Sony flaunts Xperia Z1 Compact in Whistles Fashion Spring/Fall Video

Sony Mobile has officially started shipping Xperia Z1 Compact in many nations across Europe like UK, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands and Poland where from SIM free version to carrier operator version of Xperia Z1 Compact is available for purchase from Sony online stores in respective regions. Sony is promoting Xperia Z1 Compact in full flow now and why not it is undoubtedly the best pocket friendly smartphone made ever.

When it comes to promotion of their handsets, Sony Mobile is always unique. Sony is now flaunting Xperia Z1 Compact in a new video showing SS14 collection from Whistles fashion. Xperia Z1 Compact’s cam and water-resistant features are focused in the video besides promoting Whistles fashion Spring/Fall range 😛

Check the Xperia Z1 Compact in Whistles Fashion Spring/Fall Video below.

As Xperia Z1 Compact already available for purchase in Europe region, so are you planning to buy one or importing one. It is already available in China under name Xperia Z1 Colorful Edition.

Do let us know if you like the video or not. Drop your comments below.

Xperia Z1 Compact shipping in Sweden, Poland, Netherlands officially from Sony Online Stores

As we all know Sony has officially started shipping Xperia Z1 Compact in UK for £449 and in Germany for €499, users can now buy SIM free Xperia Z1 Compact in UK and unlocked Xperia Z1 Compact in Germany from official Sony online stores. Just now we spotted that Sony has now started shipping Xperia Z1 Compact is Sweden, Poland and Netherlands officially from Sony online stores in respective regions.

Two delivery options are available from Sony viz. express delivery taking 1‑2 working days and standard delivery taking 3‑5 working days if ordered from online Sony stores. No promotional offer is valid now. Xperia Z1 Compact availability in different colors depends on the region stock.

Xperia Z1 Compact shipping in Sweden

Sony has officially started Xperia Z1 Compact shipping in Sweden, it is priced at 4695 kr ( 718$, €530, £440 ). Xperia Z1 Compact in Black, Lime and Pink colors are available in stock while if you need white Xperia Z1 Compact then you need to make a reservation for it in advance and shipping of same will start in early Feb 2014.

Inside box of Xperia Z1 Compact you will also get EP880 Charger and Media Cable EC801. No earphones are included in retail box. Visit Sony Online Stores in Sweden.

Xperia Z1 Compact shipping in Poland

In Poland, Xperia Z1 Compact is priced at 1999 zł ($638, €473, £391 ). All fours color variants of Xperia Z1 Compact are available in stock. Inside the retail box you will also have EP880 Charger, Media Cable EC801 and MH750 Wired Headset. Visit Sony Online Stores in Poland.

Xperia Z1 Compact shipping in Netherlands

Sony has priced Xperia Z1 Compact a bit higher in Netherlands, i.e. for €549 and at present only pink color is available in stock. If you want to order Black, White and Lime colored Xperia Z1 Compact then make a reservation for it and shipping will start in early Feb 2014.

Inside the package you get EP880 Charger and Media Cable EC801, unfortunately no earphones. Visit Sony Online Stores in Netherlands

Xperia Z1 Compact is expected to make appearance in India and other parts of world very soon. MWC 2014 event is coming near, it is in rumors that Sony D6503 and Sony D6603 will make an appearance there. Launch of Xperia Z1 Compact in US is still unknown. Hope so Sony starts shipping Xperia Z1 Compact in all parts of world before that so that sales remain unaffected by the launch of new high-end devices.

Well have you bought your Xperia Z1 Compact or planning to buy, do let us know in comments below.

[ INTERVIEW ] Linda Lissola, creative design lead for Xperia Z1 Compact

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, miniature version of Sony Xperia Z1 has already landed in the hands of users across Europe and will soon be launched in rest parts of world. Xperia Z1 Compact is about class and beauty in one piece, without compromising on performance level. As you all know Xperia Z1 Compact features exactly same specifications in terms of processor, GPU, RAM, camera MP like Xperia Z1 except the smaller battery and screen size.

Xperia Z1 Compact is all about expression, says “Linda Lissola” who is creative design lead for Xperia Z1 Compact. Sony Mobile has published a detailed interview of Linda Lissola on their official blog about here views on Xperia Z1 Compact and its overall design process. Let us tell you about her and some points from interview in brief.

Who is Linda Lissola ?

Linda Lissola is creative design lead for Xperia Z1 Compact, she is from Sweden, currently living in Tokyo, Japan. She joined Sony Ericsson as a consultant initially and till now she has worked on many mid range and flagship smartphones.

Her views on design philosophy behind Xperia Z1 Compact

As per Linda Lissola, Xperia Z1 Compact inherited many features from Xperia Z1, the “Omni-Balance” design especially. She quotes….

OmniBalance represents equality; evocation of a certain appreciation of beauty, with a flow from all directions.

There’s a distinct difference between the two products though – Xperia Z1 is built for performance, but Xperia Z1 Compact (without compromising on any of that prowess) represents “expression” above all else.

Colors are often defined by association… or association is defined by color – but why should that be the case? We wanted to do something different; be broader with the colour range. Pink and Lime are fun, fresh additions but they’re bold with attitude. For us, they are completely gender / usage / mood / personality agnostic.

Biggest Challenge in Making Xperia Z1 Compact

To make a pocket friendly device with specs no less than a flagship device and even better performance, she quotes…

We overcame this by daring to be different with the new colors, and introducing the smaller form factor without compromising on any of the features that make Xperia Z1 so recognizably Sony.

Linda Lissola’s Design Heroes

She named “Bruce Mau, Bruno Munari and Achille Castiglioni” when asked about here design heroes, Why so ? She quotes…

The reason? These guys were / are so open and different; willing to blend different (industrial and art) design disciplines to create something unique.

They are all creatives who stand by unconventional approaches.

Tips for Aspiring Mobile phone Designers

She quoted three tips…

Never stop, or let anything hinder your curiosity throughout life.

Try and accrue as much experience as early on as possible, whether that be with an internship or work placement. This way you’ll get a real feel for what you want to do, and what you don’t – you have to be passionate about something to truly enjoy, and excel at it.

And finally, it’s a cliche, but teamwork is so important in design. It’s important, productive, rewarding (and fun!) to be diplomatic, work together and share inspiration.

No doubt Xperia Z1 Compact is a class phone, except for a few flaws like low speaker sound ( for some ) and embedded battery, it has unmatched performance. It has drawn very positive reviews from users who are using it now and from various tech websites who have already reviewed it.

Do let us know about your views on the things which Linda Lissola said, like it or not. Drop your comments below.

Download Xperia Z1 Compact User Manual Guide Pdf from Sony Support

A few days ago we posted that Sony has made live Xperia Z1 Compact Quick Reference Guide for download and now Xperia Z1 Compact User Manual Guide is available for download from Xperia Z1 Compact document support section. Xperia Z1 Compact user manual guide describes the full guide to use Xperia Z1 Compact with full tutorials available to use different features.

Xperia Z1 Compact User Manual Guide is available in more than 20 languages along with different other documents like white paper, warranty information, SAR information, environmental declaration. User manual describes full steps on how to use your Xperia Z1 Compact after you have got it in your hands, though the hard copy of very same manual is also provided inside the Xperia Z1 Compact retail box.

Download Xperia Z1 Compact User Manual Guide

Download userguide_D5503_English.pdf

Download in other languages, visit Official Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Support

If you want to read the Xperia Z1 Compact User Manual Guide online, read from below.

Click to access userguide_EN_D5503_1_Android4.3.pdf

After checking the document we found out Xperia Z1 Compact also have the physical hard reset button inside SIM card slot just like Xperia Z1 have. There is a tiny red button inside micro SIM card slot,pressing it forcefully shuts the phone down.

Sony has now officially started shipping Xperia Z1 Compact in Germany and UK, if you are planning to buy one or already have got it, do let us know you initial review of it.

Xperia Z1 Compact Hands on Experience Photos and Review

Have you got your Xperia Z1 Compact ? Yes, Sony has started shipping SIM free Xperia Z1 Compact in Europe especially in UK where it is priced at £449 and users have already got it in their hands. Last night Sony also started shipping unlocked Xperia Z1 Compact in Germany, priced at €499 . On the very first day of listing Xperia Z1 Compact in UK and Germany, Black and Pink Xperia Z1 Compact went out of stock in respective regions. Early impression of Xperia Z1 Compact has started coming from the users who have got it now; for some it is the best Sony Xperia handset till now and for some it has some flaws which it inherited from Xperia Z1.

Xperia Z1 Compact has a price of a flagship device just like its specifications which are exactly similar to Xperia Z1, except the smaller screen and battery size. Xperia Z1 Compact features Snapdragon 800 SoC, Adreno 330 GPU, 2 GB RAM, 4.3″ 720p display, 342 PPI ( enough for 4.3″ screen ) with Triluminos, X-Reality for mobile, 20.7 MP rear cam and retains the flagship water and dust resistance certification. Today we have brought you some of the initial Xperia Z1 Compact Hands on Experience Photos and a preliminary review.

Xperia Z1 Compact Hands on Experience Photos

Xperia Z1 Compact looks very similar to Xperia Z1 in design except for some change in location of ports and front camera. Let’s have a closer look at Xperia Z1 Compact.

Xperia Z1 Compact features Sony’s “Omni-Balance” design with signature power button. It features “Sony” logo on top of front panel, made of scratch resistant glass. Both front and back panels are made of glass which are cased inside a tough metal frame with round corners.

Xperia Z1 Compact features 20.7 MP rear cam capable of recording 1080p videos at 30 fps, with sensor exactly similar like Xperia Z1. The position of LED flash in Xperia Z1 Compact is different from Xperia Z1. At the back panel you see the Sony and Xperia branding with a NFC icon logo.

Xperia Z1 Compact dimensions are 127 x 64.9 x 9.5 mm, weighs 137 gram, pretty decent for a phone with 4.3″ screen and 2300 mAh embedded battery. But if you take it in hands you might feel, it is a bit longer because of upside down bezels, while side bezels seems fine.

Look at the upside down bezels in below pic. Front cam is positioned at the extreme top right corner, 2 MP capable of recording 1080p videos at 30 fps. At top there is space of notification LED light ( brighter then Xperia Z1 ) and inbuilt hearing speaker.

While Xperia Z1 Compact fits easily in one hand as compared to Xperia Z1 which feels bulkier while holding in hand a 5″ display phone. Secondary microphone is provided at the back side of phone.

Sony has shifted the SIM port from right side to left side in Xperia Z1 Compact as when compared to Xperia Z1. At right side profile of Xperia Z1 Compact you will find, power button, volume rocker keys and external camera shutter key. You may find power button very tiny in size if you are a first time user and volume rocker keys are also not that much comfortable to press. External camera key is positioned correctly, no issues in using it. A strap hole is also provided at end.

Left side profile of Xperia Z1 Compact has USB port at top, followed by Micro SD slot, magnetic charging dock pins and in the end SIM car slot is present. Sony has introduced a new magnetic charging dock DK32 for Xperia Z1 Compact exclusively. If you don’t want to open the USB port flap again and again for charging then it is advised to use either Dock DK 32 or EC21 magnetic charging cable.

No HDMI port is provided, while Micro USB ( 2.0) and USB-on-the-go is available.

3.5 mm water proof headphone jack is provided at top profile of Xperia Z1 Compact, it is also at different position as when compared to Xperia Z1.

At the bottom profile of Xperia Z1 Compact, external speaker grill is provided exactly similar to Xperia Z1. Many users are claiming it’s sound is also low exactly like Xperia Z1.

Sony has released Xperia Z1 Compact D5503 with Android 4.3 out of the box, firmware build 14.2.A.1.114. Recently 14.2.A.1.136 firmware build is certified for Xperia Z1 Compact, already rolled for Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra. Xperia Z1 Compact was recently added in SUS, it means now you can update firmware on it officially via SUS or PCC.

It is in news that Sony has started working on Android 4.4.X KitKat 14.3.A.X.XXX firmware and the same build will be released for Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z Ultra.

Sony has introduced a white UI on Android 4.3 for its devices.

Google Chrome is the default browser in Xperia Z1 Compact.

Xperia Z1 Compact has in-built 2300 mAh battery and as per GsmArena Xperia Z1 Compact battery test results, it obtained 65 hours endurance rating which is awesome for an Android powered device beating Xperia Z1 is web browsing and video play back time. Only one thing can be said about the battery backup of Xperia Z1 Compact that it is stellar.!

Check below the detailed report on GsmArena Xperia Z1 Compact battery test result.

Xperia Z1 Compact battery test results – 65 Hours Endurance rating

As Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z1 share the same camera MP and sensor so not much difference in seen in the images from both handsets.

Check below the detailed camera comparison between Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z1.

Xperia Z1 vs Xperia Z1 Compact Camera Comparison pics

Xperia Z1 Compact Camera vs iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, HTC One Mini, Galaxy S4 Mini Camera Comparison from tests conducted by Strategy Analytics

Display quality on Xperia Z1 Compact is certainly better than Xperia Z1. Check below the detailed comparison between Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact display.

Xperia Z1 vs Xperia Z1 Compact Display Screen Comparison

Xperia Z1 Compact M51w version as Xperia Z1 Compact Colorful has already been launched in China while its sibling Xperia Z1F on NTT DoCoMo was launched a lot ago in Japan.

Xperia Z1 Compact Colorful M51w beautiful photos in Pink, Black, White, Yellow Color

Overall Xperia Z1 Compact is a nice small pocket friendly phone with flagship device specifications and stellar performance and battery life. It’s already out for shipping in Europe, hope so it soon comes in India and rest parts of Asia, also with a decent price tag.

If you have already got your Xperia Z1 Compact in hands, do let us know about your initial hands on experience. Drop your comments below.

Thanks Henry Green for pics & review 🙂

Xperia Z1 Compact Camera vs iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, HTC One Mini, Galaxy S4 Mini Camera Comparison from tests conducted by Strategy Analytics

A month is about to pass since we saw first saw Xperia Z1 Compact at CES 2014 event, as you all know it is the first ever true mini smartphone made by many manufacturer. Well let’s put it against other flagship devices, a few days back we saw GsmArena coming up with Xperia Z1 Compact battery test result and it is awesome with 65 hours of endurance rating, beating Xperia Z1 in terms of battery and performance that’s basically because of smaller screen size.

Then we came up with detailed camera comparison between Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z1 and as both phones share same MP camera sensor, there wasn’t much difference in the picture quality of both phones. Overall Xperia Z1 Compact seems superior to Xperia Z1 in terms of performance, battery and pocket friendly design. Well professionals at “Strategy Analytics” has performed some test regarding Xperia Z1 Compact Camera, let’s check it out below.

Xperia Z1 Compact camera test result by Strategy Analytics

Below camera results are based upon report by Strategy Analytics comparing Xperia Z1 Compact Camera vs iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, HTC One Mini, Galaxy S4 Mini Camera exclusively.

NOTE :- All Pics are the courtesy of Sony Mobile and “Strategy Analytics”, We have no role in any manner in stating the facts, every fact is based upon the test results of “Strategy Analytics”.

Some pics are captured from all above 5 handsets and they are listed below, first check pics then we will talk about results. [ Click on Pics to ZOOM ]

Image Shot :- Baby toy sleeping in ultra-low light ( Intensity – 0.3 Lux)