In the new edition they remain in the same place, but have become more flexible in configuration. Now you decide which icons can be placed on the edges of the display, and, in addition, it is possible to combine icons into a group of up to 4. This means that when you click on a “folder”, an enlarged semicircular window opens with four hot icons.

Performance and autonomy

Another change in the new generation of Xperia mini is the hardware. Instead of the budget Qualcomm MSM7227 processor with clock frequency 600 MHz we received a Snapdragon chip - Qualcomm QSD8255 with a frequency of 1 GHz, in addition to which an Adreno 205 graphics accelerator is installed. Volume random access memory increased fourfold at once: from 128 MB to 512 MB.

Of course, the use of more powerful hardware affected the performance of the smartphone. During testing, we never encountered lags or delays - both when working with the standard interface and additionally installed programs. By the way, the use of a higher-resolution HVGA display eliminated some of the difficulties in the operation of programs that were previously noticed on a QVGA matrix.

The smartphone has a full set of wireless modules: Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth version 2.1, GPS. The connection to mobile networks occurs according to the standards of the second (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) and third generations (HSDPA/HSUPA).

The capacity of the battery used is 1200 mAh. Again, this is noticeably more than the previous Xperia mini (950 mAh). The battery life can be spent both in two days (in this case, the user will limit himself in data transfer, refuse to use 3rd generation networks, and reduce the use of media capabilities), and within one day (subject to maximum use of wireless modules, for example, when working in mobile hotspot mode). Thus, the autonomy of a smartphone primarily depends on the intensity of its use.

Competitors

HTC Wildfire S. The only thing the Wildfire S excels at is Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini is all about the user experience. However, if earlier it was possible to say with complete confidence that there is nothing better than Sense, now many worthy alternatives have appeared. One of them is a shell from Sony Ericsson. It is possible that some will find it more convenient than HTC Sense.

In the new edition they remain in the same place, but have become more flexible in configuration. Now you decide which icons can be placed on the edges of the display, and, in addition, it is possible to combine icons into a group of up to 4. This means that when you click on a “folder”, an enlarged semicircular window opens with four hot icons.

Performance and autonomy

Another change in the new generation of Xperia mini is the hardware. Instead of the budget Qualcomm MSM7227 processor with a clock frequency of 600 MHz, we received a Snapdragon chip - Qualcomm QSD8255 with a frequency of 1 GHz, in addition to which an Adreno 205 graphics accelerator was installed. The amount of RAM increased fourfold: from 128 MB to 512 MB.

Of course, the use of more powerful hardware affected the performance of the smartphone. During testing, we never encountered lags or delays - both when operating the standard interface and additionally installed programs. By the way, the use of a higher-resolution HVGA display eliminated some of the difficulties in the operation of programs that were previously noticed on a QVGA matrix.

The smartphone has a full set of wireless modules: Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth version 2.1, GPS. The connection to mobile networks occurs according to the standards of the second (GSM/GPRS/EDGE) and third generations (HSDPA/HSUPA).

The capacity of the battery used is 1200 mAh. Again, this is noticeably more than the previous Xperia mini (950 mAh). The battery life can be spent both in two days (in this case, the user will limit himself in data transfer, refuse to use 3rd generation networks, and reduce the use of media capabilities), and within one day (subject to maximum use of wireless modules, for example, when working in mobile hotspot mode). Thus, the autonomy of a smartphone primarily depends on the intensity of its use.

Competitors

HTC Wildfire S. The only thing where Wildfire S beats Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini is the user interface. However, if earlier it was possible to say with complete confidence that there is nothing better than Sense, now many worthy alternatives have appeared. One of them is a shell from Sony Ericsson. It is possible that some will find it more convenient than HTC Sense.

The device is equipped with a 3-inch diagonal touch display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels and support for 16.7 million colors. Focusing on image quality, the manufacturer equipped the devices with Mobile Bravia Engine technology, which filters noise and improves color reproduction when displaying images, for example, when playing a movie. In addition, the model is capable of shooting video in HD format (720p).

MAIN TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Nutrition

Battery capacity: 1200 mAh Talk time: 4.3 h Standby time: 340 h Operating time while listening to music: 25 h

Additional Information

Announcement date: 2011-05-05 Sales start date: 2011-08-01

General characteristics

Type: smartphone Weight: 99 g Case material: plastic Operating system: Android 2.3 Case type: classic Number of SIM cards: 1 Dimensions (WxHxT): 52x88x16 mm SIM card type: regular

Screen

Screen type: TFT color, 16.78 million colors, touch type touch screen: multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal: 3 inches. Image size: 480x320 Pixels per inch (PPI): 192 Automatic screen rotation: yes

Multimedia capabilities

Camera: 5 million pixels, 2592x1944, LED flash Camera functions: autofocus, digital Zoom 8x Video recording: yes Max. video resolution: 1280x720 Audio: MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, FM radio Headphone jack: 3.5 mm Recognition: faces, smiles Geo Tagging: yes

Connection

Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, USB, ANT+ Standard: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G DLNA support: yes Satellite navigation: GPS A-GPS system: yes Use as a USB drive: yes

Memory and processor

Processor: Qualcomm MSM 8255, 1000 MHz Number of processor cores: 1 Built-in memory volume: 320 MB RAM capacity: 512 MB Video processor: Adreno 205 Memory card slot: yes, up to 32 GB

Other features

Control: voice dialing, voice control Sensors: light, proximity, compass Speakerphone (built-in speaker): yes Flight mode: yes A2DP profile: yes

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	52 mm (millimeters) 5.2 cm (centimeters) 0.17 ft (feet) 2.05 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	88 mm (millimeters) 8.8 cm (centimeters) 0.29 ft (feet) 3.46 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.	16 mm (millimeters) 1.6 cm (centimeters) 0.05 ft (feet) 0.63 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	99 g (grams) 0.22 lbs 3.49 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	73.22 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.45 in³ (cubic inches)

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, GPU, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255
Technological process Information about technological process, on which the chip is made. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	45 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) Primary function of the processor (CPU) mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	Scorpion
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster as system memory, and other levels of cache memory. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache memory is slower than L1, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	384 kB (kilobytes) 0.375 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	1
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1000 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 205
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) in use operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	512 MB (megabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR2
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates.	Dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	500 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	LCD
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	3 in (inches) 76.2 mm (millimeters) 7.62 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	1.66 in (inches) 42.27 mm (millimeters) 4.23 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	2.5 in (inches) 63.4 mm (millimeters) 6.34 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.5:1 3:2
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper detail in the image.	320 x 480 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	192 ppi (pixels per inch) 75 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	58.75% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	1200 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	4 hours 30 minutes 4.5 h (hours) 270 min (minutes) 0.2 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	340 h (hours) 20400 min (minutes) 14.2 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	4 hours 30 minutes 4.5 h (hours) 270 min (minutes) 0.2 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	320 h (hours) 19200 min (minutes) 13.3 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics device battery.	Removable

: Couple compact smartphones from Sony Ericsson was announced this summer. An interesting step - filling from Xperia flagship Arc in a small case - was embodied in two smartphones. About one thing (Xperia mini pro) we have already told you about it and now it’s time to get acquainted with the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini.

There is an updated interface, powerful hardware and an improved display compared to its predecessor. In addition, the camera module records HD videos, which allows you to get a pocket-sized video camera that does not take up much space.

Contents of delivery

• Telephone


• Battery


• Stereo headset


• Map microSD memory 2 GB capacity


• microUSB cable


• Replaceable panels in two colors

Appearance

For small touch phones sometimes you have to look with caution: what is this small device like to use? Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini turned out to be no less convenient than its older brother, which we talked about earlier.

If we recall the Sony Ericcson Xperia X10 mini, which became the founder of a new class of mini-smartphones, then it becomes more difficult to draw parallels between both devices. The telephone is no longer perceived as a toy device, as its ancestor seemed to be.

The case dimensions are 88x52x16 mm, weight 94 g, the device has become slightly larger compared to last year’s analogue. However, this did not affect the ergonomics, but the slightly curved back cover still fits perfectly into the curve of the palm.

There are two modifications to choose from. One is black and the other is white. In addition to the difference in the color of the front panel, the coating of the rear panel also varies. In the first case it will be a soft touch, and in the second it will be simple matte plastic. I had this option. Additionally, two replacement panels are included. One is dark red, burgundy, and the second is dark blue. They are both glossy and look beautiful. The only problem with them is that they get dirty; they need to be wiped regularly to remove traces of touching.

At the top of the screen there is a semicircular cutout, the earpiece is hidden in it. Nearby there is a proximity sensor that turns off the screen backlight during a call. This model does not have a camera for video calls.

Below the screen there are three keys. Two of them are sensory. These are buttons located on the sides to return to the previous menu item and call up the functional menu. They are convenient to use; there is enough space for comfortable use. There is a mechanical button in the center that allows you to return to the desktop and also calls up a menu of recently launched applications.

If you look at the phone from the left side, you can only see a strip of silver plastic and a small notch that helps you remove the back panel.

On the other side there is the same overlay, which harmoniously combines with the controls. This is a paired volume key, and below there is a camera launch key.

In the left corner of the upper end - round button, which allows you to turn off your smartphone, it also locks the screen. Next to it is a light indicator that notifies you of various events, for example, unread messages and letters, missed calls. It also lights up while the smartphone is charging. Closer to the right side there is a hole - this is one of two microphones. The phone supports the HD-voice function, i.e. it improves the quality of voice transmission, and the noise reduction system works. This is an operator service, so far it only works in the Moscow region with Megafon.

There is a strap mount at the bottom end. There is also a microphone hole there. Nearby there is a standard microUSB connector, it is used to connect charger, as well as to synchronize data with a computer. In the center there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones or a headset.

The back surface is completely covered with a removable panel.

In the corner there is a 5-megapixel camera lens, slightly recessed into the body. There is an LED flash nearby. At the bottom, exactly in the center, there is a ringing speaker hole.

Under the plastic panel there is a battery that covers the hole for the SIM card. On the side there is a freely accessible slot for a microSD drive.

Screen

The resolution of the TFT display is 320x480 pixels; up to 16 million colors are displayed on the 3-inch screen. The display is covered with durable mineral glass, which reliably protects the screen from possible scratches.

Now there is no reason to criticize a smartphone for having a screen that is too small; the change has been beneficial - it is quite enough for comfortable work with the phone. The display is capacitive, responds well to pressing, and has multi-touch. In addition, as in older models, the development of Sony Mobile Bravia Engine is used here. It works as a kind of “enhancer”, making the image on the screen more attractive due to color saturation. This option can be disabled if desired.

On the street the screen behaves as usual. The information remains readable, but there is little margin for brightness. Compared to Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro, the difference is noticeable and the older model wins.

Platform

Sony Ericsson Xperia mini comes with Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. The new smartphone uses a Qualcomm 8255 processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, an Adreno 205 graphics accelerator. 512 MB of RAM is available, about 300 MB for user data storage. A 2 GB memory card is included in the package. If this volume is not enough, you can install a drive up to 32 GB. Now you can’t even compare it with any other devices in terms of performance; there are simply no analogues with such powerful filling; the smartphone responds to actions very quickly.

Interface

At the top there is a service line where the time, battery charge, and signal reception level indicator are displayed. Active connections and other data are also displayed there. By clicking on it, you can find out in more detail what programs were downloaded, what messages and letters were received, or what files were received via Bluetooth.

As a design element, it is possible to use both preinstalled images or wallpapers from Sony Ericsson, and your favorite pictures. A great option was the use of design themes. 7 multi-colored skins allow you to diversify the appearance of the device, thanks to this built-in option.

Shortcuts and folders are placed on the desktop. For the folder, you can choose one of eight design options and assign it a name. Icons are added by dragging them from the phone menu directly into this area.

Application icons can be added to one of four zones located at the corners of the display. Each area contains no more than four icons.

Of course, there are widgets here too, you can also add them to your desktop. There can be 5 such screens. Considering the diagonal size, you can place no more than three widgets on the screen, depending on their size. At the same time, in a certain area there is no space for additional icons in the corners of the screen if there is not enough space for a graphic element.

An interesting feature has been implemented: you can swipe two fingers from diagonally opposite corners, all desktops will be reduced in size and displayed on one screen. At the same time, widgets seem to float on the desktop, the action is complemented by animation.

When the screen is locked, the display shows the date and time. To unlock the screen, you need to swipe your finger along from left to right. If you do it the other way around, the silent mode is activated, as indicated by the additional icon. Movement between zones is fast, without any hint of slowness.

The Application Manager is activated by the Home button. It displays 8 programs and is essentially not a traditional task manager. As you know, Android closes applications on its own, based on the amount of free RAM.

The smartphone menu consists of several work areas, initially there are 4 of them. If you install additional applications, then over time there will be more such areas. There are 12 icons on the screen on a translucent background, under which you can see the wallpaper installed on the main screen. Icons can be arranged in a way that is convenient for the user. There is also sorting by several criteria: alphabetically, frequently used, recently installed.

Phone book

The smartphone has handy assistant to import contacts both from a SIM card and from Facebook and Google accounts, they are displayed in a single list. Created backup copy list of numbers onto a memory card, the data can later be restored.

When creating a new contact, many fields are created - these are Various types telephone numbers, email addresses, means of quick communication, residential address and others (nickname, note, Internet call). There is no sorting by last name, the list is ordered by first name only.

The smartphone has a list of letters of the alphabet located on the right side of the screen. If you press your finger on this area and swipe down or up, a letter pops up on the screen - a kind of quick search, which helps in cases where the phone has several hundred, or even thousands of contacts. The search works by the first letters of the contact name for both language layouts. There is a menu of favorite numbers where you can add the most popular contacts.

There is a quick menu: you need to click on the icon with a contact photo, after which you can call, send a message via SMS or e-mail, see data on Facebook.

Call log

Straight from phone book You can access the call log - it is highlighted in a separate tab. There, a single list contains dialed numbers, received and missed calls; for clarity, they are marked with icons of different colors. By clicking on a line, you can delete a number from the call log, add it to a contact, or perform some other actions. Selecting a number from the list will display detailed information about the call.

By viewing your call history, you can not only make phone conversation with the selected subscriber, but also send him an SMS or email from this list, without going to another menu. Dialing is carried out using a convenient virtual keyboard. The smartphone cannot automatically substitute numbers based on the order of the entered numbers. During a call, the picture assigned to the user stretches to fill the entire screen.

Messages

For SMS and MMS there is a shared folder, where received messages go. When sending, adding various objects to the SMS can automatically convert it into an MMS. Messages are grouped by recipient into a correspondence feed. When dialing a subscriber's number, the phone displays a list of matching numbers in alternating numbers. While typing, a small field reserved for characters will be displayed. The longer the message, the more the space allocated for the character set increases. The device can copy, cut and paste text (and not only into the messages themselves, but you can also add it to a document or to email). A convenient cursor is used for navigation, which helps to correct typos and highlight the necessary sections of text.

The keyboard on the smartphone has changed. Now typing has become noticeably more convenient. Previously, you had to be content with a layout that looked like a regular telephone one. There, several symbols were combined on one button, and you had to click on each one several times. In the new product, the previous method of typing remains, but now it is supplemented with a QWERTY layout that works in landscape orientation.

The keyboard is good considering the limited screen diagonal size. Intellectual text input is available, when word correction and auto-completion systems help you type text, allowing you to avoid wasting time correcting errors. Possible options words are shown as a separate line above the keyboard. Copying and pasting of fragments is supported.

Email

To work with e-mail it starts automatic setting mailbox(unless it is Gmail, which connects immediately after the email address is entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone understands perfectly different encodings, supports downloading attachments (you must insert a memory card, otherwise this function will not work) in familiar formats.

When creating a letter, you can also attach various files from the device memory to it. Both the text copy function and automatic check mailbox (the interval is set manually). Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.

Camera

The 5-megapixel camera with autofocus is complemented by a flash. You can start shooting not only from the menu, but also by pressing the dedicated key to launch the application. By holding it down for a few seconds, the shooting mode starts; this can be done from any application; it is not necessary to go to the main menu. I liked it high speed launching the camera, as well as very fast saving of pictures. The button is convenient, large, two-position.

The interface works exclusively in landscape orientation. The screen displays auxiliary icons that make it easier to set up photography modes and conditions. 5 small icons are displayed on the side - the phone shows the last received frames. Pulling the icons to the side opens a gallery of captured images.

Various options are available:

Image capture mode: normal, scene detection, smile detection.

Photo size: 5M (2592x1944), 3M (2560x144), 2M (1632x1224 pixels).

Shooting conditions: normal, portrait, landscape, night photography, night portrait, beach and snow, sports, party, document.

Touch shooting: turn on, turn off (this function allows you to take a photo without pressing the camera button, just touch the screen).

Flash: auto, off, fill, red-eye reduction.

Timer: 2.10 seconds.

Exposition.

Image stabilizer.

Geotags.

Shutter sound: There are 3 sounds to choose from, you can also turn it off.

White Balance: Auto, Indoor Light, Fluorescent, daylight, cloudy.

Measurement: center, middle level, point.

Focusing: single autofocus, multi-autofocus, macro photography, face detection, infinity, touch focusing.

The quality of the images can be assessed using examples. The device is inferior to older models, for example.

To switch between photo and video shooting, there are two icons at the bottom of the screen. Video recording is carried out in a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels, 30 frames per second. Video size: HD (1280x720), FWVGA (800x480), VGA (640x480), QVGA (320x240), multimedia message (320x240 pixels). Focusing: single autofocus, face detection, infinity. Backlight. Other settings are similar to those used when taking photographs. Gallery Photos and videos stored in the smartphone's memory are displayed here. The gallery works in both vertical and horizontal orientation. Working with files is accompanied by nice animation effects. Working with files is fast, image previews are generated without delay. Pictures are displayed in a 2x3 or 3x2 grid, depending on the position of the device. Preview pictures in folders smaller size, thanks to which not 3, but 4 pictures are placed vertically. The image opens in full screen, scaling works using multi-touch. Files can be sent via email, Bluetooth, SMS or hosted on Picasa. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign them to a contact. It supports rotating pictures, reducing their size, and also displays additional information about a specific file, and also shows the place where the picture was taken if geotagging is working. Images are shown both in folders (for example, received via Bluetooth, photo section) and ordered by date. This makes it very convenient to view photos - there are several sections in the same folder. You can scroll either using the bar displayed at the bottom of the screen or by simply touching the screen with your fingers anywhere on it. The video is played from the gallery, where a separate folder is allocated for the videos. There's nothing special to say about the phone here. There is no support for the DivX and XviD codecs in the smartphone, so the capabilities for playing video out of the box are quite modest. Timescape Timescape combines tabs that combine messages from different social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte. In addition, there is data on phone calls, SMS and MMS, email. The displayed data can be customized, and unnecessary data can be hidden. The update is also installed: manually or automatically. Additional Applications installed from the market. For example, you can supplement the set with the Foursquare program. Messages are presented in the form of translucent panels on which the name of the sender, the message test itself, and the source from which the message came are written. The ability to customize the background has disappeared; now it is a constant blue color. The list scrolls very quickly, without a hint of delay. In general, the thing is beautiful and interesting, the main drawback is related to the not very beautiful design - if the author of the message has an avatar, then this image will be displayed stretched across the entire width of the transparent panel. Player To listen to music, you can select tracks organized into several categories: artist, album, tracks, lists. In the latter case, there are automatic playlists (recently added, popular tracks, never played), and manual listening lists are also created. From the list with music, you can add songs to a playlist or send them via MMS, Bluetooth or email. The screen displays the name of the artist, the name of the album and the song being played. In music playback mode, the album cover is displayed (if it was assigned previously), and there are playback control buttons on the screen. If desired, the song is set as a ringtone. Equalizer settings available. These are the following presets: normal sound, classical, dance, flat sound, folk, heavy metal, hip-hop, jazz, pop, rock. Manual settings No. A mixing mode is provided. While listening to music you can find Additional information about the artist using Google tools. The xLOUD function allows you to get very loud sound from the speaker. It’s not difficult to notice the difference; this option allows you to hear your phone in any, even very noisy, place. While listening to music, you can find a video clip or find out more information about the file using YouTube. The sound quality is very good for the Android segment. There is sufficient volume reserve, the mid frequencies are well developed, and the lower range is also quite good. Fans of deep bass can try playing with the equalizer, which will help change the sound image, albeit not without some distortion. Radio The smartphone has a radio receiver that has the function automatic search stations, you can switch the input manually. You can also save several dozen frequencies in the phone's memory. You can easily switch between your favorite stations by clicking on the small icon, which will automatically move between the saved waves. TrackID allows you to identify the sound of a melody on the radio in your smartphone or somewhere nearby. Not only the song title will be displayed, but also the album title, artist name and cover art. Organizer The calendar in the device is made in a traditional style; the display of information for a whole month, a week or a specific day can be configured. You can set the alert type and tone for recorded events and meetings. There is a division of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. When creating a new record, it is given a name, period and location. You can specify which calendar it will be synchronized with, and you can send invitations to contacts from your address book. The repetition period is set (every day, weekly, monthly, yearly). A reminder will help you not to lose sight of the recording - the alarm will go off in advance. Alarm The smartphone allows you to save several alarms in memory. The repeat can be set either once or every day, only on weekdays or weekly. You can also set specific days. The signal melody is set, you can add a vibration alert to it and text file. Sets the period for the signal to be triggered again. The phone screen can display the weather forecast, date and time in large characters. The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientation, and there is a menu with additional functions. Android Market offers a convenient search function among thousands of applications. Programs are divided into categories to make browsing easier. You can see reviews, evaluate the rating and express your opinion about the software. Each application is equipped brief description and images for greater clarity. Purchased applications are displayed in a separate list, which is convenient: if purchased new phone, you can immediately install those programs that you previously purchased. Standard for most modern devices The application allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode. Weather forecast and news are useful every day. DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos wirelessly from compatible devices. The Facebook application will allow you to communicate on the network of the same name directly from your mobile device. Moreover, this function is implemented better in a smartphone than in other devices. So, you can mark your favorite song in the player while listening. Facebook albums are added to the gallery, and friends' birthdays are added to the calendar. Neo Reader will help you read information from barcodes. There is a traffic consumption counter. Browser Used for internet surfing convenient application. A navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, and to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages and has a log of pages viewed. Multi-window support, word search on the page, text selection, as well as a practical function for changing screen brightness directly from the browser. Thanks to multi-touch, pages can be easily scaled (virtual keys also work to change the size of what is displayed). The font size changes, password saving works, flash is supported, the browser works quickly. GPS navigation Used for navigation Google Maps– standard software for all Android phones. The only drawback is that the program requires constant network activity, which affects the amount of traffic consumed by the device. Traffic jams are displayed, so the application has become fully functional and convenient not only for pedestrians, but also for car owners. There is a function for determining the current location, calculating the route from the starting point to the ending point, and specifying the method of movement: by car, on foot or public transport. The route is laid out on the map, and key places are indicated in the form of text messages, which are displayed on the screen in the form of a column; you can switch between them: view the route in advance or vice versa, go back and plot another path. Zooming works using multi-touch or virtual buttons. Settings There are standard settings that are present in any Android smartphone. This section allows you to manage the capabilities of your smartphone in terms of modifying the interface, as well as change various phone parameters. The smartphone offers you to use a convenient proprietary application that will configure all key parameters. If you don’t use it immediately after purchase, you can return to it later. Connections The smartphone operates in the GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS 900/1700/2100 bands. There is Bluetooth 2.1 with support for EDR and A2DP, in addition to support for other generally accepted profiles. Wi-Fi b\g\n works at the usual level. The smartphone remembers entered passwords for networks and can automatically connect to them while within their range. Using a microUSB connector allows you to connect your phone to a computer for synchronization and charging the battery. Working hours The smartphone is equipped with a 1200 mAh battery. Up to 4 hours 40 minutes of talk time and up to 340 hours of standby time are stated. When playing music, the smartphone lasts up to 25 hours, when playing video – up to 6 hours. On average, it is worth focusing on a day of work when using various Google services, 30 minutes of calls, 2 hours of listening to music. Conclusion The phone rings very loudly, this is thanks to the xLOUD option. The model can easily be called the loudest device among Android solutions, on a par with the Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro. The speaker is flawless, the quality of speech transmission and the sound reserve are sufficient. The vibration alert is average in strength. The model went on sale at a price of about 10-11 thousand rubles. There are a lot of Android smartphones sold in this category now. The most striking and popular representatives of this segment are the following models. This is , and , . Most of them have a larger screen diagonal, which means it is more convenient to type text, watch videos or surf the Internet. The compact new product from Sony Ericsson has small dimensions and up-to-date hardware. No competitors have such a processor; the device is faster than them in terms of performance. The model turned out to be of high quality, comfortable and pleasant. In the case when the screen size does not play a significant role, it is worth taking a closer look at this smartphone. © Alexander Pobyvanets, Test laboratory Article publication date: September 28, 2011