The last time I reviewed an Android-powered smartphone from Sony was the Xperia Play, fast-forward, I am here with the Xperia ion. Many consumers don’t even think of Sony in regards to a choice in smartphones. For any newcomer seeking to break the monotony of the usual suspects of Android manufacturers, will have their work cut out for them. Even for a well established brand like Sony. Trust and believe, these guys aren’t necessarily rookies as they have been supplying parts for other manufacturers for a while now.
Now with their latest in the Xperia line of Android offers an array of specs despite the outdated version of Android. But don’t hold that against the ion. I put it through our testing and getting more familiar with the ion, my analysis awaits you.
The Xperia ion is equipped with a 4.6inch 720p LCD display w/ 1280 x 720 resolution@342ppi. Sony calls their HD Reality Display that uses the company’s BRAVIA Engine designed for mobile. The ion has more pixels within its screen than the iPhone as it only has 326ppi. In other words, this thing has a bright & very sharp screen for all of your visual needs. HD media looks marvelous as well. Sony gave you the option of DLNA along with a micro-HDMI port for fast HD transfer for your HDTV. Nicely done.
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| Playing HD media via HDMI looked great & was easy to use |
Armed with last year’s Snapdragon S3 processor, the 1.5GHz dual-core chip is not outdated in the performance arena. You also have 1GB of RAM at your disposal as well as 16GB of storage that is expandable up to 32GB via microSD slot. I was able to see no lag whatsoever when loading content, downloading apps, playing media, etc. So don’t be deterred by its lack of modern chipset.
The Xperia ion uses a 12MP Exmor R lens capable of 1080p HD recording. While there are not a lot of smartphones with that high MP, this is one that actually lives up to that. This has superior optics for taking great photos on the go. In low-light and in natural lighting, this shooter performed very well. It is of no surprise as they are behind the iPhone 4S camera. It has a dedicated camera button for faster shooting as you can activate it from standby in 1.5 seconds. On the video recording side, it is decent but doesn’t quite blow you away like the camera side of things. Everything can’t be perfect.
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| Sample photos from the ion’s 12MP shooter |
Here’s where more surprises comes into play. The ion ships running Android 2.3 Gingerbread w/ a slightly scaled-down version of Sony’s Timescape UI. Other than some minor UI tweaks and different visuals, this is the most pleasant Android skin I’ve used. Not only is it fast, but it doesn’t take away from your Android experience. The most notable feature is the way Sony bundles all of your social networks. Despite that fact that it is running a version of Android that is two versions behind the current one, ICS is on the way but no time of an estimated arrival.
For the most part I was thoroughly surprised by the overall experience Sony put into the Xperia ion. Sony’s Timescape UI almost helps you forget that this is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread.The ion is definitely not crafted to be a thin design but instead a sturdy, well-built one. Coupled by great audio & media playback quality, this is definitely one of the few Android devices that performs seamlessly without a hitch whatsoever. It would comparable to HTC’s Droid Incredible LTE. The ion is a great device that will unfortunately become unseen by the high-end Android devices.
With a $99.99 price tag on contract, it won’t be the $$$ that will turn you away from the ion. Some consumers may be concerned about this device being future-proof for further Android software updates. And with no timeline on when the ion is getting ICS, you have every right to be a little worried. This might not be the choice for you. But if you are looking for a breathe of fresh air in Android devices, the Xperia ion is just for you.
Thanks Sony Mobile!
