Functions and capabilities:
Software and interface:
The device has Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread installed. At the top there is a service line where the time, battery charge, and signal reception level indicator are displayed. Active connections and other data are also displayed there. By clicking on it, you can find out in more detail what programs were downloaded, what messages and letters were received, or what files were received via Bluetooth. As design elements, it is possible to use both preinstalled images or wallpapers from Sony Ericsson, and your own pictures. There are seven different colored menu themes available. Shortcuts and folders are placed on the desktop. For the folder, you can choose one of eight design options and assign it a name. Icons are added by dragging them from the phone menu directly into this area. An interesting feature has been implemented: you can swipe two fingers from diagonally opposite corners, all desktops will be reduced in size and displayed on one screen.
Timescape
An application that combines tabs, which combines messages from various social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte. In addition, there is data on phone calls, SMS and MMS, and email. The displayed data can be customized, and unnecessary data can be hidden.
Camera:
The following camera settings are available:
Branded TrackID application, which, based on a fragment of sound, determines the name of the artist and composition. There are popularity lists for each country, which songs users identified most often.
Advantages and disadvantages: Pros:
Already familiar to many readers of this blog and sites about mobile gadgets Sony Ericsson Xperia active It’s already on sale, but I only recently got it into my hands for a full review. I’ll tell you about the results of a week’s use of this gadget in this review. But first, a few words about what it is.
Sony Ericsson Xperia active, one of the latest representatives of the Xperia line presented this year, opened up the niche of smartphones for an active lifestyle or simply rugged smartphones for Sony Ericsson. Compact, water- and dust-proof, with a powerful processor and Android 2.3.4. Shockproof and unsinkable phones are a rarity; among Androids on our market it’s just “the only one.” Xperia active is not the case when “it’s not a pity to break it,” but rather “it’s not easy to break it.” Extreme in my everyday life not enough, and therefore, having received it for a test, I took it to the dacha to drown it in a well and chop it with an ax. The new smartphone fit into the rural surroundings like a native one.
It’s easy to see that in terms of screen characteristics and overall appearance, the phone resembles the popular Xperia mini and Xperia mini pro (the one with the keyboard). The same 3" screen, the weight is exactly in the middle (a little heavier than the mini and a little lighter than the mini pro). The engineers' idea is clear: a phone for jogging or going out of town should be compact.
The full list is:
But the most important thing in its design is functionality.
The possibility of panoramic shooting appeared in the latest firmware. You need to select the shooting direction (left to right, right to left, top to bottom or bottom to top), then follow the instructions on the screen.
Panoramic photos are saved in normal .JPG resolution, 3D panoramas are also saved in a file with .MPO resolution, in which, presumably, everything is 3D.
On the rating scale, I decided to highlight the features of the Xperia active, omitting the characteristics inherent in other Xperias such as a powerful processor, etc.). So:
Dimensions and weight
Rich equipment
ANT+ chip
Moisture and dust protection
Standard battery capacity
Extravagant appearance
The creators of Sony Ericsson Xperia active position the device as a model for surfers, snowboarders, and other extreme sportsmen. Indeed, it is great for jet skiing in the summer or boarding in the winter and still staying connected and in control of your body - right down to your heart rate and calories burned. This is a phone that should not be left on the shore.
Sony Ericsson has released an original smartphone for lovers of an active lifestyle. Hence the name of the device “Active”, which translated from English means “active”, “energetic” or “alive”. The key features of this model are a dust- and water-resistant body, as well as a scratch-resistant screen covered with mineral glass.
As stated in the “Supply Contents”, a large number of accessories come with the phone. The pre-installed software includes special applications for sports: “WalkMate” (step counter) and “iMapMyFITNESS+” (tracks the path on the map, records the distance and speed of your movement). Otherwise, this is a typical Sony Ericsson 2011 Android: a single-core “gigahertz” processor, 512 MB of RAM, a camera with the ability to record HD videos.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active smartphone has small dimensions (92 x 55 x 16.5 mm), comparable to the Xperia Mini (88 x 52 x 16 mm). Weight is 110 grams, i.e. 11 grams more than ST15i. The perimeter edging is made of metal (aluminum), the side edges are made of plastic, painted orange, the back surface (depending on the replacement panel) can be black (“soft-touch”) or white (porous, matte plastic).
The degree of protection of this device is IP67, which means:
To prevent moisture and dust from getting inside the phone, under the back panel there is another cover that fits hermetically into the grooves with rubberized edges. The connectors are also protected by tightly fitting plugs located on the cover. After removing the USB cable or headphones from the jacks, a warning message will appear on the screen: “To ensure water resistance, please close the outer jack caps.” Therefore, if suddenly, as an experiment, you decide to “drown” Xperia Active, then before doing this, you need to close them.
In general, the case looks strong, but you should not get carried away with crash tests, in particular, dropping the device: it is not rated for shock resistance.
Thanks to its streamlined shape, the device fits well in the hand and is easy to fit in a shirt or jeans pocket. There is a large loop on the bottom edge for attaching a strap.
There is a speaker on the front panel. Its volume is high, there is some headroom, and the intelligibility is quite good. Nearby there is a light and proximity sensor, as well as a very tiny LED indicator. It flashes blue during an incoming call, but does not indicate a missed call. But when an SMS is missed, it flashes green; when connected to a PC or charging the battery, it lights up constantly in red. At the bottom there are three touch buttons: calling the context menu, exiting to the main screen and “back”. They are illuminated with white LEDs. The brightness is weak, but in the evening it does not blind the eyes, and during the day it is quite noticeable. Just below the “back” key is the main microphone.
On the left side there is a power on/off button almost recessed into the body, which also acts as a display lock. Its stroke is large and the pressure is soft. On the right is a volume rocker and camera activation. The stroke is small, but the pressure is soft. There are no connectors on the top end, and microUSB and a 3.5 mm audio output (under the plugs) on the bottom.
The second microphone, speaker, LED flash and camera eye are located on the back of the surface.
Under the protective cover at the bottom there is a slot where the memory card is installed.
Appearance of SE Xperia active (left), Samsung Wave Y, Samsung Wave M, HTC Mozart, HTC Radar, SE Play (right):
It has exactly the same parameters as the Xperia Mini: diagonal – 3″ (physical size 64x43 mm), resolution 320x480 pixels (192 pixels per inch), matrix is made using TFT-LCD technology with backlighting, displays 16.7 million shades of color, The touch layer is capacitive, supporting up to four simultaneous touches. Sensitivity is high.
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There is also proprietary software image processing - Mobile Bravia Engine, borrowed from Sony TVs. Viewing angles are good, but the brightness drops slightly when tilted. There is a proximity sensor. Reacts quickly, no complaints. The brightness of the display backlight is controlled by a light sensor, and you can manually set its upper threshold. It practically does not fade in the sun. The Xperia active has a built-in accelerometer, compass, linear acceleration sensor and G-sensor.
Below is a comparison of the Sony Ericsson ST17i and Samsung Wave Y screens (as they are the most similar in diagonal size):
“Active” uses a lithium-polymer (Li-Polymer) battery with a capacity of 1200 mAh, 3.7V, 4.5 Wh. Model – EP500 (suitable for Xperia Mini, Xperia Mini Pro, X8, Vivaz and Vivaz Pro). According to the manufacturer, a full battery charge should last almost 5 hours of talk time and up to 350 hours (15 days) of standby time.
During testing, the following figures were obtained: the smartphone worked for about a week in standby mode, up to 15 hours when playing music at maximum volume (in headphones) and up to four hours when playing HD video at automatic backlight brightness.
On average, with 15-20 minutes of talking a day, one hour of taking photos and videos, the same amount of listening to music, four hours of Wi-Fi (Twitter, Skype, Internet surfing) and two hours of watching movies, the battery was discharged in 11-12 hours. The Xperia Mini lasts about the same amount of time.
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The battery charges from USB within two hours, from the network adapter - in an hour.
The smartphone operates in 2G (GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) and 3G networks (HSDPA 900 / 2100; 1900 / 800). GPRS speed – up to 86 Kbps, EDGE – up to 237 Kbps, HSDPA and HSUPA – up to 7.2 Mbps and 5.8 Mbps, respectively.
There is Wi-Fi standard 802.11 b/g/n. To distribute the Internet, it can be used as an access point. DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is supported, a standard that allows compatible devices to transmit and receive various media content (image, music, video) over the home network, as well as display it in real time.
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As with the entire Xperia line, the SE Active comes with 512MB of RAM. For most tasks this volume is more than enough. Internal memory is about 320 MB, and 270 MB is free. The kit comes with a 2 GB card, so if desired, all applications can be “dropped” onto it.
USB 2.0 speed when writing to the included memory card is about 10 MB/s, reading – up to 21 MB/s.
The maximum supported microSD card capacity is up to 32 GB.
The Xperia active has a 5-megapixel camera module with autofocus and LED backlight (single-section, LED). The maximum photo resolution is 2592x1944 pixels, videos are recorded in a resolution of 1280x720 pixels at 30 frames per second. The flash shines at approximately 1.5 - 2 meters.
The photo quality is significantly worse than on the Xperia Mini: color reproduction is not very good, clarity is mediocre. A possible reason is low-quality protective glass. Videos also don’t look the best, but the stereo image is excellent (you can clearly hear where the left channel is and where the right one is). The ST17i smartphone does not have a front camera.
To activate the camera, you need to press the button on the side of the device. It has two positions: focus (press halfway) and get a frame (press). There is also touch focus.
Photo mode interface: on the left – image capture mode (normal, condition recognition, smile detection), resolution (2MP, 3MP and 5MP), touch focus (on or off), shooting conditions (portrait, landscape, sports, etc.) and flash; on the right is the gallery, and in the center is the switch from photo to video mode.
Photo mode settings:
Video mode interface: left – shooting conditions (portrait, night mode, sports, landscape, etc.), video size (MMS, QVGA, VGA, FWVGA, HD720p), exposure, focus mode (single, face detection, infinity), backlight ( on off.).
Video mode settings:
Gallery:
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Video file characteristics:
Photo examples:
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The Xperia Active has the same Snapdragon chipset and Qualcomm MSM8255 (Scorpion) processor clocked at 1000 MHz as the Sony Ericsson Arc, Ray, Mini Pro. Code name – Snapdragon S2, architecture – ARMv7, CMOS technology, process technology – 45 nm. The graphics part is handled by Adreno 205 with support for OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenGL ES 1.1, OpenVG 1.1, EGL 1.3, Direct3D Mobile, SVGT 1.2, Direct Draw and GDI.
While testing the device, I did not have any serious performance issues: it works quickly, no glitches or slowdowns were noticed. This is understandable, since its “brothers” with the same processor have a higher screen resolution.
Technical specifications:
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Below are the performance tests of Active (left), Mini, Ray (right):
Quadrant Standard
Antutu Benchmark
Performance test Active (top), Mini, Ray (bottom):
Active Performance Test:
The Xperia ST17i smartphone runs Google Android operating system version 2.3.4. At the moment it is relevant. The long-awaited update for the Xperia line will be available in the coming weeks. Namely, for the following models: Xperia arc, Xperia PLAY, Xperia neo, Xperia Mini, Xperia Mini Pro and Xperia Active, Xperia pro, Xperia ray, Xperia neo V, Xperia arc S and for Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman. The update can be done both using a PC and over the air.
The Snapdragon S2 chipset includes a GPS module based on gpsOne Gen8. The “cold” start time is up to one minute, the “hot” start is less than 10 seconds. “Maps” are used for navigation.
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To unlock the screen, you need to press the power or home button and then slide your finger from left to right along the square with a lock pattern. The home screen is represented by the “four corners” interface already familiar to the Xperia line: up to four shortcuts can be placed on each of them. They are dragged from the menu or desktop. To delete a specific shortcut, move it to the trash. There are 5 virtual desktops in total. It cannot be expanded.
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The menu is represented by 12 shortcuts on one screen in a 4x3 grid. At the bottom right there is a button, when clicked, labels begin to “float”. In this mode, you can transfer them from one place to another or, by clicking on the cross, delete the application. Otherwise, the interface is similar to previous models. Sorting is carried out: alphabetically, by frequently used programs, by recently installed ones, or at your discretion.
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By clicking on the “phone” icon, the dialer is called up. It is large and convenient, but when you enter a number, saved contacts with these numbers are not displayed. When there is an incoming call, the caller's photo and name are displayed on the screen. During a call, you can turn on the speakerphone. It’s easy to switch from the “dialer” to “contacts”. To add a new contact, you need to click on the icon at the top right. The following information applies to each subscriber:
The “calls” section displays the caller’s name, phone number, date and type of call (incoming, outgoing, missed).
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To enter text, a standard Android keyboard is used, which in this model is called “international”. There are also two types of keyboards available: full-size and standard (telephone). However, the user has the right to install any other one from the Market.
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There is a standard set of programs for most SE smartphones:
Alarm.
Calendar.
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Cards.
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Google Talk.
Navigation.
Addresses.
Locator.
Calculator.
TrackID. Determining the artist and title of a song based on a short excerpt.
Youtube.
News and weather.
Adobe Reader.
Quadrapop. Game in the style of "Tetris".
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Data tracking. The program controls data transfer between the phone and the GPRS/3G network.
3D camera. A new application that appeared in Android firmware 2.3.4. Photos can only be viewed on a Sony Bravia TV with 3D technology.
Xperia Hot Shots. A special application that tracks the play of six famous tennis players who will later become heroines of a reality show.
Connected devices. This application plays photo or video content on BRAVIA TVs or the Sony PlayStation 3 game console.
Watch.
Wisepilot. Navigation application.
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3D album.
NeoReader. Is a universal app barcode scanner that turns the camera on your mobile phone into a barcode scanner and allows you to access mobile content via the web.
Music and video. Allows you to access your Facebook friends' music and videos.
WalkMate. The program is a step counter. The easy-to-use Walk Mate app stays active throughout the day. It keeps track of the number of steps you've taken and the number of steps left to reach your daily health goal.
Office Suite. Is a document viewer application for Android. Allows you to open DOC, DOCX, TXT, XLS, XLSX, CSV, PPT, PPTX, PPS, PPSX and PDF files.
UEFA. The official application that allows you to follow the main football tournament in Europe.
Update center. Software update application.
games and applications.
Flash. The application allows you to turn on the LED flash or screen. They may flash depending on the option selected.
Liveware Manager. Allows you to launch an application when you connect a headset, headphones, or power cable.
Compass.
iMapMyFITNESS. The app tracks your route, travel speed, duration, and heart rate thanks to ANT+ technology.
A standard browser is installed. It works quickly, supports flash animation (Flash 11) and multi-touch. However, it is inconvenient to surf on a small screen with a low resolution.
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Music player
After launch, the screen displays: a large album cover, three player control keys (“forward”, “back” and “play/pause”), and a transition to the list of songs. There are 10 equalizer presets in the settings (normal sound, classical, dance music, flat sound, folk, heavy metal, hip-hip, jazz, pop and rock).
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The speaker volume is high (in fact, as in all recent Sony Ericsson models), the sound is very clear and pleasant. In the general sound settings there is an xLOUD parameter. It allows you to increase the volume up to 20-30%. After “bathing” the device in water, the speaker may wheeze a little. However, after drying everything becomes normal.
The sound quality in the headphones is excellent, but the high frequencies are somewhat elevated and there are not very many low frequencies. Complete “ears” are not as hopeless as they might seem: music lovers, of course, will replace them with others, but I don’t recommend them to others. On the headset, you can use the answer button to switch tracks or pause them.
FM radio
Operates in the range 85 – 108 MHz. Supports RDS. From the settings - only outputting music to the speaker and searching for radio stations. The sensitivity of the receiver is good, the volume in the headphones is high, as well as when outputting to the speaker.
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Video player
By default, the player can play MP4 and 3GP files. When installing, for example, a Dice player, the range of supported codecs and file types expands to MKV and AVI, recorded in H264, DivX and XViD. Maximum resolution – up to 720p.
The call quality is high and comparable to other phones in the Xperia line. The vibration alert is average in strength, but is well felt in the pocket of a jacket or jacket.
The direct competitor to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is the Xperia mini. The difference in cost is almost 4,000 rubles. This is an overpayment for a dust- and waterproof case and a richer set of accessories.
For about 12,000 – 13,000 rubles, you can try to find last year’s Motorola Defy model. It has a larger screen and resolution, but the processor frequency is weaker, and it cannot record video in HD. The remaining parameters are identical. Despite the fact that Motorola's mobile division does not operate in Russia, the company guarantees service for phones already sold. At the end of September, “Defy +” was released, but it is sold only in Europe and Latin America for $350.
Another similar smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy Xcover. Unlike SE ST17i, it has a large 3.65″ screen. The camera is only 3 megapixels, and the processor frequency is 800 MHz. The cost is not known exactly, and when it will appear is also unclear.
So it turns out that at the moment the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is the most affordable Google phone with a dust- and moisture-proof case.
Roman Belykh (
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 55 mm (millimeters) 5.5 cm (centimeters) 0.18 ft (feet) 2.17 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 92 mm (millimeters) 9.2 cm (centimeters) 0.3 ft (feet) 3.62 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 16.5 mm (millimeters) 1.65 cm (centimeters) 0.05 ft (feet) 0.65 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 110 g (grams) 0.24 lbs 3.91 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 83.49 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.07 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified. | IP67 |
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 45 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | Scorpion |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 384 kB (kilobytes) 0.375 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 1 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1000 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 205 |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 512 MB (megabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 500 MHz (megahertz) |
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | LCD |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 3 in (inches) 76.2 mm (millimeters) 7.62 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 1.66 in (inches) 42.27 mm (millimeters) 4.23 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 2.5 in (inches) 63.4 mm (millimeters) 6.34 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.5:1 3:2 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 320 x 480 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 192 ppi (pixels per inch) 75 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 53.13% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| LED-backlit Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine |
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions. | 2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 1200 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 4 hours 53 minutes 4.9 h (hours) 292.8 min (minutes) 0.2 days |
| 2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 351 h (hours) 21060 min (minutes) 14.6 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 5 hours 31 minutes 5.5 h (hours) 331.2 min (minutes) 0.2 days |
| 3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 335 h (hours) 20100 min (minutes) 14 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Removable |
Xperia active is one of the last smartphones from the now defunct Sony Ericsson. Now only the Japanese manufacturer is responsible for the development and production of such devices, having bought a 50 percent share of the joint venture from the Swedish partner. Nevertheless, despite the financial failures of Sony Ericsson, last year the company managed to release several memorable models, which include the Xperia active.
The smartphone is aimed at people who are interested in active sports. This is indicated by the “sporty” colors of the case, the included accessories, design features, and a set of special applications. In addition, the Xperia active case protects the device from dust and moisture. Let's see what features are implemented in one of the most non-standard Sony Ericsson Android smartphones.
Appearance, controls
We rarely talk about a smartphone kit, because in most cases the box contains a standard set: the device itself, a USB cable, a charger and headphones, and sometimes a memory card. However, from time to time manufacturers supplement the kit with other accessories. As an example, we can recall. And although the Sony Ericsson Xperia active does not have a key fob or a docking station with built-in speakers, some interesting things can be found here.
So, in addition to the smartphone itself, the box contains an additional white cover, a strap for carrying the device on your hand, and a case that can be attached to your shoulder. The last accessory will be appreciated by those who are used to running: the case is firmly fixed, does not interfere during runs, protects the device from precipitation and allows you to see the screen through a transparent window.
The Xperia active smartphone should not be perceived as a model protected from any adverse influences. The body of the device is not shockproof, and you should be careful with water procedures. Although the device is positioned as waterproof, the manufacturer warns against prolonged “swimming” of the Xperia active. The model simply offers additional protection in emergency situations - the phone will remain operational in the rain, after falling into a puddle or mud.
We did not perform stress tests on the device, but simply held it under running cold water. Quite expectedly, the device withstood this simple experiment without any visible consequences.
Compared to most modern smartphones, the Xperia active model looks very compact, although its thickness is rather large - 16.5 mm. Thanks to the rounded ends, the device fits comfortably in the hand; its large thickness does not affect its ergonomics.
Almost the entire body of the Xperia active is made of fingerprint-resistant plastic. A silver edging is made of metal, turning into an unusually large loop on the bottom edge of the device. The same cord mentioned above for carrying the phone on your hand is threaded into the hole.
The smartphone has few hardware controls: on the left side there is a power button, on the right there is a volume rocker and a camera activation button. The buttons are convenient to use; they protrude 1-2 mm from the body and are characterized by clear clicks.
The audio jack and microUSB port are located on the bottom edge and are closed with sealed rubber plugs. Above the display there is a speaker, proximity and light sensors, and an LED indicator. Contrary to first impressions, the Xperia active does not have a front camera; instead, Sony Ericsson has built in a second proximity sensor. Below the screen there are three familiar backlit touch buttons: “Back”, “Home” and “Menu”, and even lower is a barely noticeable microphone hole.
The most interesting part of the Xperia active, apart from the strap hole, is the front panel. By default, the smartphone has a black cover with soft touch coating. If desired, it can be replaced with a white matte panel. Both the first and second options provide an effective combination with an orange stripe running along the perimeter of the device.
On the back there is a 5-megapixel camera eye, an LED flash, an additional microphone for noise reduction and a speaker. Removing the cover, we see a small surprise - another rubberized panel that fits tightly to the body and reliably protects the battery, SIM compartment and memory card slot from moisture.
The assembly of the Xperia active is of high quality, without any backlash. Despite the thickness of 16.5 mm, due to its short length, width and weight, the smartphone will fit into almost any pocket. The appearance and materials from which the device is made also leave a positive impression. At least the device is not like most other smartphones and attracts attention.
Display
The Xperia active model is equipped with a 3-inch TFT display with a resolution of 320x480 pixels. Since the screen diagonal is small, it is difficult to notice individual pixels in the image. The picture quality can be assessed as good, especially if you enable the Bravia Engine function - it makes colors more saturated.
You can see the image in the sun, but I would still like to add brightness. But the viewing angles of the display are good both horizontally and vertically. In general, we have before us an ordinary mid-level screen, without any special advantages or disadvantages.
As befits a protected device, its display is scratch-resistant. In addition, the manufacturer pasted a barely noticeable film over the screen.
Interface, functionality
The smartphone runs Android 2.3 and is equipped with a proprietary interface that is familiar to those who have experience with Sony Ericsson smart phones. To unlock the screen, you need to slide your finger along the virtual slider from left to right. If you do this from right to left, silent mode will turn on.
The user has access to five desktops on which application shortcuts, widgets and folders can be placed. Browse mode displays the contents of all desktops on one screen.
The most popular programs can be assigned to one of the four corner zones. Each of them contains four icons. This way you can provide quick access to up to 16 applications from any desktop. Programs can also be viewed from the main menu. There you can sort applications alphabetically, frequency of use and installation date; you can also organize your own list.
There are many additional programs installed in the firmware. There is, for example, in addition to the standard one, also a catalog of applications from Sony Ericsson. The TrackID program can determine the name of a track from a short passage, WalkMate counts the number of steps taken, and iMapMyFitness+ takes into account the route traveled and supports GPS and ANT+, which can be used to connect to a heart rate sensor and other specialized devices.
The Timescape program, which aggregates messages from popular social networks, mail and SMS, has not gone away. In addition, there is a flashlight, a QR code reader, the Wisepilot navigation service, an office suite, and the ability to play photos or videos on Sony TVs and consoles.
The musical component of the smartphone deserves special mention. Moreover, it’s not so much about the audio player, but about the quality of the sound - it’s loud, rich and “bassy”. The Xperia active model can be used as a replacement player. In addition, the set included unexpectedly good headphones, which is not typical for most other phones. Perhaps, in terms of music playback quality, the device can easily compete with more expensive HTC smartphones that come with a Beats Audio headset.
Camera
The Xperia active smartphone is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera with the ability to record HD video. In terms of image quality, it is not inferior to photo modules with the same resolution installed in the Samsung Galaxy model. In low-light conditions, noise and problems with sharpness are noticeable, but overall the photos are not bad for a mobile device.
