Sony Xperia SP smartphone

I bought one of these! Great specs, and it only cost AU$297, from Harvey Norman. Manufacturer's pages:
http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/phones/xperia-sp/


I want to set it up to display on my TV, using a MHL connector:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsV-zJ1pav0

In a day or, two, I plan to go shopping for a MHL connector, a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, microSD card, and microSIM.

In my extended family, middle-class Aussies, just about everyone has a smartphone, even the kids. Even my Luddite eldest sister, who declared that she would never ever use a PC, is now surfing the web on her iPhone.

Except me, I have used my trusty Samsung keyboard-driven "dumb" phone for many years.

So, I decided to take the step, get hands-on and up-to-speed with this technology.

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Comments

Xperia SP review
Username: BarryK
Here is a 15 minute review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfCyu7a7cxg

Smartphones
Username: Sage
"Ha! I told you it was ARM/Smartphones/Android some years back! Get your interconnects from HK suppliers on Ebay. [i]PS. Ageing myopes get a bonus with an enlarged image at ~6-10" - who needs a monitor/TV![/i]

Progress?
Username: Terryphi
"1st generation: internet is for communicating ideas. 2nd generation: internet is for shopping. 3rd generation: Social media [b]are[/b] the internet. [i]"You mean there is something else?"[/i]

Tips for a new xPhone user
Username: GCMartin
"[b]Congrats![/b], Barry. I too, recently (last 6 months) stepped up to the plate. [u][b]Couple items that were NOT obvious at purchase time.[/b][/u] 1. Most all Smart Phones come [u]WITHOUT[/u] the ability to share and connect as you are able to do with today's PUPs. Thus, SAMBA networking is missing and MUST be added. 2. [u]All Android Apps[/u] ARE controlled via a Push-down stack in the Linux system. RUNNING Apps are either visible, at the top of stack, or invisible, but still in the stack. To move off the stack, each visible app is done using the "back" button. 3. Consider teaching your Android to respond to your voice. 4. There is no mouse-button2 in the xPhone/xTablet world (touch). 5. MOST every new xPhone will broadcase wirelessly to your TV/videobox (like Blu-ray) 6. Use your Google ID and connect with its Android Support as well as this [url=http://distrowatch.tradepub.com/free/w_make125/?p=w_make125][b]document[/b] ____________________________________________ Enjoy, as, it took me 6 frustrating times of starting over in the past 6 months to get my xPhone to do things in the vain I wanted; for it to become my "Personal Assistant" (which is what us "old" people want anyhow). My time has been in training it...personalized. CHEERS!

phone
Username: aarf
"Android OS เ4.1 (Jelly Bean) same as my tablet. after which i vowed never to buy another android device but my current sony phone now a few years old is losing bits at an ever increasing rate and no replacement in sight. maybe i should follow you expert opinion. was planning on getting the exact same model as my old phone but the place where i can get it is quite some kilometers away and i have no other need to go there.. sound like you got a very good price too, here they are AUD$403 at todays exchange rate.

Re expert advise
Username: BarryK
"[i]maybe i should follow you expert opinion[/i] I am not an expert on mobile phones. I just bought it because it was on-sale, very cheap, and it ticked most of the boxes for me. It is not "iPhone quality" in some respects -- the screen apparently is not as bright, and the camera has poor low-light performance. But then, the outright-purchase price of an iPhone is ...what, $800-$900? -- I don't even know if you can buy it outright, probably not unlocked either.

AALLL Androids are this
Username: GCMartin
"Developers know this: 1. All Androids are Built-in database machines! 2. All system apps are JAVA based. 3. All NEW Android apps start their life-cycle from the "Hello World" beginning and are redesigned from this base. Enjoy the beginnings of your Android (no mouse button 2 anywhere in the system). A very interesting platform indeed

Detailed Xperia SP review
Username: BarryK
"This is a very detailed review of the Xperia SP: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_sp-review-924.php

what about this? ASUS Fonepad
Username: aarf
"do you reckon you could get a fatdog onto it. or another puppy? https://www.asus.com/Tablets_Mobile/ASUS_Fonepad/ [img]https://www.asus.com/websites/global/products/iVYdp36AxYm7bMJ5/img/kv/fonepad-front.png[/img] "ASUS Fonepad features an Intel Atom Z2420 1.2Ghz/Z2460 1.6Ghz processor and has a built-in 3G phone. " http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Atom/Intel-Atom%20Z2420%20-%20DG8064001195908.html [code]Intel Atom Z2420 advantages One of the distinctive features of the CPU is Hyper-Threading technology, which doubles the number of threads that the microprocessor can run simultaneously. Execute disable bit feature, also called NX or XD bit, helps to protect from certain types of computer viruses. This CPU has Intel 64 technology, that allows it to run 64-bit operating systems. SSE2 instructions, supported by this cpu, are used by many modern programs. There are even some applications that require these instructions. The Intel Atom Z2420 supports SSE3 and SSSE3 instructions.[/code] goes for about AU$265 here at current exchange rates

Tags: general