The cinema in your hand
Sony's new smart phone makes it easy to watch movies on the go
Sony Xperia Z Ultra is an Android-based smart phone that cleverly doubles as a personal mobile entertainment station, especially when it comes to watching video.
It features a gorgeous 6.4-inch Full HD display, which uses Sony’s TriLuminous powered by X-Reality to ensure true and bright colours.
The display is protected by an anti-scratch tempered glass screen, which allows you to use a wood pencil instead of a stylus to write on it.
Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2.2 GHz quad-core processor and boasting 2 gigabytes of active memory or RAM for handling multi-tasks, the Z Ultra packs plenty of power for playing HD video.
It comes with 16 GB storage, which is expandable with a microSD card up to 64GB.
Z Ultra runs on Google Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It is available in two versions – one with HSPA+ 3G and the other one with both LTE 4G and HSPA+ connections. The LTE version is available from TrueMove H shops.
The Z Ultra is also surprisingly slim at just 6.5mm thick. Despite this ultra slim design, Ultra Z is also designed to be waterproof and dust resistant, meeting the IP55/IP58 requirements.
So, you can watch videos, check Facebook updates or write mails while you are beside or in a swimming pool. The phone can be submerged under 1.5-metre-deep water for 30 minutes.
Ultra Z falls into the new category of mobile phones. It is for those who think that the 5-inch display of smart phone is too small and 7-inch display of a tablet is too large. That’s given it the nickname “phabet” from phone plus tablet.
I found that the display pleasing for reading mails, web pages, e-books and for watching videos. The HD video clips played smoothly during the test and YouTube clips also flew.
The Full HD resolution was really great for watching videos and viewing photos.
A game with good graphics also played smoothly during the test. And the touch-screen and menus were very responsive during the test.
I didn’t have the chance to go to downtown and find a 4G connection so I tested it on TrueMove H’s HSPA+ 3G connection.
Applications were downloaded and installed fast. I managed to check mails, update my Facebook status and as well as check in to the Foursquare app without any problems.
Another nice feature is that Ultra Z has one-touch NFC (Near Field Communication) connection. I tested the feature by connecting it to Sony’s RDH-GTK17ip docking system to stream music from the phone to the speaker system wirelessly.
Ultra Z really plays good quality music thanks to its 3D Surround Sound, ClearAudio+, Clear bass, Clear Phase and Clear stereo technologies.
Ultra Z has 8 megapixel camera with f/2.4 lens and Sony’s “Exmor RS for mobile” image sensor. It captured good quality photos in a well-lit environment.
Its 3,050 mAH battery, which is sealed inside and cannot be changed, has Stamina mode for saving battery life so with one full charge should comfortably survive a day.
Sony Xperia Z Ultra is available in black and white for Bt21,990. Users of Ultra Z are eligible for free storage space of 50 GB on server of Box sharing service.
Key specs
_ Platform: Google Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
_ Networks: UMTS HSPA+ 850 (Band V), 900 (Band VIII), 1700 (Band IV), 1900 (Band II), 2100 (Band I) MHz, GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz, LTE (Bands I, II, IV, V, VII, VIII, XVII)
_ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2.2 GHz quad-core processor
_ Screen: 1920 x 1080 pixel 16,777,216 colour TFT
_ Camera: 8 MP camera with Sony “Exmor RS for mobile” image sensor
_ Memory: 2GB
_ Storage: 16GB/ Expansion slot: microSD card, up to 64 GB(Not included)
_ Size: Approx. 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5 mm
_ Weight: Approx. 212 g
