Sony Xperia C3 Review

An Oxford Dictionary blog post states that the word 'selfie' (derived from 'self-portrait') was selected as the Word of the Year 2013. Apparently, there was little to no argument about this decision. It shouldn't be surprising, considering there is even a chartbusting pop song with that title. At the time of writing this review there are reports of a new $20iPhone case that has a hairbrush extension on the side. Truly, vanity knows no bounds.

Naturally, smartphone companies are trying to cash in on this trend by creating devices with powerful front cameras. The Sony Xperia C3 Dual is the latest smartphone to feature a 5-megapixel front camera. This camera has a 25mm wide-angle lens to accommodate more faces than even Ellen managed with her Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (review | pictures) at the 2014 Oscars. What's more is that the front camera also has a soft LED flash. As usual, we put the device through our battery of tests.

Look and feel

The moment we opened the box, the mint-coloured Sony Xperia C3 Dual grabbed our attention. This is probably the snazziest colour we've ever seen on a smartphone, and we expect fashionistas will approve. The phone is available in plain old black and white as well for those who aren't feeling too adventurous. The C3 Dual is designed with Sony's tried-and-tested (and overused) 'omnibalance' design style. While the entire body is made of plastic, a chrome trim runs along each side. Overall, the phone feels sturdy.

After playing with the ergonomically fantastic LG G3 (review | pictures), which manages to cram a 5.5-inch display in a compact design, the Sony Xperia C3 Dual feels ginormous with the same 5.5-inch screen size in comparison. It has dimensions of 156.2x78.7x7.6mm. It is pretty thin, and for a device of this size it is also lightweight at just 150g. Unless you have huge hands, operating the phone with one hand is going to be problematic.

The flap covering the memory card slot sits on the left edge along with the Micro-USB port. The right edge is crowded with the, dual SIM card tray, power button in the center, volume rocker below it, and dedicated shutter button for the camera. On the back of the device is the primary camera (or is it really?) and the loudspeaker grill.

Specifications and Software

Like quite a few mid-range devices, the Sony Xperia C3 Dual has a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz under the hood with its staple Adreno 305 integrated GPU. The phone has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, of which only around 5.09GB is available for use. Fortunately, one can add up to 32GB more space using a microSD card.

The phone accepts two SIM cards, both of which can connect to 3G networks. They work in dual standby mode. The rest of the connectivity is in the form of Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. Providing the juice to run the device is a 2,500mAh battery. The 5.5-inch Triluminos display is supported by Sony's proprietary Bravia Engine 2 and has a resolution of 720x1280. The colours are slightly oversaturated but the screen does look good. Viewing angles and sunlight legibility are pretty good.

Sony ships the Xperia C3 Dual with the latest Android 4.4 (KitKat) and slaps its own skin on top of it. One thing we noticed is the addition of a One-handed Operations option in the settings menu. Unfortunately, this feature is not as useful or dense as the implementations by LG or Samsung on their phablets. Switching on the feature allows users to do only two things: use a pattern to unlock the screen using one hand, and double tap the Home button to access notifications and settings at the bottom instead of the top. 

There is no split-screen mode or a windowed mode to speak of. Swiping from the left on the app drawer brings up a set of options which helps users search for apps, uninstall them and change the order they appear in. There are quite a few extra apps, most of which are not useful and cannot be deleted. Except for the Walkman and Album apps, the rest of the Sony-branded bloat is not worth your time.

Camera

After testing the front camera extensively we can safely say that selfie lovers can blindly pick up the Xperia C3 Dual. The camera captures a good amount of detail and trumps the HTC Desire 816's 5-megapixel front camera thanks to the addition of the soft LED flash. The captured colours are natural and the software automatically works to reduce noise. The soft flash is also great since it doesn't throw harsh light at a subject, and instead highlights the features of faces nicely.The 8-megapixel rear camera, on the other hand, is a disappointment. By default, the software sets it to shoot images at 5-megapixel resolution. The camera has problems in focussing on subjects and is slow as well. Most times, we ended up with blurry shots because the camera couldn't focus. Even if it did manage to focus, the captured images were of average quality to say the least. Details were smudged and we noticed some chromatic aberration as well. The quality of the captured 1080p video is strictly okay.

Verdict

As far as Sony is concerned, the company's marketing strategy for the Xperia C3 Dual is spot on. For those who want a competent smartphone which can capture great selfies, the Xperia C3 Dual is the best bet at the moment. With its official price of Rs. 23,990, the phone competes directly with the HTC Desire 816 (review | pictures). HTC's phablet has a bigger screen and an infinitely better rear camera, whereas the battery life on the Sony Xperia C3 Dual is better. Both phones are great in their own rights, so in the end it boils down to the brand affinity of the buyer.

Sony Xperia M2 Review

The Good The Sony Xperia M2 has a sleek, attractive design, enough power for your day to day tasks and doesn't cost the earth.

The Bad It's got a disappointingly low resolution display and arrives with the old and outdated Android Jelly Bean on board.

The Bottom Line Although the Sony Xperia M2 looks pretty slick, it's let down by its low resolution display and its old version of Android, which makes even its affordable price way too high. For much less money, you could snap up the Moto G or spend a little more and pick up the older Xperia Z with its full HD display and waterproof design.

The Sony Xperia Z2 is one of my favourite flagship phones this year, thanks to its slick, metal and glass design, superb screen, tonnes of power and brilliant camera. The downside is that all that great technology costs quite a lot of money. If your budget is more limited but you still want the Sony name and an attractive phone, take a look at the Xperia M2.

Its slim body with its glass front and back makes it reminiscent of Sony's pricier phones, while its vibrant purple colour helps it stand out from the crowd. It's got a 4.8-inch display, runs on a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and has an 8-megapixel camera around the back.

The Xperia M2 is available now in the UK direct from Sony for £230, or free on contracts starting at £13.50 at Phones 4u. There's no word yet on availability in the US, Asia or Australia, but we'll update this article when hear more from Sony. The price directly converts to $390 and AU$415.

Design

It's easy to see the Xperia M2 has been cut from the same cloth as the rest of the recent Xperia range. It has the same glass front and back design, with the speaker sat on the bottom edge, subtle Xperia branding on the back and it's available in the same black, white or vivid purple colours.

It doesn't have the metal edging of the flagship Xperia Z2 (or its predecessor, the Z1) so actually looks almost identical to the much earlier Xperia Z. I think it's quite an attractive bit of kit -- the glass panels both look and feel pretty luxurious and that purple colour really stands out from the masses of grey and black smartphones out there -- although you can get it in black and white if you're not keen on purple.

Although it looks a lot like the Xperia Z, it doesn't have the same waterproof skills -- pop the M2 in water and all you'll be left with is an attractive, but useless slab of glass. It's disappointing that it's not waterproof, as it's not a feature currently available at the more affordable end of the phone world -- it would be a good reason to opt for the M2 over its rivals.

Unusually, the SIM card and microSD card slots are covered by a flap much like the ports are on the Xperia Z in order to keep the water out. I suspect that the phone was originally going to be a waterproof model, but perhaps Sony found it too costly to implement for a budget phone.

It measures 140mm long and 71mm wide, housing a 4.8-inch display, which makes it a little easier to hold in one hand than the 5.2-inch Xperia Z2. Its 8.6mm thickness makes it easy to slide into your jeans and you probably won't be too bothered by its 148g weight either.

Around the sides you'll find the micro-USB port for charging and data transfer, a 3.5mm headphone jack, the SIM card and microSD card slots under that flap of course, a volume rocker, dedicated camera shutter button and the same silver, sticking-out power button you'll find on most of the recent Xperias.

The phone comes with 8GB of storage, of which a little under 5GB is available for your own apps, music and videos as the Android software and Sony additions take up quite a lot of room. That's not a whole lot of space, so you should probably factor a microSD card into the price, particularly if you like keeping a lot of music stored on your phone.

Display

The 4.8-inch display has a 960x540-pixel resolution, giving a pixel density of 229 pixels per inch. That's very disappointing, particularly when you bear in mind that the considerably cheaper Motorola Moto G has a 4.5-inch display with a much higher 720p resolution. I would expect a minimum resolution of 720p on a display this size so it's not good at all to see less.

Unsurprisingly then, it's not particularly sharp, with icons, text and images lacking the same clarity you'd find on higher resolution panels -- it's certainly nowhere near as crisp as the full HD Xperia Z2. If you only stick to basic tasks like texting, tweeting and calling, you won't find the display lacking, but if you're keen on browsing new images on Flickr, watching TV shows on Netflix or reading a lot of text on Web pages, a higher resolution phone will come in handy.

It's reasonably bright at least -- although the harsh overhead office lights in the CNET building did throw up some reflections -- and it has a good handle on colours. I've certainly seen worse displays, but it's seriously hobbled by its resolution.

Android Jelly Bean software

The poor resolution isn't the only major disappointment on this phone -- it arrives with the now rather outdated Android Jelly Bean software on board. Android KitKathas been the most common version of the software on flagship and budget phones for some time now, so to see a new phone launching with such old software is unforgivable, particularly when ultra budget phones like the Motorola Moto E even have the latest KitKat software.

Sony Alpha A5100 Digital Camera Review

Sony's camera team has been on a tear in the past year and a half, quietly assembling one of the more enviable top-to-bottom lineups on the market. The full-frame mirrorless A7 series won the company a number of awards, but stellar values like the compact A6000 and traditional DSLRs like the A77 II are also strong bets. These are all on top of Sony's best-in-class point-and-shoots, including the RX10and RX100 III.



Looking to add to what is already a very impressive and thorough lineup, Sony has decided to slip another model between the low-end A5000 and the aforementioned A6000. Enter: the new Sony Alpha A5100 (MSRP $549.99). The A5100 bumps last year's NEX-5T out of the current lineup, ending Sony's "NEX" era forever while borrowing most of the same tech from this year's eye-catching A6000.
Describing the A5100 isn't difficult; it's basically a slightly slower A6000 minus a few creature comforts. The notable absences: You don't get the A6000's EVF (electronic view finder), hotshoe, 11fps burst shooting, or the extended ISO range. That's all a bummer, but it's $100 cheaper than the A6000 and prices should continue to fall. On the other end consider that for just $70 more than the low-end A5000 you get higher resolution images, 60p video, and a host of other improvements.
All three of these new E-mount Alphas are mighty impressive, but can this middle child stand out from the pack?

Design & Handling

An advanced camera that meets novice shooters on their level.

Sony CyberShot RX100 III Review

 

If you want a pocketable high-end compact camera that offers it all, it looks as though Sony may have finally cracked it with the Cyber-shot RX100 III. This third-generation model delivers a large 1-inch sensor size, but rewrites the earlier RX100 rulebook with a new 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 equivalent lens. It even squeezes a built-in retractable electronic viewfinder into the mix.

It all sounds great, until you cross eyes with the £700 launch price. But in the order of things Sony gets away with it: with Canon and Nikon failing to offer inspirational pocketable high-end compacts - and the larger-sensor models they do are more expensive and not as well specified - the RX100 III looks to be a step ahead. Is it worth scratching together the heap of cash required to buy one and, indeed, is the RX100 III the new king of compacts?

Mark III: What's new?

If you've been following the RX100 series since conception then you'll understand the premise: a pocketable compact with considerably larger-than-average sensor for premier image quality. The second-generation model, released a year after the original, updated the sensor, added a built-in hotshoe for accessories, and introduced a tilt-angle mechanism to the LCD screen on the rear. Both are still available at considerably smaller price points than they each debuted.

Enter the RX100 III and, again, there's another new sensor update despite retaining the same 20.1-megapixel resolution, but the new model does away with the 28-100mm equivalent lens of its predecessors and instead opts for a faster 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 equivalent. This wider-angle but shorter top-end zoom in conjunction with the new retractable 1.44mm-dot electronic viewfinder makes it the most comprehensive of the trio. But also the most expensive.

Sony Alpha A6000 Review

The Sony A6000 is, in some respects, the older NEX-6 reincarnate. Which puts it in good stead: as far as interchangeable lens cameras go, the NEX-6 was one of our favourite small scale models with a built-in electronic viewfinder, so the Alpha A6000 arrives with high expectations.

The Alpha name now prefixes all Sony interchangeable lens cameras, as part of the company's attempt to breathe new life into its E-mount compact system camera line. Although the A6000 hasn't reinvented the wheel, it does retain the positive elements from Sony's back catalogue of products alongside a more advanced autofocus system than before. 

But time moves fast and in the last couple of years we've seen some great autofocus advances in among the compact system camera competition. Is the Alpha A6000 good enough to hold up against the best of them?

Sony PlayStation TV Review

The Good PlayStation TV has an affordable starting price point, works with existing DualShock 3 and 4 controllers and can play hundreds of games. It also offers game streaming from a networked PS4 or via PlayStation Now, and a handful of video services.

The Bad A surprising amount of content for PSTV is not available in HD, and the Vita's interface doesn't make a graceful jump to the big screen. Remote play is laggy in Wi-Fi mode and PSTV still relies on an expensive flash storage medium. Major streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus are noticeably absent.

The Bottom Line The PlayStation TV sounds great on paper, but out of the gate, it underwhelms as both a gaming and an entertainment box.

With the PlayStation 4, Sony already has a credible claim to conquering your living room with its do-it-all gaming and streaming entertainment box. Now the company is going after the other rooms in your home with the PlayStation TV.

It's a tiny box -- smaller than a deck of cards -- that has Roku and Apple TV comparisons written all over it. It connects to your home network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet and sports an HDMI port (there's also a cable in the box) for easy plug-and-play with your TV.

Sony Xperia L review

The Sony Xperia L originally launched as a mid-range handset, but heavy discounts since mean it's now more of a rival for the popular Motorola Moto G.

And it may suprise you to discover that the Xperia L runs the Moto G surprisingly close. The build quality is similar, with a solidity and sense of style that belies its low price. The design is more attractive, with a concave, rubbery rear that sits comfortably in the hand, and the power, volume and camera buttons all feel solid and positive in use.

The L is reasonably well specified, too, comparing well with other phones at this price. You get a large 4.3in display that looks crisp and clean and lacks the grainy quality of some cheap phones.

It runs Android 4.2 beneath Sony's customary skin, and it has 8GB of storage and a microSD slot for expanding it. There's also a user-replaceable 1,700mAh battery and an 8-megapixel camera capable of capturing 720p video.

Sony Xperia SP Review

The market for mid-level handsets is exploding, and manufacturers are hurrying to offer even more choice for those on a stricter budget, so the Xperia SP brings a mid-range price with a lot of technology borrowed from its bigger, Xperia Z, brother.

Sony has been busy since the split from Ericsson and has put out an ever-increasing number of Xperia models to try and capture customers at every conceivable price point and specs sheet. The latest is the Sony Xperia SP, a mid-level Android smartphone that sits below the flagship Xperia Z and above the budget Xperia E.

 Sony is taking on lesser-known Android handsets such as the Acer Liquid E2, ZTE Blade 3 or LG Optimus G Prowith the Sony Xperia SP's £350/US$490 price point. But one look at the box is enough to tell you that the Japanese company still means business - even though this isn't the flag bearer for the Xperia line.

All of Sony's considerable tech expertise is being brought to bear on the Xperia SP. The packaging proudly bears the logos for Bravia Engine (screen), Exmor RS (camera) and PlayStation (gaming), all of which have found their way into the Sony Xperia SP's 131 x 67 x 10mm (5.14 x 2.64 x 0.39 inch) frame.

Sony Alpha 7 Review

BY JIM FISHER

The Alpha 7 ($1,699.99 direct, body only)$1,698.00 at Amazon is one of a pair of new full-frame mirrorless cameras from Sony. Aside from the model badge, it looks the same as its twin, the Alpha 7R£1,258.79 at SlrHut, but the two cameras are quite different internally. The Alpha 7 is built for speed thanks to a 24-megapixel image sensor with on-chip phase detect autofocus sensors and a 5fps burst shooting rate. The camera is impressive and a joy to use, but we give the edge to the 36-megapixel Alpha 7R, which earns our Editors' Choice award for full-frame mirrorless cameras. For an extra $600 you sacrifice just a little bit of speed, but gain a 50 percent increase in image resolution and a images that are critically sharp thanks to a sensor design that omits the low pass filter.

Build

Quite compact when you consider its full-frame image sensor, the Alpha 7 measures just 3.75 by 5 by 1.9 inches (HWD) and weighs about a pound without a lens. The Leica M (Typ 240)$7,250.00 at Amazon, the first full-frame mirrorless camera with Live View, measures 3.1 by 5.5 by 1.7 inches, but is heavier at 1.5 pounds. The Leica gets some of its extra weight from its brass construction and optical viewfinder; the Alpha 7's extra height is due to its built-in OLED EVF. The body itself is sealed against dust and moisture; I had no issues shooting in lighter rain. Lenses don't have an o-ring gasket around the mount, so I'd be a little wary of using the camera in very heavy rain.

The Alpha 7 uses the same E-mount to attach lenses as previous Sony NEX cameras, including the NEX-6$649.99 at Crutchfield.com, which uses an APS-C image sensor. An APS-C sensor is physically smaller than the 35mm full-frame image sensor housed in the Alpha 7's svelte body. It's possible to use older lenses for NEX cameras that only cover an APS-C image circle; the Alpha 7 will automatically crop images to match the APS-C sensor size when these lenses are attached. Lenses designed for the full-frame Alpha 7 and 7R bear an FE designation.

Sonya Alpha 600 Review

Recently I received information from an apparently well informed gentleman about an upcoming A600 DSLR from Sony. I'm not normally in the rumor business here but I wanted to share this with readers mainly because of the source of the rumor. I also think it's directly related to a highly debated topic and therefore newsworthy. Yes this is about an actual DSLR rumor, not a rumor about an SLT model. This person who shared this information has given me inside (and secret) information in the past, but has not contacted me in about 2 years. Unlike information shared previously to me, this time I've been told I can share it. Based on this persons past reputation with sharing highly detailed information... it caught my interest. Here's what I was told, summarized and broken down: Supposedly this model will replace the existing A580 DSLRand be at a slightly higher price point, but lower than the A65.This camera will fill the gap between the upcoming (and rumored) A57 model and the current A65SLT for those who prefer a traditional DSLR. 

I was told that for now Sony's reaction to gathered marketplace demand is to keep traditional and non traditional DSLRS in the fold, but that only two OVF DSLRS would stay in the lineup. Priority is now given to SLT but that OVF are not yet out of the lineup. At least not yet. Apparently this is a pretty sudden switch in strategy, according to him. The A600 is supposedly designed to be more affordable at the production level but does not skimp on features, and is designed for enthusiasts based on their demand. The design decisions were cost cutting without sacrificing much of what enthusiasts desire in a DSLR- good for Sony and good for the traditional consumer. Loose specifications I received for the possible A600 are as follows: 

• New body design, similar to A65 in size 
• Larger brighter OVF than the A580 (still penta-mirror, cost savings) at .92x magnification "w/data overlay" @ 97% coverage 
• Similar live view system as the A450 (away goes the second sensor and mechanisms that cost extra money), more traditional main sensor live view with faster contrast detect AF than previous Sony DSLRS, this time for all lenses 
• updated 18.4 mp APS-C CMOS sensor (See update this has now changed) -up to 8fps capture with full metering and af capabilities (A580 could do only 5fps with metering/af) 
• same battery as A580, A65, A77 -new "wide coverage" 15 point AF system (new type with 5 cross type sensors) 
• full 1080p HD video will be included (no specifics on this)
• Dual card slots (no specifics on type) -New pop up flash (not sure how this will work, assume bounce and regular?) -
• Silver and Black model (depending on territory) 
• New quieter mirror box mechanism and shutter 
• First curtain electronic shutter mode 
• Moisture/dust preventive measures (but not moisture or dust resistant) 
• 3 custom function buttons 
• Updated Quick Navi Menu interface (assume like A65's which isn't true quick navi like A900/etc.) 
• Dual control wheels, rear is scroll and click type 
• Due this year before fall Now again this is a rumor I received- but the way in which it was worded sounded legitimate enough to share. 

Normally I ignore these kinds of emails when then come in. The specifications are indeed interesting and conceivable to me- yet despite the sources reputation, I always hold on things being fact till I see something in the flesh. Again- I'm reporting this because this person has given me credible inside information in the past (the type unfortunately I had to keep secret), and gives the rumor credence I suppose, based solely on his accurate information (and pictures sent) in the past. I was also told that originally the A600 had already been designed, then scrapped. But because of higher than expected demand for an optical viewing path alongside the demand for EVF, the project that was initially scrapped was brought back to life. To me this sounds a bit too good to be true, but it's reasonable to assume I suppose that Sony could produce both EVF and OVF DSLRS until such time as a viable replacement for both comes to fruition. Also, the numerical name of the DSLR makes complete sense, both as a replacement for the A580 DSLRand for the tradition of past "6" series cameras. The A65is a tweener model, a lot bang for the buck, the A600 seems to be the optical equivalent of that cameras hierarchy- optical or electronic choice for A-Mount users. Could it be? Sony are going to provide a choice afterall in the mid range segment? Rumors on SAR state there will be an A900 replacement with an OVF maybe one in the mid range too isn't so crazy. I'm both skeptical and optimistic about this rumor based on the source and current Sony strategy. I really don't see this happening personally, but I do hope its true though! I would love to be wrong about what Sony are going to do in the future and for them to pull a 180 like this. Would a move like that endear traditional users back to Sony? Tough question but surely it would pique their interest at the very least. Last thought I have on this subject is just an excerpt from an interesting interview that my buddies at Imaging-Resource conducted with Mark Weir from Sony USA : http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/01/15/sony-interview-10-years-hence-will-mirror-based-cameras-be-a-distant-memory The excerpt that peaked my interest is when Dave Etchells asks Mark if Sony would respond to the market if there were a cry out for traditional DSLRS: "DE: So if you see a large, angry mob of customers coming demanding a conventional SLR... Sony would respond." And Mark's answer was: "MW: I think Sony always keeps their customers in the front of their minds." The question remains at just how much outcry (if any) Sony have heard or noticed and if indeed there was enough to keep at least two optical path "traditional" DSLRS in Sony's Alpha lineup. Apparently according to the source, there was. I guess that remains to be seen. If I hear more about a supposed A600, I will report it. I've been told an update about this rumored camera will come in the future, more specifics about the camera that I'll be allowed to share. Interesting, to say the least. Guess we'll see what happens.

Sony Xperia Z3 Review

Sony's Xperia Z2, launched this April, was a mere nip and tuck away from smartphone perfection. But in the cut-and-thrust world of high-end smartphones, coming close just isn't good enough, and in the final reckoning we preferred the HTC One (M8) and LG G3. 

The good news for Sony is that just six months later it's having another go at it. And the good news for the smartphone-buying public is that the Xperia Z3 solves many of the problems of its predecessor while also adding a few genuinely unique features.

So while it may at first glance look like a mere incremental upgrade over the Z2, make no mistake: the Z3 is the real deal.

But look a little closer and you'll notice a few tweaks that really do make an incredible difference. The difference between 'I know it's well-specced and well-built but I just don't love it' and 'I need one right now'. It takes getting one in your hand to really appreciate it. 

The aluminium and tempered glass OmniBalance design now has rounded sides and, while the body is still angular and doesn't sit completely snug in the palm like a One (M8), it's enough to make it much more comfortable. It's a compromise - Sony wants OmniBalance to be iconic the way a BMW or Mercedes design is, even at the expense of comfort - but this time it's a compromise that allows for the contours of human hands while keeping the year-and-a-bit old Xperia aesthetic. 

It also helps massively that the Xperia Z3 weighs just 152g - that's 11g less than the Z2 - and is skinnier too at a mere 7.3mm. Throw in the fact that that it's ever so slightly smaller in height and width terms and you have a phone that feels less like a big, heavy block of a tech and more like a standard premium flagship. Yes, it's a big phone with a 5.2in screen but it's not overly wide in the hand compared to, say, aGalaxy Note 3.

The flaps hiding the microUSB, SIM and microSD slots are smaller, rounded and more refined and even though the top and bottom bezels still look a teensy bit retro, the bezels either side of the screen are now slimmer. 

With all that glass you might be worried about smashing it but Sony has added new nylon caps to the corners. It says handsets are most likely to be dropped on corners, so replacing the old aluminium edges is designed to make the Z3 more durable. Sure enough, while we were testing the Z3's camera, we dropped it (on purpose, of course. Maybe). Apart from a small scuff on the top left cap, the Z3 survived as flawless as before.  

Another big advantage of the OmniBalance design is that it’s water- and dust-proof, so the Z3 is capable of withstanding anything the weather can throw at it – as well as enabling you to make calls from the shower and watch Netflix in your Jacuzzi. You can't use the screen properly when it's wet but the new IP65/68 rating is the highest waterproofing you can get on a smartphone right now (surviving up to 30 minutes in up to 1.5m of water) with a new higher dust resistance too. 

Over the course of our testing we've managed to play around with a few Z3s. The white model was our favourite - it's less reflecty outdoors than the black model. There are also two new colours in the form of copper and silver green. Hey, at least it's not pink. 

Given that the Xperia Z2's screen is one of the best we've ever laid eyes on, we're not going to complain that Sony's pretty much left it alone. 

It's 20% brighter than the Z2's screen - 600 candela, fact fans - and it really does help when you're looking at the screen outdoors as the front of the Z3 can be very reflective in direct sunlight, particularly the black model. 

It has the same full HD resolution and is unsurprisingly as sharp and punchy as the Z2. Deep blacks don't quite rival those on the Galaxy S5 but are still impressive and text looks crisp and clean.

The X-Reality setting returns to pump up colours further still as well as improving contract and sharpness - fine if you want to wow friends with photos but we'd rather keep it turned off. Even more Samsung-like is the new Super-vivid mode. Scroll through the preloaded Sony World Photography Awards with this turned on for hyper-real hues. Both are unnecessary, as colours look really vibrant on the Sony, more so than the more natural-looking LG G3; which you prefer comes down to personal preference. 

But the screen isn't exactly the same. This time around, Sony's preset white balance makes webpages, games and movies look too blue. We played around with the sliders until we got it just right but considering that Sony makes such an effort with its display tech, we'd prefer this to be perfect out of the box. 

Why not 2K? Sony says it's too hard for the human eye to discern the difference, and seemingly isn't planning to put a 2K screen on a 5in smartphone anytime soon. Or even on its 8in Z3 Tablet Compact.

Now, if you've got eyes like Stuff's trained pixel hunters then you'll know that on the contrary it is possible to discern more detail in video, images and ebooks on 2K screens than regular 1080p ones.

We viewed it side-by-side with the LG G3 and whether displaying hi-res pics of spices or crisper detail and textures such as fur and snow in 1080p nature vids, the G3's bigger 5.5in 2560x1440 screen made its extra pixels known.

However, while there is a difference, it's not going to affect your day-to-day enjoyment of the device. For many people, the Z3's 424ppi display offers plenty of pixels for your peepers to compute. 

As we've seen with the 2K LG G3 and the Oppo Find 7 and Find 7a, there is a trade-off between resolution and battery life too. Rather than gamble on 2K and fewer hours between charges, Sony's gone and upped the battery life on the Z3. 

Battery life was the one thing we really wanted to test on the Xperia Z3. Why? Because to justify the lack of a 2K screen Sony has been throwing around bold claims that both the Z3 and Z3 Compact last two days of regular use. Now, looking in more detail at Sony's tests, it puts this two days as five hours per day of intensive messaging, gaming, web etc. 

Skeptical? So were we. There's a smaller 3100mAh battery (versus the Z2's 3200mAh unit) for starters. A brighter screen too. And Sony reckons the Z3 will last two days in the same conditions as those in which the Z2 lasts 1.4 and the Z1 lasts 1.2 days.

Well, it's time to set aside your cynicism - because the Z3 has the best battery life of any smartphone we've seen in a long time.

We haven't got it to two days on one charge yet but that's probably because we've been hammering it night and day. And since we received our test units, we've averaged a day and a half out of it without any of its (many) Stamina and battery saving modes turned on, largely thanks to the fact its standby juice-saving is brilliant. 

It was even more impressive in our battery rundown, clocking just under 14 hours (13 hours 52 minutes to be exact) on our 720p video loop with Wi-Fi on and half brightness. Now, it's worth noting that the Xperia Z2 managed 12 and a half hours in the same rundown so it's not a huge difference on playback alone, but in regular use it's certainly enough to get you four or five extra hours on top of an already excellent battery life. The LG G3, in comparison, lasted for 9 hours 25 on the same test.

Sony puts the extra efficiency down to two things - the Snapdragon 801 processor, here clocked at 2.5GHz but also present in the Xperia Z2 - and a new display technology that it's developed which retains the memory of whatever is on the screen, meaning less reloading and more efficiency. It doesn't have a catchy name like Sony's other screen technologies, but it seems to be doing the trick. The only true two-day flagship we've tested is last year's brilliant LG G2 and the Xperia Z3 comes very close to matching it. 

Nosing around the settings, Stamina mode returns and Sony follows Samsung and HTC's lead with an Ultra Stamina mode. There's no Wi-Fi or data connection when you're in this mode, but otherwise it looks spot-on for festivals with phone, messaging, camera, contacts, alarm, clock, calculator, FM radio, settings and Bluetooth. Everything is still in colour, unlike rivals, and though there's no music playback and it takes 30 seconds or so to make the switch, it estimated seven days on 34%, so we can't argue with that.  

PlayStation 4 Will Continue to Outsell the Xbox One

The most recent NPD Group retail figures for the month of August in the United States show that the PlayStation 4 from Sony has managed to sell more units than the rival Xbox One from Microsoft, the eighth month in a row that it has managed to achieve this result

Reports from other markets, including the United Kingdom and Germany in Europe, are showing a similar result for the competition between the two home consoles, and on the Japanese market the Sony device, while not a best-seller, also dominates its main competitor.

No clear information on actual sales numbers is available at the moment, but Sony says that its platform has managed to get past the 10 million mark worldwide.

The big question for modern console gamers at the moment is: can the PlayStation 4 continue to outsell the Xbox One and what does that mean for the industry at large?