Review of the smartphone Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V: neonew mobile light. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, Neo, Pro

Content:

The smartphone can still be found on sale, it remains an interesting option, because it has a good design, functionality, and price. All those qualities for which they love and choose new devices for themselves.

There are not so many changes compared to the previous solution. The first thing to consider is that the kit comes with a 2 GB card, not 8 GB as before. The camera has also changed: now it is 5 megapixels against 8. Otherwise, the models are similar, the design remained intact, inside the familiar branded shell. At the same time, an update to Android Ice Cream Sandwich appeared here, so you can look at the already updated interface.

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone


• Battery


• stereo headset


• 2 GB microSD card


• Charger


• HDMI cable


• Instruction

Appearance

The dimensions of the case are as follows: 116x57x13 mm, weight 126 g. Among Android solutions, the device is not the largest, but not the smallest either. Although there are already enough on the market and a little more subtle solutions.

The design of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V has not changed, so it's easy to confuse the two versions of the Neo. The model has been on the market for almost a year, during which time it has remained the same original and easily recognizable. The smartphone is not like other devices, and its good looks will appeal to most.

The smooth lines of the body give the model unique features. Here, there are sloping transitions on the upper and lower ends, and silver-colored inserts on the sides that match the style.

As before, the smartphone is available in several colors. Moreover, the gamut has expanded and now the following range is offered to choose from: blue, silver, white, red and gold. The coating is of high quality, it does not peel off over time, the smartphone will retain its original appearance for a long time.

On the top end, which has a curved shape, there is a 3.5 mm jack in the very center. It is used to connect a complete headset or any other headphones. To the left of it is a microUSB port. A cable is connected to it for synchronization and data transfer to a computer. On the other hand, there is an HDMI cable connector. Both slots are covered with flip-up plastic plugs, reliably protected from possible dust ingress.

At the bottom you can see the microphone hole and a notch that helps to remove the back panel.

There are no elements on the left side, there is a completely smooth silver plate.

On the right side, closer to the top, you can see a small round silver button. She is responsible for the screen lock. Below there is a large volume rocker. On a small ledge is a two-position camera shutter button. It is also worth mentioning the presence of a light indicator, which is located on this part of the case. It signals missed calls, new messages, glows when charging - a very useful thing. It glows brightly and is hard to miss.

At the top, in a small oval hole, there is a speaker. Next to it is a camera for video calls and a proximity sensor.

Under the display is a block of mechanical keys. It is made in the form of a curved strip, which consists of three large silver buttons. The first button helps to return to the previous menu item, the central one directs to the desktop. Also, if you hold it down for a few seconds, it will activate the application manager. The last key brings up the context menu.

They do not have a backlight, but due to their large size, accidental clicks are excluded. The buttons are comfortable, pressed gently, the action is accompanied by a soft click.

The back of the smartphone is curved, comfortable and ergonomic. Painted in a metallic shade, it looks beautiful.

Here you can see the bell speaker, company logo and camera lens. Next to it, it is easy to notice the LED flash.

The smartphone is assembled tightly, reliably, without backlash of the panels. Under the removable cover there is a compartment for a microSD memory card, which does not require turning off the device to replace. The SIM card slot is blocked by the battery.

Display

The display diagonal is 3.7 inches. It is made using Sony Mobile Bravia technology. Its feature is improved color reproduction - when this function is activated (it can be disabled in the menu), the contrast and sharpness of the image increase, the picture is natural, natural, alive. The resolution is 480x854 pixels, up to 16 million colors are displayed.

Of course, the screen is capacitive, 4-point multi-touch is supported. It responds well to touch. The smartphone has an accelerometer, it allows you to change the picture, you just need to turn the phone. The proximity sensor turns off the screen when the phone approaches your face during a call. There is no auto brightness sensor.

I would like to note the presence of a special display coating, which should provide protection from scratches. The screen cover is something between glass and plastic, it can be found in many other modern solutions. A special film will be initially glued onto the display, which will serve as additional protection. It is glued very neatly, it is difficult to notice. If you do not know about its presence, then you can not notice its existence.

The behavior in the sun is average, in bright light the data is not very visible. If you do not manually set the display brightness to the maximum value, then there may be problems with the readability of the data on the screen.

The screen is dim, it is easy to notice by comparing the smartphone with analogues. For example, the margin for adjusting the backlight is much higher. Maybe for someone this will be a plus, because in this mode, battery power is consumed more slowly. But at the same time, those who prefer bright, contrasting images will bypass this model.

Platform

The smartphone has a Qualcomm MSM8255 processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, an Adreno 205 graphics chip. There is 512 MB random access memory, as well as about 300 MB for the needs of the user. A 2 GB card will be included with the device. The performance is flawless, the smartphone is smart, does not slow down. All users can now upgrade to Android 4.0.3. Therefore, it was especially interesting to try the Xperia Neo V with the latest firmware version.

Menu

At the top of the screen is a service line, which displays the time, battery charge, signal reception level indicator. Active connections and other data are also displayed there. By pulling it down, you can find out in more detail what programs have been downloaded, what messages and letters have been received, or what files have been received via Bluetooth. If music is playing, then the control buttons will be displayed in a separate line. Removing unnecessary data is easy, just swipe your finger across the line.

As a design element, it is possible to use both pre-installed images or branded wallpapers, as well as your favorite pictures. In addition, shortcuts and folders are placed on the desktop.

Widgets are selected, they can also be added to the desktop. There can be 5 virtual screens, while an interesting function works: you can swipe with two fingers from diagonally opposite corners, all desktops will decrease and be displayed on one screen.

Of the additional options for customization, you can highlight the presence of built-in themes of different shades.

The smartphone menu consists of several work areas. If you install additional applications, then over time there will be more such areas. The screen has 16 icons on a translucent background, under which you can see the wallpaper installed on the main screen. Icons can be arranged as it is convenient for the user. There is also sorting by several criteria: alphabetically, frequently used, recently installed.

When the screen is locked, the display shows the date and time. Swipe from left to right to unlock the screen. If you do it the other way around, the camera starts up, as evidenced by an additional icon. If a player is playing in the background, then the music control buttons are displayed here. Answering a call is also simple, just pull either the green or red label.

Phone book

The smartphone has a handy assistant for importing contacts both from the SIM card and from Facebook and Google accounts, they are displayed in a single list. A backup copy of the list of numbers is created on a memory card, later the data can be restored.

When adding a new contact, a lot of fields are created. This includes various types of phone numbers, email addresses, quick communication tools (AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, Skype and others), residential addresses and others (nickname, note, internet call).

The smartphone has a list of alphabetic characters located on the right side of the screen. If you press your finger on this line and drag it down or up, then a letter pops up on the screen - a kind of quick search, which helps in cases where there are several hundred or even thousands of contacts on the phone. The search by the first letters of the contact name works for both language layouts. There is a menu of favorite numbers where you can add frequently used contacts.

Call log

Directly from the phone book, you can access the call log - it is highlighted in a separate tab. There, a single list includes dialed numbers, received and missed calls, for clarity, they are marked with icons of different colors. By clicking on the line, you can remove the number from the call log, add it to a contact, or perform some other actions. By selecting a number from the list, detailed information about the call will be displayed.

Viewing the call history, you can not only make a telephone conversation with the selected subscriber, but also send him an SMS or a letter by e-mail from this list without going to another menu. Dialing is carried out using a convenient virtual keyboard. An automatic search for numbers works, which highlights suitable numbers where the order of the entered numbers matches.

Messages

For SMS and MMS there is shared folder where received messages go. When sending, by adding various objects to the SMS, you can automatically convert it to MMS. Messages are grouped by recipients in the conversation feed. While typing, a small field reserved for characters will be displayed. The longer the message, the more the space allocated for the character set increases. The device can copy, cut and paste text (and not only in the messages themselves, but you can also add it to a document or to an email). For navigation, a convenient cursor is used, which helps to correct typos, highlight the necessary sections of text.

Predictive text input is available when word correction and auto-completion systems help you type text at a fast pace, allowing you not to waste time correcting mistakes. Possible word options are shown as a separate line above the keyboard. There is Swype, which makes the correspondence even faster, practically getting rid of typos.

Email

Automatic setup starts for e-mail mailbox(unless it's Gmail, connecting immediately after the email address was entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone perfectly understands various encodings, supports downloading attachments in familiar formats.

When creating a letter, you can also attach various files from the device's memory to it. The function of copying text and automatic checking of the mailbox also works (the interval is set manually). Works sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size.

Camera

The smartphone uses a 5-megapixel module with autofocus and LED flash. To launch the camera, a dedicated key on the side of the smartphone is used. By holding it for a few seconds, the shooting mode starts, this can be done from any application, it is not necessary to go to the main menu.

Help icons are displayed on the screen to help you set up shooting modes and conditions. 5 small icons are displayed on the side - the phone shows the latest received frames. Pulling the icons to the side opens a gallery of images taken.

Various options are available:

Image Capture Mode: Normal, Scene Detection, Front Camera, Panoramic View, 3D View.

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

Photo resolution: 5M (2592x1944), 3 MP (2048x1536), 2M (1600x1200 pixels) 16:9 or 4:3.

Timer: 2, 10 seconds.

Smile detection: large, medium, small.

Geotags.

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

I think that for clarity, it makes sense to show the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V next to the Sony Xperia U, so that you can evaluate the quality of shooting both smartphones in automatic mode. The quality is good with sufficient lighting.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V on the left, Sony Xperia U on the right:

Gallery Photos and videos stored in the smartphone's memory are shown here. The gallery works in both vertical and landscape orientations. Working with files is accompanied by nice animation effects. Working with files is fast, image previews are generated without much delay. Pictures are displayed in a 2x3 or 3x2 grid, depending on the position of the device. In the folders, the thumbnails of the pictures are smaller, thanks to which not 3, but 4 pictures are placed vertically. The image opens in full screen, scaling works with multitouch. Files can be sent via email, Bluetooth, SMS or posted on Picasa. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign them to a contact. Rotation of images, reduction of their size is supported, as well as additional information about a specific file is displayed, the place where the picture was taken is also shown if geotagging is working. Images are shown both in folders (for example, received via Bluetooth, section with photos), and ordered by date. Thanks to this, it is very convenient to view photos - several sections are obtained in the same folder. You can scroll through either using the strip displayed at the bottom of the screen, or by simply touching the screen with your fingers anywhere in it. There is also a second version of the gallery, which is available on any Android ICS device. It works faster, I like its design more. The functionality of the applications is similar, but the second is equipped with a built-in photo editor that allows you to apply various effects. The video is played from the gallery, where a separate folder is allocated for the videos. Nothing special can be said about the phone here. There is no support for DivX and XviD codecs in the smartphone, so the ability to play video out of the box is quite modest. You won't be able to watch anything without an additional player, so it's worth visiting the app store. timescape Timescape combines tabs that combine messages from various social networks: Facebook, Twitter. In addition, there is data on phone calls, SMS and MMS, e-mail. Displayed data is configured, unnecessary can be hidden. The update is also installed: manually or automatically. Messages are presented in the form of translucent panels on which the name of the sender, the text of the message itself, as well as the source from where the message came from are written. The ability to customize the background has disappeared, now it is a permanent blue color. The list scrolls very quickly, without a hint of delay. In general, the thing is beautiful and interesting, the main drawback is associated with a not very beautiful design - if the author of the message has an avatar, then this image will be displayed stretched to the full width of the transparent panel. Player To listen to music, you can select tracks sorted into several categories: artist, album, tracks, lists. In the latter case, there are automatic playlists (recently added, popular tracks, never played), and manual listening lists are also created. From the music list, you can add songs to a playlist or send them via MMS, Bluetooth, or email. The screen displays the name of the artist, the name of the album and the song being played. In the music playback mode, a large album cover is displayed (if it was assigned earlier), there are playback control buttons on the screen. If desired, the song is set as a ringtone. Equalizer settings are also available. These presets are: Normal, Classical, Dance, Flat, Folk, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, Jazz, Pop, Rock. There are no manual settings. While listening to music, you can find information about the artist - a list of videos available for viewing on YouTube is displayed, learn about him, see the lyrics of the song. The sound quality for the Android segment is very good. There is a sufficient volume margin, the mids are well developed, and the lower range is not bad either. Deep bass lovers can try playing with the equalizer, which will help change the sound image, albeit not without some distortion. It can also be noted that a widget has been added to control music when the screen is locked, which was previously missing. Radio The smartphone has a radio that has the function of automatically searching for stations. You can also save several dozen frequencies in the phone's memory. You can easily switch between your favorite stations by clicking on a small icon that will automatically move between saved waves. TrackID allows you to identify the melody sounding on the radio in your smartphone or somewhere nearby. Not only the song title will be displayed, but also the album title, artist name and cover art. Organizer The calendar in the device is made in a traditional style, the display of information for a whole month, a week or a specific day is configured. You can customize the type and alert tone for recorded events and appointments. There is a separation of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. When creating a new record, it is given a name, a period, a place. It is indicated with which of the calendars it will be synchronized, you can send invitations to contacts from the notebook. The repeat period is set (every day, weekly, monthly, yearly). The reminder will help not to lose sight of the record, the signal will work in advance. Alarm The smartphone allows you to save several alarms in memory. The repetition is set both for 1 time and for every day, only on weekdays or weekly. You can also set specific days. The melody of the signal is set, you can add a vibrating alert and a text file to it. Sets the period for the re-triggering of the signal. The phone screen can display the weather forecast, date and time in large characters. The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientations. It has an additional menu. Works on a smartphone Google search, which searches both within the contents of the device and through the browser. Recent requests that were entered on the computer may also be displayed, the phone will use the account. Among the rich assortment Google Play the buyer can evaluate thousands of applications and choose for himself necessary set applications. There is a convenient search function, as well as dividing programs into categories, which greatly simplifies browsing. You can look at the reviews, evaluate the rating and express your opinion about the software. Each application is provided with a brief description and images for greater clarity. Purchased applications are displayed in a separate list, which is convenient: if a new phone was purchased, you can immediately install the programs that were previously purchased. YouTube is a standard application for most modern devices that allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode. The Facebook application will allow you to communicate in the network of the same name directly from your mobile device. Google Talk chat works. The file browser is useful for various operations with data in the smartphone's memory. News and weather are displayed. DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos from compatible devices wirelessly. The Office Suite application is built-in, which shows files of "office" formats, but lacks the ability to edit them. If needed, you can buy full version. Browser For Internet surfing, a convenient application is used. A navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages, there is a log of pages viewed. Several windows open, search for words on the page works, text selection, as well as a practical function for changing the brightness of the screen directly from the browser. Thanks to multi-touch, pages are easily scaled (virtual keys also work to change the size of the displayed one). The font size changes, password saving works, flash is supported. For prudent users, there is Opera Mini, which saves traffic, at the same time speeding up data loading. GPS navigation For navigation, Google Maps is used - the standard software for all Android backgrounds. The only drawback is that the program requires constant network activity, which affects the amount of traffic consumed by the device. Traffic jams are displayed, thus, the application has become full-featured and convenient not only for pedestrians, but also for car owners. There is a function of determining the current location, calculating the route from the start to the end point, and the method of movement is set: by car, on foot or by public transport. The route is laid on the map, while key places are indicated in the form of text messages that are displayed on the screen in the form of a column, you can switch between them: view the route in advance or vice versa, go back and lay a different path. Zooming works with multitouch or virtual buttons. Settings There are standard settings that are present in any Android smartphone. This section allows you to manage the capabilities of your smartphone in terms of modifying the interface, as well as changing various phone settings. The smartphone offers a convenient branded application that sets up all the key parameters. If you do not use it immediately after purchase, you can return to it later. Connections The smartphone operates in the GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS 900/1700/2100 bands. There is Bluetooth 2.1 with support for EDR and A2DP, in addition to support for other common profiles. The work of Wi-Fi b/g/n is implemented at the usual level. The smartphone remembers the entered passwords for networks, can automatically connect to them, being within their range. Modem mode and access point are provided. MicroHDMI allows you to connect your smartphone to various external sources (TV or monitor) and broadcast media content to them using the supplied cable. Working hours Used lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh. Official data on the operating time are as follows: up to 7 hours of talk time, up to 430 hours battery life in standby mode, up to 31 hours in music listening mode. On average, the phone works for a day, sometimes a day and a half with a small load. With 20-30 minutes of calls per day, 20-30 photos, 2 hours of listening to the player, 30-60 minutes of using network applications (browser, twitter), as well as using continuous synchronization with Google services, by the evening there were about 15-20% of fully charged battery in the morning. In this case, the screen brightness was set to the maximum value. In the continuous movie playback mode with the following settings: the maximum level of display backlight, synchronization is on, Wi-Fi is working, the smartphone lasted 9 hours and 15 minutes. An excellent result, but it is worth remembering that the screen is far from being as bright as its counterparts. Accordingly, it helps him to work longer ceteris paribus. Conclusion The speaker is good, there are no problems with volume, the sound reserve is enough for various conditions. The vibrating alert is weak, you can not always feel it. But it is compensated by sonorous melodies with which the phone notifies the owner. Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V differs slightly from . Among Sony products, it occupies an average position: somewhat more expensive than the popular one, but at the same time cheaper than the recently introduced new products in the Xperia line. In this case, it is a direct rivalry with the Xperia U. Which of the smartphones is more interesting? In terms of design, I like the Xperia U more, it also wins in terms of screen quality. She has a modified player, and there will be an update to Android 4 version. But at the same time the main problem devices - a small amount of built-in memory. The Xperia Neo V has no problems with this, it will not be difficult to install a card of the required volume. The devices are similar in terms of speed and functionality. The cameras are also quite close, you can safely put an equal sign between them. They ask for about 10,500-11,000 rubles for the device, which is quite adequate, based on the qualities of a smartphone. Users can upgrade to new version Android, Sony keep their promises and release the latest firmware versions. Sony also has a smartphone with a memory card in its arsenal, this is a new one that costs about 14,000 rubles. This is already a full-fledged replacement for Neo and Neo V, so buyers have a fairly large choice between the company's models. Neo V is for those who want everything at the lowest price, Xperia U with a focus on design and Xperia Sola, which offers both style and function of the 2012 line. © Alexander Pobyvanets, Test Lab Date of publication of the article - July 19, 2012

Battery capacity: 1500 mAh Battery type: Li-Ion Talk time: 7 hours Standby time: 430 hours Music time: 31 hours

Additional Information

Announce date: 2011-02-13 Start date: 2011-07-07 Package contents: phone, battery, stereo headset, memory card, charger, Micro USB cable, HDMI cable

General characteristics

Type: smartphone Weight: 126 g Operating system: Android 2.3 Case type: classic Number of SIM cards: 1 Dimensions (WxHxD): 57x116x13 mm SIM card type: regular

Screen

Screen type: color TFT, 16.78 million colors, touch screen Type of touch screen: multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal: 3.7 inches. Image size: 854x480 Pixels per inch (PPI): 265 Auto screen rotation: yes

Multimedia features

Camera: 8.10 megapixels, LED flash Camera functions: autofocus, digital Zoom 2x Movie recording: yes Max. video resolution: 1280x720 Front camera: yes Audio: MP3, AAC, FM radio Headphone jack: 3.5 mm Recognition: faces, smiles Geo Tagging: yes Video output: HDMI

Connection

Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, ANT+ Standard: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G DLNA support: yes Satellite navigation: GPS A-GPS system: yes Use as a USB storage device: yes

Memory and processor

Processor: Qualcomm MSM 8255, 1000 MHz Number of processor cores: 1 Built-in memory: 1 GB RAM: 512 MB Memory card support: microSD (TransFlash), up to 32 GB Video processor: Adreno 205 User accessible memory: 320 MB Slot for memory cards: yes, up to 32 GB

Other features

Control: voice dialing, voice control Sensors: ambient light, proximity Speakerphone (built-in speaker): yes Airplane mode: yes A2DP profile: yes

2 years ago 0

price and compactness

2 years ago 0

2 years ago 0

The first pancake is lumpy (this is the first smartphone from Sony)! The screen is normal, not to say that it’s bad but not good either (as for the first smart, it’s normal)! Thanks to Sony for not vying out and putting a standard usb for charging and micro sd, not your own memory stick

2 years ago 0

good screen colors

2 years ago 0

the box is beautiful

2 years ago 0

compactness, abundance of Android applications, multimedia

2 years ago 0

1. The screen is good, the size, in my opinion, is optimal and the picture is decent. 2.4 android out of the box. With the same hardware as in the previous neo, it works 100500 times faster. 3. Like all sonics, very loud sound. 4. Design for an amateur, but I like these roundness.

2 years ago 0

it’s convenient to hold in your hand, use the Internet, watch videos, since the screen is large ... as soon as I picked it up, I immediately fell in love with my version in white, I immediately bought a pink leather cover for it, so it’s not scratched anywhere and the film is already on the screen is good (under the factory film) I bought for 11.000 and I like android version 4.0 much more than 2.3 ...

2 years ago 0

The device is just great! All parameters correspond to the declared. Excellent assembly - no problems, extraneous sounds, etc.

2 years ago 0

Big screen -Good camera -Front camera

2 years ago 0

sometimes it slows down, there is not enough memory, you have to turn off all unnecessary applications and widgets, this helps. Well, then - everything is like that of another user: “Now it doesn’t load at all. After removing the battery, when you turn it on, the vibration works, and then everything ....” True, up to this point he had worked for me for two years. But the HTC Incredible S worked for a neighbor for about a year or more, they dropped it, and nothing, alive, but mine died quietly.

2 years ago 0

Inconvenient

2 years ago 0

The assembly is terrible (Obviously not Sony level) - the Sony logo peeled off at the back, then the volume rocker and the power button fell off (I had to glue the whole thing), The search button is not needed at all - it only takes up space - there is no radio - very little memory (380 mb- since this is my first smart, I thought it was enough, but no, the applications weigh a lot and not everything is transferred to the memory card) - sometimes it slows down, the charge ends quickly (well, this is minus the android) - a bunch of unnecessary garbage from Sony (and the shell is almost nothing different from bare android)
Maybe I was unlucky with this product, but once I gave it up under warranty due to the fact that the backlight of the screen stopped working!

2 years ago 0

started to freeze ... maybe I have a marriage, but often it doesn’t focus normally. For me it was surprise and disappointment that there is no zoom o_o, how is it possible? They didn’t have enough of their own memory, at least 2 GB. After a few months, it began to hang at the most inopportune moment, turn off and slow down :(

2 years ago 0

Thanks to Sony engineers for the fact that when the phone is even on a hard surface, the speaker hole closes tightly, which is why the sound is not audible at all, and if you put the screen down, it is difficult to lift it because of the rounded case. It must have taken a long time to figure out how to do this.
There is no button illumination, in the dark it is not clear where you press.

2 years ago 0

box contents

2 years ago 0

very low quality of the device, low performance for Android 4, freezes

2 years ago 0

All the shortcomings are associated exclusively with the design, for the rest there are no complaints:
1. Hard buttons do not inspire confidence. Honestly, they could have been made better + the search button is not needed at all.
2.Button on and the volume rocker is small and not very conveniently located + there is no camera button
3. As already written here - if you put the phone with the screen up, the speaker is muffled.

2 years ago 0

heats up during games, and I personally don’t have enough RAM, although in principle I already have a lot of applications
the back cover is thin and can be removed specifically (you can ruin the whole manicure) and it is glossy, so without a case the phone can easily fly out of your hands)

2 years ago 0

Slows down when launching applications or entering the call mode.

Built on Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). This is a phone, one might say, with a difficult fate. It was introduced in February at Mobile World Congress 2011 and was supposed to go on sale in the spring along with the Xperia Arc and Xperia Play, but the earthquake in Japan disrupted the plans of the Japanese-Swedish manufacturer, as a result of which the debut of Xperia Neo in key markets took place only in the middle summer. In Russia, the device appeared on July 7. The manufacturer's recommended price is 17,490 rubles.

Specifications Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo (MT15i):

• Network: GSM/GRPS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA (900/2100 MHz)
• Platform (at the time of announcement): Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Display: Touch, capacitive, 3.7", 854 x 480 pixels, 16 million colors, TFT, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology
• Camera: 8 MP, autofocus, flash, geotagging, Exmor R sensor, HD video recording (720p)
• Front camera: 0.3MP
• Processor: 1 GHz, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255
• Internal memory: 320 MB
• Memory card: microSD (up to 32 GB)
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• 3.5mm jack
• micro USB 2.0
• HDMI output
• Talk time: up to 7 hours on 2G networks, up to 7 hours on 3G networks
• Standby time: up to 430 hours on 2G networks, up to 400 hours on 3G networks
• Operating time in MP3 player mode: up to 31 hours
• Video player time: up to 7 hours 25 minutes
• Dimensions: 116 x 57 x 13 mm
• Weight: 126g
• Form factor: touch monoblock
• Type: smartphone
• Package contents: 8 GB memory card, battery, charger, microUSB cable, stereo headset, documentation, HDMI cable
• Colors: blue, red, silver
• Announcement date: February 13, 2011
• Release date: July 2011 (in Russia)

Design and construction:

Manufacturers that prefer the Android OS have to stand out in various ways - someone relies on design, someone copies popular devices, and someone throws all his strength on the user interface. The strength of the latest Sony Ericsson models is the design. The Xperia Neo smartphone is the ideological successor of Vivaz and in many ways resembles it.

The back cover, as well as the upper and lower ends are rounded. Under the display are the traditional Android keys - "back", "home" and "menu". Above the touchscreen, there was a place for the manufacturer's logo, a speech speaker, an ambient light sensor, a front camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels, and two proximity sensors. The left end is free from buttons, and the right end contains the lock key, LED indicator, volume control buttons and a camera button. The main microphone is on the bottom, the secondary microphone is on the back. On the back, there is a speaker and an HD camera with LED flash. At the top, there is a microUSB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an HDMI output. The microSD card and SIM card can be accessed by removing the battery.

Live device without exaggeration looks stylish (in this case, we consider a red model). The appearance slightly spoils a number of holes for sensors and an additional camera, but you quickly get used to them. The design of the Xperia Neo is well-designed, the phone lies comfortably in the hand, and all the controls are located well - the buttons are convenient to press for both right-handed and left-handed people. But the camera button could be more responsive. If the phone is on a hard surface, such as a table, then the speaker is perfectly audible, but if you put it on a case or any other soft surface, the speaker overlaps, and it is easy to miss an incoming call or alarm. It's easy to notice the bad placement of the speaker in horizontally oriented games, when the fingers of the right hand (when the phone is rotated 90 degrees to the left) completely cover it.

Plastic quality, but glossy, why easily soiled. The plugs of the connectors are held on by elastic bands, which look flimsy, but in fact they perform their task with a bang. The monoblock feels monolithic, but the decorative insert on the left in the case of our copy sometimes creaks at the bottom (experimentally established that this depends on how the back cover lay down). Compared to the creaky Xperia X10 on all sides, the Xperia Neo is made head and shoulders above.

In Russia, Xperia Neo comes with a charger, a USB cable, an 8 GB memory card, a wired stereo headset, documentation, a battery and an HDMI cable (we have a phone from a European delivery, so HDMI cable not pictured).

Software:

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo is built on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). At the time of writing the review, the OS version is Android 2.3.3, and Android 2.3.4 will be released before October. One game is preinstalled on the phone (in our case, it's Let's Golf!), standard Android applications and services (Android Market, Gmail, Google Search, Google Talk, Maps, etc.). Timescape's signature feature collects recent events (calls, messages, status changes on Facebook and Twitter) in one place, presenting them in a single feed on the main screen. The TrackID function helps to find out the artist of the song currently playing (known bands can be identified without problems, even able to identify little-known artists). Mediascape, fortunately, is a thing of the past and access to multimedia content is implemented in the traditional way.

There are many standard widgets, some duplicate each other, but for the most part, they are all useful. The missing ones can be downloaded in no time from the Android Market (I recommend Tiny Flashlight +, Advanced Task Killer, Yandex.Weather, Backgrounds). You can also place shortcuts and folders on the five desktops. Unnecessary items are removed by simply holding and dropping into the trash. Live wallpapers are supported (you can install if you don't mind the battery).

Sincerely pleased with the huge selection of standard melodies for incoming calls. There are seven dozen of them and they represent different genres - from some completely simple trills for lovers of minimalism to guitar motifs and traditional melodies for those who like to stand out from the crowd. But there are few melodies for the alarm clock and they are all kind of calm and lulling - it is not recommended to set them to wake up in the morning (easy to miss, checked).

The speaker on the Xperia Neo is loud, and the sound quality is much better than that of the Xperia X10. This is especially easy to check on standard melodies - the old model has a “flat” sound and with a noticeable predominance of highs.

Of course, it should be noted that the Xperia Neo is one of the few Google phones that currently supports two-way video calling via Skype.

In general, the software base of the Xperia Neo is a typical Android OS with its own strengths and weaknesses. But, I note that the smartphone is "smart".

Camera:

The device got an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus, geotagging, LED flash and HD video recording (1280x720 pixels). When taking a photo, you can change the capture mode, resolution, flash control, change the exposure value, set the white balance, metering, and activate digital image stabilization. During video recording, the options are about the same.

The camera doesn't shoot badly, it just doesn't shoot as well as I hoped when I saw the mention of Exmor R.

In most of the shots, the Xperia Neo (left) falls short of the 5-megapixel iPhone camera 4 (right), but not always. For example, in the picture of the 5D sign, the Apple phone messed up the colors and made it blue, even though it's purple (ignore the backlight on the right and left, it changes). More on iPhone photos 4, there is often a lot of noise, which is not observed in the Xperia Neo photo. In general, a smartphone shoots better indoors than outdoors:

If we compare the Xperia Neo (left) and Xperia X10 (right) cameras, then the “old man” is not much ahead:

With video filming, too, no revelations. No better or worse than the competition. True, it is noticeable that he is inclined to “under-transmit” juicy shades.

User experience:

The buttons on the Xperia Neo are located correctly - exactly where you expect to find them. The 3.7” capacitive display operates at a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels. The dimensions of the phone depend on the screen size, and in this case the smartphone is not perceived as a “shovel”, like the Xperia Arc, Galaxy S 2 or the vast majority of HTC products. The shape of the case also contributes to this.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 processor is single-core and operates at a frequency of 1 GHz. Coupled with 512 MB of RAM and an Adreno 205 graphics chip, the Xperia Neo is fast enough and can barely noticeably slow down when scrolling through desktops overloaded with online widgets. A list of contacts with a good hundred entries scrolls smoothly and without hesitation, which some advertised flagship Googlephones cannot boast of (I won’t point fingers, it’s ugly).

Working time is the scourge of all Googlephones. With active use, Xperia Neo will need to be charged every day. Charging time at the initial stage of the phone's life from 1-3% to 100% was about 3.5-4 hours.

A small test was carried out to check the manufacturer's declared operating time in video playback mode (7 hours 25 minutes). For this, a two-hour HD movie Silent Hill was taken in MP4 format. The brightness and volume are turned up to the maximum, the Mobile BRAVIA Engine is on, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and 3G are also active.

After two hours, the Xperia Neo and iPhone 4 each had 72% battery left. After another two hours, the Sony Ericsson smartphone had 40% of the charge left, and the Apple device had 33%. Obviously, the phone could play the movie at least once more. Thus, I believe that with communications turned off, headphones connected and with moderate brightness, the phone could last the declared time or a time close to it (7 hours). The Xperia Neo heats up moderately, but not as much as the Xperia X10 and even more so the iPhone 4.

The Xperia Neo touchscreen is much more responsive than the Xperia X10 screen, it fades in the sun more than the displays of the opponents in question, but you can read the names in the address book or folder names without difficulty. Assessing the brightness of the device is not easy due to the fact that the phone now and then strives to set it automatically:

A few words about Mobile BRAVIA Engine technology. It is very difficult to fix the difference in a picture with and without a camera, it is also not always possible to see the difference with a glance, but according to purely subjective sensations, it is better with it. It seems that it makes the picture more saturated and natural.

Outcome:

It often happens that the first joy of owning a new device quickly disappears and disappointment comes in its place - you don’t like it, it jars and in general there is an unpleasant feeling of wasted money. But in the case of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, there was no change of mood, and for some time I even thought about abandoning the Apple iPhone 4 in favor of it and Android (plus a customizable interface), but my girlfriend, seeing the red Xperia Neo and holding it for a while in hands, left me no chance - the phone was given to her. Of course, at first you will have to learn how to use Android and some tricky tricks (this is Android), but I am calm about the fate of the device.

The line of smartphones released by Sony Ericsson over time has increasingly ceased to meet the requirements of modern consumers, who constantly watched the technological innovations of other companies. Over time, devices such as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo began to come out, which were based on Android.

In the wake of the great popularity of this operating system, many companies that released their flagship devices on its basis tried to succeed (and not unsuccessfully). The plans for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo from the manufacturer were exactly the same, as a result of which, in addition to this device, three other smartphones from a fairly high price segment were also announced.

Story

It is worth noting the fact that, by coincidence, the demonstration of this device was postponed in Japan, despite the fact that at that time it was one of the most massive devices in the future. Initially, the company planned to launch this device in April, that is, to start deliveries of Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo and Xperia Arc at the same time, however, they rightly decided that in a situation of a serious shortage of components, it is best to give priority to production of more expensive devices, which are currently sold at a price of approximately 25,000 rubles. It is worth noting the fact that the cost of Neo was planned at around 19,000 rubles, and for this price this mobile phone could be called a very, very balanced device, according to the characteristics of which it was practically not inferior to its flagship counterparts, apart from a different design and not so large display.

How relevant is it?

For most users, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo is the golden mean, as it is hardly possible to find at least one other such device that, at its price, would have approximately the same characteristics. For example, if we take into account the HTC Desire S, the technical characteristics of which are close to this model, then its price is 22,000 rubles, and smartphones from Samsung also have approximately the same cost.

Design

Due to the fact that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo phone is equipped with a 3.7-inch screen with a ratio of 16:9, it can be called a fairly compact device, so it will definitely appeal to those people who are not used to carrying oversized mobile phones. The width of the case of this phone reaches 57 mm, which made it especially common, since similar models from other manufacturers were wider by at least 1 cm, which is not such a small difference for most people.

If we take a closer look at the characteristics of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, we can pay special attention to the body thickness of 13 mm, which is especially smoothed out by the oval profile and beveled ends. In principle, there is no wrangling about the design of this device, since it is a slightly modernized design of the Vivaz phone, which has been somewhat modified with the help of very, very successful elements. In the end, it turned out to be a very good device, which stands out among other smartphones using this operating system.

Frame

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo smartphone has a body called Human Curvature, that is, its main advantage is that it fully corresponds to the shape of a human hand. This case is made of specialized smooth plastic, while the range of the phone includes several colors: red, black and silver. It is worth noting that user reviews of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo separately note the soiling of the black phone of this model, while the red and silver devices are more stable in this case. Perhaps that is why the most widespread phones of this model are red, since they do not have any fingerprints.

Control

The controls are almost identical to those used in the previously released Vivaz device, that is, there is a round button on the right side, designed to lock or turn off the phone, and there is also a long button that can be used to adjust the volume if necessary. At the top end you can find all the necessary outputs (HDMI, micro-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack). It is worth noting the fact that the headphone jack in a similar Arc flagship is located on the side, so the possibility of a more convenient headphone connection in this phone can be called its additional advantage.

Below the screen are three buttons that many users know from Arc. If you do a quick review of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, you can see that there is no separate search button, which will be an advantage for some people, and a definite disadvantage for others. Above the screen there is exactly the same set of components - these are light and proximity sensors, as well as a standard earpiece.

Front-camera

What immediately catches the eye is that it has a fairly large lens, and this can be called another advantage compared to the flagship model of the time Arc, because in principle such a camera was completely absent on it. This camera has 1.3 megapixels, that is, it is quite enough to make video calls with acceptable quality, and if at that time video calls were not so much in demand, then today the use of such a device is quite relevant and can hardly be called a mere tribute to fashion .

Screen

It is worth noting the fact that Sony Ericsson at that time could hardly be called a leader in terms of the quality of the screens used, because it did not produce any models that used an AMOLED display. On the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo photo, you can see that the company began to use specialized software solutions, such as the Sony Bravia Mobile Engine, which proved to be quite successful in the company's TVs, where they were used for signal pre-processing. Thus, the overall quality of images and videos during the viewing process is greatly improved.

Considering that the device uses a specialized Live Color filter, the picture of this smartphone is much more contrasting, clear and realistic, but do not forget that this feature of this device is not hardware, but software, as a result of which it can be turn it on or off in the settings, and at the same time it works exclusively with graphics, that is, you will not notice any changes in the menu.

Neo and AMOLED

Of course, it is worth noting that the image quality on this screen can hardly be compared in principle with what modern AMOLED taps provide, as well as displays on the iPhone, but there is progress, and the overall impression of the device is much better compared to what which could be observed on the previous Xperia X10. At the same time, it is worth noting the fact that in this model there are far from the largest viewing angles, as a result of which the image on the phone fades significantly when tilted, but this is quite a standard limitation for all TFT displays.

Hardware platform

In the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, the instructions say that this device is similar to the flagship Arc in terms of hardware platform, which is its undoubted advantage, given its cost. platform in this device is a Qualcomm QDS8255 with a frequency of 1 GHz. Theoretically, the difference is due to low power consumption, as well as more efficient optimization, but in fact, practice has shown that, in principle, there is practically no technical difference. Regardless of any additional conditions, Arc has been compared by the manufacturer with the most modern dual-core competitors, so for Neo such a hardware platform is more than optimal.

Battery

For any smartphone based on the Android operating system, power consumption is a particularly sore subject, and as the performance grows, things only get worse. The situation regarding the power consumption of these smartphones looks somewhat better, and at the same time, in practice, the device shows a longer performance compared to competitors with similar parameters. This is most likely also due to the use of updated screen technology, as well as a simpler interface, however, in the case of sufficiently intense loads, the operating time of this smartphone extends throughout the daylight hours, which is quite normal for Android.

Memory

The initial amount of memory reaches 512 MB, of which a little more than 300 MB remain free, that is, among analogues, these indicators are not advanced, but at the same time quite normal. Moreover, if the RAM in this device is quite enough, then using an additional array of internal memory would be a good solution. In Android 2.2 and higher, you can install all kinds of applications directly to the memory card, but in fact this memory is seriously lacking. Similar devices released by Samsung, Nokia and Motorola have a built-in 8-16 GB array, while the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo differs only in the presence of an 8 GB memory card that comes standard in the kit.

Thus, this model stands out quite well even among the predominant majority of modern phones, especially considering the cost of this smartphone today. By technical specifications a smartphone can compete with many modern devices, although its only drawback, in which it is definitely inferior even to devices of its time, is its display, since the company may already have used a more modern type of screen.