Sony expanded its renowned 1000X family with the addition of new generation truly wireless headphones – the WF-1000XM3. Sony’s Industry-leading Noise Cancellation is improved further with the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e chip and Dual Noise Sensor Technology which delivers exceptional Noise Cancelling performance, enabling you to hear the music and nothing else.
The next level of silence
The WF-1000XM3 headphones feature Dual Noise Sensor technology that works with the new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e to catch and cancel noise respectively, so that all attention is on your music. Thanks to Dual Noise Sensor Technology, one feed-forward microphone and one feed-back microphone on the surface of the headphones catch more of the ambient sound around you. Having caught the ambient sound, the dedicated HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e gets to work. The processor cleverly creates an inverted sound wave to offset bothersome background noise. It not only cancels more noise across almost all frequencies but also uses less power. Anything ranging from annoying aircraft cabin noise, to hustle and bustle on the city streets, is dramatically cancelled by the buds – so it’s all about the music.
Exceptional sound quality
Characteristic of the 1000X family, you can enjoy premium, high quality sound on the WF-1000XM3 buds and listen to your music the way that the artist intended. The HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e also accomplishes stunning sound thanks to 24-bit audio signal processing and DAC with amplifier. Digital Sound Enhancement Engine HX (DSEE HX™) upscales compressed digital music files including MP3 formats, to bring you closer to the quality of High-Resolution Audio. Fully immerse yourself in high quality sound, whether you’re listening to music or enjoying the latest movies on the go and thereby transform the dreaded commute into a fun and relaxing escape from the commotion around you.
True wireless, true freedom
The truly wireless design of the WF-1000XM3 buds allows you to move freely without the nuisance of getting tangled in wires. The WF-1000XM3 buds are small and light but manage to pack in a newly developed BLUETOOTH® chip. This allows for L/R simultaneous BLUETOOTH® transmission which means that both left and right earbuds receive audio content at the same time, rather than the conventional left-to-right relay BLUETOOTH® transmission. Teamed with the new optimised antenna structure, this results in a highly stable wireless connection, so nothing gets in between you and your music. Also, low latency syncs what you see on screen precisely with what you hear on your headphones for enjoyable TV shows, videos and more.
The WF-1000XM3 buds are specifically designed for improved comfort and stability in the ear. The ‘ergonomic tri-hold’ structure holds the earbuds firmly in place, with three supporting points for the ear. A high-friction rubber surface has also been included to ensure a stable fitting. With four sizes of hybrid earbuds and three sizes of triple comfort earbuds, you can find your perfect fit.
Clever convenience
The HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e has low power consumption, boosting the battery life and your listening time considerably. You can listen for up to 24 hours with Noise Cancelling on, thanks to WF-1000XM3 earbuds’ sleek case that doubles up as a charger, perfect for a battery boost on the go. The buds even have a quick charge function – just 10 minutes of charging gives you up to 90 minutes of battery life.
For ease, you can use Quick Attention mode to communicate without removing your earbuds. Simply place your finger over the touch panel of the left earbud to quickly lower the music volume and let the ambient sound in, so you can hear announcements or order a drink. Plus, with the fully customisable touch sensors on the earbuds, you can easily play, pause, skip songs or activate your voice assistant with simple taps. Additionally, the new Wearing Detection feature automatically pauses your music when you remove one of the earbuds from your ear and resumes playing when you put the earbud back in your ear, so you never miss a beat.
Optimised for the Google Assistant, you can control your headphones by voice, making the WF-1000XM3 the perfect commuter companion. The headphones are also compatible with the Sony | Headphones Connect app, where you’ll find customisation features for sound, noise cancellation, touch controls and more.
Pricing and Availability
The WF-1000XM3 is available in Sony Stores KLCC and Curve, Sony Store online and all authorised dealers in Malaysia at RM949.
Sony Malaysia announced the new A9G 4K OLED television. Sony’s MASTER Series TVs represent the pinnacle of picture quality available to home viewers, capable of displaying images that faithfully convey the creators’ intent. The MASTER Series is the name given to only the very best Sony TVs and provides premium picture quality, colour, contrast, and clarity approaching that of a professional-grade monitor. The MASTER Series TVs also feature Netflix Calibrated Mode to further ensure that content is delivered as intended.
The new model features the next generation Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate for accurate detail and contrast. Introduced last fall with the inaugural MASTER Series models, this processor plays a vital role in delivering the high-quality picture in the MASTER Series. The Picture Processor X1 Ultimate has a unique algorithm that can intelligently detect and analyse each object in the picture resulting in exceptional detail and contrast for a more realistic picture that represents the creators’ intent. Premium quality sound is a key part of the viewing experience as well, and the A9G features the new Sound-from-Picture Reality which faithfully reproduces the position of the sound on the screen so when actors are speaking, the sound appears to be coming directly from their mouths and not from a speaker off to the bottom.
A9G Premium OLED TV
The A9G is Sony’s new flagship 4K OLED TV available in 77”, 65”, and 55” class, in a very slim form factor. Images come to life with the super-wide viewing angle, precise contrast and absolute blacks of OLED technology. Over 8 million self-illuminating pixels are precisely and individually controlled by Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate. In addition to the processor, the A9G has Pixel Contrast Booster for more colour and contrast in bright areas. As a result, the A9G provides premium picture quality approaching that of a professional-grade monitor, showing images and colours as they truly are, as the creator intended. The processor improves SD and HD content to near 4K HDR quality and shows 4K content in stunning clarity.
Acoustic Surface Audio+ provides a totally immersive sound experience with the sound coming from the entire screen, enveloping viewers in exciting new entertainment experiences, providing pictures and sound in perfect harmony. In addition, a TV Centre Speaker Mode provides choice to use the TV as the centre speaker.
The A9G is very slim in depth; when wall hung using the SU-WL850 wall mount system, it will fit close to the wall at around half the distance of our previous model. This OLED TV is more than just beautiful. It’s designed so that it appears to be floating on the wall, leaving only the brilliance of its picture. Furthermore, in order to bring the best viewing position and flexible usage, the SU-WL850 has a swivel functionality as preferred.
For the ultimate in picture quality, the A9G pairs the brilliance of 4K clarity with the brightness, colour, and detail of High Dynamic Range (HDR). Previously hidden areas of dark shadow and sunlight are now full of clarity and detail. The A9G HDR TVs also feature Netflix Calibrated Mode, and Dolby Vision/Dolby Atmos to deliver the viewing experience just as the creator intended.
User Experience
The A9G OLED feature Sony‘s Android TV which supports a huge range of apps from Google Play™, including YouTube™, Netflix, Amazon Video and more for deep smart home integration (availability varies by region.) And making your TV and home even smarter, the A9G TVs have Google Assistant built-in. These TVs have built-in microphones that will free users’ hands. Viewers can simply talk to the TV using the Google Assistant to find what they quickly want, or to play TV shows, movies, and more. (Google Assistant availability depends on region). The TVs also work with popular smart speakers such as Sony’s own LF-S50G and SRS-XB501G2, or those from Google Home or Amazon Echo. With smart speakers, users can control TV and stream content by simply using their voice – with more features to come later this year.
Sony Android TVs will be compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. AirPlay 2 lets you effortlessly stream content from your iPhone, iPad and Mac right to your Sony TV. Watch movies and shows from iTunes and other video apps, and view photos directly on your Sony TV. Play music or listen to podcasts on the television and AirPlay 2 speakers throughout the home – all in sync. HomeKit lets you easily and securely control smart home products using the Home app or by asking Siri on your Apple devices. TVs can be added to the Home app and included in scenes or automations with other HomeKit accessories. For example, users can create a “Movie Night” scene in the Home app to easily turn on their smart TV and dim the lights, and simply ask Siri to launch the scene. AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support will launch in A9G, X95G, X85G models in 2019.
For even more user-friendly experience, a new easy to control smart remote enables viewers to control their connected devices such as cable/satellite boxes, Blu-ray disc player, game console (supported devices vary by region) without switching remote controllers. Also added to the smart remote is an RF so users can control the TV without pointing the remote. And a newly developed UI brings seamless and quick access to your favourite apps and settings.
New Sony TV models and key features:
MASTER Series A9G (77”, 65”, and 55” models) 4K OLED TV
Price and Availability: 77” RM 49,999, 65” RM 18,399, 55” RM 11,949; from end July onwards
OLED unprecedented black and televisions that faithfully convey the creator’s intent that bring authentic colour, and a wide viewing angle
Feature Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate, providing the ultimate 4K HDR viewing experience with the following technologies: Object-based Super Resolution, Object-based HDR remaster, Super Bit Mapping™ 4K HDR and dual database processing
Feature Pixel Contrast Booster, eight million self-illuminating pixels and Sony-original panel controller for OLED that brings a significantly enriched visual experience with unprecedented black, authentic colour and a wide viewing angle
Feature Acoustic Surface Audio+; two actuators and two powerful subwoofers deliver multi- dimensional sound that immerses you in a whole new entertainment experience. TV Centre Speaker Mode provides choice to use the TV as the centre speaker. Beautifully detailed images combine with our Sound-from-Picture Reality for a captivating audio-visual performance
Slim wall mount design; it fits as close as a picture and blends effortlessly with your room
Feature Netflix Calibrated Mode that brings the creator’s vision directly to the TV
Dolby Vision™ brings scenes vividly to life for authentic viewing, while Dolby Atmos™ fills the room with immersive surround sound
Hands-free voice search: find your favourite entertainment by just simply talking to the TV
Easy to control smart remote; connect set top boxes and other devices via HDMI to your TV and control them all using one smart remote; a slimmer, more rounded design with built-in voice control microphone and enhanced button layout makes it easy to use
New processor for stress-free usability; quicker response of launching apps, powering on the TV, and more.
Marking a unique evolution in Xperia’s engineering and design, Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) announced two new smartphones to headline its flagship range, Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact. Built around the concept of bringing you the most immersive entertainment experiences yet – both models provide huge advancements in camera, display and audio technology as well as a beautiful new design to fit perfectly in your hand.
“If entertainment is your priority, then our new Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are your smartphones”, said Hideyuki Furumi, Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Mobile Communications, “From what’s inside — world-class technology, to a new sleek, sophisticated design, these smartphones are everything you need and probably a lot more. We have pushed Sony’s boundaries even further with our new products for movie recording, viewing, and music listening – offering entertainment to the extreme.”
Xperia XZ2
Entertainment to the Extreme
Pushing your viewing experience to the extreme, our flagship Xperia XZ2 has an extended 5.7” HDR Full HD+ 18:9 display so you can immerse yourself in your favourite movies and content in exceptional colour and contrast. Plus not only can you watch existing HDR content, using Sony’s BRAVIA® TV technology, X-reality™ for mobile, it will up-convert content to near High Dynamic Range (HDR) so even when you’re streaming videos you get better quality playback that feels like a movie experience.
Tuned for the ultimate and unique entertainment experience, XZ2 incorporates a new haptic experience, adding the perceptual sense of touch so you can feel your viewing experience. It uses Sony’s brand new Dynamic Vibration System which analyses audio data and lets you feel the action in your hands, bringing your movies, games and videos to life. Share your favourite videos with your friends thanks to the XZ2’s powerful front facing stereo speakers. Featuring S-Force Front Surround, they’re our loudest Xperia speakers ever.
High quality audio is also provided using Sony’s audio expertise with the truly authentic sound of Hi-Resolution Audio together with DSEE HX technology for upscaling. Quality is guaranteed when connecting to wireless speakers or headphones thanks to the enhanced Bluetooth technology LDAC which offers near High-Resolution Audio.
Extreme Video and Photo Capabilities
Motion Eye™ camera is pushed to the extreme and gets a ground-breaking upgrade with the world’s 1st 4K HDR Movie recording in a smartphoneI. You can now capture reality with incredible contrast, detail and true to life colour and share or upload to a compatible HDR TV or YouTube to view your content back in lifelike realism. Super slow motion video recording is also upgraded with 960fps now possible in Full HD to make your wow moments even more fascinating. Motion Eye™ camera brings you all the great still photography features you expect from Xperia with its intelligent control features such as Predictive Capture with motion and smile detection, Autofocus burst and Predictive Autofocus. Thanks to these superior features, plus our Quick Launch and Capture, you’ll never miss the moment.
For a truly unique and exciting way to capture memories 3D Creator application is now available with even greater flexibility for 3D scanning. Not only can you create 3D scans of objects or friend’s faces in less than a minute using the main camera, you can also now create 3D scans of yourself using the front camera – bringing to life your selfie in 3D and giving you endless opportunities in the 3D avatar world. Post-processing is now available to achieve even greater quality of 3D scans. Plus once you’ve finished your 3D scan or selfie, you can now post directly to your Facebook timeline within 3D Creator.
Stunning New Design
All of these great experiences are encased in a new design expression with a fluid 3D glass surface that creates a seamless form that’s effortlessly comfortable in your hand. The elegant design is contrasted by its tough exterior, built with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 and metal frame to add extra durability and a beautiful premium feel. Its four different finishes offer a beautiful reflection and shine from every angle thanks to the beautiful glass and flow of light, available in Liquid Silver, Liquid Black, Deep Green and Ash Pink. Certified IP65/IP68, XZ2 is designed to withstand splashes and spills so you don’t have to think twice about answering your phone in the rain.
Ultimate Performance to the Extreme
Powered by the cutting-edge Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform with X20 LTE, XZ2 will provide immersive user experiences at lightning-fast connection speeds (up to 1.2Gbps) with the second generation Gigabit LTE solution so users can enjoy a modern lifestyle whilst working or having fun. For example you can get an episode of a TV series in just 20 seconds with super-fast downloading.
With all the ability for speed and performance you’ll want assurance that your battery won’t let you down, and XZ2 definitely delivers. With a large 3180mAh battery and the most power efficient control ever thanks to its 845 Mobile Platform, XZ2 offers worry free all day usage. Xperia’s useful battery features are also included such as Smart Stamina, STAMINA mode, plus Battery Care and Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology which help the battery stay healthy to give you a longer battery lifespan. For effortless charging you can also use the wireless charging dock (WCH20), and other compatible Qi chargers, by simply placing your XZ2 on the dock to power up without the need to plug in.
Xperia XZ2 Compact
The Best of Sony Technology in a Compact Design
A firm favourite in the Xperia flagship line-up, the premium compact smartphone takes on even greater things with XZ2 Compact. It delivers big screen entertainment in the palm of your hand with its 5” HDR Full HD+ extended display, making it the world’s most compact 5” smartphone. With its large screen and powerful stereo speakers it’s designed to be the ultimate compact entertainment device.
Crafted to perfection, XZ2 Compact has the same design philosophy as XZ2 with its beautiful curved body that gives you the best comfort in your hand. Durability is ensured with a tough exterior including Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5, anti-scratch hard-grade polycarbonate, IP65/IP68 and metal frame. It is finished in four beautiful colours with a smooth frosted finish; White Silver, Black, Moss Green and Coral Pink.
Accessories
A range of supporting accessories will be available including covers Style Cover Touch and Style Cover Stand in corresponding colours for both models. Also available are charging accessories Wireless Charging Dock (WCH20) for fast effortless charging and Quick Charger UCH12W providing hours of battery time by plugging in for just a few minutes. The new 2-way Style USB Audio & Bluetooth® Headset (SBH90C) allows you to enjoy music and talk wirelessly in high quality as well as via a wired USB Type-C™ Cable option that offers Hi-Res Audio with direct USB digital output. It will also charge from Xperia whilst you’re listening so you can switch easily between wireless if your battery is running low. Open-ear Stereo Headset (STH40D) offers lightweight and comfortable dual listening, and Xperia Ear Duo utilises Sony’s acoustics leadership to deliver wireless ‘open-ear’ stereo headphones, so you can listen to music, access information and communicate whilst simultaneously hearing sounds from the world around you. A USB Type-C™ 2-in-1 Cable (EC270) is also available for enjoying audio with non-Bluetooth headphones and simultaneously charge your phone. Please check with local operators and retailers for availability.
Availability
Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are available globally from March 2018 both will ship with Android™ 8.0 Oreo.
Display ratios may vary based on content formatting
Hi-Res Audio requires compatible wired headset and use of supplied conversion cable USB Type-C™ to 3.5mm Audio Jack Adapter
Near Hi-Res Audio is possible when your Xperia device is connected to a compatible LDAC device via Bluetooth
XZ2 and XZ2 are water resistant and protected against dust, so don’t worry if you get caught in the rain or want to wash off dirt under a tap water, but remember all ports and attached covers should be firmly closed. You should not put the device completely underwater; or expose it to seawater, salt water, chlorinated water or liquids such as drinks. Abuse and improper use of device will invalidate warranty. The device has been tested under Ingress Protection rating IP65/68. For more info, see www.sonymobile.com/waterresistant. Note the XZ2 has a capless USB port to connect and charge. The USB port needs to be completely dry before charging
Up to 1.2Gbps, dependent on market availability and compatible network
Battery Care charges your phone to 90%,waits, then charges to 100% just before your normal wake-up time
WCH20 available as an optional accessory
With a footprint of 135 x 65mm Xperia XZ2 Compact is the most compact 5-inch smartphone. Verified against the published specifications of over 2600 smartphones with a 5.0-inch display by Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service. Correct as of 22nd December 2017
Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today announced Sony Mobile’s Chinese New Year promotion as part of the celebration to usher in the exciting Lunar New Year of the Rooster. The promotion aims to share exciting and rewarding promotions for loyal customers of Sony Mobile.
Beginning from today until 5 February, customers throughout Malaysia can visit selected Sony Stores, Sony Centres, Sony Mobile Stores, and Sony Mobile authorized dealers to purchase selected Xperia smartphones and receive exciting gifts. The Xperia smartphones for the promotion includes the recently launched Xperia XZ, Xperia X Compact, Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra, as well as the Xperia Z5 Premium, Xperia Z5, and Xperia M5. The free gifts worth up to RM837 vary depending on devices and include the SBH80 Bluetooth Headset, DK52 Charging Dock, Screen Warranty Care+, microSD 32GB Class 10 Memory Card, Photobook voucher, transparent silicon case and screen protector.
The latest Sony Xperia XZ, first flagship of the X series, comes with enhanced camera experience with Sony’s innovative triple image sensing technology. It has the capabilities to capture beautiful blur-free photos even with subjects in motion as well as in superb true to life colour in any situation.
MDR-XB650BT is a Bluetooth compatible, compact addition to the existing EXTRA BASS series of Sony headphones. With a 30mm driver exclusive to this range, together with an incorporated bass booster structure and dedicated EXTRA BASS diaphragm, the headphones achieve highly realistic notes that precisely carves out the rhythm and groove feeling of rich bass.
Keeping you wire-free, One-touch Bluetooth connection and music playback is offered via NFC. Compatible with AAC and aptXBluetooth codecs, it enables a premium audio quality sound even when listening wirelessly.
The headphones have been designed specifically to enhance the playback for deep bass. Fitting with an increased contact surface area, it achieves a stable fit that can withstand the punchy and deep bass notes. The ear pads have a soft texture and fit close to the skin, achieving excellent wearing comfort and well-balanced sound. The swivel structure design enables the housing section to be folded flat, making them easy to store and convenient to carry around wherever you go.
With 30 hours of continuous music playback rechargeable anywhere via USB, your party won’t stop even at the break of dawn.
Specification Sheet
MDR-XB650BT Bluetooth Headphones
Driver Unit / Type
30mm, Closed, Dynamic
Frequency Response
20Hz-20,000Hz
Impedance
24ohms
Sensitivity
95dB/mW
Weight
Approx. 190g
Volume Control
Yes
Built-in Microphone
Yes
NFC
Yes
Bluetooth
Version 4.0(A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP)
Supported Audio Formats
SBC, AAC, aptX
Batteries
DC3.7V: Built-in Li-ion rechargeable
Battery Charging Time
Approx. 4 Hours (Full charge)
Battery Charging Method
USB
Battery Life (Music playback time) (Communication time)
(Waiting time)
Max. 30 HoursMax. 30 Hours
Max. 300 Hours
Supplied Accessories
0.5m microUSB Cable
Colours
Black/Blue/Orange Red
The new EXTRA BASS MDR-XB650BT headphones is priced at RM549 inc. GST and now available in Malaysia at all Sony Stores, selected Sony Centres, as well as www.sony.com.my from March 2016 onwards.
Sony expands its product line-up with X-Reality PRO which provides stunning details for any content such as TV broadcastings, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Internet video services and digital photos. Every single pixel is up-scaled beautifully by Sony’s exclusive picture processing technology. Individual parts of each scene are analyzed and matched with a special image database. Furthermore, X-Reality PRO reproduces lively colors without sacrificing any brightness, hue or saturation of the original object.
These new BRAVIA televisions are designed with sleek lines and an elegant slim display to complement your home interior and its clean cable management keeps wires out of view when you watch the screen.
The W650D series incorporate Clear Phase audio technology which analyzes and compensates for inaccuracies in the built-in loud speaker’s response, resulting in pure, natural audio with smooth, even reproduction of all frequencies.
The W650D series connect to a wide range of Internet video services such as YouTube and Netflix* wirelessly by using built-in Wi-Fi. Photo Sharing Plus makes it possible for up to 10 users to share photos and music from their smartphone or tablet wirelessly on the big screen.
The W65D series (40-inch) is priced at RM1,699.00 and is now available at all of our Sony Stores, Sony Centres, as well as www.sony.com.my.
2016 BRAVIA LCD TV Line-up:
W650D Series 40” and 48″Full HD LCD TV
Features X-Reality PRO to provide stunning detail with Sony’s unique reality creation database algorithm whether you are viewing a TV broadcastings, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Internet video service or digital photos.
The sleek lines and an elegant slim display come with clean cable management to keep wires out of view when you watch the screen.
Features Clear Phase audio technology which analyzes and compensates for inaccuracies in the speaker’s response. It does this by ‘sampling’ the speaker’s frequency response with far higher precision than ever before.
Supports major Internet video services such as YouTube, Netflix and Opera apps* to enjoy more video content easily with built-in Wi-Fi.
*Internet video services available vary by country.
Features Photo Sharing Plus which allows customer to throw photos* from their smartphone onto the big screen wirelessly, and to share their favorites photos from the TV.
*Android 2.3 and above, and iOS5 and above
X-Protection PRO enhances Sony TV’s durability with four protection features to guard against Dust, Lightning, Surge and Humidity.
MySony program was created to maximize Sony experience for both product owners (Premier Member) and non-product owners (Savvy Member). MySony members get to enjoy interesting photography workshops, get exclusive invites, win cool prizes, get the latest news and many more. To become a MySony member, join for free at https://mysony.sony.com.my. Follow us on Facebook @ SonyMalaysia.
You have read it right. The Sony Xperia Z3 is confirmed to be priced at a retail price of RM2399 while the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact will be priced at RM1899 as both of these gorgeous smartphones will be available in Malaysia officially from 26th September onward. That’s not all, There’s some launch promotion going on where you could stand a chance to win the Sony Playstation 4 which is worth RM1799!. Below are the details :-
Complete your Sony experience by being in the running to win a Sony PlayStation 4 worth RM 1,799 when you purchase the Sony Xperia Z3 or Z3 Compact. Head on down to the Sony roadshow at 1 Utama Shopping Centre (High Street, Ground Floor) between 1st-6th October and present your warranty card as well as proof of purchase to participate in a lucky draw for the Sony PlayStation 4. Fifty (50) lucky winners will be announced on Sunday, 5thOctoberSony Mobile will notify lucky draw participants of the winner on their announcement date which is not decided when yet.
Meanwhile, during the roadshow mentioned above, those who purchase the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact will be eligible to receive a free bumper casing and Premium tempered glass protection worth RM139 upon purchase at the roadshow. There will also be various promotions and freebies for other Xperia smartphones and accessories during the roadshow.
Oh, not just that, this time out Sony Mobile Malaysia decided to give loads of freebies for their customers to enjoy which is applicable when you purchase either one of the smartphones.
· 22 free downloadable episodes of popular TV series, Blacklist, starting November 2014
· unlimited music streaming with Akazaoo, the social media app, for 6 months upon activation
· free 50GB of storage with Box
· RM100 Qoo10 online shopping vouchers
· real-time stock and financial information by Share Investor
· RM15 off MyTeksi rides (up to 3 rides), with a total value of RM45
· 3 free e-magazine titles from SPH Magazine’s library of over 20 titles, worth RM 30
Well, I personally tested the Sony Xperia Z3 and trust me everything about the smartphone is extraordinary! Compared side by side with the Sony Xperia Z2, and the changes are pretty significant if you ask me. Better camera, better sound, better protection and better color choices. This applies to the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact as well. What more do you need?
Want to know more about the Sony Xperia Z3? Read my introductory post of the all new Z3 here.
During the IFA event held at Berlin, Sony introduced their latest flagship smartphone which will change your perception of how a smartphone can be made. The Sony Xperia Z3 is a fantastically designed and value for money featured smartphone which still looks similar to the Sony Xperia Z2 but if you look closely it still has a much greater outlook and an outstanding goodness inside of it.
I know you expect it to be a Quad HD display, but Sony remains with the Full HD display despite there are still not much contents made available for that resolution at the time being but the Full HD is more than enough if you ask me although anything latest you get is still better when you talk in term of logic. The Sony Xperia Z3 comes with 5.2-inch IPS display with 424 of pixel density. You get a much improved processor, the upgraded version of Snapdragon 801 ( 8974AC ) clocked at 2.5GHz with Adreno 330 graphics for a great gaming experience. With the Sony Playstation 4 remote play feature on the Sony Xperia Z3, you can now play all your Playstation 4 games on the go via the Sony Xperia Z3 itself. If it could support such thing, can you imagine how good the graphics will be?
The RAM still remains at 3GB of RAM while the internal storage ( RAM ) comes in two variants, either 16GB or 32GB and still with the option of expanding it with a micro SD slot which supports up to 128GB. The back camera remains same according to Sony, with their 20.7MP shooter which comes with BIONZ technology. The only change according to them is a new 25mm wide angle lens has been replaced with the previous one and yes it is the updated version of their G lens. No upgrade made on the front shooter as it is set at 2.2MP rather than the widely available 5MP or 8MP front camera.
The dust and water proof has now taken to a whole new level as the Sony Xperia Z3 is now IP68 certified instead of the IP58 which is on the Sony Xperia Z2. Sony also claims that the front facing speakers are much louder now compared to the previous one introduced on the Sony Xperia Z2. With the S-Force Front Surround the audio output is much clearer, louder and excellent noise cancelling capability.
The Sony Xperia Z3 now comes with a lower battery capacity of only 3100mAh compared to the Sony Xperia Z2 which has 3200mAh. But hold on, Sony also claims that the battery on the Sony Xperia Z3 is capable of lasting up to 2 days even with much heavier usage on the Sony Xperia Z2. What do you say? Technology evolves that fast, kudos to the inventors! It comes out of the box with Android KitKat and will be soon upgradeable to Android L the very moment it is made available officially too. The Sony Xperia Z3 now uses Nano SIM technology compared to the micro SIM which available on Sony Xperia Z2.
Lastly, the Sony Xperia Z3 is much thinner than the Sony Xperia Z2, 7.3mm vs 8.2mm is defenitely a great work and as some of you complained that the Sony Xperia Z2 is kind of bulky when you hold it on your hands, problem solved now and make sure upgrade your smartphone to the Sony Xperia Z3 the very moment it is made available. Oh, the Sony Xperia Z3 will be available in 4 different colors, white, black, copper and silver green.
Well, it’s been more than 3 weeks since I have got my hands on the Sony Xperia Z2, current flagship smartphone from Sony which has a huge load of extremely high-end specification which begins from the outside and ends in the inside. In this review, I will be covering most of the parts that other reviews did not put much attention into it and as usual if you love the way I write about the Sony Xperia Z2, please buy me a cup of coffee by sharing this post with you friends especially Sony lovers. Here we go…..
Eye-Candy, Pure Class
I know most of Sony smartphone customers tend to buy mainly due to its branding itself which is Sony and yes it is pretty classy with my own experience where the very moment I take out the phone from my pocket, my friend will be like ” Dude! It’s a Sony! Can I have it?” Seriously this happened most of the time I meet up with my friends and Sony is a well known brand which makes it much easier to be one of the best selling brands in mobile phone industry.
The Sony Xperia Z2 has a front and a back made out of glass fitted nicely into a solid looking aluminum frame which definitely looks perfect from my point of view. Starting from the top of the aluminium bezel, you will find the 3.5mm earphone jack which is genuinely waterproof and you don’t need a flap to cover it and safe enough to swim with it. Beside it, you will notice the noise canceling mic placed nicely and looks bigger than any other noise cancelling mic’s that I have seen before on any other smartphone, which would perform far much better by cancelling extremely noisy background sound and providing the other party which is the person who is on call with you a comfortable and crystal clear conversation.
On the left side of the phone, you will see a huge flap which covers the micro sim slot and the USB data/charging port. Below the flap, you will notice the docking connector which is made available to use separately with the magnetic charging dock that you have to purchase separately. This is quite useful and handy to have as you don’t have to keep on opening the flap in order to charge the phone. All you have to do is dock it to the magnetic charging dock, and you’re good to go. This also extends the flap’s shelf life from spoiling quickly.
On the right side of the Sony Xperia Z2, you will find the flap which covers the micro SD card slot. Below that, you will notice the trademark power button from Sony which is designed to give a different class to the outlook of the Sony Xperia Z2, with the volume rockers placed right below it. Last but not least, you will find the camera shutter button! Yes, a physical camera button which allows you to snap photos quickly without having to even touch the screen.
IPS Display Finally. Gorgeous!
During the time when Sony Xperia Z1 was launched, many was complaining why is there a green tint on the screen and when they compare side by side with the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the Ultra’s screen looked much greater due to its IPS technology which missed out during the process of inventing the Z1. However, to ensure that Sony is listening to their consumers voice, they have added IPS screen to the Sony Xperia Z2 which gives a wonderful and super crisp clear display even from 90 – degree viewing angle, it surely looks very much clear without much distortion nor blurriness. The display size on the Sony Xperia Z2 is set at 5.2-inch measuring a ppi count of 424 giving you an extremely clear image without any visible pixels, or shall I say not visible to human eyes. 😛
High-end processor? RAM? It’s a bundle!
A major selling point for the Sony Xperia Z2 is that, it is powered by none other than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 ( MSM8974AB ) clocked at 2.3GHz while for the graphics performance, you have Adreno 330 GPU which is capable of handling all the latest games available for the Android platform. During the usage period, I did not face any Force Close nor lack in performance even while loads of applications running on the background. Sony’s TimeScape UI is also designed to be as simple as possible simply to provide users a much haptic feedback without much delays where some UI’s will have huge transition delay which could be restless at times, although you can still turn that off.
Oh wait, not just because of the processor solely you get such performance and smoothness during your usage but it is also because of the dedicated 3GB of RAM which gives enormous processing power to the processor itself and with such huge amount of RAM, you will barely reach 3GB/3GB even with loads of applications running simultaneously. Do take note that there are still smartphones being offered only with 2GB of RAM even though it is a flagship device, extra juice yo!
To top it all off, the Sony Xperia Z2 comes with 16GB of ROM or you call it internal storage and with the micro SD slot option which is present with the smartphone, you don’t have to worry about running out of storage space as you can expand the capacity up to 128GB, if you have a micro SD card for yourself of course.
Camera and Video Recording at it’s best.
” The Xperia Z2 combines 4K video capture with a large 1/2.3” 20.7 MP Exmor RS for mobile image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens and the intelligent BIONZ for mobile image-processing engine. This unique combination means the Xperia Z2 has the same quality and performance as a real compact digital camera. The result is images that are delivered with a superior sharpness, clarity and brightness – always.”
The camera on the Sony Xperia Z2 is set at 20.7MP, which is absolutely huge in Android standards. You have the aperture set at F2.0 using Sony G lens which is present in most Sony’s high end cameras. With Exmor RS technology, you get much reduced noise on the photo that you take and at the same time maintaining the resolution of the photo. The Superior Auto mode is extremely good compared to any other auto setting found on other smartphones.
This wonderful shot is taken by me using the Sony Xperia Z2!
It adjusts’s automatically according to your condition of lighting or environment where it can be outdoor, night, sports and even macro shots. The bright F2.0 aperture of lens and high sensitivity sensor enable you to take photos with a higher shutter speed. The BIONZ for mobile-image processing engine has Motion Detection which chooses a higher shutter speed to capture blur-free images when your subject is moving. All you have to do is Google for the images taken from Sony Xperia Z2, and get amazed guys! As for the low-light photos, the Sony Xperia Z2 is actually pretty good too as most details are still captured despite lack of lighting but hey, with the huge amount of Megapixels, you get a pretty decent photo in the end.
An example of low-light shot.
Shooting from a distance? The 3x Clear Image Zoom with high resolution sensor allows you to take a tele-like 81 mm optical zoom. The combined higher resolution of Exmor RS for mobile and by-pixel super resolution of BIONZ for mobile work their magic. Zoom in and enjoy sharply detailed picture without even noticing a single distortion or noise level in the photo. This only applies during the 3X Clear Image Zoom only, once it goes to normal digital zoom you can notice the noises starting to appear slowly. I barely use the zoom feature when it comes to smartphone cameras, so capture wonderful landscapes and important moments clear and crisp with the Sony Xperia Z2 by just using the default mode or better known as the superior mode.
When it comes to front facing camera, you get a decent 2.2MP to take nice selfies or you can use it as a mirror too as the quality is still good and clear. If there is any room for improvement, they only specification that lacks for the price you’re paying, it is the front camera as nowadays you have already 5MP cameras commonly while 8MP and 13MP front facing cameras making their ways slowly. Well, in this case I will just take selfie using the rear camera. 😛
Camera Software with loads of goodies!
Are you bad at editing videos and stuff like that?. Timeshift video is the perfect way to slow down the moment and create unique clips to share with friends and it is a quick video editing method which allows you to shoot video at 120 frames per second in HD 720p. Once you’re done recording a video, just select the parts of the clip you’d like to slow down, playing back the section at quarter speed. Mark them on a graphical timeline and Timeshift video will do the rest.
Camera Software features on the Sony Xperia Z2
IP (Ingress Protection) rating of Water and Dust
“IP 55/58 – what does it really mean? IP rating is a certification testing to measure a device’s resistance levels to both dust and water. The first digit in the two-digit IP rating indicates the level of protection against solid objects, including tiny dust particles. The second digit indicates how resistant the device is to water.”
With the waterproof feature on the Sony Xperia Z2, you can take pictures with the best phone camera while swimming in freshwater for up to 30 minutes. You can even dive up to 1.5 metres with it. That is the specific reason Sony decided to maintain the physical camera shutter button which allows you to take photos in swimming pools, etc without having to touch the screen – just activate it by long-pressing the physical camera button, press a little to focus properly and press all the way down to capture a wonderful shot of you inside the swimming pool. Just remember that all the covers for the micro USB port, the micro sim slot and the memory card slot must be firmly closed.
Bad sound quality? We now have Dual Front Facing Speakers!
The Sony Xperia Z2 has two speakers placed at the both top and bottom of the Sony Xperia Z2’s front glass. This also shows that you’re paying such a huge amount for a smartphone with valid reasons as not much smartphones has front facing speakers and if they do exist, they’re not iP58 rated right? Its either you have a smartphone which is restricted to not get touched by water or you can dive into water without having to worry of water entering the speakers. Some say that the output coming out from the speakers are quite bad and despite being front facing speakers you expect it to be fairly loud. Well, Sony pushed some updated recently whereby fixed some of the audio issue where the output is much louder compared to before.
There is this option to enable ClearAudio+ inside the wonderful trademark music application from Sony, the Walkman which amazingly makes the audio level higher and louder for a pleasant movie session where you will enjoy the awesome stereo sound when it takes place. On top of that you still get to manually play with the sound enhancements by adjusting the levels according to your preference.
Double Tap to activate the screen feature is present on the Sony Xperia Z2
You know, there is a reason why the standard audio output from the Sony Xperia Z2 speaker to be slightly softer than any other phones. It is simply due to its water proof ability as the speakers are barely visible if you look closely as it is covered with a special material which could be costly as well.
Wonder that you can do with NFC technology on the Sony Xperia Z2
3200mAh Battery Capacity?
Yes, the battery capacity is actually quite high too and sometimes it is hard to believe that you can get all this luxurious package in just a single smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z2. Roughly with heavy usage, I can reach about almost 5 hours of screen on time by using it continuously for web browsing only. That is actually very good as some phones can only last maximum 2 hours of screen on time and they usually slack when it is used mainly for web browsing. So in this case, Sony did a very good job in optimizing the battery life usage during browsing the web.
Power Saving mode on the Sony Xperia Z2STAMINA mode on the Sony Xperia Z2Low Battery mode on the Sony Xperia Z2
Do I love the Sony Xperia Z2?
Absolutely! It is one of my favored smartphone of the year 2014 and the more I use it, the more attention I get from people that I meet everyday. It is a wonderful device with great built quality, decent speakers and pleasurable while watching movies, fantastic camera as I didn’t know I could actually take great photos with great quality by just using a smartphone, great performer overall with the latest CPU and GPU topped with delicious Android KitKat, what else do you need? The Sony Xperia Z2 also provides great battery life whenever I am travelling abroad and there is once where I traveled to Fuzhou, China for 3 days, and survived with just a 2500mAh powerbank. That’s how little I used the extra power source.
For the price tag of RM2399, you get all the latest up to date specification from both hardware and software with the Android L coming soon and for sure you will be the first to get in a Sony smartphone. Oh, almost forgot about another major selling point of the Sony Xperia Z2 is the LTE connectivity which is present on this gorgeous smartphone. It is a Cat.4 LTE which is supported in Malaysia and works flawlessly with all the mobile operators which I specifically tried was on Maxis and Celcom with speeds averaging about 20-30Mbps around the area that I live. So, what do you say? Would you spend your cash on the Sony Xperia Z2 or rather get some other flagship phones from different manufacturers within the same price range?
The Micro SD card slot on the Sony Xperia Z2
The USB Port and micro sim slot on the Sony Xperia Z2
