A little help please (Permissions in Lollipop) - Xperia Z Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I just ordered a Z two days ago and I am looking for some answers
I'd like to modify or revoke the permissions of certain apps, as that can be very annoying if you have no root, and I only had (and rooted) HTCs and Samsungs before so I don't know how a Sony works.!
I was reading on rooting the Z, but now I'm afraid I might lose the quality of the Bravia engine by doing so...
My question is, can you modify/decline permissions in Lollipop without root? I couldn't find a straight answer and although there are apps on the Play Store advertising this, is it for real or is it just placebo?
Secondly, in case I root the Z, what do I lose? I've done my reading on the forums for the last week, beginning even before I made the purchase, but I'd very much appreciate some comments on this matter. Thanks

u wont lose bravia engine by rooting the XZ ... u lose it when u unlock the bootlaoder ...
for permissions in Android L i dont think u can do it without root access...
the only risk by rooting ur phone is that u do it wrong and softbrick ur phone

Thanks. I ordered 2 and the first one arrived and it greeted me with: "this is a prototype" and I'm inclined to believe it's a demo unit, as it has retail mode software on it. I will send it back on Monday.
One more thing - the photo quality was awful, I had an old Blackberry 9780 laying around and even that with a 5 mpx camera gave me better results! I also tried comparing it to an S2 and a Passport but man, does it suck!
I will receive a replacement, but I sure hope this is not how the regular Z behaves or else I might consider getting something else...

Ultrasone said:
Thanks. I ordered 2 and the first one arrived and it greeted me with: "this is a prototype" and I'm inclined to believe it's a demo unit, as it has retail mode software on it. I will send it back on Monday.
One more thing - the photo quality was awful, I had an old Blackberry 9780 laying around and even that with a 5 mpx camera gave me better results! I also tried comparing it to an S2 and a Passport but man, does it suck!
I will receive a replacement, but I sure hope this is not how the regular Z behaves or else I might consider getting something else...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think all of xz cameras hav a poor quality especially the front one .. but the camera software in lollipop is better than the one in older android version ... i too use to hav a prototype xz and it worked well for me... the only difference that it sends data constantly to sony and u cant disable this option

Related

[Q] In-depth questions and queries

Hello guys.
I'm a long time reader but a new member.
Almost two months ago, my HTC One V was stolen by pickpockets in a crowded Mumbai train.
Since then, I was looking to buy a new phone. Soon, phones like Xperia M and L caught my eye. While I was browsing to phones, I saw Xperia SP, and the bang for the buck it gave, made me decide that this might be the phone I might buy.
Now, as I was looking and going through stuff, I came to know a lot of the cons of the phone, while pros outnumber the cons, the cons were quite important in this case. I've gone through a lots of threads and have known a lot, but some questions remain. Hence, I'm asking some questions in order to solve my queries and give a better view about it. Wish to get proper replies.
1. What version is the Indian variant. C5302, C5303 or C5306.
2. Lots of people say it's heavy. How do you feel about it.
3. GSM Arena wasn't happy with the loudspeaker, does it ring loudly? I see all the phones having a speaker in the back, causing it to ring very quietly.
4. Now an important one. On my HTC One V, I had an option to move apps to SD card. As I was browsing, through the forums, I came to know that it's not possible anymore without rooting. And rooting is something I do not prefer as of now (I had huge plans for One V, but unfortunetely, it was stolen before I decided to root it after the warranty was over).
On One V, I was having loop boot problem after moving the files to the SD card, however, that's not an issue here. Thing is, on One V, I had used AppMgr III (App 2 SD) to move my apps to SD card.
So now is my question. Will App 2 SD work without rooting? Has anyone tried using it without rooting? The Apps 2 SD page mentions this:
Move apps function may not work on your device as manufacture removes the function of moving apps to SD from Android system (not support: S4, S DUOS, Note2, Tab 2, L5-L9, OneX, 7-10" tablet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this apply to Xperia devices too?
This is very much a concerning thing to me, as 5.8 GB isn't a lot if one likes gaming.
5. Has the lack of sufficient space, just 5.8 GB, ever caused concerns for you?
6. Again, important one. How bad is the WiFi? I live in a 1BHK house in a suburb. While I mostly use WiFi (and internet for that matter) near my router and PC situated in the hall, my One V never did well for reaching the bedroom, something I was expecting SP to do well until I came to know about the problem.
Same situation here, I do not prefer to root my phone. Can the WiFi be fixed in any other way? Different channel / mode?
7. Does the WiFi fixes available here actually fix your WiFi? After using the fixes available, is it comparable to other phones' / laptops' reception? What do you think, it's software problem or hardware problem?
8. Do you expect Sony to fix the WiFI problem in in future?
9. People who have rooted then flashed their phones to latest Android should not having any WiFi problems right?
10. I remember some version of iPhone having grip of death for WiFi. Do you guys think SP's bad WiFi reception is due to this?
11. Now the camera. I've seen enough photos / graphs to say that Xperia SP probably has the worst smartphone camera I've seen. Comparing it to my HTC One V, One V was like godsent camera phone. So what to you guys think, is the camera something that is acceptable or just total deal breaker?
I personally do not have any use for the camera. However, my sister is a big camera selfie lover. While I see that the camera takes some beautiful vivid pictures outside, my use the camera would be mostly indoors.
From what I can understand is that the camera is over-compressing the images? I've seen photos very in-depth and have concluded that, one, SP pictures lack details, two, have lots of noise.
Those who wanna compare it on GSM Arena, don't use to ISO chart, see the camera on the color poster: gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=3&idPhone1=5364&idPhone2=5363&idPhone3=5375.
Compare it something like HTC One V and see the difference of quality of images.
While I've photoshopped and removed noise from the pictures I've found from the internet, from Xperia SP, I don't know if it's worth it, so I'm confused.
12. I've read some users saying that they tried 3rd party camera apps like ProCapture and they immediately saw that Xperia SP started taking great pictures. Can you say the same for yourself? Has anyone tried doing such?
13. Have people who have rooted / flashed SP to latest Android see any improvements in the camera?
14. What do you think. Is Xperia SP's crappy camera about hardware quality of the camera or the software?
15. Do you, being realist here, expect Sony to fix the camera with an update?
16. Now about rooting. Will rooting void the warranty? I read somewhere that if you do not unlock the bootloader, you do not void the warranty. Is it possible to just root the phone without unlocking the bootloader without flash it?
17. Noob question. Do you receive updates if you have rooted the phone? If yes, lets say, I made changes to the WiFi file, and then I updated the phone, will the root stay? If not, will the changes made to the file stay?
18. Now about the CPU. I know the phones are moving very faster these days. However, I'm making a big investment if I buy Xperia SP. So SP being so powerful of a phone it is, do you expect it to stay good to play generally powerful games for lets say, next 4 years? I'm not a person who likes changing his phone every year or two, nor do I have money to do that.
19. Some people are reporting screen touch issues when charging or when putting on desk. It is said to be fixed, is it true?
20. I compared the phone to Galaxy S3 and found that S3 had more contrast ratio when playing videos, however, Xperia SP seemed more bright, what to you guys think?
21. How is the front camera? I don't care about the resolution, but clear enough for video calling?
22. Any other problems / things anyone feels worth mentioning?
That's pretty much it for the phone, however, I have more questions.
23. I'm willing to squeeze out more money for a better phone like Xperia ZR, Galaxy S3 and such. However, they have their own problems. Like, S3 is nowhere to be compared with Xperia SP as SP's graphics is top-end.
As for ZR. I have two problems with it, one small, one big. The small one being people calling it's loudspeaker muffed and the big one being it not being Gorilla Glass. To understand what I'm concerned about it, see this: youtube.com/watch?v=4GzYnDnZDRg and this: youtube.com/watch?v=Q2qdwsFd-Qw. It shows that ZR screen is neither tough / shatter-proof nor, thanks to the sheet, scratch proof. And removing the sheet means warranty void. I've seen that even Xperia Z has the same thing, which makes me think how people manage with this?
24. What alternative phones to SP price range (Rs. 20500 to 22500 here - $330 to $360) or Galaxy S3 / ZR price range (Rs. 26500 here - $425) do you guys recommend?
25. Is the phone worth it? Will you recommend it to me?
Anyway, sorry for huge post. As so many days of sadness for the loss of my HTC One V, I'm asking this, so please bear with me. All these questions have been churning in my mind from almost month and a half now.
Any help with the questions will be greatly appreciated.
1- I don't know, It could be the 5303 or 5302
2-Yes, its heavier than the Z and ZL at 155 grams
3-Ring volume its OK, better than my previous phone (Xperia pro)
4-No. You cant move apps to the external microSD without root.
5-The internal storage its just for apps, the external for media. Its enough but could be better
6-I've never had problems with the Wi-Fi the last 5-6 months with my SP
7-They are just placeboes
8-I dont think so
9-????????????
10-Could be the metal used on the frame, If thats the reason the Z1 may have similar problems
11-Mediocre photo camera, my old pro (neo,ray and arc similar) took better pictures. Video recording is OK. You may want to use another camera app
12-Even Instagram's camera takes better pictures
13-I haven't seen any improvements
14-Could be both
15-May or may not be fixed when 4.3 arrives
16-In many countries, rooting voids the warranty...but just keep a copy of the STOCK, ORIGINAL firmware and flash it before taking it to a service shop. Bootloader unlock may void the warranty, Its better to ask before doing it because it cannot be undone. Dont worry about flashing, on a Sony phone its very easy
17-Yes, you may receive updates but you will lose the root access. Sometimes Update Service refuses to update if the phone is rooted, sometimes not. After unlockin the bootloader you cant use official sony tools, just flashtool.
18.I'm sorry to hear that...I made a huge investment on my SP too, but electronics, specifically smartphones are not designed or built to last. They are disposable. Right now its a good phone...but next year will be obsolete.
19-I had that issue. I dont know if there is a fix for that, but I tried disabling the glove mode and it seems to stop the touch issues
20-Screen isn't that great, cant compare to LED screens
21-Z and ZL have better front cameras. The one in the SP is still as bad as the one you will find on a 2011 phone
22-Phone overheats, that makes some people feel uncomfortable, up to 47 degrres celcius when playin real racing 3. No big deal for me
23-??????
24-I live in Mexico.
25-Yes, it will be a good phone for the next 12-18 months. After that time you will have to buy a new one.
As cachanilla86 answer almost everything.
for Q9. No - most of the sp suffers from wifi problems. whether rooted or not...
for Q23 Check S4 or xperia Z ultra...
1. Don’t know either
2. Yes its heavy, a manly phone
3. The loudspeaker is fine, may not be the loudest on earth but it’s fine.
4. Apps to SD is a contentious issue – the official line is that Google don’t like external SD cards and from Jelly Bean onwards it was no longer part of any Android builds. It’s the same with hardware navigation buttons, Google would prefer them to be on the screen soft keys. However manufacturers can do what they want – Samsung does what it likes and still uses hardware buttons and has tweaked their builds to allow app to sd. Sony haven’t had hardware nav buttons for some time now and perhaps their love for DRM makes them sympathetic to the idea of stopping users from moving apps around.
Anyway, it doesn’t work without rooting, hell it doesn’t work in the normal sense when you ARE rooted – hopefully a nice CM build will come along and resolve the situation for us.
5. Yes and no – it would be nice to install loads of games without a care, but I only really play one ‘big’ game at a time. Rooting can help too because you can move the data portions of big games to an external sd card with folder mount.
6. Range is excellent for me, the authentication process can take ages though, I had the same problem with my 2011 xperia – when the phone is trying to connect to the router signal strength seems to drop and I think you get into a loop of the phone thinking the wifi is too weak to connect to and it swaps to data, the signal goes up again and you try to connect but the same thing happens again. With my 2011 device most custom kernels, especially ones that were cm10 based, connection was instant – this is almost certainly a software issue.
There is talk that the most modern routers don’t have as many issues.
7. The fix that works best for me is the one that changes the level at which the phone decides the wifi reception is so bad it has to swap to data – the range is and has always been great for me, better than other devices in my house.
8. There have been 3 build versions of the phone so far – I’ve always had to apply the tweak. Don’t think Sony regard it as a problem.
9. There are no custom roms out there that provide the latest version of android, they are all based on 4.1.2. There should be a 4.2 build from FreeXperia at some point and a 4.3 build from some independent developers, but there is no ETA for either of these builds. This is not to say that the developers of existing custom roms haven’t tweaked wifi so it works better.
10. As I said, I’m certain it’s a software issue.
11. The camera’s auto mode is pretty poor in conditions which are less than optimum – you can take a nice photo if you mess with settings BUT in my opinion this is missing the point. If I want to mess with settings I’ll use a proper camera, I just want to take quick snaps with my phone in situations where I didn’t necessarily think I’d need to bring a camera. For the SP (and other Sony phones) the camera doesn’t support this type of spontaneous photography very well.
12. Haven’t heard of procapture, thanks for the tip
13. See my previous comments – the only builds available for the SP are 4.1.2 based.
14. Hope it’s the software – I’m no expert, but people talk about too much processing/compression.
15. I had a 2011 xperia with 8MP and the camera on the SP is not significantly better – I don’t think Sony believe that it’s a problem.
16. Unless the apps/mods/roms you install after root cause hardware damage, you can always just flash a stock rom – so warranty should be unaffected. Of course if you are unable to flash a stock rom because of hardware damage…
17. You do receive updates if you’re rooted. Historically if you updated OTA you kept root, via the PC meant you lost it.
18. The smart phone market is moving so fast that I doubt any phone out today will be able to play the most demanding games from 4 years time without any trouble. The latest iphone has 64 bit architecture and this will soon follow for android. Similarly, I imagine that graphics chips are upgraded once or twice a year – so you might be as many as 8 cycles behind what is considered top of the range. The SP is a midrange phone, with some flag ship properties.
19. There are still some touch issues in my opinion, though this is improving build to build.
20. Don’t know about the S3 – the XP screen is fine though, not mind blowing, but in no sense bad or embarrassing.
21. Fine for video calling, perfect in fact. OK for selfies if close up. Do not use for anything else – as mentioned it would only be an average FC for a 2011 device.
22. Not really you’ve been very thorough
That's pretty much it for the phone, however, I have more questions.
23. Don’t think the S3 is better, the S4 mini is better in my opinion ONLY if you can live with a smaller screen. If you can stretch to the ZR do it.
My last xperia didn’t have gorilla glass – I used screen protectors and after 18 months of use I sold it to a recycling company for the maximum stated value (so they regarded it's condition as perfect). Any phone with a large screen is more vulnerable to being broken than one with a small screen. Most days on the underground and on buses I see people with busted screens - usually S3s, S4s and iphones - but I guess this is because they are the most common phones.
24. The choice for me was this or the S4 mini – I prefer Sony phones though and the bigger screen was the deal breaker. You could wait for the new Nexus, maybe a month to go? This was my plan, but my network provider offered me an early upgrade to move to 4G and I couldn’t say no.
25. The phone is definitely worth it – I’m not mad on photography and am rooted, so can get around the storage issue. After that it has most of the really important flag ship stuff, the things that you need, rather than eye scrolling or the ability to take it swimming, and the user experience is great.
Thanks for the answers guys.
After this, I'm more unsure about SP.
Now, I'm considering ZR or ZL, as both are priced similar here.
DKT27 said:
Thanks for the answers guys.
After this, I'm more unsure about SP.
Now, I'm considering ZR or ZL, as both are priced similar here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unsure too as well now lol.
Might have to look for alternatives to SP with better camera for same price.
King p1n said:
Unsure too as well now lol.
Might have to look for alternatives to SP with better camera for same price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If camera is a priority, then Xperia M has a good camera. However, you may not find any phone with such a powerful processor and graphics card, 720p screen and other features at this price.
I read all the questions wont be answering all, but I'll suggest you to go with XPERIA ZR (Don't go for ZR if you gona be using some mods or different ROM's as ZR is a low legacy device and many don't own it so there are no good devs for ZR) or ZL or either Nexus 4 also about rooting you can root any phone it doesn't voids warranty and also removing the scratch-proof sheet on ZR can be removed it doesn't voids warranty.
RuchRha said:
I read all the questions wont be answering all, but I'll suggest you to go with XPERIA ZR (Don't go for ZR if you gona be using some mods or different ROM's as ZR is a low legacy device and many don't own it so there are no good devs for ZR) or ZL or either Nexus 4 also about rooting you can root any phone it doesn't voids warranty and also removing the scratch-proof sheet on ZR can be removed it doesn't voids warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the answer.
I might not use any mods or ROMs as of now.
ZR and ZL seem to be priced same here. So I'm leaning towards ZL.
As for Nexus 4, it's good but no microSD card support and ZL seems better.
Thanks again for the rooting issue. However, I read that rooting requires one to change ROMs or something? I'm very much a noob in this so no idea.
About the glass and the scatter proof sheet. One, I want to know whether the glass is actually tough enough to challenge Gorilla Glass or is even near it. I'm scared for the phone hitting the ground and the expensive screen breaking. As for the warranty, see this. The only reason to remove the sheet is, that it's cloth and scratch magnet, which can be fixed by by scratch guard I think.
DKT27 said:
Thanks for the answer.
I might not use any mods or ROMs as of now.
ZR and ZL seem to be priced same here. So I'm leaning towards ZL.
As for Nexus 4, it's good but no microSD card support and ZL seems better.
Thanks again for the rooting issue. However, I read that rooting requires one to change ROMs or something? I'm very much a noob in this so no idea.
About the glass and the scatter proof sheet. One, I want to know whether the glass is actually tough enough to challenge Gorilla Glass or is even near it. I'm scared for the phone hitting the ground and the expensive screen breaking. As for the warranty, see this. The only reason to remove the sheet is, that it's cloth and scratch magnet, which can be fixed by by scratch guard I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need any ROM's for rooting, there are many rooting toolkits by DooMLoRD which easily roots a device, and the shatter proof glass is pretty strong (I feel far better than gorilla), my phone has felt many time (XPERIA Z) and nothing happened except a few scratches on the body but nothing on screen or back and I also have removed the scratch proof sheet and I mostly do so with all my XPERIA's it does not voids warranty.
DKT27 said:
If camera is a priority, then Xperia M has a good camera. However, you may not find any phone with such a powerful processor and graphics card, 720p screen and other features at this price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
on a 5mp now on Galaxy Nexus and its not too great either and i see the Xperia M has a 5 MP also.
Hate the way Sony skimped on the front cam to only VGA, especially If I finally getting involved in snapchatting and what not it wont be great
I've heard people throw the 8mp camera and software in the same sentence, Im guessing its not the software that causing bad quality images?

Should I upgrade?

Hi there guys,
Currently I have a S3, my friend recommended the Sony Xperia Z1 and after some research, it does seem quite a nice phone.
The issue I have with the S3 is that after a month or so of usage, it slows the hell down, im thinking kit kat would be able to resolve this regarding the way the memory store things as such.
Also Samsung has really pissed me off, my charging port on the phone is damaged, therefore I cant charge or connect to my computer. I have called up 3/4 times for a repair envelope to get sent to me, every single time I dont receive crap, all they do is send out another. Only choice I have is to take it to an authorised service centre which isnt too ideal as I work full time and by the time I get back home the centre will be closed.
I am on o2, my upgrade isnt till June, but I can buy out my contact for under £200.
I really do need to play with the phone itself, if its anything as smooth as my friends HTC One mini then I will buy it straight!
I guess I just need a nudge in the right direction?
Thanks.
I just upgraded from a Galaxy S3
pod8 said:
Hi there guys,
Currently I have a S3, my friend recommended the Sony Xperia Z1 and after some research, it does seem quite a nice phone.
The issue I have with the S3 is that after a month or so of usage, it slows the hell down, im thinking kit kat would be able to resolve this regarding the way the memory store things as such.
Also Samsung has really pissed me off, my charging port on the phone is damaged, therefore I cant charge or connect to my computer. I have called up 3/4 times for a repair envelope to get sent to me, every single time I dont receive crap, all they do is send out another. Only choice I have is to take it to an authorised service centre which isnt too ideal as I work full time and by the time I get back home the centre will be closed.
I am on o2, my upgrade isnt till June, but I can buy out my contact for under £200.
I really do need to play with the phone itself, if its anything as smooth as my friends HTC One mini then I will buy it straight!
I guess I just need a nudge in the right direction?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue with the S3 is that
1. It doesn't have TRIM which causes it to slow down like in a month's use so 4.3 which does have it should reduce those issues.
2. Battery life is horrible if google now is enabled however doing a few tricks its solved.
I had an S3 and it was a lemming unit so I upgraded to the Z1... If your'e S3 is working fine once it gets the 4.3 update, hold on as the Z2 will probably be out in Jan-Feb... Its not worth getting the Z1 now halfway to December...
pod8 said:
Hi there guys,
Currently I have a S3, my friend recommended the Sony Xperia Z1 and after some research, it does seem quite a nice phone.
The issue I have with the S3 is that after a month or so of usage, it slows the hell down, im thinking kit kat would be able to resolve this regarding the way the memory store things as such.
Also Samsung has really pissed me off, my charging port on the phone is damaged, therefore I cant charge or connect to my computer. I have called up 3/4 times for a repair envelope to get sent to me, every single time I dont receive crap, all they do is send out another. Only choice I have is to take it to an authorised service centre which isnt too ideal as I work full time and by the time I get back home the centre will be closed.
I am on o2, my upgrade isnt till June, but I can buy out my contact for under £200.
I really do need to play with the phone itself, if its anything as smooth as my friends HTC One mini then I will buy it straight!
I guess I just need a nudge in the right direction?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This comes with experience!
1. If you like to play with roms and modes, Sony is just not that great. For that HTC is the king and thats a huge thing for me
2. If you like to have a device with premium material in your hand Sony is the best, HTC is a close second and if I were you I'd blend the hell out of my S3 and then feed it to my worst enemy!
3. If you like lots and lots of software features stick to Samsung (I would advise you not to do it though!)
4. If you like the best UI go for the HTC
--------------
Pros and Cons time!
Pros:
1. Z1 imho is the best looking android phone ever (yes I had a black HTC One for a brief time and its a beautiful phone but I decided Z1 is better)
2. Z1 up until now has the best performance in graphics comparing to other "phone" flagships (not so sure about the G2 though)
3. Its waterproof (I love it, think about the opportunities you'd have by having a waterproof camera and you'll fall in love like I did!)
Cons:
1. Not even a good "8MP" camera, you figure what its fully sized pics would look like... if you can't check this out
2. Okay speaker comparing to other flagships but superb speaker among waterproofs
3. The display is power hungry
4. The display is also not that great specially if you got used to S3
5. Its an expensive phone considering your only option is 16GB (though you can add an sd card)
-------------------
all these things aside. As you can see I decided to buy this phone and I don't really regret buying it (I'm 80% happy) and again as you can see in my signature I wanna buy the Z2 too, so its really up to you to decide...
if you have any more questions I'd be happy to help you with what I know
ara.armagedon said:
This comes with experience!
1. If you like to play with roms and modes, Sony is just not that great. For that HTC is the king and thats a huge thing for me
2. If you like to have a device with premium material in your hand Sony is the best, HTC is a close second and if I were you I'd blend the hell out of my S3 and then feed it to my worst enemy!
3. If you like lots and lots of software features stick to Samsung (I would advise you not to do it though!)
4. If you like the best UI go for the HTC
--------------
Pros and Cons time!
Pros:
1. Z1 imho is the best looking android phone ever (yes I had a black HTC One for a brief time and its a beautiful phone but I decided Z1 is better)
2. Z1 up until now has the best performance in graphics comparing to other "phone" flagships (not so sure about the G2 though)
3. Its waterproof (I love it, think about the opportunities you'd have by having a waterproof camera and you'll fall in love like I did!)
Cons:
1. Not even a good "8MP" camera, you figure what its fully sized pics would look like... if you can't check this out
2. Okay speaker comparing to other flagships but superb speaker among waterproofs
3. The display is power hungry
4. The display is also not that great specially if you got used to S3
5. Its an expensive phone considering your only option is 16GB (though you can add an sd card)
-------------------
all these things aside. As you can see I decided to buy this phone and I don't really regret buying it (I'm 80% happy) and again as you can see in my signature I wanna buy the Z2 too, so its really up to you to decide...
if you have any more questions I'd be happy to help you with what I know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was very helpful!
The pros for the Z1 out weights the negs for me, im not a big modder, i just like to install omega rom and run that.
The biggest thing holding me back right now is the news of a Z2, if I get the Z1 now and the Z2 comes out after Christmas then that will not be good news since I will be tied into a 24 month contract!
I think I should fix my S3, install the new version of Android and test it out as im still on 4.2.
Thanks you guys.
its impossible that sony will announce z2 in Q1 . it will the same date as they declared Z1 . so go for it now and dont wait cause if u do so u will not buy any phone
pod8 said:
This was very helpful!
The pros for the Z1 out weights the negs for me, im not a big modder, i just like to install omega rom and run that.
The biggest thing holding me back right now is the news of a Z2, if I get the Z1 now and the Z2 comes out after Christmas then that will not be good news since I will be tied into a 24 month contract!
I think I should fix my S3, install the new version of Android and test it out as im still on 4.2.
Thanks you guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony wont be announcing a new flagship device until Qualcomm announce theirs (Save February for Qualcomm and April/May for the Z2). I've heard that there will be a close to 2k display this time around I don't think it will be a good idea for "everybody" to buy the Z2 because of two reasons, 1. Qualcomm usually introduces two flagships a year, one at the beginning of the year and one at the end. The ones at the beginnings are always CPU jumps not graphical jumps, so considering the increase in resolution at best we will have the same performance as the Z1, 2. Since it is a new display there will be problems (which will be fixed for the Z3!)
On the other hand I'm pretty certain that the Z2 will be a considerable improvement over the Z1 camera wise that's why I say I wanna buy it.
anyways don't worry about the Z2 we wont be seeing it soon(probably!)
I decided I want it!
Now the choice is which network, three: £36 or O2: £41.17
I have used three before in an iPhone 4, it was pretty crappy in my area/house, I am willing to give them another try with the 7/14 day cooling off period, I can technically get out of the contract if I receive crap signal.
Im currently on O2, they are ok I guess, its nice to fall back on 2g if 3g isnt available.
pod8 said:
I decided I want it!
Now the choice is which network, three: £36 or O2: £41.17
I have used three before in an iPhone 4, it was pretty crappy in my area/house, I am willing to give them another try with the 7/14 day cooling off period, I can technically get out of the contract if I receive crap signal.
Im currently on O2, they are ok I guess, its nice to fall back on 2g if 3g isnt available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
got mine on EE and 4g speeds are nothing short of impressive
y2grae said:
got mine on EE and 4g speeds are nothing short of impressive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats one network I would not like to go with. Friends who are on EE in my area have crappy connection/signal, granted they are not on 4G, but still it give me the impression of not being good.
pod8 said:
Thats one network I would not like to go with. Friends who are on EE in my area have crappy connection/signal, granted they are not on 4G, but still it give me the impression of not being good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was on T-mobile and upgraded. Signal stable and H+ most of the time when not 4G.
service was good on T-mobile and same levels so far from EE as same people.
not trying to sell on, just giving honest feedback from experience
I'm on 3 and it's a great network and the cheapest. What's not to like about 2000 mins 5000 txts 5000 3 to 3 mins, unlimited Internet and unlimited tethering all for £15 a month! Mind you that's a sim only deal. I buy all my handsets outright I don't do contracts!! And also when 3 roll out 4G you don't have to pay anything extra on top.....happy days
I love my z1 paying 15 a month
Sent from my Z1 using XDA Premium App
Hally79 said:
I'm on 3 and it's a great network and the cheapest. What's not to like about 2000 mins 5000 txts 5000 3 to 3 mins, unlimited Internet and unlimited tethering all for £15 a month! Mind you that's a sim only deal. I buy all my handsets outright I don't do contracts!! And also when 3 roll out 4G you don't have to pay anything extra on top.....happy days
I love my z1 paying 15 a month
Sent from my Z1 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just an update, I got mine on o2.
I would have liked to been on 3 but they are pricks with their credit checks, rejected me for a £36 contract via affordablemobiles.
I applied for my 02 contract from mobiles.co.uk and was accepted say 9 hours later, £42 for 8gig 4g.
I dont understand 3, just take my money and stfu, now they lost the chance to take my money as im back with o2, oh well tough luck.

Xperia ZR ! Should I go for it ?

Hi !
I'm looking to replace my dead Xperia S with a more "tough" phone. I almost bought an Xperia SP, successor of the S, changed the decision at the last minute as the SP users told me about how bad its camera is.
So, is there any deal breakers like a bad camera or something like that for ZR ?
I heard a lot of complaints about a loose micro usb port, is that a majour concern ?
Thanks !
Happy Easter BTW
No replies !
That means I should get it ?
I'm getting a phone today and the choices for me are Xperia ZR, SGS 4, SGS 4 mini, Lg L90, Moto X, BB Z10.
I'm looking for a tough phone with a good camera and a decent battery backup.
x.marX said:
No replies !
That means I should get it ?
I'm getting a phone today and the choices for me are Xperia ZR, SGS 4, SGS 4 mini, Lg L90, Moto X, BB Z10.
I'm looking for a tough phone with a good camera and a decent battery backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am user of Xperia ZR C5502.far better than Xperia SP.ZR has better camera,sound and battery other than that it is dust and water resistance.
Well I can say that i am very happy with my xperia zr. I would recommend it anyone who asks. Its very good for tough use, i actually dropped mine a couple of times but no major damage or scratches. Tried taking pictures while in the pool and it was really clear and nothing happened to the phone. Although the screen is unresponsive when wet, Hence the need to put a shutter button on the side. Try watching video reviews on the phones you are interested in then make a decision from which function and features you really need. In the end it all depends on what you want. Goodluck! Hope you become a xperia zr user soon!
Ps. Xperia zr is getting an update at the month of may. So its also something to look forward to.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app
I am a ZR user from almost an year now (i bought mine when it was fresh out on the stores) I could say if you clean the flaps you wont have any problems at all.Some people where complaining from a BT problems but maybe they cant handle the options (no problems for me).Since the price is low now you can go for it its a deal
bad front camera.
I m using xperia zr from 6months and its working great 100% water resistance washing my phone in every 3-4 day picture quality is gud , fast .camera is not that gud compare to samsung note2 otherwise its a vert gud phone in 27k
i have it since middle 2013 and it works like a charm
very fast,very good battery,strong,water prof,acceptable price
recommend it
Nothing extraordinary!
well, the camera is nice in well-lit conditions. But the performance is poor in low light.
Secondly, the internal memory is too low, but that shouldn't make a difference if you are thinking to root the device.
Thanks guys for the replies but I got a ZR in the mean time.
Its fast but after using good quality ips monitor, the screen of zr is underwhelming. The LG L90 demo unit had a better looking screen in terms of colour and contrast.
But yeah, the ZR is a good alrounder !
btw, I have an OTA update notification, 10.3.1.A.2.67. Should I go ahead and update it ?
Or is there any download link for an Indian version of that firmware ?6
if your phone is working good, then don't update. stock 4.3 has been terrible for me. pretty much every voice recording app broke (facebook, viber, audio messaging).
i'm hoping kitkat update in may will fix it.
Even i am looking forward to buy Xperia ZR but it seems in INdia there are no stocks in the shops and they say the production has stopped...and i read that there were heating issues.....this is bothering me..... so if the users of Xperia ZR confirm that the phones is worth buying and there are no such issues then i will go for it...and i intend to keep this phone for another 4 years...so any views?
dont worry about heating
I got a ZR over a month ago. I am very happy with it. There is no need to worry about heating issues.
I live in hyderabad where the temperature is very high (i wont say it's the highest in the world). When I play games for more than 30 minutes i had felt the device getting heated up - I just wipe it with cold water or pour a bit of cold water and it cools down - it is a waterproof phone after all.
The only drawback of the phone is the front camera (0.3 mega pixel) . But i never use video calling so that's fine with me.
JimSocks said:
if your phone is working good, then don't update. stock 4.3 has been terrible for me. pretty much every voice recording app broke (facebook, viber, audio messaging).
i'm hoping kitkat update in may will fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.
:good:
UPDATE: I put my phone in the water :silly: and now its sitting in the service center at the moment. Its been two weeks and they are saying they need to get a confirmation from their HQ to replace it under the Accident Cover Insurance (promo offer from Sony).
x.marX said:
Thanks for the reply.
:good:
UPDATE: I put my phone in the water :silly: and now its sitting in the service center at the moment. Its been two weeks and they are saying they need to get a confirmation from their HQ to replace it under the Accident Cover Insurance (promo offer from Sony).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
were the flaps closed properly ? (those that cover micro usb port and headset jack)
ajeesh.m said:
were the flaps closed properly ? (those that cover micro usb port and headset jack)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, It was but the back got torn off and water entered the insides quite easily.
Sorry for not updating the thread !
I got the mobile replaced under the Sony Accidental Care insurance program :good:
Aaand they updated the new phone with the latest software from Sony

[Q] Pros and cons?

Hello Z1 users...
I've been recently searching about this phone as I am about to buy it...
I still can't gather all the pros and cons of the phone so I can make a conclusion
whether should or should I not buy it...
I've been reading reviews but my experience says that user comments are better than reviews...
I would really love if you could type some pros and cons of this phone.
Thank you very much
Depends on which Z1 you will have as each Xperia Z1 could have individual problems. Some people including me report about heat issues that are still not solved even after the update. Just make sure that you get a problem free unit :laugh:
UltraWelfare said:
Hello Z1 users...
I've been recently searching about this phone as I am about to buy it...
I still can't gather all the pros and cons of the phone so I can make a conclusion
whether should or should I not buy it...
I've been reading reviews but my experience says that user comments are better than reviews...
I would really love if you could type some pros and cons of this phone.
Thank you very much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as GSM arena is concerned the user reviews are better than the critics, personally i've found the Z1 to be a rock solid phone and a good performer, being water proof and having a beast of a camera aren't bad additions either.
Only thing i would be concerned with buying the phone now is that there are newer phones which if given the choice i would prefer to go for, the Z2 if you wanted to go with Sony, the Z3 isn't far from being released, the LG G3, HTC M8, Galaxy S5, all have superior hardware compared to the Z1, difference isn't as big as lets say coming from an Xperia T to the Z1 but it's a difference i wouldn't ignore if i was going to commit to spending a few hundred pounds on a phone.
That being said I'm sure you'll like the Z1, rooting is easy,reverting to stock is easy, the rom's are good (not as much choice as Samsung and HTC but there are some great dev's here)
If i were you I would go to a store and have a try at it, see some of the offerings in the flesh and make your mind up that way, there are also a lot of similar threads on this forum about whether or not the Z1 is a good phone too so have a search too.
I can't make sure that I will get a free-problem unit but I hope for it .
If you could address some issues of the phone and some features of it I would be glad to hear'em
dladz said:
As far as GSM arena is concerned the user reviews are better than the critics, personally i've found the Z1 to be a rock solid phone and a good performer, being water proof and having a beast of a camera aren't bad additions either.
Only thing i would be concerned with buying the phone now is that there are newer phones which if given the choice i would prefer to go for, the Z2 if you wanted to go with Sony, the Z3 isn't far from being released, the LG G3, HTC M8, Galaxy S5, all have superior hardware compared to the Z1, difference isn't as big as lets say coming from an Xperia T to the Z1 but it's a difference i wouldn't ignore if i was going to commit to spending a few hundred pounds on a phone.
That being said I'm sure you'll like the Z1, rooting is easy,reverting to stock is easy, the rom's are good (not as much choice as Samsung and HTC but there are some great dev's here)
If i were you I would go to a store and have a try at it, see some of the offerings in the flesh and make your mind up that way, there are also a lot of similar threads on this forum about whether or not the Z1 is a good phone too so have a search too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have some restrictions with buying phones and the price in my country is fairly good...
I am 90% more on the Xperia Z1 but first I want some user reviews.
I had Xperia SP and it died before some days and before I bought it I read awesome reviews
But after buying it and seeing user reviews I saw a not-that-good phone :/...
Thank you very much
UltraWelfare said:
I have some restrictions with buying phones and the price in my country is fairly good...
I am 90% more on the Xperia Z1 but first I want some user reviews.
I had Xperia SP and it died before some days and before I bought it I read awesome reviews
But after buying it and seeing user reviews I saw a not-that-good phone :/...
Thank you very much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry m8, i've not got any time to write a review, if you can be specific then i can try to answer some questions, there are tonnes of reviews for this phone on XDA.
dladz said:
Sorry m8, i've not got any time to write a review, if you can be specific then i can try to answer some questions, there are tonnes of reviews for this phone on XDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't asking for a big review...I was asking to write something like [Battery life is fairly OK, Performance is the best] or something like that...
Small comments on each part of the phone (Performance, battery, bugs etc.)...
Issues i've had are, the vibration has gone a bit rattley on my handset (disabled vibration on touch to fix) the odd random reboot, nothing to write home about, and the camera can appear a little grainy at times.
Like i said it's a great phone.
dladz said:
Issues i've had are, the vibration has gone a bit rattley on my handset (disabled vibration on touch to fix) the odd random reboot, nothing to write home about, and the camera can appear a little grainy at times.
Like i said it's a great phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much ...I don't care a lot about the camera but again thank you sir.
I did have a Z1 but the phone gave the now infamous touch screen issue.
Just type in Google, "Z1 touch screen issue" and read what people have experienced
Even a complete replacement of the display and touch screen didn't fix it.
The phone is great, but the screen is the most important thing on the phone and what use is it if it doesn't work like it should?
You can try and get one, but that issue is a serious one!
Get one at your own risk. I'm getting a One M8.
D395267 said:
I did have a Z1 but the phone gave the now infamous touch screen issue.
Just type in Google, "Z1 touch screen issue" and read what people have experienced
Even a complete replacement of the display and touch screen didn't fix it.
The phone is great, but the screen is the most important thing on the phone and what use is it if it doesn't work like it should?
You can try and get one, but that issue is a serious one!
Get one at your own risk. I'm getting a One M8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw the specific issue but it might be due to a contact with a magnet or something like that.
Also all the videos are outdated and before the kitkat update...I think SONY fixed it on 4.4 update.
The screen and the speakers are the biggest drawbacks.
Speakers are terrible and the screen washes out very badly even if you tilt it just slightly.
UltraWelfare said:
Thank you very much ...I don't care a lot about the camera but again thank you sir.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No probs m8
---------- Post added at 08:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 AM ----------
D395267 said:
I did have a Z1 but the phone gave the now infamous touch screen issue.
Just type in Google, "Z1 touch screen issue" and read what people have experienced
Even a complete replacement of the display and touch screen didn't fix it.
The phone is great, but the screen is the most important thing on the phone and what use is it if it doesn't work like it should?
You can try and get one, but that issue is a serious one!
Get one at your own risk. I'm getting a One M8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually completely forgot about the touchscreen issue, I did have that but it appears to have completely gone away now, updates seem to have helped me. I know some people weren't as lucky as me.
M8 is a good phone by the way, think a bit too much time has passed for me to be getting one though, think i might sit this contract out, something i've never done before.
The Z1 is a beautiful phone. Its large, its fast and its durable. I wouldnt trade it for any other phone including a Samsung. The only issue is that it heats up on demanding ups, but thats what you get when you enclosed a modern beast in a tight environment with no modern-day ventilation (not possible on smartphones anyway).
The differences with the Z2 are minimal, certainly not justifying the premium.
Anyway the current hardware is way ahead of the current software's recommended specifications.
dladz said:
No probs m8
---------- Post added at 08:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 AM ----------
Actually completely forgot about the touchscreen issue, I did have that but it appears to have completely gone away now, updates seem to have helped me. I know some people weren't as lucky as me.
M8 is a good phone by the way, think a bit too much time has passed for me to be getting one though, think i might sit this contract out, something i've never done before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there might be a chance of getting a phone with the touchscreen issue?
I might have to rethink this then :/
UltraWelfare said:
So there might be a chance of getting a phone with the touchscreen issue?
I might have to rethink this then :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's chance m8, but then you take that chance with any phone you buy, if it's brand new, just test it in the shop and if it's present it'll show it's ugly head, problem occurs when you make a persistent connection with the screen and that connection is broke and then restarted, imagine a perfect line down the screen, you don't break contact but the line it split in parts due to this issue.
I myself have had two, the first one i killed by flashing a TA partition, literally dead phone but that didn't have the touchscreen issue, the 2nd one has had it but it went away.
All phones have their problems m8.
Even if the product you buy proves to be defective, you take it back and have it replaced. Pardon me but we all are grown ups with at least average IQ, right?
in my opinion, the z1 is a very solid phone. might be outdated with the z2 and the now rumored z3, but still a very good performer.
Battery = excellent. I love the battery on this phone. With regular usage, I get to 2. 5 days to 3.5 days with about 5 - 6 hrs screen on time. Haven't had a problem with the battery.
Processor = not the latest but still very capable of performing tasks that newer processors can.
Screen = honestly, people say its horrible, but it isn't like that. It is actually pretty good. I don't care about viewing angles. Its an advantage for me, it keeps the people with naughty eyes from seeing the things I am doing clearly
Speaker = could have been better. It is decent but can never outperform devices of its price range before.
Camera = awesome. just amazing. sometimes can give you grainy pictures indoors, but it is capable of getting some awesome pictures.
Perks = well, being water proof or water resistant is enjoyable. not a gimick for me. I use it. wash my phone weekly. lol. also the feel in hand is very satisfactory. the cold aluminum plus the weight of the device is good.
My personal feelings on the handset...
The Pros
It is a well rounded and well made handset that sits nicely in the hand
The camera is amazing if you can work out how to use it properly
Magnetic docking that actually works means you don't have to mess around with wires
Sony Support is pretty good
It is very fast (ignore the 'outdated' processor as it works fine)
Sony's little tweaks to Android on the handset mean it doesn't really need rooting at all
SD card support (something not all flagships offer)
Easy to root
Battery is pretty good if Stamina mode is on and the Snapdragon app is installed
The screen is simply stunning (never had a touchscreen issue or noticed it washout)
Charges reasonably quickly
It's resilient, I've dropped my second handset a fair few times and nothing is wrong yet (cracked screen on my first one)
The cons
The handset gets HOT...
The flaps eventually wear out and fall off
It reboots randomly, when it doesn't it tends to warrant a reboot anyway as it becomes laggy
Heavy use such as gaming absolutely rinses the battery
WiFi is sensitive, it doesn't always connect properly
Kirkymole said:
My personal feelings on the handset...
The Pros
It is a well rounded and well made handset that sits nicely in the hand
The camera is amazing if you can work out how to use it properly
Magnetic docking that actually works means you don't have to mess around with wires
Sony Support is pretty good
It is very fast (ignore the 'outdated' processor as it works fine)
Sony's little tweaks to Android on the handset mean it doesn't really need rooting at all
SD card support (something not all flagships offer)
Easy to root
Battery is pretty good if Stamina mode is on and the Snapdragon app is installed
The screen is simply stunning (never had a touchscreen issue or noticed it washout)
Charges reasonably quickly
It's resilient, I've dropped my second handset a fair few times and nothing is wrong yet (cracked screen on my first one)
The cons
The handset gets HOT...
The flaps eventually wear out and fall off
It reboots randomly, when it doesn't it tends to warrant a reboot anyway as it becomes laggy
Heavy use such as gaming absolutely rinses the battery
WiFi is sensitive, it doesn't always connect properly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much..
I won't use it for heavy gaming and my previous phone had problems with CPU overheat so I'm OK with it ...
Random reboots can be fixed by clearing the cache I think ...

[Q] Would you still buy the Z3c today?

Hello from North Carolina, US.
After carrying the Note 2 for two years, I am over the large phone form factor and was considering the Z3c back when it was released. But, I'm on Verizon (CDMA) and it just wasn't a good time to shift to TMobile. My Note 2 died, and I started carrying my wife's old Galaxy S3, which confirmed my preference for a smaller handset. Since my contract with Verizon is over in June, I figured I would carry the S3 until then, see what phones were announced at MWC and make my next phone decision based on that.
Frankly, for my use cases... MWC was MEH.
The S6/edge and HTC One M9 are both lovely phones, but I don't feel like they meet my needs as well as the Z3c. With the Z3c, I love the small form factor, the waterproofiness, the battery and the dedicated shutter button. Also, an S6 with as much storage as the SD card I already own will be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Z3c.
That said, is it crazy to buy a 6 month old phone? Considering my use cases (primarily utilitarian - music, email, rss, news/weather, social, navigation, camera - no processor intensive games) and considering how surprisingly well the S3 is still running with these use cases at nearly three years old, I am thinking the Z3c may still be a good fit for me. And, I don't want to wait as long as the rumors are saying I would need to wait for the Z4 series (autumn 2015).
What about you, would you still buy the Z3c today? Do you think, based on how I've described my uses, that it would be a good fit for me? Is there another small form factor device I should be considering? Should I suck it up and wait for autumn and the Z4's?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Jack
JackinNC said:
Hello from North Carolina, US.
After carrying the Note 2 for two years, I am over the large phone form factor and was considering the Z3c back when it was released. But, I'm on Verizon (CDMA) and it just wasn't a good time to shift to TMobile. My Note 2 died, and I started carrying my wife's old Galaxy S3, which confirmed my preference for a smaller handset. Since my contract with Verizon is over in June, I figured I would carry the S3 until then, see what phones were announced at MWC and make my next phone decision based on that.
Frankly, for my use cases... MWC was MEH.
The S6/edge and HTC One M9 are both lovely phones, but I don't feel like they meet my needs as well as the Z3c. With the Z3c, I love the small form factor, the waterproofiness, the battery and the dedicated shutter button. Also, an S6 with as much storage as the SD card I already own will be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Z3c.
That said, is it crazy to buy a 6 month old phone? Considering my use cases (primarily utilitarian - music, email, rss, news/weather, social, navigation, camera - no processor intensive games) and considering how surprisingly well the S3 is still running with these use cases at nearly three years old, I am thinking the Z3c may still be a good fit for me. And, I don't want to wait as long as the rumors are saying I would need to wait for the Z4 series (autumn 2015).
What about you, would you still buy the Z3c today? Do you think, based on how I've described my uses, that it would be a good fit for me? Is there another small form factor device I should be considering? Should I suck it up and wait for autumn and the Z4's?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Jack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For sure I'd still buy the Z3C today.
You're using your wife's S3 which is over 3 years old, so calling a 6 month old phone 'old' is kind of bs (No offense @ all)
As for the Z4, well.... there is no word about a Z4C and based on what Sony previously did, there shouldn't be a Z4C, but a Z5C (if ever).
The Z3C is a great phone, besides the occasional build flaws and bad camera under low light conditions.
That's great feedback, thank you.
Dsteppa said:
You're using your wife's S3 which is over 3 years old, so calling a 6 month old phone 'old' is kind of bs (No offense @ all)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None taken. The last 5 phones I've bought for myself or my wife have been purchased within 2 weeks of release, sometimes by me standing in line on release day. I buy them early, use them for 2 years when I can contractually upgrade and get a new one and start the cycle over. I typically use a phone for two years and it starts to feel "old" to me at ~18-20 months when a couple new cycles of phones and android versions have been released. My concern is not that the phone is "old" now, rather that, being 6 months old now, it may start to feel old at 12-14 months rather than 18-20.
Btw, I followed your photo link from another post of yours. Like you comments here, your sample photos are really helpful.
Thanks again
Jack
JackinNC said:
That's great feedback, thank you.
None taken. The last 5 phones I've bought for myself or my wife have been purchased within 2 weeks of release, sometimes by me standing in line on release day. I buy them early, use them for 2 years when I can contractually upgrade and get a new one and start the cycle over. I typically use a phone for two years and it starts to feel "old" to me at ~18-20 months when a couple new cycles of phones and android versions have been released. My concern is not that the phone is "old" now, rather that, being 6 months old now, it may start to feel old at 12-14 months rather than 18-20.
Btw, I followed your photo link from another post of yours. Like you comments here, your sample photos are really helpful.
Thanks again
Jack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
Well I don't know, in terms of specs I don't see much changing any time soon, unless all manufacturers decide to make 64bit phones or use a new type of battery that either lasts long and/or charges super fast.
In the end as long as you're doing 'normal' things the phone should be your companion for at least 2 years without you really noticing a difference between your phone and other people's.
Z3 and Z3 compact are best options on android right now.
implying you don't want a phablet.
new phones like GS6 and ONE M9 are cool but you can find a Z3 for 500€/$ and a Z3C for 400, (gs6 and one ~750$)
you'll have same software 5.0.2 with better UI, and better battery, only the camera will be a bit behind but still excellent.
so unless you have money to waste just go for it it's a good deal
I love my z3 compact but if I were to buy a new phone now, I would get the galaxy s6 edge.
The biggest issue I have with the z3c is the speaker. Currently if I am in a semi loud surrounding, I can hardly hear the other person on the line.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
As usual it depends on what you need. Me personally there is no other phone than the Z3c atm. Size/hardware/design... its perfect for me.
So if you're looking for a smaller phone (one hand use) with excellent battery life and fast hardware just go for it there is nothing that comes even close in that department.
I'm very torn right now, I'm frustrated that I would have to use the bloated stock software to get decent camera quality (no barrel distortion and better low light) and that CM12, while it runs decently doesn't support the features locked away by DRM. I'm contemplating reverting back to a Nexus 5...I think my biggest issue would be the camera, I thought it would be superb but in reality it only matches my nexus considering the distortion. And Sony's DRM and bootloader locking nonsense seems ridiculous to me.
zander21510 said:
I'm very torn right now, I'm frustrated that I would have to use the bloated stock software to get decent camera quality (no barrel distortion and better low light) and that CM12, while it runs decently doesn't support the features locked away by DRM. I'm contemplating reverting back to a Nexus 5...I think my biggest issue would be the camera, I thought it would be superb but in reality it only matches my nexus considering the distortion. And Sony's DRM and bootloader locking nonsense seems ridiculous to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can just root and then debloat.
2mal16 said:
you can just root and then debloat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's easy...the hard part is losing all the customizations. I went to stock 5.0.2 rooted, system R/W support isn't there, I lose all sorts of little features like expanded desktop, quick unlock, navigation customization...
zander21510 said:
That's easy...the hard part is losing all the customizations. I went to stock 5.0.2 rooted, system R/W support isn't there, I lose all sorts of little features like expanded desktop, quick unlock, navigation customization...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rw is already fixed though you wont like the process if you want to Stay on locked bl. Those features will be implemented either by Sony or more likely xposed working. Just give it some time
2mal16 said:
Rw is already fixed though you wont like the process if you want to Stay on locked bl. Those features will be implemented either by Sony or more likely xposed working. Just give it some time
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Click to collapse
Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.
zander21510 said:
Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.
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Click to collapse
Jeah it will Come soon enough, I mean lolli was just released and recoveries,custom Kernels and a working xposed will all make their way on this device sooner or later. Just play the waiting game... again
zander21510 said:
Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let's see... The Xperia Z that has been released for about 2 years also received the Lollipop update, why would you think that Sony would stop update a phone that's just been out 6 month's. Can you please tell me your logic?
Sent from my D5803
Nice Features
There are some things which are so nice. Most of the new phones arent waterproof. Phones are getting bigger and bigger. But the z3c is smaller but quite good.
I certainly would buy the Z3C again, the biggest gripe I have is the lack of Quality Case choices. Great phone IMO, size, battery, speed and takes above average pictures(Auto mode) and if you take the time to use the manual settings it can take excellent pictures.
So far, Sony Z3C has no real competition. In android world. I just bought one.
Dsteppa said:
Let's see... The Xperia Z that has been released for about 2 years also received the Lollipop update, why would you think that Sony would stop update a phone that's just been out 6 month's. Can you please tell me your logic?
Sent from my D5803
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well with the persisting rumors that Sony is either scaling back or dropping their mobile division...I just have a gut feeling.
And I guess I changed my mind. Just ordered a replacement Nexus 5 like my old one. I will miss the size and it is a sharp looking phone, but the broken features that can never be fixed (mostly camera stuff) and the DRM nonsense really turned me off of this phone. I may be an oddball but I just don't like that I'm missing all the little customizations and things on CM12 when I'm on stock, and Xposed will probably only fix about half of those features. Miss Privacy Guard, Quick unlock, all that good stuff. And I just don't like the UI design choices. Plus all the no-name "device reporting" and "anonymous reporting" services running in the background that can't be disabled.
I'm sure in a few months CM12 will have the microphone & other issues ironed out, but what's the point of having a 20MP camera that has distortion and poor image quality that (from what I've read) can never be fixed in an AOSP rom?
I would recommend it to my fiancee that doesn't use her phone for much more than texting and Youtube, but not for a tinkerer like myself.
FOR SURE! Unless you want to wait for a Z4 Compact to even be announced, and then eventually come out, I'd say the Z3 Compact remains the best phone at it's size from anyone, still to this day. The Galaxy S5 Mini just came out recently, and it's a Snapdragon 400! The Z3 Compact has a great, waterproof build, MicroSD, Camera Button, and 801 processor. Nothing else comes close unless you're okay with a leviathan of a phone I love my Z3 Compact and really do not desire a new phone or ever again something larger...
Would definitely still buy again. Just ticks so many boxes that other devices don't (size, speed, battery, microSD, camera). It really has no competition. I'm not sure we'll see a Z4 compact at all - doubt z3 compact is a big seller and with Sony in such a mess, they may just focus on the Z4. If that happens, we're in bad shape for fully spec'd < 5" Android devices. The good news is that the hardware is advancing so slowly now, the z3c will probably be a viable platform for quite awhile.
My Galaxy S4 (two generations old!) still runs CM12 perfectly fine. It's an SD600!

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