Sony Ericsson Vivaz Review

Introduction:

The currently available cell phones capable of HD video capture are still scarcer than chicken teeth. Of course, the undisputed leader in this market niche today is Samsung with their OMNIA HD i8910. The upcoming Samsung Wave S8500 and Samsung Beam I8520 are clear evidence the manufacturer intends to retain and strengthen its position. Said handsets happen to be, however, rather bulky.

With the announcement of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, the company showed its determination to fight for a chunk of the market of HD video capable cell phones and that such functionality does not necessarily equate to bulky size and hefty weight. The Vivaz is the second model of the “communication entertainment” series, with the Xperia X10 being the first. To win over customers, the device does not rely only on its capable 8-megapixel camera only, but proper multimedia functionality as well.

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz is a high-end smartphone based on Symbian S60 5th Edition (also known as the Symbian^1) and the same personalized interface as the software-updated Sony Ericsson Satio. The Vivaz comes with 3.2-inch resistive screen, Wi-Fi with DLNA, HSDPA, GPS, accelerometer, FM radio, 720MHz processor and OpenGL ES 2.0 support.

What’s inside the box of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz?

•    The Sony Ericsson Vivaz
•    8GB microSD card
•    Stylus
•    Wall charger
•    microUSB cable
•    Stereo headset (the Sony Ericsson HPM-60/J with 3.5mm jack)
•    User guide in several languages

Design:

The outward appearance of the Vivaz follows the overall styling introduced by the Xperia X10 and the cell phone looks contemporary, elegant and pleasing. We are reviewing the black device that appears more buttoned-down and austere alongside of the other color solutions the handset is available in - red, grey and blue. They look more offbeat and lively, not last due to the easily recognizable and glossy sides. The Sony Ericsson Vivaz is entirely made from plastic that feels enjoyable to touch. Throw the compact size and low weight of the cell phone into the deal and you’ve got a really likable device.



You can compare the Sony Ericsson Vivaz with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

As we have already mentioned, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz features 3.2-inch resistive display with the standard for a Symbian S60 5th Edition handset native resolution of 360x640 pixels. We do not have any major gripes relating to the screen sensitivity, given the particular technology it integrates. Naturally, it would have been much better if it was capacitive, but we can live with that. The resistive technology is easy to get used to and the learning curve is not steep.

We do like the screen - it supports 16mln colors and delivers saturated, beautiful colors despite being a TFT and not AMOLED display. Unfortunately, things change radically if you take the device outdoors, because even if it does not turn into an almost flawless mirror in direct sunlight, you will definitely have troubles managing to distinguish what’s on screen. The issue is, at least partly, result of the unfaltering love for fingerprints of the latter.

What you have above and below the screen are power on/off button, earpiece, video call camera, send and end keys and a button to access the main menu and task manager (if held pressed for a while). The 3.5mm jack, microUSB port and loudspeaker are on the left hand side, while the volume rocker and two separate camera shutters keys are on the opposite. The latter two make for a novelty feature that we do like, because you no longer need to waste time getting to the relevant setting to switch between picture/video shooting modes and starting the camera in the mode you need is just a simple press away.



The manufacturer’s name and logo are clearly visible on the plastic back panel, along with the letters “HD” and the single opening for the lens and LED flash of the 8-megapixel camera. Everything seems just fine, but we are slightly troubled by the lack of a protective flap to shield them against scratches, dust and more severe injuries - without its 8-megapixel camera, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz would have been yet another ordinary S60 5th Edition smartphone.

Interface:

In order to be smart enough, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz relies on Symbian S60 5th Edition (also known as the Symbian^1) that also powers the Samsung OMNIA HD i8910, Sony Ericsson Satio, Nokia N97 (mini), etc.

The interface of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is personalized in the same way as the version available with the software-updated 12-megapixel Satio – a Flash-based theme developed by Sony Ericsson divides the screen into five separate tabs. Each of them offers varied functionality and conveniences like favorite contacts, Twitter following, browsing of pictures and videos as well as several shortcuts to functions that you are allowed to customize.



All told, we cannot call the personalization grandiose. We would have liked to see changes in the interface of Symbian S60 that would have indicated the operating system was evolving. Still, we need to give credit where credit is due and admit that we like Sony Ericsson’s solution, because the interface looks nice indeed, sports cool visuals, happens to be handy to use and can certainly save you time. However, you are perfectly free not to use the theme in case you don’t like it and switch over to some of the simpler themes typical of Symbian^1.

The only major drawback in the particular case of Vivaz is none other but the lack of kinetic scrolling support, which brings us back to the time when the functionality was unavailable to owners of the Nokia N97. People did express their discontent at the lack of the feature and the manufacturer had no choice but to add it via software update. We do hope Sony Ericsson does the same and fixes the issue soon.

Phonebook, organizer and messaging:

There is no difference between the phonebook and organizer applications available with the Sony Ericsson Satio, Nokia N97 (mini), 5800 XpressMusic, 5530 XpressMusic and all other devices running Symbian S60 5Th Edition. The functionality of the programs is just as good as ever and some of their distinguishing features include convenient phone book searching based on the input method adopted in navigational systems, comfortable calendar event entry, handy browsing of calendar schedules etc.


Come to message composing, there are several text input methods that you can take advantage of and they are the same we know from the Satio – handwriting recognition, alphanumeric layout, compact full (can be moved around the screen) and landscape QWERTY keyboards. We are truly pleased at the latter, since it happens to be quite comfortable to type away with, despite the fact the display cannot be called huge. Its buttons are large enough and allow for fast and relatively error-free text entry.


The email client is the standard application that comes with the operating system itself. It supports multiple accounts, although switching between them is somewhat clumsy, because you must disconnect from the currently active one in order to log into another. Moreover, the application does not support HTML, which is a definite drawback these days. As we have already had the chance to say in our reviews of other cell phones based on Symbian S60 5th Edition, we would prefer the comfy Nokia Messaging any day (take a look at our review of the Nokia E75 to find out more).



Software:

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz comes with several pre-installed applications available via the Apps submenu.

•    SMS Preview is a program that shows the last received message directly on the home screen and we have to say we like the concept and its practical implementation equally.
•    YouTube – the program features a really likeable interface that is functional in landscape mode only, but it allows for easy navigation, sports beautiful visuals and well made player with handy buttons;
•    Facebook application developed by Opentech ENG with enjoyable interface that is slightly heavy on the system. This is a minor issue though, given the program has a truly rich functionality – you can follow the status updates of your online buddies, preview your wall, pictures and messages, leave comments, see a list of your friends on the service, plus you have the option to give them a ring and send text and Facebook messages.



Said applications are both useful and handy to use, although Vivaz does not come with even a single game, while at the same time Nokia’s application store, Ovi Store, is only accessible via Nokia-made smartphones, meaning you will have to make do with what’s available at Sony Ericsson’s PlayNow service or find another software source.

We are disappointed at the crippled Office and PDF functionality of the handset. The Sony Ericsson Vivaz comes with pre-installed Quickoffice, but it’s not the full software version and you need to shell out $18.76 if you need support for Office 2007 documents. At least the fee includes unlocking the copy of Adore Reader that is otherwise just a 15-day trial version. Of course, the functionality emphasis in the particular case of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is the device camera and multimedia features, but that doesn’t mean the office applications should be neglected… we are talking about a contemporary smartphone after all.



Internet:

You can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi 802.11b/g or HSDPA 7.2Mbps and HSUPA 2.0Mbps. As a smartphone running Symbian^1, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is equipped with the standard WebKit-based browser of the operating system itself. It does not offer any novelty features alongside of what other Symbian S60 5th Edition devices deliver. Navigation is both easy and comfortable and the application handles heavy and complex websites without a hitch, but still lacks Flash support.


As a whole, however, the browser looks ageing and has remained the same for quite some time now. That is why we would recommend you to get Opera Mobile 10, which is a proper alternative, because it offers modern interface with cool options like tabbed browsing, kinetic scrolling and fast loading of web pages thanks to Opera Turbo. The latter technology also helps you to slash on generated traffic, which may come in pretty handy for people who haven’t signed up for a proper data plan.




GPS:

Out of the box, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is equipped with two navigational programs that we know too well – Google Maps and Wisepilot that is actually a 30-day trial. Both applications have their own advantages and shortcomings, so it’s really hard to say which one is better, but we assume most people would opt for Google Map, since it’s completely free. In case you don’t really like either of them, Garmin Mobile XT is a truly capable (albeit paid) alternative option.



We are really pleased at the snappy GPS module that managed to pinpoint our exact location in less than 30 seconds on its first start. Well, the credit goes to the assisted GPS functionality of the module, of course, but with the busy daily routines of most people today, who would look down on the opportunity to save time and get things done faster? You will be able to see the bright dot designating your current location in less than 5 seconds after hot restart. It’s interesting to note that being next to a window inside a building does not affect the overall functionality of the device and you get pretty much the same timings. This is quite unusual of a cell phone, because the GPS modules of almost all handsets we have tested tend to get sluggish indoors.

Camera and Multimedia:

We have finally made it to the truly interesting part, the 8-megapixel camera, the HD video capture and playback functionality. Let’s first take a look at its rather mirthless and boring interface design that is virtually the same as the version running on the Satio. The available options are quite a few indeed, including several shooting modes, face and smile detection, touch focus and geo-tagging. The thing is the interface can get really sluggish at times, in which case it needs several seconds to respond to your commands. This is an irksome issue that may effectively prevent you from taking an interesting snapshot in case you need to react fast.


Naturally, image quality is of far greater importance than interface. The snapshots taken with the Vivaz are, however, not what we expected. Aside from the proper details, all other aspects of the pictures are… mediocre – purple fringing and thin, surreal colors. At least there is no perceptible image distortion. All told, the image quality is downright disappointing alongside of snapshots taken with the Samsung OMNIA HD.



Sony Ericsson Vivaz sample video at 1280x720 pixels resolution

Fortunately, the HD videos we took are detailed and their image and sound quality are really good, so there is at least one aspect in which the Vivaz excels and is truly competitive alongside of its archrival. It’s a great thing that the built-in Wi-Fi supports DLNA, meaning the pre-installed Media Server application will allow you to see pictures and videos you have captured directly onto your TV-set screen (if it supports DLNA, of course) and without any cables.

It’s about time we told you about the HD video playback features of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz and if it’s any good at the task. In a single word, the handset is awesome and marvelously handles MP4 files coded with MPEG-4 codec, at resolution of 1280x720 pixels, 30 frames per second and high bitrate (in the vicinity of 4,200 Kbps…, that’s right, this is not a mistake). During our tests, we didn’t evidence even a single hang-up or dropped frame. Well, the display is not as large as the one the Samsung OMNIA HD is equipped with, but the image quality the Vivaz delivers makes up for the smaller size. The only missing feature is DivX and Xvid support, but the issue can be addressed easily – just get software like Core Player. We have to admit that Sony Ericsson has done their job properly and the Vivaz is brilliant at HD video playback.


Many people love listening to music while travelling, working out in the gym or being preoccupied in a host of different activities. Of course, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz can be used as a music player - it is equipped with 3.5mm jack and likeable Flash interface that we know from previous models of the manufacturer. It offers a number of options, save one – equalizer. Sony Ericsson has recently addressed the problem, however, and released a dedicated application for the Vivaz that can be downloaded from PlayNow.


Although Sony Ericsson has successfully fixed the afore-mentioned annoying issue, the boxed headset (the Sony Ericsson HPM-60/J) is flat out awful – the sound through it is overly quiet, lacks whatever bass frequencies and trebles are muddy and hard to distinguish. However, the sound quality improves drastically the second you plug-in a proper earphone set, say the Sony Ericsson MH500 that comes boxed with the Xperia X10 (pronounced basses, easily discernible high-range frequencies). The moral of the story is you better keep away from the boxed headset and get a proper pair if you intend to use the Vivaz as an audio player.

Performance and Conclusion:

Similarly to the 600MHz processor of the Samsung OMNIA HD i8910, the chip the Sony Ericsson Vivaz integrates is based on ARM’s famous Cortex A8 architecture, but runs at 720MHz instead. Moreover, its power is clearly felt at not just HD video playback, but while working with the handset interface and applications as well. However, the situation changes in a snap when the total size of all files stored onto the 8GB expansion card gets near 6GB - the Vivaz became increasingly unresponsive during our tests and to the point we thought it had frozen. We plugged in another expansion card, just to make sure the boxed card is not faulty or something, but the situation remained the same.

The handset does not offer perfect in-call quality, but the sound is loud enough on the both ends of the line. At any rate, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz performs significantly better than the OMNIA HD with this respect.

However, this is just not enough to become one of the best multimedia smartphones today. The Sony Ericsson Vivaz has other strengths that make it a viable option and preferable alternative, especially for people who would never go for the bulky size and hefty weight of Samsung’s multimedia monster. The list of advantages includes compact size, enjoyable appeal, brilliant HD video playback and innovative camera shutter with two separate buttons.

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz is, however, far from perfect in every single respect. Its 8-megapixel camera is mediocre in terms of image quality, not to mention the handset can get annoyingly unresponsive in certain situations. Finally, it doesn’t come with built-in DivX and Xvid support and anyone willing to use it as a fully functional audio player replacement will have to fork out extra cash for a decent headset pair.

Of course, you need to draw the line somewhere and if we had to choose between the Vivaz and OMNIA HD today, we would certainly have a really hard time. Our likes and dislikes about either of these hang in almost perfect balance. On the one hand, Sony Ericsson’s device looks better and happens to be more compact, which goes to show handsets do not need to be bulky in order to be functional. On the other hand, Samsung’s device remains unrivaled with its exceptional multimedia capabilities, better snapshot quality and audio player. That’s why we would most probably do the following:

-    Grab the Sony Ericsson Vivaz if we needed a cool looking, compact and powerful smartphone, capable of proper HD video playback.
-    Opt for the Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 if we were totally indifferent as to its overall size, weight and look, meaning all we wanted was the best HD-video-capable multimedia device on the market today (that would also allow us to score us a point or two showing it off to our high-tech loving friends).