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Home » Posts tagged 'Xperia Ray'
Cameras Compared: iPhone 4S vs the rest
Posted:
December 9, 2011
By: ccsoya
266 comments
Update: It seems that we have offended a few Nokia N8 enthusiasts out there with our findings. In pursuit of the truth, we want to set the record straight, and so we have a proposition for the N8 enthusiasts who’ve expressed their opinions about this post. We have a proposition for you. Is the Nokia N8 still the best camera phone out there? Let’s settle this once and for all. Head on over to after the jump for details.
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We’re just one week away from the launch of the iPhone 4S in Malaysia. Aside from an uprated processor that’s now dual-core and very chatty Siri, the biggest improvement on the new iPhone is its camera.
With a Sony-sourced 8MP backlit sensor and improved optics, Apple says the new camera on its latest iPhone offers performance that rivals most dedicated point-and-shoot cameras, but is this claim founded?
Naturally, we’re curious to find out ourselves if the camera on the iPhone 4S is as good as Apple claims it to be, and so we’ve assemble some of the best 8MP smartphone shooters we could get our hands on along with the 12MP Nokia N8 for good measure and went out on a photowalk; taking pictures and videos using these devices in various situations to find out which smartphone available in the market right now has the best camera overall.
We compare the iPhone 4S with the Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II, Motorola RAZR, Sony Ericsson Xperia ray and Nokia N8. Follow us to after the jump to see the sample shots and videos as well as our verdict on which smartphone has the best camera right now.
Sony Ericsson earlier confirmed that its entire 2011 line-up of Xperia smartphones will be getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, what the phone maker didn’t say was when the update will roll out.
That question has now been answered by Sony Ericsson Italy’s Head of Marketing, Maurizio De Palma who announced via Sony Ericsson Italy’s Facebook page that ICS will be coming to the all 2011 Xperia models by March next year. Because there is almost no operator customisation in the Sony Ericsson smartphones that we have here in here, you can expect Malaysia to be among one of the first countries to get the update as soon as it is released.
Once again, the models Sony Ericsson has confirmed will be receiving ICS are:
Xperia arc
Xperia arc S
Xperia PLAY
Xperia neo
Xperia neo V
Xperia mini
Xperia mini pro
Xperia pro
Xperia active
Xperia ray
Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman
Observers are also saying that Sony Ericsson is expected to launch new devices ahead of the ICS update roll out. If this is likely the case, we’re certainly looking forward to see a dual-core device in the brand’s 2012 offering. So far, Sony Ericsson is the only device manufacturer that is devoid of a dual-core world phone.
We’re pegging Sony Ericsson as one of the brands to watch for 2012. What do you think?
[source]
Ice Cream Sandwich for all 2011 Sony Ericsson Xperia phones
Posted:
November 15, 2011
By: ccsoya
8 comments
If you bought a Sony Ericsson Xperia this year than this is probably as close as striking the lottery as you can get.
Sony Ericsson has confirmed that its complete line-up of Xperia devices launched this year will all receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates. The Xperia phones listed below will get ICS but Sony Ericsson have not confirmed a timing. So while this is awesome news, you might be in for a long wait. Let’s hope it won’t be too long.
Xperia arc
Xperia arc S
Xperia PLAY
Xperia neo
Xperia neo V
Xperia mini
Xperia mini pro
Xperia pro
Xperia active
Xperia ray
Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman
So, Sony Ericsson users, you excited about this?
Xperia ray: A design story
Posted:
September 26, 2011
By: ccsoya
5 comments
When a device manufacturer takes you to a faraway land just so you can meet the designers, engineers and marketeers who are behind their products, you know that they really want to make an impression. And that’s exactly what Sony Ericsson did.
We were flown to Japan recently to get a deeper understanding of the product story behind the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray. Sony Ericsson organised for us to meet up with the people who were directly involved in designing the Xperia ray and to learn from them the reason why the product was created and the inspiration behind the design of the device.
Sony Ericsson Malaysia revises pricing for Xperia ray
Posted:
September 26, 2011
By: ccsoya
10 comments
We’ve just received an advisory from Sony Ericsson Malaysia telling us that they have revised the pricing of the very sleek and sexy Xperia ray from RM1,899 initially to very attractive RM1,279.
The new pricing is definitely great for Sony Ericsson fans who have been eyeing the Xperia ray for some time but have been turn-off by the off-the-top pricing. In fact, the new pricing makes the Xperia ray very attractive to anyone looking for a new phone.
For a little under RM1,300 the Xperia ray comes with all the things you love in the Xperia arc including a 1GHz single-core processor with 512MB of RAM and 1GB of on board storage space. The ray features 3.3-inch Reality Display that offers an almost Retina display like sharpness with 854×480 pixel resolution pushing about 297ppi. On top of that, the ray comes equip with Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine display enhancement technology.
In the camera department, the ray features the same 8.1MP sensor as the Xperia arc complete with Sony’s Exmor R sensor for a noticeably better pictures in low-light situations. The camera also shoots 720p videos. There’s also a VGA front-facing camera.
We’re currently using the Xperia ray for a while now and we have a lot of good things to say about the device. It is definitely one of the best looking Androids in the market at the moment.
Update: We’ve been informed that shops were already selling the Xperia ray for RM1,279 at launch. The advisory sent to us today by Sony Ericsson is to correct a misquote in an earlier press release announcing the availability of the Xperia ray in Malaysia. The device was never intended to be sold at RM1,899, the correct initial price for the Xperia ray was supposed to be RM1,279. Hope this clarifies. Question is, will those who purchased the Xperia ray earlier get a refund on the price difference?
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray and Xperia active coming to Malaysia in Q3
Posted:
August 11, 2011
By: ccsoya
5 comments
We’ve just gotten word that the two new additions to the Sony Ericsson family of devices — the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray and the Xperia active — will be making their way to Malaysian in Q3 of this year.
Just to refresh your memories, the Xperia ray is something like an Xperia arc mini with its 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8.1MP camera with Exmor R and 720p video recording capabilities. The only difference between the ray and the arc is that the ray runs a 3.3-inch while the arc has a 4.2-inch display. In any case, both displays utilises Sony’s proprietary Reality Display technology and is enhanced with Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine.
Also interesting to point out is that the 3.3-inch screen on the Xperia ray has the same 854×480 pixel resolution as the arc, but the screen on the Xperia ray is smaller, you get a higher pixel density which means crisper images.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia active is Sony Ericsson’s version of a rugged Android. The Xperia active is rated IP67 which means it is dust and water resistant in waters up to a metre deep and can stay submerged for up to 30 minutes. It also features wet finger tracking, barometer, pedometer, pulse meter, HD recording and runs on Android Gingerbread with a 1GHz processor.
In addition to this, the Xperia active features a Bravia Mobile Engine enhanced 3-inch 320×480 Reality Display and a 5MP camera with 720p HD-video recording.
Details are still preliminary but it’s pretty much confirmed that the two devices will be coming to Malaysia.
We were at the Sony Ericsson Global Conference in Singapore and got a good first look at the trio of new Sony Ericsson devices that is expected to be launched sometime in the third quarter of this year.
While we got a few shots of our own, its nothing compared to the one taken by Virgile Fontaine, Technical Support Manager for Sony Ericsson in France. Virgile is generous enough to share his snaps of the Sony Ericsson txt (pronounced “text”) and the quite nice Xperia ray.
Head on over to after the jump for the snaps.
First look videos: Sony Ericsson Xperia ray, Xperia active and txt
Posted:
June 23, 2011
By: ccsoya
2 comments
At the Sony Ericsson Global Conference yesterday we had some brief hands on time with the three newly devices from Sony Ericsson and here are the videos taken from the launch event.
Three more videos await your attention after the jump but before that, we must apologise for the video quality. Our regular shooter ran out of battery so we had to improvise and use a Sony Ericsson Xperia arc to shoot the videos instead. The video quality is not bad but not on par with videos that we usually churn out. Still, something is better than nothing.
Enjoy.
Sony Ericsson reveals 3 new devices – txt, Xperia active & Xperia ray
Posted:
June 22, 2011
By: soyacincau
11 comments
Update: Uploaded more pictures and videos
Sony Ericsson today has revealed 3 new devices – a featurephone and 2 Android smart phones. The first phone shown above the Sony Ericsson txt which is a QWERTY candybar device which is targeted for the youth market.
The Sony Ericsson txt is a feature phone with features inspired by Xperia at an affordable price. As the name, its dedicated SMS shortcut key and the very tactile QWERTY keyboard suggest the txt is built for messaging junkies. In addition, the txt also features an embedded “friends” application that gives users quick access to Facebook and twitter updates from their five favourite friends.
Other notable features include a 2.6 inch screen, a 3.2 MP camera with video support (don’t expect HD recording though) and connectivity comes in the form of b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth but there’s no 3G. Also, the txt packs a 1000mAh battery and comes in four colours (white, black, pink and a really nice blue).
Price of the txt is said to be around the US$100 mark without contract. That’s about RM300 at today’s exchange rate.
Next is the Sony Ericsson Xperia active which is designed for users with active lifestyles. This is somewhat similar to the Motorola Defy with its water and dust resistant capabilities. It also features wet finger tracking, barometer, pedometer, pulse meter, HD recording and runs on Android Gingerbread with a 1GHz processor.
The Android Gingerbread Xperia active is essentially an Xperia mini that’s built for the outdoorsy user. The active features a Bravia Mobile Engine enhanced 3-inch 320×480 Reality Display and a 5MP camera with HD-video recording. The device also meets the IP67 exposure rating standard which means that the device is dust and water resistant and can stand being submerged in fresh water up to a depth of one metre for a duration of maximum 30 minutes. Battery capacity for the active is 1200mAh.
In line with its active inclination, the Xperia active features scratch resistant screen enhanced not by Corning’s Gorilla Glass but from a competitor called Dragontrail which, we were told, offers similar protection to Gorilla Glass. The reason for the change is simply a matter of supply. Sony Ericsson needed the supply, Corning couldn’t keep up with the demand.
Colours include white accent option or an orange accented one. The active ships with both black and white interchangeable covers.
The third device is the Xperia ray. The Xperia ray is very much like the Xperia arc but with a smaller screen and a different design language. It uses premium materials like aluminium.
In its purest sense the Xperia ray is an Xperia arc reincarnated in a smaller form factor as both devices share virtually identical feature sets. This includes a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8.1MP camera with Exmor R and 720p video recording capabilities. The ray’s 3.3-inch Reality Display is enhanced by Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA just like the Xperia arc.
The major differences between the arc and the ray is mainly in the size and thickness. While the arc is a svelte 8.7mm thin device, the ray is slightly thicker at 9.4mm but at 854 x 480 pixel it’s smaller 3.3-inch screen packs the same resolution as the arc but with a higher pixel density which means images a crisper. With what little hands on time we had with the device, the higher pixel density really shows on the Xperia ray’s display. Images are pin sharp!
The arc packs a 1500mAh so you can expect good battery life and there are four colours for you to choose from including black, gold, white and of course, everyone loves a pink phone.
Availability for all the devices is slated at Q3 this year, prices are yet to be announced. And also, both the Xperia ray and Xperia active feature active noise cancellation secondary mic, which is cool.
In addition to the phones Sony Ericsson also announced two new accessories. The LiveDock and the LiveSound. We’ll put up videos that explain what these two accessories are in a bit.
Official pics after the jump. More updates coming soon. Post updated with more details on the devices, official promo videos as well as some hands on pictures. All yours to view right after the jump.
Don’t forget to watch our hands-on video from the launch here.