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When your pet is part of the family, you hate leaving them home alone when you’re at work, school, or even on vacation. Thankfully, pet cameras have made it much easier to check in on your fur baby wherever you’re away. The CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser not only lets you say hello and see your pet but dispenses treats for more interaction. I recently had the pleasure of testing this camera for this review.
This is a sponsored article and was made possible by CENGCEN. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.
Overview of FeaturesEven before you take it out of the box, the CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser is fairly impressive. Unlike many smart home devices that only work on 2.4 GHz networks, this works on both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz, which makes it easier to get and stay connected. This also allows for less network interference on a single band and provides smoother video.
You control everything via the CENGCEN mobile app. You will need iOS 10.2 or later or Android 4.2 or later. For most users, this shouldn’t be an issue.
The 1080p HD camera is designed to switch easily between normal and night mode to let you check in at any time. Plus, there’s a 130-degree field of view, giving you a wider area to see your pet.
The pet camera sits well on a shelf, but you can also mount it on a wall. Mounts are included that can be used without drilling holes in your wall, which is a nice feature.
In addition to two-way audio, you also get to interact with your pet using the included treat dispenser. It’s recommended to only use smaller treats with a diameter of no more than 0.6 inches. Obviously, only use dry treats so you’re not left cleaning out a sticky mess later. Treats are ejected at the press of a button in the app or on the device itself.
Easily capture video and photos using the app. As a premium feature, you can pay for cloud storage and store video and photos automatically using the motion detection feature. Motion detection is not available without a paid plan. I’ll cover more about the available plans later on.
In the BoxThere’s not much you have to put together here unless you want to use the wall mounts. The CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser itself along with a power adapter, two wall mount panels, instructions, and a light cover sticker are included in the box. I was actually impressed that the company included a sticker to cover the LED light on the side on the camera, which is kind of bright if it’s facing you while you’re at home.
I was surprised to find the adapter and cord are stored inside the camera. Simply remove the silicone top and take it out. There’s also an area on the back of the camera to wrap any excess cord, which is a great idea to avoid tempting your pets from grabbing and eating it.
The treat dispenser is the large opening under the silicone cover. Simply drop in your treats and you’re done. Just make sure to replace the cover to keep your pets out of the camera.
Getting StartedThe setup process was pretty straightforward. Connect the CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser to an outlet and power it on. Then, download the app and follow the guided prompts. While the instructions are in the included booklet, the app walks you through everything.
Honestly, this was one of the easiest smart home devices to connect to the network. I didn’t have to switch bands, which was a nice change.
The only obstacle I hit was I had to search for the app name three times before it appeared in the search results in the Google Play Store. No misspelling or anything, it just wasn’t appearing. I wish there was a QR code in the instructions to scan to take you straight to the app download, but that’s not a major issue.
As with most devices, you’ll need to create an account. Once the app’s set up and the camera connected, you can share access with other users. Surprisingly, there isn’t any type of location/GPS requirement for those you’re sharing with. This is actually a good thing since you may want to share access with someone who lives with you, but may be away temporarily, such as away at college.
I had a high shelf to place the camera on, which has a skid-proof bottom. It is kind of large (8.66 x 5.31 x 10.83 inches), so it’ll likely stand out wherever you put it. But, it’s just a simple white box, so it works well in any décor.
I didn’t use the mounting panels, but they’re plastic brackets on an adhesive strip. I don’t know if the strip removes easily from walls without damage or not. To me, they didn’t seem sturdy enough to really hold the camera, but I can’t say that for certain.
Using the Pet CameraMonthly plans start at $4.49/month for 14 days worth of event recording storage and $9.99/month for 30 days worth of event recording storage. You can save by buying an annual plan: $44.99/year for 14 days worth of recording storage or $99.99/year for 30 days worth of recording storage.
Tap “Enter” to immediately start viewing your home. I experienced some lag, around 10-20 seconds, when I placed the CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser across the room from my router, but when I placed it within a few feet, I had no issues at all.
I did have to turn the volume all the way up to be easily heard through the two-way audio. However, I could hear my cats clearly across the room.
I admit I spent most of my review time laughing at my fur babies as they tried to figure out how I was talking to them without being in the room. They were surprisingly well behaved since they weren’t sure how I was spying on them.
I honestly wasn’t expecting the treats to launch quite as far as they did. The first time I dispensed treats, nearly all of them came out at once. Distance ranged from a few feet to over seven feet away. So, yes, the treats definitely launch. After this first launch, only a few came out at a time. Maybe it just has to have an initial burst before it adjusts?
Night mode worked extremely well. I could see almost as clearly as I could during the day.
Final ThoughtsIf you want a simple way to stay closer to your cats, dogs, and other pets while you’re away, the CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser is a great option. Overall, it worked perfectly. Video and audio were clear and smooth without any interference.
My cats adjusted to it quickly, coming by now and then just to see if I was going to talk to them. Or, maybe it was just to con me out of more treats.
Even the cloud storage plans are reasonably priced to store and access footage for 14 to 30 days.
Overall, the CENGCEN Pet Camera Treat Dispenser is ideal for pet owners and is priced at just $109.99. You can clip the Amazon coupon for an additional $20 off.
Crystal Crowder
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
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Samsung Mv900F Smart Camera Review
Samsung is probably more well-known for their Galaxy series of Android phone, but do you know they are capable of producing good smart camera as well. We have got our hands on the Samsung MV900F Smart Camera and played with it for a week. The result is pretty amazing.
SpecificationSamsung MV900F comes with an image sensor of 16.3 effective megapixel 1/2.33″ BSI CMOS and a len of F2.5, 25mm with 5x optical zoom. At the back of the camera is a 3.31″ WVGA AMOLED C Type Touch Display that can be flipped 180 degrees up and turn itself into a front shooting camera.
The image resolution comes at 16M, 14M, 12M, 10M, 5M, 3M, 2M, 1M and the ISO settings is available from 100~3200, which is good for low light shooting. It is also able to shoot video at full HD 1080/30p.
Samsung MV900F supports micro SD card, Micro SDHC, SDXC and it has AV and HDMI 1.3 output.
Gesture ShotsFrom the spec, you should be able to tell that this is not a high end camera. For those who are into professional photography, this is probably not the one for you. In fact, it is more of a simple point-and-shoot camera bundled with plenty of features. What make the camera so good is the “smartness” that is built into the camera.
First of all, the flip out display is good for taking self portraits. Instead of pointing the lens aimlessly at yourself and hoping your image is properly taken, you can now see from the flip out display and aim properly before you take the shot. It is even equipped with motion detection where you can use gesture to zoom in/out the lens.
Drawing a circle (in the air) in clockwise direction will zoom in the lens while the opposite direction will zoom out the lens. Moving your hand up and down instructs the camera to take photo. This means that even from a distance, you can remote control the camera to take a shot of yourself.
Photo taking modeOther than the standard Auto and Program mode which are found in most cameras, there are plenty of photo modes in MV900F that you can make use of. There is the Smart Auto, Program, Movie, Low Light Shot, Scene (Landscape, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Beach & Snow and Text) and a Live Panorama mode where you can take panorama photos. There is also a 3D Photo mode, but I don’t really see any difference from the photos taken with this mode.
In addition, if you are into effects (like those you found in your smartphone’s camera), MV900F also comes with such effects built in. There is the Beauty Palette, Beauty Shot, Photo Filter, Movie Filter, Picture in Picture and Spilt Shot. It is really like a Instagram built into the camera.
WiFi connectivity with social sharingThe best part about MV900F is the ability to connect to a WiFi network and share your photo to Facebook, Picasa, YouTube and PhotoBucket. There is also an email function that allows you to email the photo to a friend, right within the camera.
If you have an Android phone, you can also download the “Remote Viewfinder” app and use your phone as a viewfinder for your camera. Not that I suggest you do, but this can be a great feature for spying on others.
The image below is a screenshot of the remote viewfinder in action on my Android phone. My camera is facing the door in the office and I am looking at it from outside my office. You can see that there is flash and timer option, and changing the pixel resolution of the image.
ConclusionWhile we would classified the MV900F as a simple point-and-shoot camera, it is really not that simple at all. With all the “smartness” built into it, it is really handy and easy to get that “perfect” shot (with filters, effects and editing, of course) quickly and send it to your friend or social network. One thing though, I am still not a fan of touch screen camera as it makes the camera very fragile and I hate to see a screen full of fingerprints. You could have a different view though.
Damien
Damien Oh started writing tech articles since 2007 and has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry. He is proficient in Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and iOS, and worked as a part time WordPress Developer. He is currently the owner and Editor-in-Chief of Make Tech Easier.
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Annke C500 Poe Security Camera Review
Monitoring your home or business while you’re away should be simple. A great security camera makes your job as easy as viewing live or recorded video from anywhere. This is exactly what the ANNKE C500 PoE Security Camera promises. I recently had the opportunity to try out the turret model of this camera to see how well it works and if it really does make a good addition to your home security strategy.
Overview of FeaturesThe ANNKE C500 PoE Security Camera actually comes in three versions: bullet, turret, and dome. Each are shaped differently with a few different features. For my review, I only used the turret model, so I’ll only mention its features and performance.
Instead of the typical wireless setup, the C500 uses PoE (power over Ethernet) to power the camera. Of course, you’ll need a router or switch that supports this. However, you can also use a 12V DC power adapter along with an Ethernet cable to power and transmit video. You can connect the camera directly to an NVR (Network Video Recorder) to store video.
While the Amazon product description lists support for SD card storage, the ANNKE site doesn’t. The model I tested didn’t have SD card support. This means you’ll need your own NVR system in place, which you can buy separately.
The camera does have some impressive features for the price, though, including:
Sharp 5 MP HD video using a OmniVision imaging sensor
EXIR night vision up to 100 feet
Color images at night with some light or clear black-and-white images otherwise
Support for up to H.265+ and H.265 encoding (reduces latency during recording and helps to store up to 20 days of recordings at once)
Syncs with other ONVIF devices
IP67 weatherproof (quick start guide did mention not letting the camera get wet, though)
Access camera via web browser or free ANNKE Vision app
The turret design is also easy to adjust to get the perfect angle. However, it won’t move easily, so you don’t have to worry about it moving when you don’t want it to.
Inside the BoxUsually, I’m able to get started right out of the box. However, with the ANNKE C500 PoE Security Camera, you may have to buy some additional equipment before you can use it.
All that’s included is the security camera, mounting screws, quick start guide, and a drill template. As you may notice, there’s no way to power it initially. You will need to buy a separate Ethernet cable if you don’t have one long enough. Some Amazon reviewers state a cable comes with it, but the quick start guide doesn’t list one.
I had to wait to test the camera until an Ethernet cable and power adapter arrived as I don’t have anything that supports PoE at the moment. However, this combination works well with the camera. Sadly, the 25-foot Ethernet cable I ordered still hasn’t arrived, so I had to test the camera inside with a shorter cable.
Make sure you consider what else you’ll need to purchase before buying this camera. You’ll need an Ethernet cable and storage device at the very least. You may also need a power adapter, depending on how you install it.
Setting Up the ANNKE C500 PoE Security CameraANNKE promises a quick setup process. I honestly wish this was the case, but I’ve never had this much difficulty setting up a security camera. Usually, I have it installed, connected to the network, and the settings customized in 10 to 15 minutes.
With this camera, I finally finished part of the setup in a little over an hour. Despite what the quick start guide says, you will need to download the SADP software before you can activate the camera. The browser method never worked.
The next challenge came with trying to download the SADP software. My Internet connection was working well enough to stream video with no issues. However, it took six tries before the software would download. It’s only around 30MB.
The next step wasn’t too bad. I connected the camera to the network with an Ethernet cable and let the SADP software recognize it. Once you see the camera listed, you have to set up a password to activate the camera. While this wasn’t listed during the setup, the default username is “admin.” You’ll need this later.
This is really all the software does. You then need to use your web browser or the ANNKE Vision app to view the video feed and customize your settings. If using the web browser, use the IP address listed in the SADP software. Log in using your credentials, and you’re ready to set up the camera how you want it.
I completely gave up on the app as it never recognized the camera. The web browser worked great, though you’ll likely need to download an extension when prompted.
I tried customizing the settings, but anytime I tried, the interface locked up and suddenly the IP address wasn’t recognized. I had to repeat finding the camera with the SADP software three times just to view all the customization settings. And, the IP address changed twice, even though I set the IP address initially. I tried four browsers on two computers, a tablet, and a smartphone. Still no luck.
Needless to say, I didn’t make any headway with the settings, though I was impressed with just how much you can do, if you can get it to work.
Using the CameraEven though I gave up on the settings, I was able to at least view the live video feed. Since it rained most of the time I had the camera, I tried it indoors. I didn’t want to risk damaging the camera since the guide warned against getting the camera wet. I did open a window and test the night vision, though.
The video quality was sharp, even in low light. I also didn’t have any latency issues when viewing it.
As far as the night vision, the sensor can be overly sensitive. The black and white was crystal clear. However, when used outside an open window, a little light caused a blurred mess, and you couldn’t see anything.
Also, I wasn’t able to set up motion alerts due to the customization settings freezing, so I honestly can’t say whether they work.
While the Amazon description lists audio support, I never heard anything via the mics, but this could be something in the settings that didn’t work.
Final ThoughtsDespite all the wonderful features, the ANNKE C500 PoE Security Camera didn’t quite live up to expectations. On the plus side, the video quality was great and the nearly non-existent latency keeps you from missing important moments.
You can try the ANNKE C500 PoE Security Camera yourself and take 20 percent off with code PPQJR4 on ANNKE’s site, leaving you paying just $48. You can also purchase from Amazon. My experience may have just been a fluke, so please read some reviews from happy Amazon customers too to see if this camera is right for you.
Crystal Crowder
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
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Htc Amaze 4G Review: Impressive Camera Phone
The T-Mobile/AT&T merger is on, but that isn’t stopping the carrier from putting out some very awesome phones this year. The HTC Amaze 4G ($260 with a two-year contract) is sort of like a hybrid of the myTouch 4G Slide with its awesome camera and the HTC Sensation with its unibody aluminum design. It is a bit on the heavy side and HTC Sense might not appeal to everybody. It is also a bit on the pricey side.
Design
Like the majority of HTC’s phones these days, the Amaze has a sturdy yet attractive unibody aluminum design. The Amaze stands out from other phones, however, due to its more rounded corners and light silver and black motif. The backing has a combination of aluminum and soft rubber, giving it both a unique look and comfortable feel in hand. Measuring 5.1-by-2.6-by-0.46-inches thick, the Amaze slips easily into your pocket or bag. The aluminum design comes with a bit of a trade-off, however: It tips the scales at 6.1 ounces.
The Amaze has a 4.3-inch qHD (quarter high definition, 540-by-960 pixels) super LCD display. The display looks gorgeous with bold, yet natural colors, deep blacks, and bright whites.
You’ll find all the touch and hardware buttons on the Amaze, but like the myTouch 4G Slide, it has two camera buttons on its left spine: one for capturing video, one for taking photos. While I always appreciate a shutter button, I’m not sure if two is necessary. When I was trying to take a picture sometimes I took video by mistake because I hit the wrong button. The buttons are two different sizes (video capture is smaller), but I still made that error a few times.
Gingerbread with HTC Sense
One of these features is a new customizable lock screen, which works similarly to the lock screen in iOS 5. You can pick a theme for your lock screen (the phone offers quite a few of them to choose from) and then select four apps that you visit most frequently. When you turn on your phone, you’ll see the four apps at the bottom of the screen. To unlock the screen, simply drag the circle into position over an app, at which point you’ll jump straight to that app. Thanks to this feature, you don’t have to go through multiple menus to reach your e-mail or other frequently accessed items.
You’ll find a clutch of new widgets in Sense, but my favorite is the gorgeous new Weather widget. HTC has a solid tradition of creating visual weather apps, and it’s nice to see the company continue to improve them.
Camera Is…Amazing
Like the myTouch 4G Slide, the Amaze has an 8-megapixel camera and an HD camcorder that can shoot video in up to 1080p. The camera has a backside illuminated sensor, which is fairly standard in point and shoot cameras these days and is ideal for shooting in low-light situations without need for a flash. The Slide’s F2.2 lens is a wider aperture than many recent cameras, which also translates to better low-light shooting without the flash. The easy-to-use camera interface lets you pick from a variety of shooting modes, including Manual and Automatic modes.
The SweepShot mode is similar to Sony’s Sweep Panorama mode, which is very cool. You press the shutter and move the camera from right-to-left, and the camera stitches together a panoramic image instantly. This mode is incredibly fun to play with and the photos look pretty good (see example) though sometimes they don’t stitch up accurately.
BurstShot is a really unique feature for a phone camera. This mode takes pictures in rapid succession as you hold the shutter button down (paparazzi style). BurstShot is useful for snapping photos of quick-moving objects, like kids and pets.
Macro mode lets you take close-up shots of objects like the example here. You can get as close as about three inches to your object before the camera starts to lose focus.
These modes are also found on the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide, but the HTC Amaze also has a few unique camera features. One of these features is SmartShot, which takes five consecutive photos and then stitches together
Performance
With a 1.2GHz dual core processor, the Amaze The Amaze scored a 986 on the Vellamo benchmarking app. This ranks the Amaze toward the top of the list alongside the Samsung Galaxy Tab and slightly below the Droid Bionic.
The Amaze supports T-Mobile’s faster HSPA+ 42mbps network. Data speeds were impressive with an average download speed of 7.68Mbps and average upload speed of 1.71Mbps. The fastest download speed we got clocked in at 7.39—about as fast as we’ve seen on Verizon’s 4G LTE network!
Bottom Line
Xiaomi Redmi 2 Review, Unboxing, Benchmarks, Gaming, Camera And Verdict
Xiaomi Redmi 2 Quick Specs
Display Size: 4.7 inch IPS LCD capacitive touch screen with 720 x 1080 HD resolution
Processor: 1.2 GHz 64 bit Quad Core Snapdragon 410
RAM: 1 Gb
Software Version: Android 4.4 KitKat based MIUI6
Camera: 8 MP AF camera, 1080p Videos
Secondary Camera: 2 MP front-facing camera FF [Fixed Focus], HD videos
Internal Storage: 8 GB
External Storage: Expandable up to 32GB
Battery: 2200 mAh battery Lithium Ion Removable Battery
Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, aGPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
Others: OTG Support – Yes, Dual SIM – Yes, , SAR Value – 0.725W/Kg (Max)
Xiaomi Redmi 2 India Unboxing, Review, Features, Camera, Overview HD MIUI 6We have been admirer of Google’s stock Android but having spent some time with Xiaomi MIUI 6 makes stock android look a bit boring, even though it comes at an expense of minute delays here and there. The MIUI 6 is a thick skin. No Lollipop? No big deal.
There are options like multi color LED lights, DND mode, lockscreen notifications, Swiftkey keyboard, Flesky keyboard, changing Color saturation- all the way to directly boot in recovery mode from updater app. There are several hidden options like single handed mode (hold in one hand and swap from home key to back button or menu button depending on what hand you are using), gestures, etc. as well.
Of course there is room for more. There are things like customizable onscreen gestures (predefined gestures are present) and option to left swipe away notification which we miss (left swipe takes you to quick settings).
Display and DesignIt’s the same 10 point multi touch HD IPS LCD display as last time and it facilitates gorging at vibrant MIUI6 software. The display quality is one of the best that we have seen in under 10k price range, with great viewing angles and sharpness.
Xiaomi has also improved overall design too. The new Redmi is more compact, lighter and curvy. The three red navigation keys underlining the display are not backlit, which isn’t a deal breaker but takes some getting used to, since there is some gap between corners and menu/ back button. After couple of days of usage, we got easily used to it and it wasn’t a problem.
Xiaomi Redmi 2 is made from good quality plastic and the white color variant which we have looks quite premium. The back cover is removable and feels good to touch but can accumulate scratches, so its important to you invest in a case. All this adds up for an easily manageable 4.7 Inch display device which commands admiration, but won’t be a head turner.
Performance and HeatingXiaomi Redmi 2 employs 1.2 GHz quad core 64 bit snapdragon 410 processor, which is a decent overall performer. MIUI 6 is a heavily customized Android and thus, there are occasional stutters with this 1 GB RAM device when too many apps are open in background, but there is nothing to put you off. The performance is mostly smooth.
By default the phone is set in balanced mode which is what we preferably used, but you can quickly toggle to performance mode from quick settings. The benchmark scores have been taken in both performance mode and standard mode.
There is no heating issue that we noticed in our review units. After several minutes of high end gaming, benchmarking and video recording the maximum temperature we recorded was 42 degrees, which is pretty good.
Benchmark Balanced Performance
Quadrant 11532 11815
Antutu 20398 20801
Vellamo (single core) 806 804
Nenamark 2 53.5 54.2
Camera and Internal StorageInternal storage is 8 GB out of which 4.4 GB (5.7 GB for apps) is available at user end. USB OTG is also supported. Apps cannot be transferred to SD card. But you can transfer media content to 32 GB external storage space. If you would like to keep high end gaming apps or several hundred other apps on your device, this could be a limitation in long run.
Camera Samples Battery and Other FeaturesSecondary mic is present for noise cancelation and we didn’t experience any problem with call quality. We had the opportunity to test this on poor roaming networks in remote area’s but call quality wasn’t a problem.
Audio from headphones and loudspeakers is very pleasing. GPS locking and Navigation also work very efficiently.
Xiaomi Redmi 2 Photo Gallery ConclusionThe beautiful UI, improved design and great camera, make Xiaomi Redmi 2 a very impressive device in its price range. We have no qualms recommending it to average users who aren’t intent on aggressive high end gaming. The overall user experience of Xiaomi Redmi 2 is very satisfying. You can register and buy it from Flipkart for 6,999 INR.
Sony Xperia Ion Review: Great Display And Camera, Old Software
The Sony Xperia Ion sounds impressive on paper, but has a few shortcomings that keep it from being on top.
The Sony Xperia Ion ($99 with a new two-year contract on AT&T) is an Android phone with exceptional hardware: It has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 12-megapixel camera, and a massive high-resolution display powered by Sony’s own Bravia display engine. But, as we’ve seen with other smartphones, specs aren’t everything. The Ion’s clunky software proves that a phone more than just top-of-the-line hardware to be great.
DesignAside from the screen, the Ion looks like countless other Android phones we’ve reviewed: It comes with a front-facing camera, a rear camera with flash, four navigation buttons (Menu, Home, Back, and Search), a headphone jack, a volume rocker, and a power button. The Ion also includes a MicroHDMI port that you can use to connect the phone to an HDTV, plus a dedicated camera button–a rarity on smartphones these days. The volume rocker and power button felt a bit flimsy to me, and the camera button was too spongy for my taste. One other annoyance is that I often had to make more than two attempts to get the navigation buttons to register input. Commonly I would try to exit an app and find myself hammering away at the Home button, trying to get it to responded. This problem may be fixed in a software update later on, but for now it makes the Ion frustrating to use.
I’m accustomed to carrying a Samsung Galaxy Nexus (which, like the Ion, has a 4.6-inch display), so I didn’t mind the Ion’s size. The phone slid easily into my pocket, and holding it up to my ear to make calls wasn’t a chore. Though one of my colleagues complained that the Ion’s curved back made it uncomfortable to hold, I had no such issues. Even so, you should try holding the phone to see if you are comfortable with this model’s design.
The Ion’s battery is not removable, but you can reach the SIM and MicroSD card slots by removing a small panel from the back of the device.
PerformanceThe Ion packs some wicked specs. The Ion runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor with 1GB of RAM. The S3 processor isn’t as fast as Qualcomm’s S4 line, which powers the HTC One X, but it was more than capable of handling everything I threw at it. Apps opened without a hitch, and HD videos played back smoothly. In general, games ran quite well on the Ion, too.
The Ion can connect to AT&T’s speedy LTE network, and in less than 10 minutes I successfully downloaded more than 500MB of data to it at our San Francisco offices. Call quality over AT&T’s network was fairly solid, though I did notice a distinct hissing noise during all of my calls. Voices on both ends of the call came through clearly, however, despite the hiss. I would have preferred a tad louder default volume from the speaker, but I had no trouble adjusting the volume to a more comfortable level.
The Sony Ion also supports near-field communication, and you can use it to read and write information to other devices or tags that are NFC-enabled.
SoftwareThe Ion was running Gingerbread at CES, and I’m disappointed that, six months after its debut, Sony didn’t ship it with Ice Cream Sandwich. According to the documentation accompanying the phone, the Ion is upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich–but there’s no reason why the phone couldn’t have shipped with the newer OS in the first place. It doesn’t help that the overlay on the Ion makes actions such as rearranging apps and widgets feel clunky and imprecise, or that certain widgets (such as the social widget) look jagged on the phone’s high-resolution display.
EntertainmentThe Ion is closely tied to the Sony Entertainment Network, allowing you to sign in to your Music and Video Unlimited accounts for access your playlists and movies on the go. In case you don’t subscribe to either of those services, or you prefer to save content locally, the Ion comes with 16GB of built-in storage that you can use to your heart’s desire. The phone’s MicroSD card slot lets you attach an additional 32GB of storage, in case you want to watch the entire new season of Breaking Bad on your phone.
If you want to watch TV shows on a larger screen, the Ion allows you to share your content with other DLNA-compatible devices wirelessly. Alternatively, you can use a MicroHDMI cable to connect the Ion to an HDTV, giving you access to a custom launcher where you can play back movies and music, display videos, or open certain applications. When I tried to use DLNA to share a song between the Ion and a PlayStation 3, the two devices took a while to find each other. Plugging the phone directly into the TV via the MicroHDMI cable was much faster and more convenient.
Being a Sony phone, the Ion is PlayStation-certified, meaning that you’ll be able to download classic PlayStation titles like Crash Bandicoot from the Play Store, and play them on your phone. So far, the library of available PlayStation titles is pretty slim, though Sony seems to be adding new games randomly throughout the year.
CameraThe 12-megapixel rear camera is a different beast altogether. I was very pleased with the pictures I took with it: Colors and details looked crisp and vibrant. The Ion’s camera app includes many extra features, including a panoramic mode and a mode that detects smiles before it takes a picture. You can also instantly launch the Camera app and take a picture while the device is still sleeping, by holding down the camera button. It’s a nice touch–and a great way to ensure that you’ll never miss a photo-worthy moment.
Though I was a fan of the Ion’s picture-taking capabilities, I can’t say the same about the phone’s video-recording feature. The Ion can record in 1080p, but the test video I shot didn’t look very sharp. A distinct jelly effect appeared whenever I moved the phone around, and the onboard microphone was terrible at recording voices. When I played back the footage I shot, voices sounded as though they were coming from inside a distant tin can–definitely not the audio quality you want when capturing precious family moments.
Bottom LineThe Xperia Ion is a mix of good but poorly implemented ideas. It’s a shame that the Ion suffers from nonresponsive navigation buttons and poor video recording. I’m also still bitter that Sony didn’t release the phone running Android Ice Cream Sandwich, though I continue to hope that, sometime before the end of the summer, the company will release an update to the OS that addresses the issues I encountered with the handset. But even with those problems, the Ion should satisfy anyone looking for a smartphone to replace their iPod, handheld gaming system, and point-and-shoot camera.
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