Continuing Sony’s Android ambitions is the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, a handset witha 6.4 inch screen and impressive specifications. Falling into the phablet category, the Z Ultra brings over some of the best elements of their high-end smartphones into the ‘tiny tablet’ form factor.

Sony has continued the design cues of the higher-end smartphones (such as Xperia Z) so the Z Ultra comes with tempered glass on both the front and rear of the unit, and metallic frame that can be seen round the edges of the unit. It remains very much a rectangular design with a hunt of curving on the edges to give it a comfortable feel.

The Xperia Z Ultra has also been designed with protection in mind. Just like the Xperia Z the Z Ultra meets the IP55 protection standard, and adds IP58. This handset is covered against dust, low pressure water jets, waterproof, shatter proof, and scratch resistant. Given the vulnerability offered by a handset of this size, this is reassuring to read.

There’s going to be an obvious comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Mega, which has a similarly sized screen and footprint, but where the Mega had a specification that was lower than the ‘parent hardware’ of the Galaxy S4, the Z Ultra is one of the highest specced Android devices currently available.

It comes with 16 GB of internal storage, 2 GB of RAM, supporter for microSD cards, and a screen which is a 6.4 inch monster, with a FullHD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (giving 342 ppi), and a 3,050 mAh battery to keep it all running. But it’s the processor that should catch your eye, it’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, running at 2.2 GHz with four cores. That makes the Z Ultra one of the fastest Android handsets out there.

The Ultra follows its name both in size, and in potential. You can see that when you start to use the phablet, transitions are smooth, apps open up with almost no lag, switching between apps is quick, and the experience is a fast and enjoyable one. From a hardware point of view, the Z Ultra could easily be the new benchmark for Android.

Having spent a few days with the Z Ultra, it feels like the software designers were unsure what to do with all the extra real estate on the screen, both in pixels and in physical space. The home screens are populated by icons and widgets that feel lost in the space because of their smaller pixel size in the high density environment. Move into primarily text based applications, and while some apps cope with the phablet screen size (mostly Google’s own apps), there are others where the text is too small, white spaces are notable, and it feels they simply aren’t suited for this larger form factor.

Thankfully, no app really feels ‘cramped’ in the screen, it’s just that some are trying to show too much information in a single screen.

I’ve been a fan of Sony’s light touch in their Android user interface for some time – it adds just enough to stand out, but not enough that it moves away from the regular Android UI that Google offers. It does feel that it’s struggling to deliver a consistent experience with the larger screen size on offer here. It’s important to note that this is more from an aesthetic angle, from a process point of view everything works, and there are no functions that are restricted because of the UI.

With so many curves on modern slab smartphones, to actually handle a smartphone that is as chiselled as a paving slab is unusual. Sony have stayed with their own design language, but they have taken into account such practicalities as the width of the device and will this fit in the hand (which it does), is it comfortable to slip in your jacket pocket (it is), and can you make an attempt at one handed use (as much as you would expect with a 6.4 inch screened handset).

The Sony Xperia Ultra Z is a brute of the phone. The physical styling screams muscle, and the packaging inside the (still thin) profile is the best specified android phablet that is currently on the market. It’s one of the fastest devices out there, with a screen that has a lot of saturation and definition.

I’m looking forward reviewing it over the next week and letting you know how I get on. Right now the first impressions are very promising, with the obvious caveat that a device this size has.

Posted by: Harish Published: Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 21:21 [IST]

When it comes to Dual SIM smartphone usage in India, it is considered to be perfect choice over other smartphone purchases, as the technology has the capability for keeping work separate from play.

Understanding the consumer demand and growing offerings in the category, Sony introduced two unique handsets in the past which have hit the shelves today in India. Yes ! You guessed it right! The talk is about Xperia E and its dual SIM variant Xperia E Dual, which have been recently released in India at a price of Rs 9,990 and Rs 10,990.

Well, out the duo Xperia E Dual has the capability to switch incoming calls between SIM cards anytime with a simple press to the dedicated hardware key.

Further, Xperia E Dual runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich (upgradeable to 4.1 Jelly Bean) and will sport a 3.5 inch scratch-resistant display with 480 x 320 pixels, single core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, MicroSD card support up to 32GB, 3.2MP rear camera and a VGA front facing camera, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and a 1,500 mAh battery.

The phone would come with Dual SIM capability, noise cancellation feature to filter out background sounds, to provide loud and clear HD voice 3D surround sound and DLNA connectivity amongst others.

Well, if you wish to buy the handset, below in the slideshow are listed some of the best deals available online. Flip through the slideshow and have a look.

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originally published @ GIZBOT

NEW DELHI: The smartphone patent war has finally reached India. Acting on a suit filed by telecom giant Ericsson, the Delhi High Court has told mobile maker Micromax to pay royalties on every phone and tablet it sells as part of an interim arrangement before the two firms finalise their patent deal by April 9.

Justice Manmohan in a recent order gave his nod to an interim arrangement on payment of royalties by Micromax to Ericsson for using some features of the latter's patents relating to 2G, 3G and Edge technology. The money will be deposited in the court as per the arrangement till the dispute is finally settled.

The agreement between the two companies — known as a FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms) license agreement — will operate for one month. According to it, Micromax will pay anywhere between 1.25% - 2% of sale price as royalty per phone and tablet.

Incidentally, Ericsson had also filed a suit against Samsung in the US in November, alleging infringement of its Wi-Fi and 4G patents. Samsung countersued the company last week.

The HC order came after Ericsson approached the court seeking over Rs 100 crore as damages from Micromax. The agreement says that Micromax and Customs department will intimate Ericsson whenever a consignment of devices arrives at customs so that a representative from Ericsson can inspect it. It clarifies that once Ericsson conducts an inspection of each consignment and informs Customs it has no objection to its release, the same will be immediately handed over to Micromax so that it can take its custody.

Speaking to TOI, advocate Pratibha Singh, who represented Ericsson in the case, welcomed the HC interim order . "This shows Indian courts can decide very complex patent litigation swiftly," she said.

A Micromax spokesperson said the company is negotiating with Ericsson. "Micromax is committed to negotiating a FRAND licence with Ericsson as has Ericsson undertaken to providing a FRAND licence to Micromax. Since the matter is pending before the Hon'ble court it would be incorrect for Micromax to make any further statements on the matter," said the spokesperson.

The tussle between Micromax and Ericsson is latest in the series of high-profile patent fights within the smartphone industry. As the popularity of smartphones grows, especially those powered by Google's Android operating system, a number of companies have been attacked with patents. The most high-profile of these cases has been the ongoing fight between Samsung and Apple.

The two companies are involved in tens of court cases in several countries. Other than these two, Motorola, Nokia, Microsoft, Oracle, Google, Sony , HTC, LG, Ericsson — and now Micromax — are part of court fights involving smartphone patents.

Just a few days ago Google chairman Eric Schmidt said that companies are using patent fights to stifle competition. "A number of companies, led by the telecommunications industry decided to use patents to stop innovation... Apple sued Samsung in a number of courts trying to essentially not allow Samsung's products into the market," said Schmidt.