Category: Sony (Android)

Sony announce the 4.3 rollout has begun

Sony announced a while back that the Z1 and Z Ultra would be getting the upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat early next year and that there would be an intermediate update to JellyBean 4.3. The time for the 4.3 update has now arrived and it is starting to …

Sony Z1S Pictures Leak

Sony are trying their hardest to make something of a comeback within the smartphone market and their attempts have so far been rather well received.  The newest offering looks like it will follow the trend of offering a miniature version of the current flagship which in this case …

Sony announce update schedule for Jelly Bean 4.3 and KitKat

Sony have come under heavy fire in the past for not providing updates to its Android phones, but the release of its update schedule will come as pleasant reading to many Sony owners. Android Jelly Bean 4.3 will be rolled-out in December to the following devices: Xperia Z …

Xmas Gift Guide 2013: Sony Xperia Tablet Z from Vodafone

Christmas 2013 is coming up fast and time to bag those top presents is running out. We here at Coolsmartphone have asked several top retailers and suppliers for their recommendation for a Christmas gift, one that is either of exceptional value or the best quality. Here then for …

Pay Phones are back!

By now most people have at least one card in their wallet that they can use for contactless payments. EE have a “Cash on Tap” service that will enable some 4G phones to do the same. It’s in partnership with MasterCard and has been expanded today to include …

Xperia Z1f announced in a variety of bold colors

As it’s nearing “that” time of year we’re beginning to see additional handsets appearing and launching around the world. NTT DoCoMo have wedged an additional 16 handsets into their range and one of them is this, the shrunk-down Xperia Z1. Named the Xperia Z1f, the 5″ Z1 screen …

Muvit Stick N Stand Case for Xperia Z Ultra

The Xperia Z Ultra is a great bit of kit but with the giant screen I am worried that I will break all that lovely glass in my bag or pocket (yes you can put this beast in a pocket). So the first thing I did after getting …

Sony Smartwatch 2 – Review

Do you remember back to when you were a kid and you used to watch Knight Rider? Remember looking wistfully at the Hoff’s watch communicator that he used to talk with Kitt? I did anyway. Now we’re getting a step closer to this becoming a reality. I present …

Sony reveal new Android powered Walkman devices

Sales of the humble MP3 player have nosedived as most people use their smartphones for the majority of their personal listening needs. Whilst Apple have had major success with their iPod range, other manufacturers have struggled to make a dent in the personal music player sector once music …

Sony Z1 launch event

On Wednesday I took a little trip to London town for the launch party for the Sony Z1. The event was held at Sushisamba, which is on the 39th floor of the Heron Tower and provides some spectacular views, especially as the sun set. This meant a quick …

Xperia Z Ultra now on Three

Three have just sent out a press release confirming the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is now available on its network. The Z Ultra is a massive device both size and spec with a huge 6.4″ display, 2GB ram, 16GB storage and an 8 megapixel camera. You can also …

Sony Xperia M coming to Three

Three have just confirmed that they will be taking one of the latest Sony phones, the Xperia M on their UK network. For £149.99, customers can now get their hands on this device in store with online orders available from 11th October. Specifications include a 4 inch 480 …

Sony Xperia Z1 with DSC-QX10 Smart Shot first look

I’ve finally got my grubby mits on Sony’s newest releases, so I thought I’d share my pleasures (and pains) with you lovely people. Sony pre-release review models are notoriously hard to come by, especially when you want them with some accessories, but with a little sweet talking I …

Smartwatches – Just a plaything or the next essential item?

A smartwatch isn’t high up on my shopping list if I’m honest. For me, I’ve got into the habit of checking my phone for the date or time. I simply never wear a watch, but there’s no denying the fact that many still value them. The Sony Smartwatch …

Galaxy Note 3 confirmed for EE, plus the Smartwatch too

Following news that Three were about to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, we’re now hearing that EE will be doing the same. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be available on either 4G or 3G, and you can pre-order on a range of “4GEE” price plans …

Sony announce the DSC QX-10 and the DSC QX-100 Smart Shots

When I first saw some odd looking clip on camera lenses for phones I thought it was an elaborate hoax by someone, yeah they sounded cool and I could no doubt think up a scenario where I could use one. Then came the leaks, we saw image after …

Sony announce the Xperia Z1

The Sony Xperia Z1 has been one of those devices that we’ve slowly found at every last detail, be it specs, accessories, press releases or even traditional Mr Blurrycam pictures of it. It has been a leaky few months for the Xperia Z1. Over in Berlin at IFA …

Sony Xperia Z1 promo video leaks just before launch

Not long to go now. We’ll soon have the official announcement but, just to keep you interested, here’s a leaked video showing the Z1 on action. We’ve already got the full Sony Xperia Z1 specs and press release, so all we need now is for someone to actually …

Sony Smart Shots video shows how to use the damn things

There’s been just as much talk about the Sony DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100 Smart Shot camera attachments as there has been about their new flagship phone, the Z1 (formally the Honami i1). This is mainly due to their innovative nature, but also speculation on how exactly one would use …

Sony Xperia Z1 leaks all over the place

The Sony Xperia Z1 has been a long time coming, we’ve seen many many leaks over the last few months, with a newer, faster, better version of the Xperia Z slated to appear. The Xperia Z1 has been accidentally leaked all over the shop after a press release …

Sony Xperia Z1 photos leaked. The clearest so far

There’s been so much said about the Sony Xperia Z1 (once known as the Honami), and we’ve also seen some blurry-cam photos, but some really clear shots have turned up on a Chinese site going by the name of 365dian.com that’s got a good reputation when it comes …

Sony Honami Images Leaked

Sony’s latest flaship device is nearing launch and now more images have begun to surface thanks to the TENAA – China’s equivalent of the FCC. The image shows a nice sleekly designed handset but reveals very little else. In essence we know very little including specs of the …

Excellent Xperia Z Excites Example

You know Example, but did you know that his real name is Elliot Gleave? Ooo.. bet you didn’t know that. Anyhoo, his next single is released on September 8th and it’s called “All The Wrong Places”. Y’know, the one that goes “I don’t know where we are, but …

Sony Honami Mini to take on the iPhone 5S?

What do you buy if you want a compact high-end phone? Yup, the iPhone. It’s your only choice… Maybe not for much longer though. The trouble with Android flagship phones is that they’re all pretty big, and when the smaller versions come out they’re cut down in specs …

Sony DS-QX10 and DS-QX100 clip-on cameras manual leaks with specs

Earlier in the week we posted an intriguing article about a pair of clip-on 18MP optical zoom Sony camera attachments for mobile phones. We spoke about them at length on the podcast and couldn’t decide whether they were practical, silly, a hoax, or all three! Today we’ve got …

Sony and Honami lens camera pictures leak

Sony make a lot of the cameras on their phones, but now they have gone a step further with lenses that clip onto various phones. There are two lenses rumoured which are both G lens branded; this has become synonymous with quality in the digital camera world. The …

Sony Xperia Honami release date, time and exact location leaked

The Sony Honami is said to be the successor of the Xperia Z, which we’ve been waiting a while for. Things are getting tantalisingly close now though. There has already been an official teaser released (above) with the date and location as 4th September in Berlin, but now …

Sony Xperia Tablet Z LTE getting Android 4.2.2 update now

In a highly skilled piece of coordination, Sony have released the Android 4.2.2 update for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z on the same day as we’ve given away two cases for said tablet! Owners started reporting the update rolling out earlier today, but as yet it only seems …

Sony Xperia Tablet Z case competition winners announced!

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been running a competition to win one of two Sony Xperia Tablet Z cases, just by leaving a comment on our articles! Well, all the entries have been printed out and tossed into my exceedingly camp cowboy hat, then two picked …

Sony Honami phone to have 20 megapixel G Lens [leak]

We all know by now that megapixels are not the be all and end all of smartphones and rather than go from what is on paper it’s best to get real world experience using it. But we all love to see those specs don’t we, this one is …

Sony Xperia Tablet Z now on Three

We’ve covered the wafer thin Xperia Tablet Z quite a bit recently. Our review posts are below and, if it tickles your fancy, you can get it on Three right now. Sony Xperia Tablet Z review part one Sony Xperia Tablet Z review part two Sony Xperia Tablet …

Xperia Z Ultra First Impressions

The day has arrived….. That magic day when you get your hands on with the object you have been lusting after since it was announced in all the glitz and glamour that go with product announcements. This device which is very firmly in the Phablet range with a …

Sony Xperia Tablet Z – Camera and software overview

It’s no secret, I love this thing. I’m using it right now to write this very story and it has a lot of the features that I also love about the iPad. Firstly, the design. Somehow this tablet is better than the Xperia Z phone. It’s beautifully built …

Sony confirm Android 4.3 availability

With Google announcing Android 4.3 just yesterday, Sony have now come out and confirmed which of their devices will be able to run this new software version which is also going under the JellyBean title. Sony have been known for taking their time on getting upgrades out but …

Tabletwear Advanced Case for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z – Review

The Tabletwear Advanced Case for the Xperia Tablet Z is a budget stand style case to clad and protect the slender lines of Sony’s finest bit of Android gear. This is my second featured review of cases for the Sony Xperia Tablet Z, the first was of the …

Xperia Z Ultra coming your way in September

This is a phone with a ma-hoo-sive 6.4″ Full-HD “Triluminos” display. It’s waterproof, dust resistant and has a quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm CPU. Our earlier story shows some lovely pictures of this slim handset, which is just 6.5mm thick. Sony also have some great shots of the device here, …