Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY
Ever since its launch at the 2011 Mobile World Congress (MWC), Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has received more admiration than criticism from users and reviewers alike. What makes this smartphone, or rather smart ‘gaming’ phone so special is its ability to play video games like Sony PlayStation. You may still ask why Xperia Play? Here is the answer. Gaming facilities on mobile phones have seen exponential development in last few years. But there has never been a mobile phone dedicated for games. In technical terms, the Xperia Play is nearer to a handheld game console with smartphone capabilities. It is more like a phone with an integrated gamepad. You may still have a lot of questions about the performance and other facilities provided in this smartphone. Please read below to find out yourself.
The Xperia Play provides clear and distinct quality of natural voice. A dual-microphone system helps in noise cancellation. The 1500mAh battery is expected to last for about 6.25 hours in 3G mode which can be extended by switching off the 3G radio. However, it doesn’t last for more than four hours while playing video games. The smartphone allows excellent gameplay as expected. However, serious gamers would still hesitate in opting this smartphone in place of a pure handheld gaming console. Also, it is only PlayStation certified and not a part of the original PlayStation network.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is the first of its kind Android gaming phone running on the v2.3 Gingerbread operating system and certified by PlayStation. The basic features include a slide-out gamepad with dedicated controls, a 4-inch LCD screen, a 1GHz second generation Snapdragon chipset, 512 MB RAM, Voice dialing, GPS, Bluetooth and a 5MP camera with autofocus, LED flash and geotagging facilities. There is also a secondary front-facing camera. The smartphone allows 720p video recording at 30 fps along with the stereo sound. While a dedicated gaming store keeps you in the company of newest video games, sensors like accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensor help improve the overall user experience.
The external appearance of Xperia Play resembles many Android phones. Sony Ericsson has retained the human curvature design which has been seen in all Xperia line of smartphones. This include a curved back which makes it comfortable and easier to hold this phone. While most of the front space is occupied by a capacitive 4-inch touch screen, the outer body has a glossy piano-black finish. The Play phone weighs 6.17 ounces. There is a PlayStation type gamepad in matte silver with a D-Pad having four arrows on the left required for making movements during the game and four four action buttons on the right.
When it comes to games, latest mobile devices are advancing everyday. However, like everyone else, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play can not be preferred over a dedicated PlayStation device if gaming becomes the prime objective. When compared to other smartphones of its range in terms of facilities other than gaming, the Xperia Play comes no where near an iPhone 4 or other high-end phones. In fact, it is even not at par with Xperia Arc model in terms of imaging and video recording facilities. However, it still needs to be appreciated for being the first dedicated ‘gaming smartphone’.
