Sky Go and Now TV

Sky has announced that Sky Go and Now TV will be available through the PlayStation, after sealing an agreement with Sony.

The streaming services - Sky Go for existing subscribers and Now TV representing pay to play - will be available this year on the next-gen Sony PS4 console and its predecessor the PS3 .

Now TV will be the first to land with Sky announcing a fairly non-specific arrival date of 'the summer' which is at least more solid than Sky Go.

Significant

The deal is a significant one for both players - Sony will be mindful of the noises that rival Microsoft is making over its Xbox television service, whilst Sky's move to broaden out to offer content to people who do not necessarily want monthly subscriptions and/or satellite dishes has been ongoing with Now TV.

The Sky Go app will be welcomed by many households - essentially providing a second sky box that is not tied to a satellite feed.

We look forward to seeing the service when it arrives at some time soon-ish.

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Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

 

The Sony Xperia T2 Ultra is Sony's second attempt after Sony Xperia Z Ultra at wooing consumers who want an extra large size screen in their smartphones. But unlike the Z Ultra, T2 is not a flagship product. The goal is to sell a device that is value for money and not the one that is fastest, best looking and priciest.

After using the device for a couple of days, we think Sony largely succeeds.  The Xperia T2 Ultra is a good product. However, before we talk about the price and value of T2 Ultra, let's take a look at the device and its specifications.

Build and design

 Xperia T2 Ultra follows the same design that Sony uses in its high-end range of Z smartphones. It is a sleek, slim and good looking device. The difference between T2 Ultra and other high-end Sony smartphones is the build material that is, metal body and a glass back cover. T2 Ultra doesn't have water or dust resistant body.

T2 Ultra is just 7.7mm thick and weighs little over 170 grams. For a phablet, these figures are very impressive. The slim and sleek design makes using T2 Ultra easier even though it is has big screen.

Display

T2 Ultra has a 6-inch TFT screen. The resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels though around 80 pixels at the bottom of the screen are taken by virtual buttons - Home, Multitasking, Back.

The screen with its 720P resolution is not as sharp as 1080P screens that have become common on phones that cost around Rs 25,000. But it is something that you will rarely notice, but if you are reading an ebook or a PDF file you will see not-so-sharp text.

The touch response of the screen is fantastic.

The T2 Ultra screen displays rich and vibrant colours and has very good viewing angles. The brightness, however, is not adequate.

Software

T2 Ultra comes with Android 4.3. It uses Sony's custom user interface (UI). Multitasking, app launcher and installer, even options to customize home screen, are similar to how they are on the stock Android.

The device comes with a few third-party apps like McAfee Security and TrackID TV preloaded on it.

Camera

T2 Ultra has a 13MP primary camera. It is definitely not in the league of the cameras found on high-end Xperias or in phones like Galaxy S4, LG2 or even Gionee E7.

The front camera can shoot images in 1.1MP. It is good enough for video chats.

Performance

T2 Ultra is powered by Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor. The four cores of the processor use A7 ARM architecture, which is meant to be used in mainstream devices. The cores run at 1.4GHz. T2 Ultra has 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and support for a up to 32GB microSD card.

GPS in the device works very well. The satellite lock is acquired quickly and is maintained well.

While making calls with T2 Ultra, we found the call quality to be good. The device has two sim slots.

Battery life is the highlight of T2 Ultra. After pairing the device with a 3G connection, we used it for nearly 20 hours before we had to recharge the phone. For a device with a big screen, this is fantastic battery life!

Verdict

With an MRP of Rs 25,990, we feel Xperia T2 Ultra is overpriced. If you are looking for a big-screen device, T2 Ultra is definitely the best one in its class. It is much better than HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, even though the HP device is cheaper by a couple of thousand rupees. But given the performance, hardware and experience it offers, T2 Ultra is not a value for money device.

T2 Ultra is a good phablet but it would have been easier for us to recommend if it was selling for around Rs 21,000 to Rs 22,000. But at a price of around Rs 25,000, we can recommend it to only those who must have a device with six-inch screen or users who need great battery life from their phablets.

Key Features

• Expandable Storage Capacity of 32 GB
• Android v4.3 (Jelly Bean) OS
• 6-inch TFT Capacitive Touchscreen
• 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8928 Quad Core Processor
• Full HD Recording
• Wi-Fi Enabled
• 1.1 MP Secondary Camera
• 13 MP Primary Camera

 

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Sony Xperia Z2: First impressions

 

 I often crank the volume up, at the risk of hearing loss, so that I could hear my favorite music and songs over loud subways and honking cars.I was excited to see noise-cancelling technology in Sony's new Xperia Z2 smartphone.
I find the new feature to be more promising than practical, based on the brief time I had with the phone at this week's Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain.
But first, I'll go through other features that may appeal to some people. The phone is due to come out in March. Sony hasn't announced its price, though its phones typically sell for $500 to $600 in the U.S. without subsidies or a contract.
Waterproof
Sony's smartphones are distinctive in being waterproof. It's not something that I have needed, but you might find it useful if you work as a lifeguard or live near a beach.
20.7 meagpixel camera
That's even better than the 16 megapixels camera in Samsung's new Galaxy S5. But lens quality and the focus mechanism are also important. But it's the same one in the Xperia Z1s.
4K video recording
It's impressive that the Sony Xperia Z2 can capture video with four times the details as full high-definition video. But 4K displays are still expensive, so you won't appreciate the extra sharpness for a while. It's more for people who want to take quality video now for the day 4K becomes more common.
Now, back to the noise. The phone analyzes ambient noise and produces a countering signal. In simple terms, if the noise is a 7, the phone subtracts 7 to bring it to zero. If the noise is a 5, the phone subtracts 5.
Unfortunately, it requires special in-ear headphones, which Sony is selling for 60 euros ($82). A sensor in the earpiece detects the noise, so the phone knows what countering signal to send.
Sony tells me the earpiece covers come in three sizes, so a larger one might have helped. I look forward to testing the feature more thoroughly.

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