First Look

IFA 2016: Sony launches flagship Xperia XZ, adds smaller X Compact

Published

September 1, 2016

Marvin Velasco

We saw this coming last month, and now it’s a reality: Sony has unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the 5.2-inch Xperia XZ. Along with it comes the 4.6-inch Xperia X Compact, which, you could say, is the spiritual successor to the Z Compact series.

Sony Xperia XZ

It seems kind of odd to add a “Z” to the moniker – considering that Sony ditched the Z series last year in favor of its refreshed X lineup – but the company explained that the Xperia XZ departs from the established design language of the X series to form something different. The brand of aluminum employed on the new flagship is called ALKALEIDO, which admittedly felt really light and nice to touch during our time with the phone.

In some of the photos, you’ll see a metal frame that adds to the curvature of the handset’s ends. We noticed it being very prone to smudges, but the rest of the body seemed to be resistant to blemishes. The best news is that the IP68-certified water and dust resistance is still here, and several of the traits we’ve grown accustomed to, such as the stereo speakers, side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and expandable storage via microSD, are all back.

The real star, however, is the newly developed 23-megapixel camera that’s backed by an autofocus system consisting of phase detection, an IR sensor, and laser assist capable of accurately measuring subject distance. An unusual omission is optical image stabilization, although Sony’s software algorithms should be able to stabilize shots just like on past Xperia flagships. The front camera has an equally impressive 13-megapixel sensor for your selfies.

For the spec sheet enthusiasts, you’ll be glad to know that there’s a high-end Snapdragon 820 processor inside, together with 3GB of RAM and, thankfully, a USB Type-C port. You might be disappointed about the rather small 2,900mAh battery, but there’s Quick Charge 3.0 to make up for it and a decent 1080p resolution to lower the power drain.

There are three colors to choose from – Forest Blue, Mineral Black, and Platinum – and retail units will supposedly be available by October if things work out.

Sony Xperia X Compact

Admittedly, most of us were more excited to hear about the Xperia X Compact, since the older Z5 Compact was the closest Android competition to the 4.7-inch Apple iPhone 6s. Unfortunately, the modest label applies to the internal parts, as well.

The new compact series is no longer flagship level; the X Compact settles for a midrange Snapdragon 650 processor and a plastic build that isn’t even water resistant. The 720p display resolution and comparatively thick 9.5mm frame were expected, but don’t help in sweetening the deal. On the bright side, the X Compact adopts the same 23-megapixel main camera and advanced autofocus mechanism of its bigger siblings, minus the 4K video recording. Everything else is pleasant, from the USB Type-C port with Quick Charge 2.0 technology, to the acceptance of microSD cards as extra storage.

Both handsets come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board, and not 7.0 Nougat. We’re perfectly fine with it, though, since Sony has always respected the purity of Android and even adds welcome touches to the interface. In this implementation, you can access Google Now by swiping to the left of the home screen, the drop-down settings and notifications are just like stock Android, and the drawer for all your apps is transparent.

The Xperia X Compact is expected to ship this month in White, Universe Black, and Mist Blue. Pricing for both smartphones hasn’t been revealed by Sony yet.

[irp posts=”11148″ name=”Sony Xperia XZ Premium Hands-On”]

Accessories

Apple Vision Pro First Impressions

Plus a dedicated YouTubers’ React segment!

Published

June 7, 2023

GadgetMatch

The WWDC 2023 Keynote was packed with incredible new updates to iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS.

Apple announced new hardware including a 15-inch MacBook Air and M2 Max/Ultra-powered Mac Studio and Mac Pro.

But the most ambitious product they’ve ever created? The Apple Vision Pro.

Apple is clear that this isn’t just an AR Glasses. The Vision Pro is the company’s “first spatial computer”.

But how does it even look and feel IRL?

This is our first impressions of the new Apple Vision Pro — plus our YouTuber friends’ reactions.

First Look

Vibe Check: realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola Edition

Refreshing special edition smartphone!

Published

April 12, 2023

MJ Jucutan

When realme announced its partnership with Coca-Cola® for a special edition smartphone, it was quite amusing but not surprising.

As a brand, realme has always showcased youthful energy, promoting fun and spontaneity through its campaigns and experiences. Coca-Cola®shares the same virtue of fun — celebrating friendship and happiness through a carbonated drink.

When we got our hands on the realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola® edition, we were ecstatic at the sight of a possible special edition smartphone done right.

Unboxing

Opening the box, there’s a Coca-Cola® bottle outline that you can peel to get the papers you’ll need…

…or you can just open it from the top side.

Inside, you can find cool, branded DIY stickers.

There are also a limited number card and a custom-made SIM ejector tool resembling a bottle cap.

Underneath, you can find the smartphone’s essentials.

There’s the 33W SuperVOOC adapter…

…and a USB-C to USB-A cable.

It comes with a transparent case so you can see the Coca-Cola® design clearly.

P.S. You can plaster the jelly case with the DIY stickers included in the box.

In true Coca-Cola® fashion

Everything from the box up to the smartphone, the Coca-Cola® branding stood out as a refreshing take on special edition smartphones. The collaboration is somewhat reminiscent of partnerships between tech brands and high fashion.

For most people, the design can be a bit tacky. But I know all too well that there are people who are true Coca-Cola® fans, willing to parade their special edition smartphone. (My best friend is one!)

Moreover, the units got sold out upon launching on realme’s official channels. For that to happen, I knew right away they did something right.

Coca-Cola® inside and out

Most special edition smartphones don’t care about the user interface and experience after plastering their designs on the phone’s back panel and the box.

The realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola® Edition is a different breed. Its lock screen comes with a dynamic soda fizz bubble effect, and the skin for realme UI follows a retro red and black palette, sticking to the Coca-Cola® branding.

It also comes with exclusive 80s cola filters, and to make it even more refreshing, the camera shutter mimics the popping sound of a freshly-opened bottle of Coke® when taking photos.

Furthermore, you can customize the ringtone and notification sounds using nostalgic Coca-Cola® jingles.

Just like the realme 10 Pro 5G

It isn’t just bells and whistles for this smartphone. After all, it’s still the realme 10 Pro 5G housing a Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, a 5000mAh battery, and 256GB of internal storage.

If you haven’t read our review (which I suggest you should), take the time to peruse it and see why this smartphone is an ultra-reliable phone with numerous enhancements.

READ: realme 10 Pro 5G review: Putting ‘boundless’ in mid-range phones

But if you don’t have the luxury of time… in a nutshell, the realme 10 Pro 5G is a worthy midrange pickup. It’s got a display worth looking at, next-level specs that let you play and multitask, magical cameras for a smartphone with an affordable price point, and a smooth AF performance.

Price and availability

The realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola® Edition retails for PhP 18,499 via Shopee.

On the other hand, the realme 10 Pro 5G (8GB+256GB) retails for PhP 16,999. Meanwhile, the realme 10 Pro+ 5G starts at PhP 19,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant and PhP 24,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant.

The smartphones are available in stores and in realme’s official online channels.

First Look

Vibe Check: Huawei P60 Pro

Another smartphone photography champ?

Published

April 12, 2023

Rodneil Quiteles

The Huawei P60 Series launched in China some time late March 2023. The company flew GadgetMatch along with other members of the media to Shenzen, China and to experience the P60 Pro. Here’s our initial impressions after spending roughly around 24 hours with it.

That camera module is distinct

Whether you like how it looks or not, one thing you can say for sure about the camera module on the Huawei P60 Pro is that it’s unique. There’s literally nothing else in the market that looks like it.

Housed in that module is the crowning feature of the P60 Pro — its full set of cameras. Here are the numbers:

48MP main (wide) camera with a Dual Variable aperture system
13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
48MP f/2.1 telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom

The Dual Variable aperture system lets users switch between f/1.4-4.0. Different focal lengths for different shooting scenarios. Huawei is confident that this, along with their robust AI, will produce the smartphone images to date.

Sample photos

So, what kind of images does the P60 Pro produce? Here are a few shots we took over the past 24 hours.

Day time, through hotel window

Day time, outdoors

Portrait and faces

Day time indoors, cafe

Ddalgi

Food

10x Zoom

1x and 10x Zoom

Late afternoon, outdoors

Night time, through hotel window

Bonus: Black Swan

Per usual, the photos above were taken in auto mode and were only resized for faster loading. The colors are consistent with what you see in real life with just the right amount of oomph. There’s a fair amount of detail retained whether you’re shooting with the main wide camera or up to 10x Zoom.

We’ll have more chances to discuss the image outputs and overall photography experience in future articles. For now, enjoy the quick snaps above.

Black and white

The Huawei P60 Pro comes in two colors: Black and white. The black one has a feathered glass texture while the white one is made with Rococo Pearl. Fun fact: Huawei says there are no two Rococo Pearl variants that will look exactly alike because of how it’s made.

The phone also has what the company is calling a quad-curve design. This means edges of the phone from both front and back curves to the side. In our experience, this helps make the phone easier to hold.

Watch this quick video.

The curved display is 6.67″ and has a Full HD+ resolution and based on the LTPO OLED technology. Refresh rate is a dynamic 1~120Hz with support for DCI-P3 wide color gamut plus 1.07 Billion Colors. It’s also TÜV Rheinland certified. It’s also protected by the tough Kunlun Glass. The punch-hole cutout houses a 13MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle (UWA) front camera.

More specs

Inside the P60 Pro are a flagship-grade Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and Adreno 730. Storage goes up to 1TB.

It has a Silicon-Carbon battery with a capacity of 5100mAh. Still, it has the 88W Huawei SuperCharge capability of its Pro sibling. The power brick also has a cool dual-port design. This means whether you have a USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C cable, you’ll be able to use it. Just not at the same time.