All computer secrets for beginners and professionals / CD/DVD/Blu-Ray / Sony play. Full review of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play: a game of survival. A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other

Sony play. Full review of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play: a game of survival. A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other

17.12.2023

Have you noticed that all new phones have the same face? It seems that the time when you could buy a phone with some special feature has already passed. Today, all you can surprise with are inches, gigahertz and gigabytes. Manufacturers, in pursuit of power, forgot about chips, soulfulness, if you like. But still, there are still extreme sports enthusiasts who rely primarily not on technology, but on uniqueness. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is just like that.
Yes, what everyone was waiting for has happened. The PSP was crossed with a phone and it remains to be seen how successful it is.

Design, size

The size of the smartphone takes us back to 2008 - a time when smartphones were big and thick and no one complained about it. Compared to the current thin ones, the Xperia Play looks wild. But everything changes after a day of living with a smartphone. You start to like the plumpness, and the weight inspires confidence. In addition, due to its round, non-brick shape, the phone is comfortable to hold in your hand.

The design is entirely dedicated to the pleasure of gamers. The smart is made in the form factor of a side slider, on the second half of which there is not a keyboard, but the standard console control buttons - a cross and four buttons familiar to everyone: a triangle, a circle, a cross and a square. Between them there are two touch circles - this is a replacement for analog sticks. Also, the “Start” and “Select” keys have not been forgotten and, just in case, the button for calling the context menu has been duplicated. On the right side there are two game triggers, with a volume rocker between them. MicroUSB and 3.5 mm connectors are located on the left. This was done to make it convenient to hold the smart phone while playing, even with connected peripherals, and also due to the possibility of installation in a special docking station. Just below are the stereo speakers.

Almost the entire front panel was occupied by a four-inch screen, leaving space for four thin mechanical buttons on the bottom and a speaker with a front-facing VGA camera on top.

At the back there is a five megapixel camera with LED flash, a second microphone for noise reduction and the inscription “Xperia” in the middle. Under the back cover (which, by the way, is very thin and must be removed carefully) there is a 1500 mAh battery and slots for SIM and microSD cards. The power button is usually located on the top right. It has a built-in LED for notification of missed calls, SMS, etc.

The body is made of black glossy plastic with silver inserts on the sides. The coating is very easily soiled, any touch is immediately visible on the phone. At the same time, the gaming unit is made of matte gray plastic and remains visually attractive even with active use. Like any side slider, the Xperia Play develops play in the halves over time. In the rather used test sample it was present right away, but in general the mechanism rails look quite reliable.

Filling

When the device first appeared, speculation immediately began about what platform it would be built on. It would be logical to assume that Tegra 2 from Nvidia fits perfectly into a gaming smartphone. But apparently the Swedish-Japanese have a different logic and they decided to build a PSP background on a rather outdated Qualcomm platform. It is based on the MSM8255 processor with a clock frequency of 1 GHz, which even at the time the phone was released (which is May 2011) was no longer an advanced solution. The Adreno 205 graphics chip also lacks stars in the sky, and 512 MB of RAM has already become a standard in the mid-end segment. For everyday work and multimedia, this bundle is enough, but damn it! This is a Playstation phone, which is bought for the gaming component, and it requires top-end components. If now all games work normally on Play, then soon the power of the smart device will simply not be enough to render the maximum level of graphics. In benchmarks, the smartphone produced the following results: Quadrant – 1486 points, Neocore – 57.4 FPS

The screen also makes its contribution. The four-inch diagonal and 854x480 pixel resolution are quite suitable for the tasks assigned to a smartphone. But Sony Ericsson again has problems with quality. Does everyone remember the Xperia X10 with its display, which they simply saved money on? History repeats itself with Play. The screen is very dim, its brightness is so low that you constantly catch yourself thinking about turning it up more. But it was not there. On a sunny day, a mobile gamer runs the risk of losing, because when light hits, the image fades and becomes unreadable.

The Xperia Play has 1GB of memory installed, but about 400 MB is available to the user, which is also not enough. The maximum memory card capacity is 32GB.

Communications are standard as follows: 3G module for high-speed mobile connection, Bluetooth version 2.1 and Wi-Fi standard 802.11 b,g,n. In addition, there is a Qualcomm GPSone receiver. In general, there is almost always a connection with the world.

Things are much better with sound. If most Android smartphones have built-in rattles instead of a speaker, then in the Xperia Play not only is the speaker of normal quality, but there are also two of them! Smartphone with xLoud option enabled! will easily shout over both the noise of the street and the screams of a neighbor begging to let him play on an outlandish device. When playing through headphones, the quality is also at the same level. The sound is rich, clear and loud. The phone can become a replacement for the player in most cases. For inquisitive music lovers, Sony Ericsson has added the ability to search for clips, song lyrics and general information about the artist by tags.

The Play's camera is set to five megapixels, has autofocus and a flashlight. Although the quality cannot be called higher than “telephone”, sudden pleasant moments can be captured with a telephone. The camera interface is standard, without interference from Sony Ericsson.

They didn’t place a bet on the video either. Shooting takes place in a maximum resolution of 640x480, zooming is available only during a pause. Although the phone has two microphones, when recording video, the sound is recorded in mono mode. The front camera with VGA resolution is standard and of no interest.

Sample photos

The connection quality is good. When talking, there is no echo or interference, the voice is clear. A medium-power vibration alert is just what you need.

The battery here has a capacity of 1500 mAh. On average, with normal use (an hour of calls, a couple of SMS, Wi-Fi, an hour of music), a smartphone lasts a day and a half. If you use it for its intended purpose, namely to play, the battery will last from 3 to 5 hours.

Technical specifications Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

Dimensions, weight: 62mm x 119mm x 16mm, 175 g.
Screen: TFT, capacitive, 4 inches, 854x480 pixels.
CPU: QualcommSnapdragonMSM8255 1 GHz
RAM/ROM: 512/~400
Video: Adreno 205
Camera: 5 MP with flash, 0.3 MP
Sensors: G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Digital Compa With

Software

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play comes out of the box with Android version 2.3.3 installed. and its own graphical shell. The shell is a redesigned Timescape UI from the previous generation Xperia. Actually, Timescape is now just a widget; it is not so tightly integrated into the system. The launcher itself has rather primitive functionality. You can add, remove and drag widgets or shortcuts. Advantages over the standard shell are the ability to store not two, but four applications in the bottom panel and create folders on desktops. Folders already have prepared icons that describe the contents, be it games or multimedia. By the way, about icons. Sony Ericsson redrawn the standard shortcut images for greater visual integrity of the interface, but did not do it completely. For example, the icon for the same camera remains standard and is already hurting the eyes. All actions in the menu occur smoothly and are accompanied by pleasant animation.

In the display settings, you can choose a Playstation-inspired theme. There are seven color options to choose from.

The lock screen does not differ in functions from the standard one, but it is also redrawn. Pay attention to the screenshot: there is a black bar at the bottom. It's just an unused place, a small thing, but unpleasant.

In the menu, applications are arranged in a 4x4 grid, the list scrolls horizontally. It is possible to sort the list by frequency of use, name, installation time, or set your own order. You cannot create folders in the menu.

The smartphone has an additional set of applications from Sony Ericsson. TrackID– this is a very useful thing for DJs or just music lovers. The application recognizes the song based on the fragment you give it to listen to. Sony Ericsson's base is still larger than that of its competitors and indeed, there are people who buy phones only from this brand because of TrackID. Application WisePilot– online maps, which, with a built-in receiver and the presence of other navigation programs, are quite useless. Touchnote– a service for creating postcards based on a template and their subsequent materialization. And the most useful application for most users is the office suite. Office Suite.

IDDQD

The most delicious thing about a smartphone and what everyone has gathered for is its other half. The first and so far the last Playstation is a smartphone designed to kill the stereotype “Android is less gaming than iOS.”

The most important thing in such a device is convenience. The control keys have good travel and there are no complaints about them. But the idea of replacing analog sticks with touch pads was disappointing. In the same PSP Go there was at least one, but a real analogue. The design of the console was the same. Sony Ericsson's know-how is simply inconvenient to use; only adjusting the sensitivity in each game helps. You also need to get used to the triggers located under your index fingers. The finger, trying to feel the key, rests on the top cover. Despite the above, this is still the most convenient smartphone for gaming.

We can start playing by downloading the four games that the manufacturer offers us. This is FIFA10, arcade flying game Star Batallion, fighting game Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior and Sims 3! All you need to do is download the game cache using Wi-Fi. If this is not enough, when we open the phone we are taken to the Xperia Play menu, where we can download games adapted for our phone.

There is plenty to play - there are arcade games, shooters, and sports simulators. The good news was the decision of Electronic Arts to distribute four of its hits for free for Xperia Play: Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dead Space, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Need for Speed: SHIFT. Unfortunately, the most significant thing is that at the moment there is not a single exclusive, only for Xperia Play, and this says a lot about the popularity of the platform. But the Play is tempting to play, because doing it is more enjoyable than on other phones. In the same Dead Space, in which the fingers obscured the floor of the screen, it became much more convenient to control Isaac. And this applies to all games available for Android.

Dead Space

Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus

Asphalt 5

FIFA 10

Bruce Lee: Dragon Warrior

Star Battalion

Plus, a Playstation One emulator is initially available. It doesn't shine with functionality (you can't even stretch an image from 4:3 to 16:9), but it allows you to run everything that warmed your heart ten years ago. Crash Bandicoot was immediately installed, in which I spent an hour or two.

To play or not to play?

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is a very strange phone. This is the only gaming smartphone, a descendant of Nokia's N-Gage. However, it is made on a deliberately outdated platform; in such a device you expect better hardware. There is a lot to play on it, but there are no standout games that make a name for the gaming platform. It is unreasonably expensive. And with all this, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is an iconic phone. Just because it's catchy. It has something that the vast majority of current smartphones lack - zest. Everyone who had an N-Gage remembers it only with a smile. Xperia Play will face the same fate.

Video review of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

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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.	62 mm (millimeters) 6.2 cm (centimeters) 0.2 ft (feet) 2.44 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	119 mm (millimeters) 11.9 cm (centimeters) 0.39 ft (feet) 4.69 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	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.	175 g (grams) 0.39 lbs 6.17 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.	118.05 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.17 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black White Blue Orange

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, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	45 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute 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 higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful 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 than both system memory and other cache levels. 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 is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache 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) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics 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) is used by the 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

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.	4 in (inches) 101.6 mm (millimeters) 10.16 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	1.96 in (inches) 49.78 mm (millimeters) 4.98 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	3.49 in (inches) 88.57 mm (millimeters) 8.86 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.779:1
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	480 x 854 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.	245 ppi (pixels per inch) 96 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.	59.95% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Multi-touch
	LED-backlit

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.

Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Digital image stabilization Geographical tags

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

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.

Browser

Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML
HTML5
Flash
xHTML
WAP 2.0

Audio file formats/codecs

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

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.	1500 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.	8 hours 25 minutes 8.4 h (hours) 505.2 min (minutes) 0.4 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.	425 h (hours) 25500 min (minutes) 17.7 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.	6 hours 25 minutes 6.4 h (hours) 385.2 min (minutes) 0.3 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.	413 h (hours) 24780 min (minutes) 17.2 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Removable

Another important point is the presence of a PSOne emulator, which allows you to download and run game images for free for the first gaming platform from Sony. The smartphone's performance is enough for comfortable gaming, and that's the main thing. If the pre-installed emulator isn't to your taste, there are several free alternatives in the Android Market. 8-bit and 16-bit platforms are also successfully emulated: NES (Dendi), Sega, Super Nintendo, NeoGeo and so on.

Battery life in game mode varies greatly depending on what games you play. Android applications with high-quality graphics (Asphalt 6, BackStab) drain the battery in 4 hours. The PSOne emulator also has about the same amount of charge. And 8-bit games that do not require high computing power can be played for 6 hours. The result cannot be called outstanding; the PlayStation Portable lasts much longer. However, let's not forget that the Xperia Play is a phone with the capabilities of a gaming console, and not a console that can make calls. Its use assumes that the games will be used sparingly (on the way to work, on flights, while waiting for someone), in which case the battery lasts for a day. That is, Xperia Play performs no worse than the average Android smartphone.

conclusions

In general, it is difficult to disagree with the fact that the initially announced price for the Xperia Play was high. However, if you go to the price.ru catalog, you will see that this smartphone is now offered at a price of 15,500 rubles. Given this state of affairs, it looks interesting, you can easily turn a blind eye to some of the shortcomings. Well, let's sum it up.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play looks stylish and is quite convenient as a phone. The large thickness of the case and heavy weight are a little frustrating. However, these disadvantages are directly related to the advantages of the gaming component. If the body were smaller, the controls would also have to be made smaller or placed more densely, which would hardly be beneficial. Battery life is consistent with most Android smartphones. It is small, but there is practically no choice within this OS. The support from the developers turned out to be quite good, so Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has a right to life. At the current price level, it is available to a wide audience, and there are no direct competitors and are not expected.

: Android devices are mostly similar to each other. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, which also has the R800i index, is the most unusual solution demonstrated by the company in 2011.

Positioning

Attempts to create, if not ideal, then at least an interesting gaming device, have been made for a long time. I won’t talk about the history of the mobile entertainment industry as a whole, but the milestones in creating phones for games should still be mentioned. Sony Ericsson is one of the few companies that actively supported the creation of various accessories and devices so that the user of the device does not get bored.

It is enough to show such an interesting thing as the Sony Ericcson EGB-10 remote joystick, which worked in tandem with such legendary phones as, and. Or the CAR-100 bluetooth machine, which was controlled by a mobile device.

Subsequently, the company released devices that in one way or another emphasized the gaming component. For example, this is a model with dedicated keys for games. There was also such an interesting device as one that had an NVIDIA GoForce 4800 3D accelerator. It allowed you to shoot not only high-quality video (this was 2005), but also allowed you to run beautiful toys on this phone.

Sony Ericsson W900i

Sony Ericsson W550i

When Sony released its first portable console, the Play Station Portable, there were soon rumors about a possible crossover between a phone and a mobile console. Later, such a variation of the pocket game center as the Play Station Go appeared. By the way, it was discontinued not so long ago.

The appearance of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play on sale was a joyful event not only for fans of the brand, but also for all lovers of portable games. Such an extraordinary mixture as Android and mechanical buttons gives a new round of development to the platform, which, although it receives regular updates, still becomes commonplace and, to some extent, boring. Just look at the advertising video that appeared shortly before the smartphone went on sale, where during the operation Android’s human fingers appear - an extraordinary idea foreshadows the appearance of a special device.

Contents of delivery

telephone

battery

8 GB memory card

headset

Charger

USB cable

instructions

warranty card

Appearance

The gaming smartphone turned out to be big. This is such a massive, large and substantial device. The case dimensions are 119x62x16 mm, weight 175 g. Taking into account the general desire to create the most compact smartphones, such a giant looks very, very respectable even against the background of devices with the same 4-inch screen.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play does not have metal parts of the body, this is the realm of plastic. But if there were also iron parts here, the result would simply be an unliftable mechanism. One cannot help but complain about the glossy plastic of the rear of the case. Not only is it easily soiled, but it is also covered with small scratches, which will upset the careful owner of the smartphone.

There will be two versions available: black and white. The latter looks very beautiful and attractive. In addition, fingerprints are not so noticeable on it; this color can be called not only original, but also practical, which is important.

Continuing the idea of humain curvature laid down by the company’s designers, it was embodied in the body of the gaming “Google Phone”. So, it has a sloping back, the corners of the device are noticeably beveled, which makes it not so bulky. The side surfaces are silver. This color makes the device look more attractive.

The phone feels good in the hand, but those who are not used to heavy devices will have to adapt to this niche device. In general, the situation is simple and clear: gaming fans will like the device, and the large dimensions will not scare them away. And for everyone else, there are more practical and universal models, for example, or.

Almost the entire front part of the smartphone is dedicated to the screen. There is a speaker at the top. There are several elements next to it. This is a camera for video calls, as well as light and proximity sensors.

There is a block of buttons under the screen. It is made in the form of a curved strip, which consists of four medium-sized buttons. The keys are painted silver, they look like metal, but they are not.

The first button helps you return to the previous menu item, the second directs you to the desktop. Also, if you hold it down for a few seconds, it will activate the Application Manager. The third key brings up the context menu. The latter launches the search function from any application. They do not have a backlight, but they are convenient to use.

On the left side of the smartphone there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a headset and headphones. It is worth considering that it is more comfortable to use headphones with an L-shaped plug with the device. This is exactly what the complete accessory is equipped with.

There was also a place for a microUSB port. It is used to connect a cable when synchronizing data with a computer, and a charger is also connected to it.

On the right side in the corners there are two large keys. These are “shifts” that are familiar from Play Station portable consoles. They help in games, they will be assigned some special functions in the plot. The keys are large, easy to press, almost no effort required.

Between the game buttons, in a kind of recess, there is a paired medium-sized volume key.

At the top end there is a screen lock button. It is made flush with the body, so it takes some time to get used to it. This key has a built-in indicator light. It lights up while charging, signals missed events, a very useful element.

The back panel is made of thin plastic. It is securely fixed, does not play or dangle. On the back of the phone there is a 5-megapixel camera lens and a flash. Here you can also notice the hole for the second microphone; it helps in the operation of the noise reduction, which is activated during a conversation.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has two speakers. Their holes can be seen under the back cover. They are loud, you can hear the phone well even on the street. Moreover, the design of the elements is such that they are not covered by fingers during games, and this is also an important fact.

There is a battery under the cover. To the side there are connectors for a SIM card and microSD. Hot swapping is possible, however, you will need to remove the panel from the device.

Control

The smartphone is made in a slider form factor, with a control unit located on the lower sliding part. This is a key feature of the phone; there is not a single analogue on the market with a full-fledged block of buttons for games.

The main problem with touch devices is that when playing, you have to cover part of the screen with your fingers, which means reducing the field of action. Also, don’t forget the traditional problem - soiled phones, fingerprints obviously won’t add shine to the device after a virtual battle.

The device is assembled tightly; when unfolded, the halves of the case are well fixed. There is some play, but it is very small, moderate. And, most likely, caused by a design feature. When unfolded, the case is clearly fixed, everything is flawless.

Behind the front cover you can see the mechanism's guide rails. After numerous unfolding of the smartphone, there were no traces left on them. This once again confirms the well-developed design.

The block is similar to the one that can be seen in Sony PSP mobile consoles. This is a cross with motion control keys, as well as four round buttons with characteristic icons, they are familiar to any gamer. They are located in small round recesses. The keys are not backlit, but even without it it is convenient to play even in the dark.

Two touch areas, which replaced the joysticks, are used as additional controls. And the already mentioned pair of “shifts” located in the corners complete the picture. There are also several additional keys that are used for auxiliary needs.

As for practice, after several dozen hours of games, we can say the following: the device was a success. The buttons are really very good; for a portable console phone this is a godsend. The smartphone has good weight distribution; when you hold it in your hands, there is no fear of dropping the device. The lower part is noticeably heavier than the upper, it’s nice to note this fact.

The sensory areas that replaced the “stumps” remained in question. In some games they are used, but it is convenient to control them with buttons. I can’t say that this is an extra element, but there is no particular need for it. As well as in a pair of keys in the corners of the case. You can use them if you wish, but I was left with the impression that the ease of use would not have deteriorated even without them. In any case, when playing on the Sony PSP, I easily managed without them, and I was just as happy here.

Display

The display diagonal is 4 inches. Sony Mobile Bravia technology, like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, is not present in this device. The resolution is 480x854 pixels, up to 16 million colors are displayed. Of course, the screen is capacitive and multi-touch is supported. He responds well to touch. The smartphone has an accelerometer, it allows you to change the picture, you just need to turn the phone. The proximity sensor turns off the screen when the phone comes close to your face during a call. There is no sensor for automatic screen brightness adjustment; this parameter is changed manually.

I would like to note the presence of a special coating on the display, which should provide protection from scratches. The screen coating is something between glass and plastic; it can be found in many other modern solutions. A special film will initially be glued to the display, which will serve as additional protection. It is glued very neatly, it is difficult to notice. If you don’t know about its presence, then you may not even notice its existence.

In terms of picture quality, the phone cannot be classified as a segment leader. It has poor viewing angles, and I would also like to see a brighter picture. I got the impression that the display is dim. Perhaps due to this, good autonomy is achieved for a game console.

Behavior in the sun is average; in bright light the data is not very visible. If you do not manually set the display brightness to the maximum value, there may be problems with the readability of data on the screen.

Platform

The smartphone runs on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, Qualcomm MSM8255 processor with a frequency of 1 GHz, Adreno 205 graphics accelerator. There is 512 MB of RAM, as well as about 300 MB for user needs. There is a slot for microSD memory cards. The device comes with an 8 GB card.

Menu

The company abandoned the Mediascape application, which received mixed reviews from users. But there is Timescape and a new proprietary shell. 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 from Sony Ericsson and your favorite pictures. In addition, 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.

Of course, there are widgets here, they can also be added to the desktop. There can be 5 such screens, and an interesting function works: if you swipe two fingers from diagonally opposite corners, all desktops will be reduced and displayed on one screen. 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. There are 5 icons at the bottom of the screen. These are multimedia, messages, menu entry, contacts and dialing. If you click on media, an additional menu will pop up with those applications that are in this category.

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 zones, initially there are three. If you install additional applications, then over time there will be more such areas. There are 16 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. Other application menus are designed in blue tones, which are similar to other Sony Ericsson models.

I would like to say one more thing about the smartphone interface. When you open your device, an application automatically launches and shows you the games available for download. This feature can be disabled in the program settings. But there is one more point. Not all menus are adapted to work in landscape orientation; this is important when the phone is unfolded. Sometimes you need to look at something, you want to see what came in the new mail. But here there is no such option, although on the company’s website you can see a picture that actually shows a device with an interface in landscape orientation. I hope that future updates will take this nuance into account and users will have this opportunity.

Phone book

The smartphone has a convenient assistant for importing contacts both from a SIM card and from Facebook and Google accounts; they are displayed in a single list. A backup copy of the list of numbers is created on a memory card; the data can later be restored. When creating a new contact, many fields are created - these include various types of telephone numbers, email addresses, means of quick communication (AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, Skype and others), residential addresses and others (nickname, note, Internet call).

Contacts can be divided into different groups, which are assigned an individual signal. By marking contacts at your discretion, you will assign them to a separate category - this makes it easier to communicate with a certain circle of people.

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 line and move down or up, a letter will pop 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 email, or view data on Facebook.

Call log

You can access the call log directly from the phone book - 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.

By viewing your call history, you can not only make a telephone conversation with the selected subscriber, but also send him an SMS or an 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.

Messages

For SMS and MMS there is a common 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 (not only into the messages themselves, but also into a document or email). A convenient cursor is used for navigation, which helps to correct typos and highlight the necessary sections of text.

The communicator allows you to use several types of keyboards. This is both a mini-QWERTY keyboard and a full-size one, available in horizontal screen orientation. Predictive text input is available, where word correction and auto-completion systems help you type text at a brisk pace, allowing you to avoid wasting time correcting errors. Possible word options are shown in a separate line above the keyboard.

Email

To work with email, the mailbox is automatically configured (if it is not Gmail, which connects immediately after the email address was entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone perfectly understands various encodings, supports loading 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. The function of copying text and automatically checking the mailbox works (the interval is set manually). The device simultaneously runs two applications - Gmail and Email. The only difference is that in the first, mail comes only from the gmail.com server, while the second application works with any mail storage. You can create multiple email accounts, each with its own color. This is convenient because you can view mail for each mailbox separately, and display messages from all accounts in one. Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.

Camera

The smartphone uses a simple 5-megapixel module with autofocus and LED flash. The phone is not positioned as a photo solution; accordingly, the quality of the images is at a fairly average level for this class of devices.

The interface works exclusively in landscape orientation. The screen displays auxiliary icons that make it easier to set up photography modes and conditions. Functional icons are displayed on the side. The design is standard for Android 2.3, I would like to see something nicer, modified by the manufacturer.

Various options are available:

Focus: Auto, Macro, Infinity.

Exposition.

Shooting mode: Auto, Action, Portrait, Landscape, Night, Night portrait, Beach.

Photo size: 5M (2592x1944), 3M (2048x1536), 2M (1600x1200), 1M (1024x768), 0.3M (640x480).

Quality: Excellent, Good, Normal.

Color effects: None, Monochrome, Sepia, Negative, Solarization.

Geotagging.

White Balance: Auto, Incandescent, Daylight, Fluorescent, Cloudy.

Flash: Auto, On, Off

Switch between cameras.

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.

The preview folders contain smaller pictures, so that not 3, but 4 pictures can be 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. Rotating images and reducing their size are supported.

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 various social networks: Facebook, Twitter. In addition, there is data on phone calls, SMS and MMS, and email. The displayed data can be customized, and unnecessary data can be hidden. The update is also installed: manually or automatically. Additional extensions are installed through the Market to increase the functionality of the application.

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. You can remove unnecessary songs from the music list, add them 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, a large album cover is displayed (if it was assigned earlier), and there are playback control buttons on the screen. If desired, the song is set as a ringtone. Equalizer settings are also available. These are the following presets: normal sound, classical, dance, flat sound, folk, heavy metal, hip-hop, jazz, pop, rock. There are no manual settings. A mixing mode is provided.

The interface is also adapted for working in landscape screen orientation.

While listening to music, you can find information about the artist - a list of videos available for viewing on YouTube is displayed.

There is no separate application for listening to the radio on your smartphone.

TrackID allows you to identify a melody playing on the radio on 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 and a text file to it. Sets the period for the signal to be triggered again.

The phone screen can display the weather forecast, date and time. The screen brightness can be reduced directly in this application.

The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientation. In the latter case, more functions are available.

The smartphone runs Google search, which searches both the contents of the device and through the browser. Recent queries that were entered on the computer may also be displayed; the phone will use the account.

Android Market is necessary for every smartphone - there the user can evaluate thousands of applications and choose the necessary set of software for themselves. There is a convenient search function, as well as dividing programs into categories, which greatly simplifies browsing. You can look at the reviews, evaluate the rating and express your opinion about the program.

Each application is provided with a brief description and images for greater clarity. Purchased applications are displayed in a separate list, which is convenient: if you purchased a new phone, you can immediately install those programs that were previously purchased. A special feature of the model is a separate Sony Ericsson channel, where not only universal, but also applications adapted for smartphones are shown.

The application, standard for most modern devices, allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode.

Browser

A convenient application is used for Internet surfing. 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. Excellent operating speed and a large screen allow you to comfortably use your smartphone to view WEB pages.

The Facebook application will allow you to communicate on the network of the same name directly from your mobile device.

For navigation, Google Maps is used - 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. Scaling works using multi-touch or virtual buttons.

Weather forecast and news are useful every day.

Postcard is an original application that can send a postcard with an image from your phone’s memory. And not virtual, but real, which is very unusual.

DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos wirelessly from compatible devices.

Working with office documents is limited by the capabilities of the pre-installed software - Office Suite allows you to view Word, Excel, PDF, Power Point files, but there is no possibility of editing them. It is necessary to purchase the full version of the application, where a wider range of features is available.

Games

The smartphone has several sections where you can see various entertainment applications.

Playstation pocket includes those games that were ported from Sony PlayStation One. So far it consists of one game - Crash Bandicoot. By the way, it is already installed on the device.

Xperia Play is a section with games for a smartphone, which consists of more modern applications. In it you can see both entertainment content specially adapted for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, including exclusive games for this device, and available for other devices. When you open your smartphone, this application launches automatically. If desired, you can turn it off, then the phone will not perform this action.

Several games are preinstalled.

Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior helps to reveal the potential of the device; it is very convenient to fight with opponents using buttons. The toy is interesting and addictive.

Star Battalion – while controlling a spaceship, you need to destroy various flying and ground objects.

Asphalt 6 Adrenaline can be installed additionally and is offered free of charge for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

FIFA 10 is an exciting football tournament.

SIMS 3 is a real life simulator.

Of course, the number of applications can be increased every day—games designed for smartphones appear regularly. The main thing here is to maintain a balance; I want to see original and interesting products where the additional control unit is fully involved. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is a real gift for game developers. If a person bought an expensive and specific device created for entertainment, it means that he will be interested in purchasing toys.

Settings

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.

There are also 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.

Connections

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 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. The phone can work as an access point, distributing the Internet to other devices.

Using a microUSB connector allows you to connect your phone to a computer for synchronization and charging the battery.

Working hours

A lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh is used. The official operating time data is as follows: up to 8.3 hours of talk time, up to 425 hours of battery life in standby mode, up to 31 hours of listening to music.

In terms of battery life, the smartphone differs little from its brother Sony Ericsson Arc - you can count on a day or two of battery life. In game mode with maximum screen brightness and working Wi-Fi, the smartphone “lives” for about 4-5 hours.

Conclusion

The phone has a good earpiece; the sound headroom is sufficient for any conditions. The vibration alert is normal, of medium power. Thanks to a pair of speakers, the phone rings loudly, you can hear it always and everywhere.

If you look at a phone as a universal solution for a variety of tasks, then the Xperia Play is not the best choice. A device of average quality has a camera, a screen for a top-class device should be of higher quality, and the dimensions of the phone are far from the most universal. But this is a pragmatic approach. In my opinion, it is more logical to evaluate the new product as a phone adapted for games, where convenient controls allow you to spend all your free time on your smartphone.

Android's main competitor in terms of games is iOS. New products are released initially specifically for Apple devices, and then ported to other platforms. So far, Apple devices seem to be the most versatile and practical solutions for entertainment.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Android gaming phone will definitely become a landmark device for the mobile entertainment industry. Previously, the gameplay was not so convenient and exciting. The release of a device such as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is the result of many years of work, which will not only continue the traditions of the alliance between the two companies, but also look at the Android platform from a different perspective.

The device is already on sale in one of the networks of communication stores at a price of 25 thousand rubles, slightly cheaper than the flagship XPERIA arc. It doesn’t sell very well (several times weaker than the same arc), for which, of course, there are reasons. Decreasing prestige and brand recognition, high price (if the model cost less than 20, perhaps it would have fans), narrow positioning for gamers who, nevertheless, have already purchased all versions of Play Station consoles and play on them . 60 games available for play are not as many as it might seem at first glance, even if they include such hits as Need for Speed or The Sims. Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play is a long-term device and at the same time a legendary device that had to appear on the market at least in order to prove that the market, by and large, does not need it.

conclusions

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