Gadgetory

in mobile technology it's the same thing over and over new device comes out new device gets reviewed new device gets forgotten almost no one follows up no one follows along no one sticks around to see how well a gadget ages over time because there's always something new to drool over so let's do something about it let's take a second look at the smartphone that proves you shouldn't judge a gadget by its cover i'm michael fisher with pocket now this is the sony xperia z3 compact and this is episode 48 of after the buzz this rear review is made possible by the folks at 28 mobile if you want a sony z3 compact of your own do what we did head on over to 28 mobile comm and get free shipping on your order using offer code pocket now check out the link in the description below for years now we've kind of tolerated the ever ballooning size of the modern smartphone enjoying the perks of the at a display real estate but not the added pocket penalty of carrying them we've adapted ourselves to using them with one hand convincing ourselves that these handheld acrobatics aren't so bad not really well in this weird world of denial we've created the z3 compact feels like a breath of much-needed long-forgotten sanity not only can you comfortably hold it with one hand you can use it all of it with one hand - from the control keys at the bottom to the notification shade up top yeah you pay a penalty in screen size and resolution down to 4 point 6 inches in 720p but it only takes a few days to get used to it and unless you use your phone as your primary browsing device or Netflix viewer the added usability more than makes up for the drop in acreage oh and while the port covers on the sides are kind of annoying to deal with the dual water and dust resistance ratings are more than worth it Sony is one of the few manufacturers that doesn't skimp on specs with its smaller smartphones this e3 compact is still pretty powerful even almost a year after its announcement a Snapdragon 801 with 2 gigs of RAM and expandable storage is nothing to sneeze at and the software responsiveness proves it our z3 here is running Android 5.0 2 with Sony's custom UI and it just flies even if you don't like Sony's design aesthetic you also get a lot of useful stuff here I don't think anyone else is doing anything close to life log for example which combines the power of a mapping application fitness tracker a notepad and more to track almost everything you do during your day so you can play it back later or plot your activity on a chart over time sony also removed its overbearing what's new shortcut from the google now drag up while retaining its little popover apps not as useful as they would be in a larger phone but still handy in a pinch so where is the z3 compact gone wrong well this isn't Sony's fault but the Android lollipop update didn't do it too many favors on one of our units what used to be over five hours of screen on time on KitKat fell to around four hours SOT on lollipop and RAM management got bungled too which also makes us concerned about those two gigs of RAM not being three or four which will probably become the standard on the high end by the end of 2015 the lack of wireless charging means you've got to fiddle with those port covers any time you want to recharge it or buy a special Sony dock which is annoying the fit and finish is typical high-end Sony but the all-glass build picks up scratches very easily it slides off tables like nobody's business and we've seen many reports of the earphone jack malfunctioning under very little strain like leaving earbuds plugged in while keeping the phone in a pocket that plus the fragile SIM tray and the strange clicking sound our demo unit makes when we squeeze it detracts from an otherwise excellent build the z3 compact camera features a dedicated two-stage Hardware button which we always like to see it's amazing how much it improves the shooting experience from starting the camera app to the actual capture it's an indispensable addition that you miss the moment you switch to another phone what you probably won't miss is the photo quality the viewfinder has a lot of neat tricks woven into it including an intelligent auto capture mode that does a pretty good job of deciding when to apply settings like HDR also you're going to see a good amount of light and even dimly lit shots and the 20 megapixel max resolution makes for pretty sharp captures but Sony's software often over sharpens those images and it also produces noisier photos than some of the competition especially in low-light where the problem is compounded by over saturation the most damning test of this camera came in a side-by-side contest with the 2014 Moto X not our favorite camera but it did a much better job at handling a very dynamic scene Sony does build a lot of fun stuff into the viewfinder like augmented reality effects and background defocus and so on and it's digital stabilization is quite good but once the novelty of that stuff wears off which doesn't take long you'll probably find yourself hankering for a better simpler camera especially given what Samsung and LG have been doing on their phones this year today the z3 compact can be found unlocked for under $400 in many ways what you get for that is still excellent a water-resistant smartphone with solid software loudspeakers a look and feel you can't find anywhere else and good battery life now it's not excellent battery life those speakers trade clarity for their loudness and you'll want to make sure you're careful with its glass finish and it's earphone port plus it we'd happily trade some of the software bloat for a better overall camera but unless and until Sony releases a z4 compact nothing else out there is going to give you the same power and style in such a tiny package if that's your primary concern and you don't care much about future proofing the z3 compact is still a pretty good buy as we come up on the one-year mark for more on the z3 compact and other devices check out our related videos here on the tube and see our full reviews at pocketnow.com also remember to visit 28 mobile comm if you want a z3 compact of your very own it thanks to them for the loan till next time this has been michael fisher with pocket now captain two phones on twitter thanks for watching we'll see you next time