Description of the Sony Xperia Ion phone. Sony Xperia ion LTE - Specifications

As usual, Sony has installed a lot of different software. Here you have the well-known branded client of popular social networks Timescape, and the Track ID music recognizer, and file manager Astro, and the OfficeSuite office suite, and a barcode scanner, and Evernote, even the Walkman player found a place.

And, of course, Sony Xperia ion boasts excellent virtual keyboard with all possible text input methods. You can choose from several layout options, and some will like to enter words without lifting their finger from the keyboard - Swype works surprisingly correctly, and with some skill you can learn to write very quickly.

Performance, battery life

Sony Xperia ion is built on the Qualcomm MSM8260 chipset - the Japanese are still wary of quad-core processors, so for now even Sony's flagship models are limited to two processing cores. The hardware platform is completely identical to what could be seen in the Xperia S, so the Xperia ion did not present any surprises.

The results in synthetic tests are at the expected average level, just like most other dual-core platforms. The smartphone's performance is sufficient for all everyday tasks, but there is no escape from the menu that slows down from time to time. In Quadrant, Sony Xperia ion scored 3183 points, and in AnTuTu – 8531.

The smartphone has a storage capacity of only 16 GB, which is half that of the Xperia S. But, unlike its predecessor, the Xperia ion boasts a slot for memory cards, while the previous flagship was content with only built-in storage. In our opinion, this is a big plus.

The battery is non-removable, as you already know, but there are no difficulties in this regard. The battery capacity is quite large - 1900 mAh, but there is nothing outstanding about it. The same Samsung Galaxy SIII, for example, could boast a 2100 mAh battery.

Nothing extraordinary in terms of time battery life Xperia ion did not show. One battery charge lasts from morning until late evening. At the same time, all the functions of the smartphone can be used in a very intensive mode. If you just call, write SMS and check your mail from time to time (disabling push mode), you can get one and a half to two days of work. True, if you really intend to use the device in this mode, you should rather look at something simpler. A fancy Android smartphone like the Xperia ion will be completely useless.

Competitors

Samsung Galaxy S III

Current flagship Samsung model V this moment can be considered as a competitor to any other top-end device. If we compare directly with the Sony Xperia ion, then we must admit that korean smartphone more productive hardware and a camera of comparable quality, albeit with a lower sensor resolution.

For the majority, this model will most likely turn out to be something of a continuation, only with an emphasis on a modified design and increased body size.

Thus, an interesting situation is now emerging when there are three very similar devices from the Sony Xperia line on the market at the same time. These are the Xperia S, Xperia ion and Xperia acro S models. The latter two are very similar in characteristics, but the model tested today does not have protection against moisture and dust.

The main functions of the smartphone are as follows. 4.55-inch HD screen, Android 4.0.4, 1 GB random access memory, 16 GB of its own, microSD slot, dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 12-megapixel camera with autofocus and 1080p video recording, 1910 mAh battery.

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone


• Stereo headset with attachments


• USB cable


• High Power Charger

Design

Sony Xperia ion turned out to be larger than other Sony smartphones. There is a simple explanation for this; it has the most big screen of all available models brand. The dimensions of the smartphone body are 133x68x10.8 mm, weight 144 g. The model is stretched upward and quite a bit wider compared to the Xperia acro S, the weight even decreased slightly in comparison.

By its appearance, we can immediately determine that this is a device from Sony. Angular body, straight lines, strict forms - all this hints at key features appearance of this year's product.

There will be two colors available, black and burgundy, it can also be called dark red. Sony has Xperia model P, in my opinion, the body color is similar here.

Located above the screen speaker, 1.3 MP front camera and proximity sensor. Next to it there is also a light indicator for notification of events of various types; it is illuminated with different lights, highlighting the events.

Under the screen - touch buttons, a search key has been added to the basic menus and back, which is often found in models created for the American market. The symbols indicating the purpose of the buttons are not backlit. There are illuminated lines under them, but in the dark they do not highlight the icons, so you have to act blindly, from memory. This is not very convenient.

The screen is edged with a black frame with a low edge. This plastic part runs along the entire perimeter of the case, distinguished by semicircular shapes at the top and bottom ends.

On the left, under the combined plug, there are microHDMI and microUSB connectors.

There is a microphone hole at the bottom.

At the top end there is a 3.5mm headphone jack.

On the right is a row of mechanical buttons: a screen lock key, volume control key, and a shooting button. I liked their shape better than that of the Xperia acro S. They are also more comfortable than those of the Xperia S, the lock button located on the side is especially good; you don’t need to stretch your fingers to reach it, everything is thought out better here.

The rear part is almost entirely made of aluminum. There are only small plastic inserts at the top and bottom, as well as on one of the sides. The sloping shape has a positive effect on ergonomics, making the smartphone convenient to use.

The compartments for the SIM card and memory card are located under a removable plastic cover. The smartphone has a regular-sized SIM card.

At the back at the top there is a round cutout of the camera lens, next to it is an LED flash. Slightly below the speaker hole.

Screen

The Sony Xperia ion has a screen diagonal of 4.55 inches, a resolution of 720x1280 pixels, and up to 16 million colors. This is a beautiful picture with clear fonts. The pixel density is high, it is 323 ppi.

The capacitive screen supports 10-point multi-touch and responds well to touch. The smartphone does not have an air gap between the glass and the matrix, which has a positive effect on picture quality.

The proximity sensor turns off the screen when the phone comes close to your face during a call. Thanks to the built-in accelerometer, when you turn the phone on its side, the image on the screen changes orientation from vertical to horizontal. Settings automatic brightness There is no screen in the menu, although the sensor itself is present.

The Mobile Bravia Engine function, familiar from this company’s TVs, has been implemented. Its peculiarity is that when this option is activated, the contrast and sharpness of the image increases. The picture is bright, the colors are rich and natural. Using examples of Sony Xperia ion next to Sony Xperia acro S.

The display is covered with tempered glass, it should serve reliable protection from scratches and abrasions. But just in case, all smartphones will be sold with the factory film attached. She's practically invisible additional protection never hurts. On the street, the data on the display is perfectly readable in the bright sun, which is rare for its class.

Filling

The smartphone is running operating system Android 4.0.4. Dual core running Qualcomm processor MSM8260 with a frequency of 1.5 GHz, Adreno 220 graphics chip. There is 1 GB of RAM, as well as 16 GB of internal memory, there is a slot for a microSD memory card. This means that everyone can choose the optimal amount of data storage for themselves if they are not satisfied with the size of their own memory.
A pleasant shell, high speed, smooth reactions in the menu, all this creates convenient conditions for comfortable use of the smartphone. There is nothing to complain about, everything is fast and good, everyone will be satisfied with the device.

Menu

At the top of the screen there is a service line, which displays the time, battery charge, and signal reception level indicator. They also display active connections and other data. By clicking on it, you can find out in more detail about what programs were downloaded, what messages and letters were received, or what files were received via Bluetooth.

Both preinstalled images or wallpapers from Sony, as well as your favorite pictures, are used as design elements. There are seven different colored menu themes available. In addition, shortcuts and folders are placed on the desktop. For the latter, you can choose one of eight design options and assign a name to it. Icons are added by dragging and dropping from the phone menu directly into this area.

There are also widgets here, they can also be added to the desktop. There can be five such screens, their number does not change. At the same time, an interesting function works: you can swipe two fingers from different angles, all desktops will be reduced and displayed on one screen. The widgets have been improved, for example, a large list of icons is available for making various connections, which is initially hidden in a small rectangle. Weather forecast data is animated and beautifully displayed.

The Application Manager is activated by the Home button. It displays 8 programs and is essentially not a traditional task manager. As you know, Android closes applications on its own, based on the amount of free RAM.

When the screen is locked, the display shows the date and time. To unlock the screen, you need to swipe your finger along from left to right. If you do it the other way around, the silent mode is activated, as indicated by the additional icon. This may display additional information about missed calls, new messages, emails, calendar events, and Facebook notifications. If such notifications seem unnecessary, you can turn them off.

The smartphone menu consists of several work zones, initially there are three. If you install additional applications, then over time there will be more such areas. There are 20 icons on the screen on a translucent background, under which you can see the wallpaper installed on the main screen. Icons can be arranged in a way that is convenient for the user. There is also sorting by several criteria: alphabetically, frequently used, recently installed.

Phone book

The smartphone has a convenient assistant for importing contacts both from a SIM card and from Facebook and Google accounts; they are displayed in a single list. Created backup copy list of numbers onto a memory card, the data can later be restored. Sorting by first and last name works.

When you create a new contact, many fields are created. This Various types telephone numbers, email addresses, means of quick communication (AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, Skype and others), residential addresses and others (nickname, note, Internet call).

The smartphone has a list of letters of the alphabet located on the right side of the screen. If you press your finger on this line and move it down or up, a letter pops up on the screen - a kind of quick search, which helps in cases where the phone has several hundred, or even thousands of contacts. The search works by the first letters of the contact name for both language layouts.

There is a menu of favorite numbers where you can add the most popular contacts. A quick menu is available: you need to click on the icon with a contact photo, after which you can call, send a message via SMS or e-mail, see data on Facebook.

Call log

Directly from the phone book you have access to the call log, it is highlighted separate tab. There, a single list contains dialed numbers, received and missed calls; for clarity, they are marked with icons of different colors. By clicking on a line, you can delete a number from the call log, add it to a contact, or perform some other actions. When you select a number from the list, it will display detailed information about the call.

By viewing your call history, you can not only make phone conversation with the selected subscriber, but also send him an SMS or email from this list, without going to another menu. Dialing is carried out using a convenient virtual keyboard. There is an automatic search for numbers that match the numbers.

Messages

For SMS and MMS there is a shared folder, where received messages go. When sending, adding various objects to the SMS can automatically convert it into an MMS. Messages are grouped by recipient into a correspondence feed. When dialing a subscriber's number, the phone displays a list of matching numbers in alternating numbers.

While typing, a small field reserved for characters will appear. The longer the message, the more the space allocated for the character set increases. The device can copy, cut and paste text. A convenient cursor is used for navigation, which helps to correct typos and highlight the necessary sections of text. In addition, you can use arrow buttons.

Smart text input is available, where word correction and auto-completion systems help you type text, allowing you to avoid wasting time correcting errors. Possible options words are shown as a separate line above the keyboard. Copying and pasting of fragments is supported. Now Sony has implemented Swype, which simplifies text entry.

Email

To work with email, automatic setup starts mailbox(unless it's Gmail, which connects immediately after the email address was entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone perfectly understands various encodings, supports loading attachments (you must insert a memory card, otherwise this function will not work) in familiar formats.

When creating a letter, you can also attach various files from the device memory. Both the text copy function and automatic check mailbox (the interval is set manually). The device simultaneously runs two applications - Gmail and Email. The only difference is that in the first, mail comes only from the gmail.com server, while the second application works with any mail storage. You can create several accounts for email, and each of them has its own color. This is convenient because you can view mail for each mailbox separately, or display messages from all accounts into one. Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.

Camera

The smartphone uses a 12-megapixel Sony Exmor R module with backlighting, autofocus and LED flash. Today this is the most powerful module among Android smartphones. To launch the camera, use a dedicated key on the side of the smartphone. Hold it down for a few seconds and the shooting mode will start. This can be done from any application, it is not necessary to go to the main menu. I liked the high launch speed of the camera, and also very quick save pictures.

The most original feature of the device is fast shooting. The smartphone can take a photo in just 1.5 seconds. You need to point the device at the target, hold down the shutter button, and in a moment a photo will be taken. It’s very convenient because you don’t need to unlock the device, wasting precious time. The main thing is to hold the button until the frame appears on the screen, otherwise you may shoot the wrong object.

The interface is designed not only for landscape, but also for portrait mode. The screen displays auxiliary icons that make it easier to set up photography modes and conditions. In the upper left corner there is a settings mode, at the bottom the flash is turned off. At the top right is a lever for switching between photos and videos, then there is a shutter button. Even lower is a stack of icons that show thumbnails of recent photos. If you click on it, you can go to the gallery.

Various options are available:

Image capture mode: normal, scene recognition, panorama, 3D panorama, multi-angle view, front camera.

Photo size: 12M (4000x3000), 9M (4000x2250), 2M 4:3 (1632x1224), 2M 16:9 (1920x1080 pixels).

Shooting conditions: normal, portrait, landscape, night photography, night portrait, beach and snow, sports, party, document.

Focusing: single autofocus, multi-autofocus, macro photography, face detection, infinity, touch focusing.

Flash: auto, off, fill, red-eye reduction.

Timer: 2.10 seconds.

Exposure number.

Image stabilizer.

Geotags.

Shutter sound.

Shooting method: screen button, touch shooting, key only.

Quick start: start and remove, start only, turn off.

White balance: auto, indoor lighting, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy.

Measurement: center, middle level, point.

ISO: auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.

Capturing a smile.

The phone takes pictures very well and allows you to take high-quality photos and videos.

Gallery Here you can see photos and various images stored in the smartphone’s memory, as well as videos. The gallery works in both vertical and horizontal orientation. They are divided into small groups, sorted by date. There is a separate map that contains images with geotags, as well as a group with different pictures from social networks. At the beginning of each group there is a large miniature, and next to it there are smaller images. The image opens in full screen, scaling works using multi-touch. Files are sent via email, Bluetooth, SMS or posted to Picasa. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign them to a contact. Rotating images and reducing their size are supported. A photo editor is available that helps you add various effects to your existing images. The video is played from the gallery, where a separate folder is allocated for the videos. There's nothing special to say about the phone here. Adreno 220 is not the most powerful accelerator. The smartphone is capable of playing avi videos, but not all of them. Many have no sound or no picture. It is best to use a third-party player, then it will be more convenient to watch high-quality video on this large great screen. Timescape Timescape combines tabs that combine messages from various social networks: Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte. In addition, there is data on phone calls, SMS and MMS, email. The displayed data can be customized, and unnecessary data can be hidden. The update is also installed: manually or automatically. Additional applications are installed from the market. For example, you can supplement the set with the Foursquare program. Messages are presented in the form of translucent panels on which the name of the sender, the message test itself, and the source from which the message came are written. The list scrolls very quickly, without a hint of delay. In general, the thing is beautiful and interesting, the main drawback is related to the not very beautiful design- if the author of the message has an avatar, then this image will be displayed stretched across the entire width of the transparent panel. Player The player menu has been redesigned. Now it consists of a couple of tabs. The first is dedicated to the song currently playing, and the second contains all the information about the music in the device’s memory. To listen to music, you can select tracks organized by several categories: artist, album, tracks, lists, SenseMe, and favorite tracks. Each group is highlighted in a separate box, under which the number of data is indicated. A search function is available, which is useful for working with large music storage. Information is sorted by alphabetical order, to scroll faster, you can use the cursor that appears on the screen, as well as the initial letters. I would also like to highlight the SenseMe function, which came from Walkman players. It allows you to choose tracks to suit your mood, which is very convenient. To do this, you will need an application that is installed on your computer and with its help you can analyze your entire media library by entering the necessary data into the file tags. From the list with music, you can add songs to a playlist or send them via MMS, Bluetooth or email, as well as cloud service. A mixing mode is provided. The screen displays the name of the artist, the name of the album and the song being played. In music playback mode, the album cover is displayed (if it was assigned previously), and there are playback control buttons on the screen. You can switch tracks not only by pressing buttons, but also by flipping through album covers. If desired, the song is set as a ringtone, and you can also find additional data about the song using tools from Google, YouTube, or download additional modules through the Play Market. Equalizer settings available. These are the following presets: normal, heavy music, pop, jazz, unique, soul, light, bass boost, treble boost, special. The last profile allows you to set your own parameters for playing music. The xLOUD function allows you to get very loud sound from the speaker. It’s not difficult to notice the difference; this option allows you to hear your phone in any, even very noisy, place. Enable surround sound emulation: concert hall, club, studio. The function of editing data directly on the phone is very interesting and useful. You can take a song, make changes to the tags, correct the title, the smartphone itself will find the cover or offer one of the options. Player control buttons now appear on the lock screen when playing music in the background. Previously, there were very few of them, but now it has become much more convenient to control the player. The kit comes with a headset of very decent quality, this is one of the best headphones, which can now be received with the phone. A set of replaceable rubber nozzles is also included. A separate button helps answer the call and control the player: start-stop, forward-backward functions work. Despite what is said about compatibility with Apple accessories, you won’t be able to get this functionality. The mid frequencies are well developed here, and the lower range is also pleasant. Fans of deep bass can try playing with the equalizer. The sound reserve is not the largest, it is there, but sometimes you have to set the volume to maximum. Radio The smartphone has a radio receiver that has the function automatic search stations, you can switch manually. Also, several dozen frequencies are stored in the phone's memory. You can easily switch between your favorite stations by clicking on small icons that will move between waves. While listening to the radio, you can record a snippet of a song, identify track information using Track ID, and post the information to Facebook. TrackID allows you to identify a melody playing on the radio on your smartphone or somewhere nearby. Not only the song title will be displayed, but also the album title, artist name and cover art. Applications The calendar can be configured to display information for a whole month, week or specific day. You can set the alert type and tone for recorded events and meetings. There is a division of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. The new entry is given a name, period and location. You can specify which calendar it will be synchronized with, you can send invitations to contacts from notebook. The repetition period is set (every day, weekly, monthly, yearly). A reminder will help you not to lose sight of the recording - the alarm will go off in advance. Alarm The smartphone allows you to save several alarms in memory. The repeat can be set either once or every day, only on weekdays or weekly. You can also set specific days. The signal melody is set, you can add a vibration alert to it and text file. Sets the period for the signal to be triggered again. Displays time in different time zones. There is a stopwatch and a timer. The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientation. Play Market will be a useful source for installing new applications. There is a convenient search function, as well as dividing programs into categories, which greatly simplifies browsing. You can look at the reviews, evaluate the rating and express your opinion about the software. Each application is equipped brief description and images for greater clarity. Purchased applications are displayed in a separate list, which is convenient: if purchased new phone, you can immediately install those programs that you previously purchased. Standard for most modern devices The application allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode. The built-in version of Office Suite can work with Word files, Excel, PDF, Power Point. Weather forecast and news are useful every day. The Facebook application will allow you to communicate on the network of the same name directly from your mobile device. Built-in Google Talk chat. Social Google client+ is also installed in the smartphone. You can create notes. You can set a number of actions to be performed when certain accessories are connected. The smartphone works as a remote control for controlling equipment. File browser installed. The flashlight turns on. Barcode reading possible. Built-in Google search. Access to the content store opens. A backup copy of the data is created. Browser Used for internet surfing convenient application. A navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, and to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages and has a log of pages viewed. Several windows open, search for words on the page, highlight text, as well as a practical function for changing the screen brightness directly from the browser. Thanks to multi-touch, pages can be easily scaled (they also work virtual keys to change the display size). The font size changes, saving passwords works. Excellent scrolling speed allows you to comfortably use your smartphone to view pages. GPS navigation Used for navigation Google Maps. Traffic jams are displayed, so the application has become fully functional and convenient not only for pedestrians, but also for car owners. There is a function for determining the current location, calculating the route from the starting point to the ending point, and specifying the method of movement: by car, on foot or public transport. The route is laid out on the map, with key places indicated in the form text messages, which are displayed on the screen in the form of a column, you can switch between them: view the route in advance or vice versa, go back and plot another path. Scaling works using multi-touch or virtual buttons. The location data is clearly displayed thanks to the convenient Google option Street View. Connections The smartphone operates in the GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS 900/1700/2100 bands. There is Bluetooth 2.1 with support for EDR and A2DP, in addition to support for other generally accepted profiles. The Wi-Fi module b\g\n operates at the usual level. The smartphone remembers entered passwords for networks and can automatically connect to them while within their range. The device can work as an access point and serve as a source for accessing the Internet for other devices. Using a microUSB connector allows you to connect your phone to a computer for synchronization and charging the battery. The presence of a microHDMI slot allows you to connect your smartphone to various external sources(TV or monitor) and broadcast media content from the device to them. NFC support allows you to use Smart Tags in conjunction with a smartphone. Working hours Non-replaceable installed lithium ion battery capacity 1910 mAh. The official operating time data is as follows: up to 10 hours of talk time, up to 400 hours of battery life in standby mode, up to 12 hours of listening to music, up to 3 hours of minutes in video mode. In continuous video playback mode at maximum brightness, the device worked for 4 hours and 4 minutes. Using the widget it is easy to set the energy saving mode. It defines several profiles, each of which varies the number of functions used. Thus, for example, you can immediately reduce the screen brightness or turn off Wi-Fi with one click. There are settings in the menu that allow you to set certain operating parameters when the battery is low. The charge lasts from morning to evening, if you use the Internet, social networks, listen to music, and at the same time make calls. For infrequent use network connections You can extend one charge over a couple of days. But most likely, you will have to charge the phone once a day at least, and maybe twice. Conclusion Sony Xperia ion sells for about 25,000 rubles. “Gray” phones cost 16,500 rubles. A large smartphone acts as an alternative to the Xperia S, here bigger screen and an aluminum body with no removable parts, except for a small plastic part. Despite its rather large size, the smartphone is easy to use, all the buttons are where they need to be. I would like to praise the smartphone for its screen with honest HD resolution and very good behavior in the sun, something that very few devices have. When it comes to multimedia tasks, the Sony Xperia ion copes equally well with a variety of goals. High quality camera I am pleased with the pictures and videos I receive, the gallery works quickly. In addition, the model itself is quite fast and reacts without pauses, the interface works smoothly. The advantage of the smartphone is its high-quality music player, although the sounds through the model’s speaker are not very good, they turn out to be slightly rattling. The call can be heard normally, but in noisy environments it may be missed. I liked the model, it’s nice, it has everything you need. Although it would be better if the phone worked longer, active use mode drains the battery quickly, so you have to charge the smartphone twice a day. But this is a common occurrence on many large screen smartphones. A beautiful phone with a high-quality screen in a stylish case and attractive multimedia components is a good addition to model range Sony on Russian market. Competition with similar Sony smartphones cannot be avoided, but the user can choose exactly those qualities that are more important to him between three similar smartphones in the Xperia line: Xperia S, acro S and ion. © Alexander Pobyvanets, Test laboratory Article publication date: September 25, 2012

As usual, Sony has installed a lot of different software. Here you have the well-known branded client of popular social networks Timescape, and the Track ID music recognizer, and the Astro file manager, and the OfficeSuite office suite, and a barcode scanner, and Evernote, and even the Walkman player found a place.

And, of course, Sony Xperia ion boasts an excellent virtual keyboard with all possible text input methods. You can choose from several layout options, and some will like to enter words without lifting their finger from the keyboard - Swype works surprisingly correctly, and with some skill you can learn to write very quickly.

Performance, battery life

Sony Xperia ion is built on the Qualcomm MSM8260 chipset - the Japanese are still wary of quad-core processors, so for now even Sony's flagship models are limited to two processing cores. The hardware platform is completely identical to what could be seen in the Xperia S, so the Xperia ion did not present any surprises.

The results in synthetic tests are at the expected average level, just like most other dual-core platforms. The smartphone's performance is sufficient for all everyday tasks, but there is no escape from the menu that slows down from time to time. In Quadrant, Sony Xperia ion scored 3183 points, and in AnTuTu – 8531.

The smartphone has a storage capacity of only 16 GB, which is half that of the Xperia S. But, unlike its predecessor, the Xperia ion boasts a slot for memory cards, while the previous flagship was content with only built-in storage. In our opinion, this is a big plus.

The battery is non-removable, as you already know, but there are no difficulties in this regard. The battery capacity is quite large - 1900 mAh, but there is nothing outstanding about it. The same Samsung Galaxy SIII, for example, could boast a 2100 mAh battery.

The Xperia ion did not show anything extraordinary in terms of battery life. One battery charge lasts from morning until late evening. At the same time, all the functions of the smartphone can be used in a very intensive mode. If you just call, write SMS and check your mail from time to time (disabling push mode), you can get one and a half to two days of work. True, if you really intend to use the device in this mode, you should rather look at something simpler. A fancy Android smartphone like the Xperia ion will be completely useless.

Competitors

Samsung Galaxy S III

Samsung's current flagship model can currently be considered as a competitor to any other top-end device. If we compare directly with the Sony Xperia ion, then we must admit that the Korean smartphone has more powerful hardware and a camera of comparable quality, albeit with a lower sensor resolution.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

World debut Sony smartphone Xperia ion took place at the beginning of the year and only a week ago it reached Ukraine. New Xperia is a work on the mistakes made during the release of the Sony Xperia S. Does this mean that the Xperia ion now becomes the owner of the flagship title? Yes, although Sony convinces us that the Xperia S is still the flagship, we understand that this is not the case. Therefore, we will treat the evaluation of the top model with the utmost rigor.

The dimensions of the device are comparable to Samsung flagships, LG, HTC. To understand how much, let’s compare several smartphones

Sony Xperia ion– 133 x 68 x 10.8 mm, 144 g
– 137 x 71 x 8.6 mm, 133 g
– 132 x 68 x 8.9 mm, 133 g
– 134 x 70 x 8.9 mm, 130 g
– 128 x 64 x 10.6 mm, 144 g

It would seem that the difference in thickness between S and ion is 0.2 mm, which is difficult to notice even when comparing head-to-head, but bigger smartphone The sidewalls that widen towards the back side “give out”, which also worsens the grip of the smartphone. The ends also have the same appearance. In fact, it turns out that the dimensions of the Xperia ion could be close to the Xperia S, but only if you compare their front parts. Surprisingly, 5 mm in height and 4 in width were rated as a “shovel” by the owner of the Sony Xperia S. Which once again emphasizes the fact that everything is relative.

The design of the smartphone is dominated by sharp corners. The front panel is covered with mineral glass. The plastic bordering the glass is made flush with it. This means that placing the phone on the table with the display down is not recommended, as there is a risk of damaging it. appearance devices.

At the top there is a speaker, an HD camera lens, a proximity and light sensor, and an event indicator. At the bottom there are four touch keys - “Menu”, “Home”, “Back” and “Search”. The latter suggests that the design of the device was developed long before the Sony Xperia S, released a few months ago, which abandoned the use of this useless key. The second element that suggests this idea is the backlighting of the keys. It is located directly below the key icons and looks like small glowing stripes.

Looking at the smartphone from the front, you notice that it has more Sony Ericsson 2011, for example, Sony Ericsson Xperia ray than from Sony Xperia S, Sony Xperia acro S. We cannot judge whether this is good or bad, but many respondents agreed that the design of the smartphone is less expressive.

On the left edge there is a retractable plastic flap, under which the MicroHDMI and MicroUSB connectors are hidden.
On the opposite side, four hardware keys are visible, two of which are combined into one elongated one responsible for adjusting the volume. The remaining two are the power/lock button at the top and the camera button at the bottom. Sony Xperia ion is the second smartphone with a large display, in which the unlock key is located not on the top end of the body, but on the side. Thanks to the “correct” placement, you do not have to train your thumb by stretching it in length. All keys protrude above the level of the body just enough so as not to attract attention and are easy to grope blindly.

There is one hole at the ends of the smartphone. At the top there is a headphone jack, and at the bottom there is a microphone. The case is slightly raised around the 3.5mm jack. Why this was done is not clear to us. Perhaps one of the designer's delights.

The back side is convex. Its main part is made of aluminum, while the area around the ends is made of plastic, which is caused by technical necessity, since the antennas of wireless communication modules are located there. The same sacrifice had to be made on the sidewalls: on one side there is a plastic plug, and on the other there is a plastic insert around the mechanical keys.

At the presentation of the Xperia ion, I could not determine where the SIM card was inserted, but it turned out that it was in the same place as the memory card slot. Both are Micro format. To access them, you need to move the upper part of the case away from you with considerable effort. Fortunately, this action will not have to be carried out often, so there is no need to talk about it as a minus.
Having such a proven solution, it is not clear why Sony Xperia S decided to resort to using a removable back cover, which is only needed to install a SIM card. On the other hand, even with a minimum of dismountable parts, the smartphone body creaks. Perhaps, by making a removable cover in the S-ke, the manufacturer gave the owners the opportunity to deal with squeaks using their own methods?

The camera lens is surrounded by a protrusion, which is most likely intended to protect it from scratches. Below it, closer to the center, there is a flash, a grid of slots for the speaker and, of course, the Sony Ericsson logo. I wonder when the company will come up with a new one?

So, what can we say about the design, ergonomics, build quality and materials of the device? The smartphone is really not small, but those who are looking for a compact device will never look in the direction of such giants. As befits a top-end device, the display diagonal is 4.6″ and its resolution is 1280x720 pixels. The materials used are not satisfactory, as is the build quality. The only thing that surprised me was the presence of squeaks, which are almost impossible to eliminate at home. Unless you have a hex screwdriver. The smartphone fits well in the hand, and using the correctly placed unlock key does not require any special skill.

Operating system and interface

Here you can write one thing - read the review, since the interface is the same as the one we described six months ago. At the presentation, the smartphone was installed latest version operating room Android systems 4.0.4, accordingly, we can only hope that an update for the Xperia ion is just around the corner.

Platform

Another part of the review that completely repeats the Sony Xperia S. There are only two differences - half the ROM volume, which is directly related to the second - the presence of a slot for memory cards. All! Chipset that includes two ARMv7 cores Qualcomm MSM8260 one and a half gigahertz for each, graphics core Adreno 220 And 1 GB RAM. It may seem that such characteristics do not correspond to the vision of a flagship for the middle of 2012, but even this is quite enough for comfortable work with any applications or games, in addition, the Qualcomm MSM8260 has other advantages - low power consumption, which, in the presence of a battery with a capacity of 1900 mA/ h gives good results. In numbers, this is a day of work with a small number of conversations, using the camera, automatic synchronization via Wi-Fi, and communication on social networks.

Display

Traditionally, the latest Sony devices use No air gap technology, which means there is no air gap between the display matrix and mineral glass. In practice, this results in higher brightness and a “pattern on the body” effect. When compared to the LG Optimus 4x HD, the brightness is the same, the Optimus 4x HD has better viewing angles, and the Sony has better sharpness, even without using the Mobile Bravia Engine feature. Sony has obvious problems with viewing angles; as soon as you tilt the screen away from 90º, the colors begin to fade. But at typical viewing angles, the picture is pleasing to the eye, and the Sony performed well in the sun.

Camera

The final test also copies what we have already described, but since we were unable to compare the Xperia ion and Xperia S under the same conditions, we followed the usual path - we tested the camera in various situations, including how image stabilization works. In the meantime, a few words about the camera itself. Sony Xperia ion has a matrix with the most high resolution among the 12 MP Android smartphones available in Ukraine. The maximum resolution of recorded video is 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames/s, 12-15 Mb/s bitrate, and two-channel audio.
You can launch the camera through the menu or using a mechanical key. Its functionality is configured in the menu, and with a long press, the camera launches with frame fixation, the camera launches without fixation, or no action at all. The key is two-position, which allows you to use it to focus and then lock it. While recording video, you cannot focus using this key, but the camera does this automatically.
Testing has shown that when taking photographs and shooting videos, using stabilization worsens the final result. Therefore, we recommend disabling this feature.

Examples of 12 MP photos

Examples of 12 MP photos, left - stabilization on, right - stabilization off

Examples of Full HD video, with about stabilization

Examples of Full HD video, b without stabilization

Results

To the question: “Did the Sony Xperia ion turn out better than Sony Xperia S?”, we answer – yes! On our Xperia look ion beats the S in everything, but whether you can use a smartphone with such dimensions is another matter, because the new product is larger. The second parameter, more subjective, design is a matter of taste.
If we talk about official prices, the advantage will be on the side of the Sony Xperia S, which is quite logical, it appeared earlier, and Sony’s requests were much more modest. The recommended price for Sony Xperia ion is 7,500 hryvnia. We are confident that the market will quickly force the company to fall from heaven. We do not undertake to say what price is “correct” (minus earnings on the new product), but we can assume that by the beginning of September it will be at the level of 5500-6000 hryvnia.