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Xperia Z/ZL |OT| Experience the best of Sony in a smartphone

Z

zomgbbqftw

Banned
H_Prestige said:
That would be huge. Definitely don't want to buy phones through a carrier. Why aren't smartphones sold like regular electronics at retail?
Click to expand...

Part of the problem is that phones cost $599 and up and US carriers don't do special contracts without phones. T-Mobile have started but because of their spectrum issues they won't gain as much traction as they should until 2014/15 when they begin to repurpose MetroPCS spectrum.

Take my personal contract as an example, I have a SIM only contract with Vodafone for £25/m that comes with 4GB of data, unlimited minutes texts. The same contract with an Xperia Z costs £47/m and you have to sign a 24 month contract rather than a 12 month contract. Over the period I would end up paying the same/more for the phone, but for the spread out payments I end up with shitty branded software, SIM-locks (I travel, a lot, so I need an unlocked phone as I have about 20 different SIM cards from all over the place), and a bootloader that can't be unlocked.

Over here and all over Europe, SIM-only deals are a big deal, almost everyone I know has a SIM-only deal and buys the phone outright. Take my example, I just ordered the Xperia ZL from Amazon.de for €559 (£470, cheaper than a Z over here) and it is unlocked, get's direct updates from Sony, and I have a choice of retailers to buy it from.

The US phone market needs a huge shakeup, that's why I would love to see Softbank succeed instead of DISH and for T-Mobile to do well also. With rumours swirling that Verizon will buy out Vodafone's VZW stake for $140bn and then Vodafone will use the money to merge with AT&T as a senior partner, there could be a huge shakeup in the works, but it does need FCC support.
 
S

spwolf

Member
zomgbbqftw said:
Part of the problem is that phones cost $599 and up and US carriers don't do special contracts without phones. T-Mobile have started but because of their spectrum issues they won't gain as much traction as they should until 2014/15 when they begin to repurpose MetroPCS spectrum.

Take my personal contract as an example, I have a SIM only contract with Vodafone for £25/m that comes with 4GB of data, unlimited minutes texts. The same contract with an Xperia Z costs £47/m and you have to sign a 24 month contract rather than a 12 month contract. Over the period I would end up paying the same/more for the phone, but for the spread out payments I end up with shitty branded software, SIM-locks (I travel, a lot, so I need an unlocked phone as I have about 20 different SIM cards from all over the place), and a bootloader that can't be unlocked.

Over here and all over Europe, SIM-only deals are a big deal, almost everyone I know has a SIM-only deal and buys the phone outright. Take my example, I just ordered the Xperia ZL from Amazon.de for €559 (£470, cheaper than a Z over here) and it is unlocked, get's direct updates from Sony, and I have a choice of retailers to buy it from.

The US phone market needs a huge shakeup, that's why I would love to see Softbank succeed instead of DISH and for T-Mobile to do well also. With rumours swirling that Verizon will buy out Vodafone's VZW stake for $140bn and then Vodafone will use the money to merge with AT&T as a senior partner, there could be a huge shakeup in the works, but it does need FCC support.
Click to expand...

continental and eastern europe gets cheaper phone via contracts though... for instance our T-Mobile gives us very good deal on Xperia Z - €250 for €20 contract with plenty of minutes, sms's and internet.... So definetely changes from country to country.
 
S

spwolf

Member
H_Prestige said:
Nope. At least not any of the good phones. It's mind boggling now that I think about. I don't know why anyone would want such a premium device only for it be mutilated and controlled by some fucking carrier.
Click to expand...

because they are expensive as fu*k. $200 + monthly charge or $700 + monthly charge.

Here in Europe we have pre-paid options where you can get 1000 minutes, 1000 sms, 1 GB for $8 per month, and there it is much cheaper to finance your own phone... plus a lot of people sell their contract phones for a lot less (brand new), there is a whole industry behind it. I can get Xperia Z right now for €420 with 25% tax like this, even if MSRP is almost €700.
 
J

JonnyBrad

Member
zomgbbqftw said:
Part of the problem is that phones cost $599 and up and US carriers don't do special contracts without phones. T-Mobile have started but because of their spectrum issues they won't gain as much traction as they should until 2014/15 when they begin to repurpose MetroPCS spectrum.

Take my personal contract as an example, I have a SIM only contract with Vodafone for £25/m that comes with 4GB of data, unlimited minutes texts. The same contract with an Xperia Z costs £47/m and you have to sign a 24 month contract rather than a 12 month contract. Over the period I would end up paying the same/more for the phone, but for the spread out payments I end up with shitty branded software, SIM-locks (I travel, a lot, so I need an unlocked phone as I have about 20 different SIM cards from all over the place), and a bootloader that can't be unlocked.

Over here and all over Europe, SIM-only deals are a big deal, almost everyone I know has a SIM-only deal and buys the phone outright. Take my example, I just ordered the Xperia ZL from Amazon.de for €559 (£470, cheaper than a Z over here) and it is unlocked, get's direct updates from Sony, and I have a choice of retailers to buy it from.

The US phone market needs a huge shakeup, that's why I would love to see Softbank succeed instead of DISH and for T-Mobile to do well also. With rumours swirling that Verizon will buy out Vodafone's VZW stake for $140bn and then Vodafone will use the money to merge with AT&T as a senior partner, there could be a huge shakeup in the works, but it does need FCC support.
Click to expand...

At least in the British market you can walk into independent retailer or go online and get the same deal but with an unlocked/unbranded phone. No way I would go direct to Vodafone.
 
D

dave_m123

Member
Guys,

I'm thinking of seriously pushing Three in the UK to give me a good deal with the Xperia Z. Just want to know a couple of things.

Are various little annoyances like the grey notification/bottom bar likelyu to be changed to black in a fix?

Will the screen lottery pretty much be over now they have sold quite of units.

Will they likely be fixing the camera in the next update as I understand the normal shots lack details while the burst shots take them properly?

Any other minor niggles you have with it?

I'm coming from an HTC Desire HD which feels like its on its last legs lol.

Cheers
 
S

SuperEpicMan

Banned
dtrack said:
I work for Three UK so if you want information or a deal then let me know :)
Click to expand...

I am still kinda torn between the Xperia Z and an HTC One. Three had both phones on a similar deal where you get 500 mins, 5000 texts, and unlimited data for £29 where you get the phone for free. I am kinda tempted to jump on one, but I am still unsure which to get.

I am leaning towards the HTC because I heard that the Z has a bad battery.
 
D

dtrack

Member
dave_m123 said:
Can you match a 1000 min, unlimited text/data for 25.50 a month? lol

If you want me to private you let me know :)
Click to expand...

Doubt it :p I work directly for Three so I couldn't match the likes of Carphone warehouse etc.


SuperEpicMan said:
I am still kinda torn between the Xperia Z and an HTC One. Three had both phones on a similar deal where you get 500 mins, 5000 texts, and unlimited data for £29 where you get the phone for free. I am kinda tempted to jump on one, but I am still unsure which to get.

I am leaning towards the HTC because I heard that the Z has a bad battery.
Click to expand...


Both are amazing phones, I've toyed with the S4, the Z and the one, the S4 won for me which is why I bought one :p The Xperia Z was a close second for me though.


Emm the best deal I can probably get you is 33 quid a month with a £29 upfront cost. You would get 500 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited internet, 2000 three to three minutes and can give a £30 credit on your second bill.

Maybe another £30 credit on another Three number too if you provide one lol

But there are other phone deals that I can do
 
H

H_Prestige

Banned
spwolf said:
because they are expensive as fu*k. $200 + monthly charge or $700 + monthly charge.

Here in Europe we have pre-paid options where you can get 1000 minutes, 1000 sms, 1 GB for $8 per month, and there it is much cheaper to finance your own phone... plus a lot of people sell their contract phones for a lot less (brand new), there is a whole industry behind it. I can get Xperia Z right now for €420 with 25% tax like this, even if MSRP is almost €700.
Click to expand...

I don't know what kind of wizardry goes on where you live but in the US you still pay the full cost of the phone or more when you buy it "subsidized" on contract. Even with tmobile's new plan you end up paying the full cost of the phone over two years. So it's not like the carriers are selling the phones for less. So I don't see any value in getting a butchered Z for $600 through tmobile and having to rely on software updates through them, instead of getting a real Z direct from Sony for $600. Monthly service charge would be the same either way.
 
D

dave_m123

Member
dtrack said:
Doubt it :p I work directly for Three so I couldn't match the likes of Carphone warehouse etc.





Both are amazing phones, I've toyed with the S4, the Z and the one, the S4 won for me which is why I bought one :p The Xperia Z was a close second for me though.


Emm the best deal I can probably get you is 33 quid a month with a £29 upfront cost. You would get 500 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited internet, 2000 three to three minutes and can give a £30 credit on your second bill.

Maybe another £30 credit on another Three number too if you provide one lol

But there are other phone deals that I can do
Click to expand...
You said the Z was a close second..why did the S4 win out in the end? I really want an S4 but I doubt it will be cheaper than £30 a month anytime soon with no upfront cost.. Mind you you can get it on Orange for 31 a month.

If you can do the S4 for less than 30 a month I'll bite haha. Is there no loyalty discount I can get (been with Three for years now) lol
 
S

spwolf

Member
H_Prestige said:
I don't know what kind of wizardry goes on where you live but in the US you still pay the full cost of the phone or more when you buy it "subsidized" on contract. Even with tmobile's new plan you end up paying the full cost of the phone over two years. So it's not like the carriers are selling the phones for less. So I don't see any value in getting a butchered Z for $600 through tmobile and having to rely on software updates through them, instead of getting a real Z direct from Sony for $600. Monthly service charge would be the same either way.
Click to expand...

depends on the deal... quite often, I can save by getting 24 month contract... and I mean that by calculating every aspect of the deal. I got my SGS II on 24 months and I am essentially paying something like $7 per month for 600 minutes, 300 texts and 750 MB, more than I actually spend. So yeah, you can find deals here.... i guess there is more competition but also there are quite different markets in Europe, so it might not be same everywhere.
 
D

dtrack

Member
dave_m123 said:
You said the Z was a close second..why did the S4 win out in the end? I really want an S4 but I doubt it will be cheaper than £30 a month anytime soon with no upfront cost.. Mind you you can get it on Orange for 31 a month.

If you can do the S4 for less than 30 a month I'll bite haha. Is there no loyalty discount I can get (been with Three for years now) lol
Click to expand...

Just the fact that there was barely any bezel on the phone! It was speedy and I love the idea of being able to replace the battery and the back cover if I need to.

Plus DAT FULL HD AMOLED GODDAMN.

That said, I doubt you'll be able to get it for £30 or less without a significant upfront cost. I can do the same minutes and stuff but it'll be £35 a month with a £49 upfront charge and a total credit of £60 if you have another Three phone number to hand. (You missed out on the no upfront cost pre-order offer though :( )

I'm getting AMAZING speeds though on 3...



And this isn't even 4G :D


Maybe you can get the phone SIM free? I could do a special SIM only deal for £12.90 a month for 12 months, 600 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited internet and 2000 Three-to-Three minutes with a £15 credit on your second bill lol
 
Z

Zumblakladla

Banned
agm2502 said:
For those in the UK Sony have a new app which when you register it gives you £20 SEN store credit (It actually gave me £22). The credit can be used on the PS store etc. as well.

http://www.sonymobile.com/gb/software/offers/discovery-packs-xperia-z/
Click to expand...

Thank you good sir!

Soul Sacrifice, here I come!

Canis lupus said:
Holy shit, just got 3x €25 by resetting phone to factory settings. Hope Sony don't ban me lol.
Click to expand...

I would really like to know if its possible only by clearing cache of apps...

EDIT:
No, its not :(

I wonder if i should do factory reset...
 
C

Chinner

Banned
Sleeplessnights said:
what happened to the screenshots?
Click to expand...

sorry, recently moved place and don't have easy access to the internet!

WdXJAAv.png

bkWRkdL.png

7JroFww.png
Click to expand...
 
C

Chinner

Banned
nothing really different, just regular use over the month has shown improvement. dont use chrome either.

the biggest annoyance about the battery is the software really. sometimes stamina mode stops working or doesn't work as efficient, so i have to go wipe the eco controller and power off the phone. so while i'm seeing gains, i do get the odd charge in which the battery drains faster.

hopefully 4.2.2 fixes it.
 
Z

zomgbbqftw

Banned
So there is supposedly a H2 flagship prototype floating about with a 20MP 2/3" sensor and f2.0 Sony G grade lens and Xenon flash. Not sure whether it will be the main SKU or a specific Cybershot branded SKU or if it will even see the light of day. My source says that otherwise it is the same phone as the regular H2 flagship (16MP Exmor RS). It might not even be sold as part of the Xperia brand, rather as part of the Cybershot RX series to enter the same market as the Galaxy camera.
 
2

2San

Member
S

samven582

Member
Rumor has it on xda that the HSPA+ model only of the xperia z will start selling tomorrow for $629 and ZL will have a price drop also.
 
vivftp

vivftp

Member
zomgbbqftw said:
So there is supposedly a H2 flagship prototype floating about with a 20MP 2/3" sensor and f2.0 Sony G grade lens and Xenon flash. Not sure whether it will be the main SKU or a specific Cybershot branded SKU or if it will even see the light of day. My source says that otherwise it is the same phone as the regular H2 flagship (16MP Exmor RS). It might not even be sold as part of the Xperia brand, rather as part of the Cybershot RX series to enter the same market as the Galaxy camera.
Click to expand...

Amazing, thanks. Over on Esato they also mentioned a mobile Bionz chip is in the works so the camera on this device should be quite the beast.

Question though zomg, do you mean Honami will have a 16mp RS sensor, or are you referring to something else?
 
G

GQman2121

Banned
H_Prestige said:
So the LTE version of the Z will be exclusive to tmobile. Bummer.
Click to expand...

TM are going to be carrying the GS4, HTC One and the Z. None of them are available in stores yet in the US either, so it's looking like the end of the month is going to be a battle on their network for shelf space. I can't imagine Sony is going to have much of an advertising presence with only one carrier.
 
Z

Zumblakladla

Banned
Activating multiple times from VPN and factory reset is theft and they dont want to be involved in actions like that and only because i said people will do that, and activating vouchers from other phones through exploit, only because i made a constatation, they named me thief...

What the...?!

I tried to explain that no matter what they think people will use it since its exploit, not literally theft but they were too much concetrated to me as a person and to the fact that I'm a theft writing only the fact about it. Also, i activated through VPN since i got LEGALLY my XZ and I have PSN UK account and they told me that I STOLE 22POUNDS FROM THEM because im not in UK at the moment :s

What a childish people...
 
C

Canis lupus

Member
Zumblakladla said:
Activating multiple times from VPN and factory reset is theft and they dont want to be involved in actions like that and only because i said people will do that, and activating vouchers from other phones through exploit, only because i made a constatation, they named me thief...

What the...?!

I tried to explain that no matter what they think people will use it since its exploit, not literally theft but they were too much concetrated to me as a person and to the fact that I'm a theft writing only the fact about it. Also, i activated through VPN since i got LEGALLY my XZ and I have PSN UK account and they told me that I STOLE 22POUNDS FROM THEM because im not in UK at the moment :s

What a childish people...
Click to expand...

Did you go and spread the news?
 
Z

Zumblakladla

Banned
Well to be honest, people over there posted about Privilege app first :)

I was just writing opinions and thinkings..

F... anti-theft moralist all over the world using hacked phone and cracked apps :s

Paradox.
 
M

Mung

Member
Frankly the more people take advantage of these loopholes the less likely we will get similar things in the future. Goodwill shouldn't be taken advantage of.
 
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