If you've been following my continuing review of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, you'll know that it has a small but perfectly formed body and a great camera/camcorder, plus a glitzy new homescreen and media suite. But how does it stack up as an overall smartphone, in comparison to devices like the Nokia X6? What about application load-out and compatibility? Here's the final part of my Vivaz review.
Read on in the full article.
There are a number of advantages to resitive touch screens over capacitive that are frequently overlooked. Not only that, I have several examples of each type of screen available to me, and I am 100% positive that there is not that much difference in normal use.
Resistive >>> Capacitive in my books
Well, if resistive is so good, why are all the phone manufacturers using capacitive on their newest and most expensive devices?
Just because many manufactures are using capacitive doesn't mean it's better. Just look at all the glossy laptop screens... Both resistive and capacitive have advantages and disadvantages.
Personally I prefer a resistive screen too, never liked the screen on my Ipod Touch. Turn the vibration off and I think you get a better experience as well.
The menu screens can be solved by something like the free Vmenu app, but personally I have been testing it for a few days and keep reverting back to the scroll bars. I don't know why but I do like the scrollbars lol
I do find the contacts area of Symbian to be a bit weak, with only a list and groups on the main page, internally is fine. Is there any app to improve this area?
I also didn't like the basic alarm app so I have replaced it too.
I will check out Mobile Shell when it arrives for S60 V5 but for now I am very happy in general with the Vivaz.
I do have a 16gb card but haven't bothered replacing the default 8gb one yet.
Lets hope SE further refine the firmware in a future release, my camera memory issue seems to have fixed itself since I reset to default settings, but all in all it is an excellent little phone.
Regardless, the highend market is rapidly moving (or even moved) to capacitive screens. You can't deny that.
Unregistered wrote:Regardless, the highend market is rapidly moving (or even moved) to capacitive screens. You can't deny that.
Depends what part of the world you are in.
"Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
Regardless, the highend market is rapidly moving (or even moved) to capacitive screens. You can't deny that.
Depends what part of the world you are in."
Well yeah, if you're selling mobiles in a country that can't even afford their own personal computer than you'd be mad to release a premium high end device...but if you release a device that has a cheap resistive screen, slow old processor, minute amount of RAM and poor build quality then yeah you'll sell a ton and people will proclaim the superiority of resistive screens 😊
^^ Wow ignorant comment by an ignorant American fanboy at its finest.
Please visit Asia and see how much developed and high end the mobile phones there, before spouting such nonsense.
Resistive screens are important to many Asians due to the need for handwriting recognitions.
"^^ Wow ignorant comment by an ignorant American fanboy at its finest."
I'm English, actually 😊
"Please visit Asia and see how much developed and high end the mobile phones there, before spouting such nonsense."
I'm pretty sure many of the fine people In Asia can afford their own personal computer (and have one too) which shows my comments were not aimed at that country 😉
"Resistive screens are important to many Asians due to the need for handwriting recognitions."
You do realise you can have HW recognition software on capacitive screens too, right?
I am very much a Nokia man. I have to migrate to SE for the time being until Nokia comes out with her 12mp camera phone most probably in Q3 or Q4. I am using a Satio now & despite two SW upgrades. Is still not up to it. Secondly, I have experienced whereby the camera cover accidently opened inside my pants pocket. This problem can be overcome easily by using a phone case which I don't. I am attracted to the Vivaz because of its form factor, better battery capacity, more responsive UI & hopefully not too buggy like the Satio.
I have asked Steve in my previous posting whether is worthwhile to change from a Satio to a Vivaz. He replied "YES" without any hesitation.
Vivaz is still not available yet in my country & according to my regular phone vendor is anyday now. I have asked him to get me a Cosmic Black.
I have used phones with both capacitive and resistive screens and honestly I prefer the accuracy of resistive to the sensitivity of capacitive. Resistive just allows me to use drawing applications (which frankly requires a stylus if you want anything other than what will look like a doodle by a 3 year old).
Both can exists, but just because capacitive are more popular with high end phones does not automatically make them better. Just like one commentator above said about glossy screens - they are extremely popular but works poorly in certain environment and lighting conditions, namely the office and outdoors.
"I have used phones with both capacitive and resistive screens and honestly I prefer the accuracy of resistive to the sensitivity of capacitive. Resistive just allows me to use drawing applications (which frankly requires a stylus if you want anything other than what will look like a doodle by a 3 year old)."
Are you kidding me? Do yourself a favour and google "Brushes for iPhone" and then tell me capacitive screens can only produce drawings of a 3 year old...
while the discussion against capacitive screens is pretty ludicrous, the need of being able to use a stylus on a touchscreen when needed is probably still valid for many reasons, especially for small touchscreens. I like capacitive for it's finger friendliness, but I like to still be able to use a stylus once in a while when I need to. Why is that so hard?!
iFanboy wrote:"I have used phones with both capacitive and resistive screens and honestly I prefer the accuracy of resistive to the sensitivity of capacitive. Resistive just allows me to use drawing applications (which frankly requires a stylus if you want anything other than what will look like a doodle by a 3 year old)."Are you kidding me? Do yourself a favour and google "Brushes for iPhone" and then tell me capacitive screens can only produce drawings of a 3 year old...
An iPhone is not a drawing tool, I would suggest that holds for any phone. If you are thinking of creating an illustration, drawing or work of art, a phone is not going to be the first choice medium.
However, the argument against the capacitive screen is not ludicrous. Resistive are far more robust are not limited to only a penis or fingertip. The sensitivity gap is closing too. Unless a new technology comes along (not unlikely) resistive will completely displace capacitive within three years.
"Resistive are far more robust are not limited to only a penis or fingertip."
I can imagine iFanboy rubbing his against a picture of Steve Jobs on his iPhone.
"while the discussion against capacitive screens is pretty ludicrous, the need of being able to use a stylus on a touchscreen when needed is probably still valid for many reasons, especially for small touchscreens. I like capacitive for it's finger friendliness, but I like to still be able to use a stylus once in a while when I need to. Why is that so hard?!"
Um, you do know you can get Styli for Capacitive phones, right?
"An iPhone is not a drawing tool, I would suggest that holds for any phone. If you are thinking of creating an illustration, drawing or work of art, a phone is not going to be the first choice medium.
However, the argument against the capacitive screen is not ludicrous. Resistive are far more robust are not limited to only a penis or fingertip. The sensitivity gap is closing too. Unless a new technology comes along (not unlikely) resistive will completely displace capacitive within three years."
So, the fact that numerous magazines have used art CREATED from the iPhone as their front picture?? Hell even The Times magazine has used cover art created by someone using Brushes on the iPhone! So how can a "phone" not be first choice? Maybe you mean "Underpowered, buggy, slow, old hardware S60 phone"? On nice one on the penis comment, running out of comebacks? Lol app I use is proof and facts and you people come back with this rubbish?
""Resistive are far more robust are not limited to only a penis or fingertip."
I can imagine iFanboy rubbing his against a picture of Steve Jobs on his iPhone."
Heh, I figured my username would create some controversy, you do understand that word right? Nice insult too, think that one up all by yourself? Awww
Still not available in my country as of now but saw a dummy Vivaz on display. Looks kind of compact compare to the Satio & I like it.
As I understand the package comes with a screen protector as well.
Is that true?
Thank you.
It has a screen protector. In fact it has 3, one on the phone and 2 in the box. I bough mine from a german online store but I guess the content of the box is standard.
Liviu
iFanboy wrote:"
"An iPhone is not a drawing tool, I would suggest that holds for any phone. If you are thinking of creating an illustration, drawing or work of art, a phone is not going to be the first choice medium.So, the fact that numerous magazines have used art CREATED from the iPhone as their front picture?? Hell even The Times magazine has used cover art created by someone using Brushes on the iPhone! So how can a "phone" not be first choice? Maybe you mean "Underpowered, buggy, slow, old hardware S60 phone"? On nice one on the penis comment, running out of comebacks? Lol app I use is proof and facts and you people come back with this rubbish?
I wrote "that holds for any phone" and "a phone is not going to be first choice"
I didn't write "iPhone is not going to be first choice".
If you were an illustrator, would you choose a phone or a desktop Mac as your first choice tool?
As for the penis comment, it seems very appropriate now you have rabidly jumped in with both feet in such a defensive way, without reading properly first.
I can see what your first choice tool is going to be 😉
"I wrote "that holds for any phone" and "a phone is not going to be first choice"
I didn't write "iPhone is not going to be first choice"."
Eh? But the iPhone is a "phone"? So where you said "that holds for any phone" I was right, as the iPhone IS the choice for some artists as they can carry a portable canvass around with them everywhere and design powerful images from it. My argument still stands then, capacitive screens are better than resitive, one reason being content creation - I haven't seen any uses from a resistive screen being better than a capacitive, which I have seen the other way around, resort to petty insults all you like - it just shows how desparate you are
"If you were an illustrator, would you choose a phone or a desktop Mac as your first choice tool?"
Depends on your needs tbh, if I were away from the office/studio a lot then yes I'd choose the iPhone (or iPad) as it gives me the tools necessary for content creation
"As for the penis comment, it seems very appropriate now you have rabidly jumped in with both feet in such a defensive way, without reading properly first."
Yeah, insults are always necassery, huh? *Rolls eyes*
Some prefer resistive screens some capacitive, now lets get over it.
This is probably the best video I have seen shot with the vivaz to date
"Basing everything on the web is simpler than Nokia's system of using a Web runtime widget, but it has its own issues. Not least navigation. Open up PlayNow and browse around a little. You're offered 'Close' on the right soft key and so you use it. You'd think that this closed down the browser window. Not so. It's still open in the background but you have to be a Web-savvy geek to find your way back to it via the 'Internet' browser's sub-menu. Instead, next time you tap on PlayNow, you get another instance of Web. And then another (see the 'window count' at the top of the photo below). And then another, until you've hit the internal limit within Web and everything starts to fall down around you. Confusing for the unwary and extremely inelegant."
That is somewhat unfortunate, but this should help:
http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/support/phones/detailed/trythephone/vivaz?cc=gb&lc=en
Choose scenario > Applications and PC software > Task manager
Good and balanced review. Looks like I need to check Vivaz IRL.
Steve,
I don't know if you are still following this thread but if you are can you tell me if the Vivaz has Nokia' Sync application built in? I would like to get a Vivaz but I absolutely must have a syncml client to sync pim data with my work servers.
Hi guys,
Took delivery of my Vivaz (Cosmic Black) this afternoon to replace my Satio. What can I say??
I listened to Steve's advice when I asked him if is worthwhile to change to a Vivaz.
The form factor alone is enough to convince me to change.
UI is more responsive than the Satio (with two SW upgrades) though there is still room for improvement.
In a nutshell: no regrets what so ever.
Just received my Vivaz but it doesn't appear to come with Google Maps or You Tube. Also, I have Yahoo on my quick bar. How can I change this?
Many thanks
I have been using my Vivaz for 5 days now. So far so good.
Is a much better phone than the Satio in every way. Small form factor, lightweight, decent battery life & quite responsive UI.
I do not like the shiny plasticky finish on the phone as it scratches easily. Feeble loudspeaker even at max volume. Could have a dedicated lock key button rather than sharing it with the ON/OFF button located at the top of the phone.
In a nut shell, it is cheaper than a Satio & yet is a much better phone.
Removed Post, sorry
Hi guys,
I concern the still camera performance in low light environment. I wonder if the best is Nokia N82 (although it is 5mp), N86 the second, and followed by SE Vivaz?
Any suggestions?
As to the video recording, it is quite sure that SE Vivaz is the best ... until the upcoming Samsung Wave, which should be very competitive with SE Vivaz? Agreed?
Alex