Sony-Ericsson Vivaz

The HD video camera smartphone from Sony Ericsson

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz is smartphone Symbian which shoots in 720p and has a 8.1 megapixel photo sensor.

Incorporating the 5eedition of Symbian S60, the Vivaz Sony Ericsson is a smartphone Touch 3.5G filming in 720p and it has a 8.1 megapixel camera sensor.

Walking in the footsteps of Xperia X10 first smartphone Android for Sony Ericsson, the Vivaz showed the same appetite for multimedia and social networks while reconnecting with the S60 Symbian OS (5th edition). Announced for the first quarter of this year, smartphone3.5 G has a fairly standard equipment, including Wi-Fi, 720 MHz processor and touch screen 8 inches diagonal. In the field of image and video mobile, stands apart from the game

Photo and HD Video

Featuring a 8.1 megapixel camera sensor, the Vivaz allows video capture in 720p (1080 x 720 pixels) and includes a TV output with publication in VGA. Regarding the photo, is the presence of a flash, face detection, smile, a stabilizer, geotagging, and of the possibility to easily send their creations to share sites. An FM radio and a GPS / A-GPS round out the unit with Wisepilot for navigation in trial version.

Comes with a MicroSD card 8 GB, Vivaz, silver, black, blue or red, should be available towards the end of the third quarter. A price has not yet been communicated.

The expectations

For sale by the end of March, Sony Ericsson takes Vivaz DNA Xperia X10 with a curvaceous design and a taste for multimedia. Thus, Sony Ericsson does not hesitate to talk about mobile HD with the ability to easily record and share videos in high definition. Other highlights announced: an 8-megapixel camera and easy access to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

The reality

The Vivaz wants to air time by making a mixture of all the keywords most current trend: HD, Facebook and touch screen. All in a mobile medium range. His bet is quite successful.
The design of Vivaz is fine, with 1.2 cm thick for 97 grams. The screen is not very large (3.2 inches or 8.1 cm) without being ridiculous, however. It displays 16 million colors, which will see at once, where the mobile competitors are limited to 65,000 colors. The touch screen is fairly responsive, is capacitive and therefore driver the finger. No need for a stylus! The display automatically rotates horizontally in all applications for photos, videos, text messages and emails when you are browsing the Web and even on the screen of the phone.

Two buttons: photo and video

The plastic shell that wraps around the phone is not very pleasant to the touch and medium quality, which shows when you open it to put the SIM card and battery. Side taken, found mainly with a standard headphone jack (3.5mm jack) and a microphone port, USB.
The screen might be touch buttons are present: the three usual line seizure and return of those volumes which are also used to zoom in and the last two for direct access to photo and video functions, which is the proof that Sony Ericsson focuses on them.

Well photographed, but mediocre indoor video

The camera boasts 8.1-megapixel sensor with autofocus, which produces good quality photos, especially outdoors. The pictures are accurate and the trigger is pretty fast compared to other devices. The videos are less convincing. If they are fluid, they starved brightness and contrast. If outside this does not affect the films indoors in bad lighting are almost unusable. The 720p HD video does not help matters, but the videos shot outdoors or in brightly lit interiors are larger and therefore more enjoyable to view on a computer. Sony Ericsson has not gone after his concept apparatus for HD TV output is only VGA and that the motive is connectable with DLNA (wireless) on TV for the photos and Audio!
Video playback is smooth, but the unit will only play DivX or Xvid or the only movies in MP4 format.

Some usability issues

The camera lens is placed in the middle of the back of the device which forces to position his hand does not obscure or interfere with the flash shooting. Another concern of ergonomics: the internal memory is limited to 75MB Sony Ericsson provides a microSD memory card 8 GB for the shortfall. It’s a shame not to have to start with the device more memory.

Advanced network functions

Aside from his photo sensor, this camera is noted for its good connectivity. It combines Wi-Fi, Bluetooth plus 3G connectivity. And he embarked on series of applications sharing as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Access to all these software, like Google Maps preinstalled, is very easy, thanks to an icon bar that scrolls across the top of the screen. The device and the version 5 of the Symbian S60 is powered by a powerful 720 MHz processor, making the navigation functions perfectly fluid.

The review conclusions

Far from the battle of the titans is played between the iPhone and Google phones, the Sony Ericsson takes its game with pretty good multimedia features which distinguish it exploited its competitors in the same price range Galaxy Spica , Samsung or Smart Viewty LG.

Positive points

* 8.1 megapixel sensor
* 720p Video Capture
* Large touchscreen
* Easier access to social networks

Negative points

* Nothing

Specifications

System
S60
Keyboard
No physical keyboard
Play Audio
Yes
Videorecording
Yes
Telephony
Yes
Integrated modem
Yes