Category Archives: Sony

Hands On with Android M

By Rich W Woods

Recently, I got my hands on a Nexus 9. I’ve always been a fan of 4:3 aspect ratio tablets. I was very excited to see one with Android, but that’s not the point here. I had to see what Android M was all about.

I also installed the Android M developer preview on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, which is AOSP, so you really get to see the difference between stock Android and true stock Android. Have a look.

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You Can Now Flash Android M Preview on your Sony Xperia

By Rich W Woods

You read that title correctly. Sony is all in on Android M, providing developer previews for a number of Xperia devices. The devices include the Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact, Z3 Tablet Compact, Z2, Z2 Tablet, Z1, Z1 Compact, Z Ultra, Z, ZL, Tablet Z, E3, M2, T2 Ultra, T3, L, and S.

You can grab the instructions to install the Android M developer preview on your Xperia right here. Warning: you do need to be running Linux to do it. I installed Linux and thus far I have failed.

Source: Sony

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge vs Sony Xperia Z3 Compact: Comparison

By Rich W Woods

Let me say this: I have never been a fan of Samsung phones. Anyone who knows me and anyone who follows For the Love of Tech knows it. Last year, I reviewed the Galaxy Note 4 and it was titled A Perversion of Innovation. A few weeks later, I reviewed the Galaxy Note Edge, which was called Samsung Makes the Note 4 Worse.

Imagine my shock when I was absolutely delighted by the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Now, let me explain why I went with the S6 Edge. I had to choose one. I absolutely hated the Note Edge and found it uncomfortable to hold and I thought I should be able to speak on some authority about the Galaxy S6 Edge. At the same time, I’ll know what the experience from the regular Galaxy S6 is like because it’s a regular phone.

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Sony Announces Sony Xperia Z4

By Rich W Woods

In Japan today, Sony officially announced the Xperia Z4. This is exciting news, because although Sony phones haven’t been entirely popular in the United States, they make some of the best all around phones on the market, if not the best.

The Sony Xperia Z4 will use Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 810 procesor, which seems to be the trend. It will use 3 GB RAM and a 20.7 MP rear camera, just like last year’s model. The front camera gets a major upgrade, a 5.1 MP camera with image stabilization. The display is the same as last year, 5.2″ 1080p LCD, which is perfect.

The battery is 2930 mAh, which is a bit smaller than the Xperia Z3; however, if the battery life is anywhere near what it is on the Xperia Z3 Compact, users will be very pleased.

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Hands on with the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

By Rich W Woods

I am late to writing this. In my defense, I have been super busy at Mobile World Congress. I spent the majority of the time with Microsoft. After all, they did invite me.

Right across from Microsoft’s area was Sony’s area, where they announced both the Sony Xperia Z4 tablet and the Sony Xperia M4 phone. Both devices promise to be very exciting products.

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Good Bye Sony. We Will Miss You

By Rich W Woods

You’re right. Sony isn’t gone. They still kinda sorta exist. This week, Sony announced that they will be spinning off their audio and video divisions. This comes a year after they spun off their TV business as well as their Vaio PC business. So what’s left?

Sony’s CEO, Kazuo Hirai told investors that they had to consider selling off their smart phone and TV business completely. Ok, so they still have a smart phone business, at least for now. They have a gaming business as well. There’s Sony Pictures, which is probably going to be the next to go (remember the Sony Hack?).

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HTC Desire 820 vs Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Camera Comparison

By Rich W Woods

I’m almost done putting the HTC Desire 820 through the rounds for the camera comparisons. You may have noticed that I’ve been focusing more on the HTC Desire 820 instead of the Microsoft Lumia 535 and the Amazon Fire Phone. That’s because I have to give this one back.

HTC and Sony both make great smart phone cameras; however, they do it in different ways. HTC saturates the image, using their ultrapixel technology. This is why the HTC One M8 gets by with a 4 MP rear camera. Sony uses a 20.7 MP camera; however, in most situations, it only uses 8 MP.

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Sony Xperia Z3 Compact vs Nexus 6 Camera Comparison

By Rich W Woods

It is the smallest flagship on the market against the largest. Why not? The truth is that I don’t have my Sony Xperia Z3 review unit anymore so we’re going to have to use the Xperia Z3 Compact. For camera comparison purposes, it won’t make a difference.

I have been living with the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9 for a little over a week now. It is the first time that I have used both an Android phone and an Android tablet as my daily drivers. Personally, I can’t wait to go back to my iPad Air 2. I could take it or leave it with the Nexus 6 and the iPhone 6.

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Do we Really Believe that North Korea Hacked Sony?

By Rich W Woods

As Americans, we’re told who the bad guys are. Everybody knows that people such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are the villains of this world we live in. They are the living embodiment of evil, right?

Are they though? After all, there is only one simple reason that we believe such things: we have been told such things. It’s very easy to believe a story about somewhere halfway around the world. A place where you have never been and never will be.

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Sony is Building an Underwater Store

By Rich W Woods

That’s right. Sony is building a Sony Store underwater. The underwater Xperia Aquatech Store will be in Dubai, open for 3 days, and only be open to invitees. Of course, Sony’s phones are waterproof, so I guess they are trying to show that their stores are waterproof too.

Sony is providing diving lessons, as customers will have to scuba to get to the underwater Xperia Aquatech Store. The store is only 4 meters deep, so it stands to reason that any normal swimmer could swim down there; however, the customer is going to either need to win a contest, be a VIP, or otherwise be chosen by Sony. Sound familiar OnePlus fans?

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