Built to last

The five-inch device may be a little too large for some,but it is rugged and looks good too. Since this is a waterproof phone,all its ports are covered. While testing,the phone was immersed in a glass of water and washed with tap water for around a minute. The device passed both tests and kept working as it should.

However,it is a little inconvenient to open a flap whenever you want to charge it or plug in headphones. The screen of the review unit picked up a few scratches too. Another negative is that the device has sharp edges,which makes it uncomfortable to hold.

The 1080-pixel display,with a resolution of 441 pixels per inch,is the best in the market as of now. The phone is great for reading and watching videos.

The power button is conveniently placed on the right hand side. Some manufacturers place it on the top,which is difficult to access on five-inch phones. At 146 g,the phone is not very light,but it isn’t uncomfortable to hold.

Performance and software

It handled all the games very well and there were no lags when multiple apps were opened simultaneously. The phone has no physical buttons. Sony’s user interface provides three touchscreen buttons — back,home and switch between apps. When you touch the app-switcher button,you’ll see four ‘small apps’. By default,these apps are calculator,timer,voice recorder and notes. You can change these small apps for quick access to your favourite applications.

The phone runs on Android Jelly Bean (4.1),but Sony has customised it. Its user interface is pretty good. The lock screen has venetian blinds effect and users can swipe upwards or downwards to unlock.

The phone’s 13.1-megapixel camera performs well even in low light. The flash is a little harsh,and pictures lose detail when flash is on. Users can click pictures while recording video too. The speakers are good,but music sounds better on headphones.

The only major disappointment with this phone is its battery life. On moderate use,the phone ran out of charge in less than a day and users should invest in a portable charger. Price: Rs 40,000 approx.

VERDICT

PROS

n Stunning display

n Good camera

n Waterproof,

dust-resistant

CONS

n Sharp edges not suitable for long calls

n Short battery life

n Screen isn’t scratch resistant

SPOTLIGHT

Google Hindi Input

This Android app allows users to type messages and emails in Hindi. The keyboard works with all Android apps,but it will not work if the phone doesn’t support the language. You can enter a word in English and press the transliteration key to change it to the Devanagari script.