have.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

eclyptos said:
We have to open a thread " [MENTION=3721363 [user=4914682]@Shan89[/user][/MENTION] VS @kantk20111 " ..hahah..
Ladies and Gentlemen may I present, Shan89 from HTC Section VS kantk20111 from Sony section, Round 2.
FIGHT!
:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No more fighting lol, just 2 guys who really love their phones alot . For me the HTC One and Z1 will always be the top of Android, with Samsung, LG and the rest way below. Sony and HTC have style along with awesome hardware.
edit: @Shan89 beat me to it

Came from the GSIII and this phone blows it out of the water, so I'm happy.
Sent from my C6916 using xda app-developers app

I came from htc one to z1 for reasons like low battery camera quality purple tint issue and worst of all its easily breakable body which produced dents on a simple fall
Sent from my C6902 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Shan89 said:
HTC has the best software updates "ATM" and fastest after Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coming from a T-Mobile HTC One S and being left hangin' with no further updates from 4.1 Jellbean...I jumped off their bandwagon and upgraded to the Sony Xperia Z1S.
I'm glad that HTC is finally wiling to support their top tier products, but a bit too late for me...HTC lost in my book.
The clear winner (for me) is Sony! :good:

Z5 Compact a joke?

Why is this Z5 compact such a joke? It almost has the same specs as the z3 compact and the new camera aint all that good. The new sensor might be good but what if you cant make the software work? Its like putting a retard in a F1 car. Look at these photosamples http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/talk/4523/4953454/1/rv/sony-xperia-z5-compact-review/ on the right you find a note 5, which has a sony sensor at 16MP and on the left you find the Z5 premium with a 21MP sensor but it cant shoot any good pictures in the dark..... So again sony ****ed it up.

Name a single <5" non-iOS phone that can compete on specifications.

supercakefish said:
Name a single <5" non-iOS phone that can compete on specifications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think he's specifically talking about the specs of the phone, just that the camera still sucks.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

But I can't think of any <5" phone that can compete camera-wise (except the iPhone 6S)?
And I think we should wait for more photo samples to appear before we take final judgement. Most of these early photo samples are using non-final software.
Here's a review that says the camera is the best in class:
http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...ria-z5-compact-review-best-smaller-smartphone

Hate to point out the obvious but every new phone that comes is an incremental improvement over its predecessor. Look at the iPhone, people(fools) queue for hours to be first to get the new model with 10% faster cpu, 10% bigger screen, 10% more pixels on the cmos sensor, and 20% less battery power. How i chuckle when i see iphone 6 owners, like junkies desperately looking for their next power fix! But, i digress.
A jack of all trades is a master of none. It is after all, a phone. It is not meant to be a world class, low light camera. My first camera phone was 0.3megapix. I thought it was pretty damn cool to have a camera at all. People just take it for granted nowadays. You want good low light photos, buy a camera. You know, them things you cant make phone calls on!

RiTCHiE007 said:
Why is this Z5 compact such a joke? It almost has the same specs as the z3 compact and the new camera aint all that good. The new sensor might be good but what if you cant make the software work? Its like putting a retard in a F1 car. Look at these photosamples http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/talk/4523/4953454/1/rv/sony-xperia-z5-compact-review/ on the right you find a note 5, which has a sony sensor at 16MP and on the left you find the Z5 premium with a 21MP sensor but it cant shoot any good pictures in the dark..... So again sony ****ed it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The camera is a lot better than the Z3.
This thread is like giving a retard a keyboard and allowing them to post on forums.

kitch9 said:
The camera is a lot better than the Z3.
This thread is like giving a retard a keyboard and allowing them to post on forums.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really because i owned a z3c and own a z5c and the z5c isn't that great to begin with. So the only tard in this topic is you bro.

RiTCHiE007 said:
Not really because i owned a z3c and own a z5c and the z5c isn't that great to begin with. So the only tard in this topic is you bro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok bro....

You own a Z5C despite proclaiming it to be 'a joke' before it even went on sale? Huh... interesting.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

kitch9 said:
Ok bro....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brothers love, eey?

RiTCHiE007 said:
Not really because i owned a z3c and own a z5c and the z5c isn't that great to begin with. So the only tard in this topic is you bro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I to had Z3C, were active in XDA section for it, and for one i KNOW Z5C has a better camera to start with. Only thing it doesn't have is battery life on KK with Z3C which owned every cell phone with flagship specs.
On Z3C my focus struggled at times, colors were oversaturated and in many occasions picture looked washed out. That is not the case on Z5C BUT there is a lot room for improvement and i think Sony will do it in time. Great potential with the IMX230 hardware.

wouldn't it be a good idea to make a static topic for flaming about a certain device, so we can focus on the good things instead of getting distracted by this kind of topics?

willumpie82 said:
wouldn't it be a good idea to make a static topic for flaming about a certain device, so we can focus on the good things instead of getting distracted by this kind of topics?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not flaming its the truth but some just cant handle it.

bubimir13 said:
I to had Z3C, were active in XDA section for it, and for one i KNOW Z5C has a better camera to start with. Only thing it doesn't have is battery life on KK with Z3C which owned every cell phone with flagship specs.
On Z3C my focus struggled at times, colors were oversaturated and in many occasions picture looked washed out. That is not the case on Z5C BUT there is a lot room for improvement and i think Sony will do it in time. Great potential with the IMX230 hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the camera on the z3c was worse then on the z5c but when you look at the pictures taken with a z5c you will see blurry edges and its almost impossible to make awesome macro shots. So even tho this camera is a bit better it still cant mess with other high ends like note 5 or LG g4 that also uses a sony sensor so thats why i think this z5c is kinda a joke. But if sony doesn't fix all these problems like laggy OS then this will be my last sony phone.

If you really think the performance is as bad as you say you should properly try another vendor! In my experience, they are at least as bad and some a lot worse..
Honestly, I would prefer a smaller Nexus, and might even go for the 5X despite the size.. Nexus device are best in performance (os lag eg), the rest are catching up lately!
You do know that the standard resolution in the app is set to 8M, right?.. I did read its better at that res, but you should maybe try and change it, it goes up to 23 you know..
Sendt fra min E5823 med Tapatalk

supercakefish said:
You own a Z5C despite proclaiming it to be 'a joke' before it even went on sale? Huh... interesting.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, because before it was out i judged on sample photo's and now that i own 1 i can confirm it that everything is knew before buying 1 was true. Even in clear daylight most photo's always seem to have a bit of blur on the right side. And batterylife is a bit wonky.

RiTCHiE007 said:
Yup, because before it was out i judged on sample photo's and now that i own 1 i can confirm it that everything is knew before buying 1 was true. Even in clear daylight most photo's always seem to have a bit of blur on the right side. And batterylife is a bit wonky.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to hear that. I had the same problem (except on the left edge instead), returned for a replacement and the second one is much better. It only blurs out the very far corners and only rarely, most pictures are fine. Have you still time for an exchange?
My battery life experience is pretty decent.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

supercakefish said:
Sorry to hear that. I had the same problem (except on the left edge instead), returned for a replacement and the second one is much better. It only blurs out the very far corners and only rarely, most pictures are fine. Have you still time for an exchange?
My battery life experience is pretty decent.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No but i can always send it back to the repair center because they sold me a faulty unit but i need to make more photo's to give it a final judgement tho. Which color phone you got and what rev number is on the box if i may ask?

RiTCHiE007 said:
No but i can always send it back to the repair center because they sold me a faulty unit but i need to make more photo's to give it a final judgement tho. Which color phone you got and what rev number is on the box if i may ask?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yellow. 1298-3810 Rev 1. My first one which had the blur was also the exact same though so I'm not sure whether that number means all that much.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

supercakefish said:
Yellow. 1298-3810 Rev 1. My first one which had the blur was also the exact same though so I'm not sure whether that number means all that much.
Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea guess the color has nothing to do with is then because lots of white one's have the most problems it seems.

US version z5 compact impressions

Hi
I got the phone from amazon yesteday. My previous phone is z3 compact.
Build quality:
To start with fingerprint is disabled on us version. I really like the new glass material on the back when compared to my z3c. The lock/unlock button is big and pronounced and feedback is good. Over all build quality is excellent. I prefer this phone for form factor. I did not find any phone in the market nearly spec'd as this in compact size.
4/5
Display:
A part from that display is the same as z3c. No improvement at all except it is more brighter. But for some reason it feels dim under sunlight. I dont have z3c with me right now to compare. But i think z3c is a little more bright under sunlight. Other than that i hate the display. I am ok with 720p but the colors suck. Blacks are better than previous model but still have greyish tint.. Overall i hate this display.. I dont understand why sony makes such beautiful displays for TV's and worse displays on their smart phones.
2/5
Sound:
Speaker volume is tiny. Even though they are front facing volume is too low for my liking. Speaker phone volume when on calls is terrible. For the earphones its the other way round. Clarity is excellent. Sony did not include any earphones despite charging 499+tax which is a shame. I did not experience any bluetooth issues. Worked fine in my car and with my lg headset.
3/5
Performance:
I dont see noticeable improvement in performance from z3c to z5c. Apps open a tad bit faster. Ram is the same so dont except much with multitasking. It handled decent.. I see lagging and frame rate drop from time to time.. May be lollipop? Because i tested nexus 6p on marshmallow with sd810 and it flies.. Hopefully update should fix it. Also i noticed back of my phone very hot when i am restoring apps from google play after first boot.. I also feel the heat when its charging.. After that i did not feel heat again.. I dont play any games on my phone so not a deal breaker
3/5
Camera:
As sony touts, focus is very quick. But my god.. It takes forever to launch the app and take a photo.. Photo quality is decent in day light but low light it is terrible with a lot of noise. Again the same.. Sony makes some great point and shoot and DSLR cameras. Provides sensors for major manufacturers but fails with their phones.. Need major work especially with software.. I did not test video recording
3/5
Battery:
The biggest pro for this phone.. I did not have it longer to give statements but from what i see it is amazing.. Standby drain is ok.. Lost 9% over the course of 8 hours which is acceptable.. currently at 63% with 2 hrs 14 mins screen on time which is great..
5/5
Conclusion:
Overall i am disappointed with the phone. What ever it does it is just ok except for battery and build quality. Display and camera are deal breakers for me. I have the same impressions with my z3c but compact size won me over display and camera issues. After 1 year i cannot take this anymore.. 23mp camera upgrade is a dud.. same display.. bad speaker quality despite of front facing.. Some heating issues which is ok but still for a $500 phone.. With fingerprint disabled in us markets i dont see a good reason to upgrade from a z3c if you have one. If you want compact size phone with great battery , excellent build and dont mind short comings of display and camera look no further. For me sadly i will be returning this phone.
Let me know if you have any questions

Pretty fair review. I agree with all your points. The Z5 series is very disappointing, and the awful firmware doesn't help. I'm not very impressed by Sony (it's my first Sony phone) and I will probably replace my Z5 soon for something better.
Sadly, I don't think they belong in the same league as LG, Motorola, a Nexus or Samsung (despite Touchwiz). I wouldn't recommend someone to buy a Xperia over a Nexus or Galaxy. Too many issues and flaws

fair review and agree with most points..

sravanz said:
Let me know if you have any questions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have other thoughts. IPS screen you must have grey scale issues it's just more or less, if you want true black go get an Amoled. The screen on Z5c is excellent and color is more of a personal taste, on Z5 the color style tend to the more accurate side not the eye catching one. The same on the camera color reproduction, my Z1c photo provided more vivd color and sometimes it does look better. But in fact, the Z5c color is closer to real scene.
I've heard the speaker volume is a bit lower than Z3c but the quality on Z5c should be better, more stereo output.
Marshmallow will optimize the big.Little CPU so expected speed gains later.
Camera is good within 200iso range both day and light. Low-light photo is also good but only if you manage to shoot at low ISO without OIS...lol... It real better than my Z1c at low iso but above 200iso my Z1c outperformed Z5c noticeably, I think it is a software issue waiting for 6.0 to fix the camera driver.
The official price of Z5c in Hong Kong dropped to USD460 now in all major provider channel, I think it is more valuable here.

The speaker on Z5c is great. Go to sound settings and turn on Dynamic Normaliser only. And turn off all the other settings. And you'll get great sound on speaker. It's much much better than on Z3c. Nearly as good as Boomsound and no I'm not exaggerating. Sound also depends on the app or the kind of music.
You can try the song " Diary Of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin on Youtube after setting it up like I said, to test how loud the speakers are.

TheEndHK said:
I have other thoughts. IPS screen you must have grey scale issues it's just more or less, if you want true black go get an Amoled. The screen on Z5c is excellent and color is more of a personal taste, on Z5 the color style tend to the more accurate side not the eye catching one. The same on the camera color reproduction, my Z1c photo provided more vivd color and sometimes it does look better. But in fact, the Z5c color is closer to real scene.
I've heard the speaker volume is a bit lower than Z3c but the quality on Z5c should be better, more stereo output.
Marshmallow will optimize the big.Little CPU so expected speed gains later.
Camera is good within 200iso range both day and light. Low-light photo is also good but only if you manage to shoot at low ISO without OIS...lol... It real better than my Z1c at low iso but above 200iso my Z1c outperformed Z5c noticeably, I think it is a software issue waiting for 6.0 to fix the camera driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand your point about deep blacks. I have seen several other screens which are not amoled and produce not only better blacks but also have a vibrant display.. I dont think iphone or htc m9 has amoled screen. I am comparing to those because for the price we are paying we should get a better quality display considering iphone 6s also has 760p screen and is better overall.. May be i prefer vibrant or saturated colors rather than real life ones as you are stating.. Even nexus 5x screen looks amazing to me and its not amoled..
For the sound as you said clarity may be good but it is very low and if you are outside you can hardly hear it..
For camera even though there is manual mode i prefer phone to handle it automatically rather than me tinkering with settings. I like how well optimized samsung's and apple's camera software.. I want to see that level of output with sony's. Sadly it is no where near it..
I havent used z1c.. From what i can see you are quite happy with the jump.. But from z3c to z5c that too us variant there is no good reason to upgrade

sravanz said:
I havent used z1c.. From what i can see you are quite happy with the jump.. But from z3c to z5c that too us variant there is no good reason to upgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experiences, Apple & HTC & LG always use top-notch LCD screen, they pretty much represented the best screen you can get on market. I've to admit Sony usually only used second grade panel but Z5c isn't bad in my opinions. There are many beautiful FHD/2K but you hardly could find one small screen 720P better with the only exception of IP6/IP6s. The official price of Z5c is USD460 now in HK and to that price level, I think worth it. Yes, I think you prefer vibrant or saturated color.
The jump from Z1c to Z5c is big enough to stay but it's a mixed result to me bcoz sometimes I also prefer more vivd color photo/video from Z1c(but overall I prefer accurate color) and 320iso started better than my Z5c, not to mention my Z1c 4K video(with 4K mod) at low-light even got better focus and quality. If Sony doesn't fix the camera in 6.0, I may sell it out and stick with Z1c and wait Z6c/Z7c.

TheEndHK said:
In my experiences, Apple & HTC & LG always use top-notch LCD screen, they pretty much represented the best screen you can get on market. I've to admit Sony usually only used second grade panel but Z5c isn't bad in my opinions. There are many beautiful FHD/2K but you hardly could find one small screen 720P better with the only exception of IP6/IP6s. The official price of Z5c is USD460 now in HK and to that price level, I think worth it. Yes, I think you prefer vibrant or saturated color.
The jump from Z1c to Z5c is big enough to stay but it's a mixed result to me bcoz sometimes I also prefer more vivd color photo/video from Z1c(but overall I prefer accurate color) and 320iso started better than my Z5c, not to mention my Z1c 4K video(with 4K mod) at low-light even got better focus and quality. If Sony doesn't fix the camera in 6.0, I may sell it out and stick with Z1c and wait Z6c/Z7c.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.. Its 499 here and with tax it came to 540 for me.. Hopefully marshmallow update should fix some of the issues.. Amazon has 30 day return policy so i will see if i get update and if it fixes camera issues.. i might keep it

Sadman Khan said:
The speaker on Z5c is great. Go to sound settings and turn on Dynamic Normaliser only. And turn off all the other settings. And you'll get great sound on speaker. It's much much better than on Z3c. Nearly as good as Boomsound and no I'm not exaggerating. Sound also depends on the app or the kind of music.
You can try the song " Diary Of Jane" by Breaking Benjamin on Youtube after setting it up like I said, to test how loud the speakers are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..

sravanz said:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.. Its 499 here and with tax it came to 540 for me.. Hopefully marshmallow update should fix some of the issues.. Amazon has 30 day return policy so i will see if i get update and if it fixes camera issues.. i might keep it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow it's freaky expensive 540, no wonder you are unhappy. It's only 460 here no tax and small retailers may even sell a bit lower but no return policy.

TheEndHK said:
wow it's freaky expensive 540, no wonder you are unhappy. It's only 460 here no tax and small retailers may even sell a bit lower but no return policy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see a lot of listings on ebay for international version around 430 and no tax but problem is no returns and no warranty

sravanz said:
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/themes-apps/split-thread-soundmod-xperia-z5-project-t3255636
I think sound mod might be able to fix your issue but you got to root your phone to void the warranty.
---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------
sravanz said:
I see a lot of listings on ebay for international version around 430 and no tax but problem is no returns and no warranty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
460 here comes with warranty.

TheEndHK said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/themes-apps/split-thread-soundmod-xperia-z5-project-t3255636
I think sound mod might be able to fix your issue but you got to root your phone to void the warranty.
---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:24 PM ----------
460 here comes with warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If unlock bootloader i think i will lose drm keys which makes camera even worse and no warranty so not gonna do that right now.. thanks

sravanz said:
It did sound good.. My issue is with watching videos with people talking and listening podcasts..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What podcast app do you use? If you use Pocket Casts, there's a feature that's kind of hidden away that boosts the volume substantially. You have to play an episode of a podcast, and bring up the control screen (the screen where you would skip back or skip forward the audio). On the bottom left hand corner should be what looks like a dial. If you click on it, you should get an option to "Volume Boost" that you can click on. Made a huge difference for me.

Adrift98 said:
What podcast app do you use? If you use Pocket Casts, there's a feature that's kind of hidden away that boosts the volume substantially. You have to play an episode of a podcast, and bring up the control screen (the screen where you would skip back or skip forward the audio). On the bottom left hand corner should be what looks like a dial. If you click on it, you should get an option to "Volume Boost" that you can click on. Made a huge difference for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes i use pocketcasts.. will try that.. thanks for the tip

sravanz said:
If unlock bootloader i think i will lose drm keys which makes camera even worse and no warranty so not gonna do that right now.. thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been used DRM patch for 2~3 weeks on my z5c.

I've been debating weather I want to go back to the z5c. (had one but sold to try the 5x) Is there any real reason to buy the US version over the UK version besides warranty? I'd buy the UK model to save for sure.
*edit.. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread but I would love an answer
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Notchr302 said:
I've been debating weather I want to go back to the z5c. (had one but sold to try the 5x) Is there any real reason to buy the US version over the UK version besides warranty? I'd buy the UK model to save for sure.
*edit.. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread but I would love an answer
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/general/e6653-flash-e6603-firmware-enable-t3307158
It's very easy to enable fingerprint sensor without root and void warranty on US Z5, I think it's just same on US Z5c.

sravanz said:
Hi
Camera:
As sony touts, focus is very quick. But my god.. It takes forever to launch the app and take a photo.. Photo quality is decent in day light but low light it is terrible with a lot of noise. Again the same.. Sony makes some great point and shoot and DSLR cameras. Provides sensors for major manufacturers but fails with their phones.. Need major work especially with software.. I did not test video recording
3/5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you let us know which firmware version is running on your Z5c? On my phone with firmware 32.0.A.6.200 (unlocked German version) the camera app starts up quickly when I firmly push the camera button. Also starting the app from the app drawer doesn't show noticeable delays. Maybe an update will resolve (some) of your issues.

I agree with:
- Build quality.
- Performance
-Camera: I'd rest 1 more point; 2/5 in total because I don't like the FoV of this camera and the minimum focus distance of 12mm, bad for really close close-ups. Obviously, considering the price of the phone. As you said, photos under a LOT of light are fine). I really don't like the camera of this phone is my biggest disappointment.
- Battery
I disagree with:
> Display: for me it's fine, 4/5 or 5/5. I'm happy with it (except for the Auto Brightness bug), I love the idea of a 720p screen with 2015 hardware (I know you didn't complain about the resolution), battery and performance is incredible thanks to this resolution and DPI settings. Brightness is high enough for me under the sun. They should tweak a little more the auto brightness levels in dark rooms.
> Sound: I don't care too much about, I mean, speaker is hi enough. It's stereo. Sound is fine for games and some quick videos. Not good for music, like any small speaker. But I never use small speakers for that. Maybe not a 5/5 but 4/5 would be my score.
One important point is the time to update after a new version is released. Sony has a 0/5 in that. At least for the Z5 line.
If I were you I'd enable the fingerprint sensor. But if you need to open the bootloader I'd wait some more time before do it.

24 Hrs with the Z5 Prem.. Initial Impressions..

Hey all
Just got my Z5 Prem Chrome yesterday (unlocked and Unbranded, but on O2 UK) and I wanted to give my first impressions...
On set up I logged onto Wifi and downloaded MM 6.0 (build 163) so I cant comment on 511.
The screen is Gorgeous, I have it set round about 50 - 60% and in daylight.. I can see it fine, Sunlight.. well every phone struggles in bright Sunlight.
Music Player has an awesome and quite cool UI, sounds Great through the Speakers but can distort if set too loud.. but I used to own an M8 then an M9.. so Im a little bit spoiled by them... The speaker audio lacks the bass and fullness of the M9, but to me the Z5s sound sweeter and more musical than the M9s, but I reckon the Z5 issue maybe the weterproofing membrane they put on the Z5 speakers.. but theyre still good and a joy to listen too.
But where true quality lies is in the Headphones.. and man.. Is the sound amazing in headphones... and this is where you know you have a Walkman.. Wow.. blew my mind and blows away any phone or Ive ever used including the 24-bit G4 and M9. Ive tried both a set of LG Quadbeat 3s and Sennheiser 400s.
And now for the major question.. and thankfully.. Yes the Camera is good, in fact it can be truely awesome... coming from a G4,. I can see how the G4 over-sharpened and over-processed its images, but the Z5 has a fantastic colour reproduction and accurate white balance. Lack of OIS isnt a big issue Ive found.. the images arent over sharpened and do have a "realness" to them.. they arent as "sharp and crispy"" as the G4 or S6 but this is a good thing and the camera can turn out some beautiful shots.
One thing I will say about "Auto Mode", part of the reason for the softness, especially when zooming in is that the camera tends to set the ISO very low... even as low as 40, probably in order to combat noise... but this has an opposite effect as well.. in that it softens the image right down, this is something to be aware of as some people like crispy images and can give the impression of the camera under performing. In order to combat this.. Use Manual mode and set your ISO manually.
For everyday use 8Mpx is great and strangely enough... theres not that big a jump between 8 and 20mpx,, but the difference is there. One thing i did find with the camera is it can over-expose alot of the time.. but using Manual Mode and dropping the EV down half a stop (0 - 0.5) or even a full stop (0 - -1) fixes this.
Also, unlike the standard Z5, the Prem model, at least mine anyway, doesnt suffer from the poor camera quality alot of forum threads have mentioned.
Im still on my first battery charge after 24 hrs (Im a light to mod user), but as with all new phones.. the battery needs 1-2 full cycles to fully "wake up", but so far Im quite pleased with it.
So im very happy with my new Z5 premium, and its hard to pick out an exact fault, other than the extremely low ISO settings, but Its fast, its fluid.. no lag, but coming from a G4 or S6, the camera imaging is "different".. but in a good way, but not worse.. it doesnt have the harsh over-processing, Great Music player.. and contrary to some forum posts.. Ringtones and Notifications are plenty loud enough, even with Volume set at 80 - 90% and with "Increased Ringtone" toggle "OFF"
Wouldve also been nice to see SONY include a set of Noise Cancelling headphones in the Box as a Premium.. or Wireless QI charging as standard on the Premium model, but in truth I guess Ide rather have the bigger screen and unlike trhe vanilla Z5, the camera that works.
Hope this helps you make a desicion....
Have Fun

The camera is great... not as good as lumia 1020 but I am accepting the fact that lumia is dead... I am using snapspeed and it make the pic taken by z5 way better...
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I bought me a pair of MDR-NC750 in-ear NC headphones.
WOW what a good combination that is, it is realy good in the airplane.
Much more comfortable than my MDR-1RNC over the ear NC headphone, which is also awesome.
I tested them both on two intercontinental flights. I cannot say which one is better.
The amount of cancelling from the MDR-1RNC is a bit better, but the MDR-NC750 is more comfortable when you want to sleep.
I can recommend anybody to go for MDR-NC750.

Just received my chrome beauty today!
I'm in love like the good ol' days of Sony Ericsson!
I'm really excited about the phone and, oh god, this thing is insanely smooth in every aspect!
The screen is gorgeous, the sound through headphones is superb, the construction is rock solid, the camera is very good, the signal is nice and there's a lot of things better than all the phones i've tested!
Finally back to Sony Xperia Family that i missed since Z3!
Oh! And the "heat" is on par with every flagship that i've tested! (S6, Note 5, G4, Meizu Pro 5)

Luhccas-X10 said:
Just received my chrome beauty today!
I'm in love like the good ol' days of Sony Ericsson!
I'm really excited about the phone and, oh god, this thing is insanely smooth in every aspect!
The screen is gorgeous, the sound through headphones is superb, the construction is rock solid, the camera is very good, the signal is nice and there's a lot of things better than all the phones i've tested!
Finally back to Sony Xperia Family that i missed since Z3!
Oh! And the "heat" is on par with every flagship that i've tested! (S6, Note 5, G4, Meizu Pro 5)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reading this made me a bit happy!
I also tried lots of phones in the past and I currently have a Note 4 and looking for a worthy upgrade.
I know the note 4 can beat the Z5 premium in many ways/areas especially productivity/spen!
But I'm seeking a different experience! I tried LG, tried oneplus (cm and near stock), I want to try now Sony and HTC.
Do you think the z5p is a wise upgrade for me?

Life Engineer said:
Reading this made me a bit happy!
I also tried lots of phones in the past and I currently have a Note 4 and looking for a worthy upgrade.
I know the note 4 can beat the Z5 premium in many ways/areas especially productivity/spen!
But I'm seeking a different experience! I tried LG, tried oneplus (cm and near stock), I want to try now Sony and HTC.
Do you think the z5p is a wise upgrade for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure! You'll not regret!
The only thing, in my opinion, that Note 4 overcome Z5P is the removable battery.
Even being a IPS display against the best calibrated AMOLED, you will enjoy every movie/video/picture on it. The image is crisp as crystal and contrast is on the right point as the color saturation.
So... The performance, the smoothness of interface, the multimedia experience, the feel in your hands and specially the look of this thing, will put you in some funny situations! You'll catch yourself looking for the device like a kid with a new toy! Like me! LOL
It's a nice way to refresh your taste for tec! Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is a "for sure" to buy it.
The dual speaker is a nice thing that i've missed from HTC M9 and Xperia Z3. It could be a lil bit louder but it's ok due to its position.

Database Users

welcome