Sony Xperia X Feedback thread: non testers share your X Moment for chance to win £100! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the MNers taking part in the product test for the new Sony Xperia X handset - RRP: £459.99 SIM free from the Sony Xperia store Also via:

Vodafone - £30 upfront - £32 per month - 6GB Data
Carphone Warehouse - Free handset - £31 per month - 1GB data
EE - £9.99 upfront - £35.99 per month - 1GB data
Three - £99 upfront - £13 per month (T&Cs) - 500MB data
O2 - Free handset - £36 per month - 2GB data

Sony say “The Xperia X is our latest hero handset, delivering superior features with a fresh new look, improved camera technology, a better user experience and two-day battery life. Thanks to the Xperia X’s smart capture and object tracking technology, it’s the perfect phone to capture those unmissable, unpredictable moments.”

If you’re not a tester, there’s a chance to win a £100 John Lewis voucher by posting on this thread either your best “X Moment” photo or sharing a description of your best X-Moment and whether you managed to capture it.

Sony say “an X-Moment is a split second in time that means something to you that’s here and then gone. It could be a baby’s first steps, achieving a personal goal, a sporting achievement, your dog’s whimsical expression, or just a random flash of happiness and hilarity. It’s a moment that you’d love to capture perfectly that’s all too missable if you, or your phone isn’t up to the job” (if you tweet your photo using the #WhatsYourX hashtag - the best ones will be retweeted by the @SonyXperiaGB handle!)

Testers – please share on this thread – after the hangout briefing – your responses to the following questions.

First impressions
• Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?
• How did you find the user interface?
• What have you done with the device so far?
• Have you taken any photos or videos?

• Have you just made calls and sent texts?
• What are you most looking forward to trying out?

Photography Challenge

Sony want to challenge people to make the most of the Xperia X’s innovative smart capture and object tracking camera technology to photograph life’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, or X Moments.

For Sony, an X Moment is ‘a split second in time that means something to you that’s here and then gone. It could be a baby’s first steps, achieving a personal goal, a sporting achievement, your dog’s whimsical expression, or just a random flash of happiness and hilarity. It’s a moment that you’d love to capture perfectly that’s all too missable if you, or your phone isn’t up to the job”.

Please share the X Moment photos you have taken with the Xperia on this thread and explain what happened/ the background to the photo!

Final Review
Once you’ve had a couple of week’s testing the Xperia X and playing around with the features, they’d love to see a more in depth evaluation of the handset.

~ Did your first impressions change over time?
~ Did you like the look and feel of the device?
~ Was the user interface natural and simple to use?
~ How does the Xperia X compare with previous phones you’ve had?
~ Did you find the device easy to make calls and send messages?
~ What were some of your favourite features of the phone?
~ How did you find the Xperia X’s camera?
~ Were photos taken on the Xperia X less blurry than those taken on other devices?
~ Would you recommend the device to your friends and family?

Thanks!
MNHQ
Standard Insight T&Cs apply

PS: you can read about our MN bloggers "X Moments" here.

First impressions

• Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?

The set up process was really easy. I've never used Android before and the guide on the phone to get me set up was straightforward and to the point. I was up and running very quickly including using my fingerprint for access. The phone itself looks good, feels solid but not heavy and is a nice size for flipping through one handed.

• How did you find the user interface?
It's slick, looks good and is very responsive. I'm used to apple gestures so I've made a few mistakes but it's intuitive enough that I'm quickly breaking my old habits.

• What have you done with the device so far?
So far I've sent a few texts, made some calls, played some games, been online and played with the camera.

• Have you taken any photos or videos?

Yes. Photos mostly so far. I use my phone a lot as a camera as I have a young family so it's a really important feature for me.

• Have you just made calls and sent texts?
One call and a handful of texts. All very easy to use.

• What are you most looking forward to trying out?
I want to really test the camera out and about. Some of the pictures so far are noticeably better than I get with my old phone. I'd like to see how video comes out too.

X-moment...watching Winbledon at the weekend and every time Murray won a point my 1 year old would clap with the audience...amazingly on cue!

First impressions....

•Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?
The phone is stylish, has a top end quality, look and feel. The setup process was simple and straightforward.

•How did you find the user interface?
Being an android user through and through I find the interface really intuitive, I'd found everything I needed straight away, I love the additional quirks like the app search bar also allowing you to search google play store if not installed.

•What have you done with the device so far?
Set it up, taken photos, added email and social media accounts, played with the AR camera tools (the DC LOVE these!) , installed and played a couple of games, made and received calls and emails.

•Have you taken any photos or videos?
Yes the quality is fantastic. So far it is my favourite camera on a phone (ever)

•Have you just made calls and sent texts?
Yes and not had any issues with call quality or drop outs as yet. The sound is lovely and clear.

•What are you most looking forward to trying out?
I'm looking forward to getting out and testing how the camera compares to my DSLR - For me, I'm always taking photos so a phone with an exceptional camera will win me over every time!

Feedback so far:

• Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?

The phone is nice looking, and nice to hold. As a current android user i found the set up very easy and straightforward. Once set up i could start looking at the features. My only criticism at this point wold be the power lock / button. Its set a bit low and i find it hard to use at times.

•How did you find the user interface?
I find this easy to use and very user friendly. The hangout was also helpful with a couple of features that i wouldn't have realised were there before. The phone is easy to use and seems to be responsive and well thought out.

•What have you done with the device so far?

So far i have been using it to take pictures, browse the web, a couple of calls and some texts. Pretty much a standard use for a phone for me.

•Have you taken any photos or videos?

Yes i have taken quite a few photos and will get them on twitter this week. I love the quick capture side of this camer, as currently my phone takes so long to open and take a picture , the moment has generally gone! The hangout was really good as it showed me how to take the quick camera button not only open but capture a picture within a very short time frame.

•Have you just made calls and sent texts?
A couple of calls but many more text messages, as that is how i use my phone generally. Keyboard is smaller than i am used to and has led to a couple of texts that make no sense. Am getting used to the size now though

•What are you most looking forward to trying out?
I am looking forward to continuing to use the camera, and test out all the settings. The shots so far have been incredibly clear

Tester here, thank you mumsnet and Sony for the opportunity, I'm really loving the phone!

Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?

First impressions are that it's a lovely looking phone, I was sent a rose gold one and it's slim and easy to hold in a hand.
The screen is really clear and the photos and videos that came with the phone look stunning on the display.

The setup process was very simple, I was moving from one Android phone to another and it was very easy to do. I like the Sony find my phone software that comes with, I usually use Ceberus but a free version is nice.

How did you find the user interface?
Very easy to use and very fast. I've had a Samsung previously and I missed the menu button at the start but I've got used to it now and like that it's harder to accidently hit back when I'm using the phone.

What have you done with the device so far?
Everything I've been taking photos and videos, browsing the Internet and watching movies and TV programs. I've moved my banking app over and installed Android Pay which I'm looking froward to using as I'd put a custom rom on my last phone and couldn't use it on that. I've customised the phone with my own wallpapers and keyboard and done some online shopping.

Have you taken any photos or videos?
Yes, I was at a wedding on Friday and got some lovely pictures and videos, they're very clear. I was particularly impressed with the ones of the dance floor as on my old phone they would have been blurred and slightly unfocused due to the lighting but they came out sharp and clear on the Xperia X.

I've been taking photos of DS, I really like the tracking focus and the button on the bottom left you can hold to launch the camera quickly. We were tidying the garden yesterday and I caught a brilliant photo where he turned round with pure mischief in his face and the hose in his hand

I also baked a terrible cake, I didn't line the tin and it fell apart as I put it on the cooling rack but I took a photo of it and the camera automatically put itself into 'gourmet' mode. Thanks Xperia I'm amazed it recognised it as food tbh!

Have you just made calls and sent texts?
Yes, I've sent a few texts but I mainly use WhatsApp. I've made some phonecalls and they've been very clear.

What are you most looking forward to trying out?
I'm looking forward to taking more photos! It's been terrible weather here so I'm looking forward to getting DS out on his balance bike at the park and getting some pictures of him.
I'm also looking forward to trying Android Pay as then I'll never have to worry about forgetting my purse again!

•Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?

The day this handset arrived my own phone (an xperia z2) entered a boot loop that it's still stuck in, so setup was a bit of a baptism of fire! It was blessedly easy in the end though, the introduction feature was really handy for reminding me how to access settings and so on. I ended up setting up the phone at my desk at work, so I'd have something I could use in time for the Google hangout 2 hours later, which could have been awful but was actually done in only about 20 minutes! I was really impressed with hoe almost all the stuff from my old phone transferred across ad soon as I signed in with Google. Even my bookmarks in Chrome were there, and all the saved passwords!

I'm a bit concerned about having a phone that's not waterproof. Its only a matter of time before it gets stolen and sucked on with an almost toddler.

•How did you find the user interface?

Since my old phone was an older Sony Xperia phone there's not much change. Everything is a bit cleaner and simpler - I really liked the tow of apps at the bottom of the home screen. I like the size of the handset a lot - it's easy to hold and type, and much lighter than my previous phone.

It has a cool feature with a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button so you can wake and unlock it with one touch, but I have to admit I'm finding it a bit fiddly. I think I probably should have set up different fingers because I keep holding it in silly positions to get it to read them.

•What have you done with the device so far? •Have you taken any photos or videos? •Have you just made calls and sent texts?

I've browsed the Web, made a few calls, sent texts, shared photos on twitter and Facebook and done a Google hangout.

I'm really liking the quick launch and capture feature for the camera. I can grab my locked phone, aim it and push the camera shutter button and grab a picture really fast. Here's Fergus looking like he's about to spit some bars. I managed to get video of him trying to walk, too.

•What are you most looking forward to trying out?

I'm most excited about a better self facing camera. I love trying to get selfies of me and the baby looking alike!!

non-tester
I took an amazing 'x moment' photo at the weekend. We were at a park, DH was throwing DS3 (1) in the air, I tried to get a photo but couldn't see the screen due to the sun so randomly snapped. When I got home, I found a photo showing DS just above DHs arms with a huge smile, with DS1 and DS2 laughing in the background. I was so pleased to get a happy photo of all the boys in the family! :)

A recent photo X moment at our COusin's wedding my one year old daughter stuck her finger up her Brother's nose as the camera shot! Yikes! non-tester.

My 'X-Moment' was capturing this moment of still, and peacefulness from our CRAZY pup. The beautiful setting helps create a lovely photograph!

This is our latest 'X moment' it happened a few days after the post was put up for testers of the new phone! My 8month old son stood for the first time, I was cleaning up with my back to him and my partner walked in the room and pointed behind me shouting "LOOK" and there was my son standing, he had pulled himself up on the new playpen we had received earlier that day. I told my partner to quickly take a photo! unfortunately his phone camera is only 5mp and my phone camera is broken! I instantly thought of the post and thought if I had one of those phones I would of had a brilliant photo, I have a 16mp digital camera but the memory card was in my laptop at the time! hopefully i will have it ready when he stands unaided for the first time!

This was my X moment. Captured my pooch in mid yawn and think it looks like she's laughing.

Non- Tester: My recent 'X' moment was taken at the Zoo. Unfortunately the lighting wasn't ideal for a photograph, and my phone isn't that great but I managed to capture this Chimpanzee looking straight at me after interacting with him through the glass.

First impressions: really nice size and fits well in my hand. Love the camera and having the z3 before hand meant I already knew how to work the phone. Really like the fingerprint scanner but I'm going to miss not having a waterproof phone.

How did you find the user interface: easy peasy. I really like that when you type in your password you don't have to keep swapping the number and letter keyboard.

What have you done with the phone so far: taken photos, set up apps inc banking, videos and such.

Have you taken any photos or video: both. I took an amazing picture of dd waving to people who were on a moving train and it's so clear you can't tell the train or dds hand I an moving.

I've made calls and texts with no problems.

What are you most looking forward to trying out: camera settings. I didn't get the conference call and I would love to know more about the camera.

Unfortunately my first impressions have been of a repeated boot loop, so hopefully when I get a replacement on Thursday I'll be able to do a proper review. . Unfortunately I can't make the rescheduled conference call so I feel I'm missing out a bit!

A great X moment was captured this weekend when DS 4 was caught playing with his red soft ball, he had thrown it in the air and when I snapped the picture it had just come down to cover his nose so it looked like he had a red clown's nose

•Tell us about your first impressions, how have you found the set up process?

-First impression when I opened to box was it was a very nice looking phone. I got the rose gold colour which is lovely. I'm not really a pink sort of person but it's not too pink.

It's a bigger size of phone than I would normally go for (small hands and fear of dropping it) but it's been easy to use, although I do need to use both hands as my thumb can't reach the whole screen the same way it could on my previous phone.

Set up process was straight forward and easy. I found no issues with this at all.

•How did you find the user interface?

Having never used an android phone before I was expecting to struggle a little but I can honestly say it's been really easy to figure out. I was expecting it to function the way my husbands Samsung galaxy phone does, but there are quite a few differences - for the better. I'm still getting the hang of the swift keyboard, it's not a function I have used before so I tend to forget to look down the bottom for the correct word and have to go back and retype part of my message or posts quite frequently. I'm sure it's something I will get the hang of eventually. I been enjoying finding out new things the phone can do but glad I was on the google hangout session as I would never have found the station mode or quick photo thing on my own.

•What have you done with the device so far?

Calls, texts, games, email, taking photos, alarm feature and Internet browsing.

•Have you taken any photos or videos?

I've taken a lot of photos but no videos as yet. I have noticed that if taking a few photos in one go the phone will pop up with a message saying it has switched of some of the features because the phone is too warm. It has happened a couple of times now. The picture quality is great and the colours are nice and clear. I have found. It can be a little difficult to get a nice sharp close up photo of small things. I think the picture goes a little pixilated when you zoom in close. That might be something that could be fixed by adjusting the settings? I'm not sure.

•Have you just made calls and sent texts?
No I have done more as mentioned above.

•What are you most looking forward to trying out?

I'm looking forward to trying out cromecast. We don't use crime cast a lot at the moment because the picture to the TV tends to run slow with a slightly fuzzy picture and the sound out of sync. I'm not sure if this is due to the device we have been using or our Internet speed so it will be good to try it out on the xperia x to see.

I was also looking forward to trying out the playstation feature but unfortunately the app does not appear to be compatible with PS3 so that will have to wait until we decide to upgrade to a PS4.

Non tester, here. this photo is my X Moment... taken a couple of months ago on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. the captain of the boat had spotted a hippo and gone closer but it was mostly under the water and we couldn't really see it, until suddenly the Hippo gave a huge yawn, then was gone and under the water again. I just snapped a couple of pictures and managed to capture it!

Non tester x moment
When a toddler first steps into the sea.

brandnew. Can I ask you something as I see you've had a z3 before.....which phone do you prefer? Specifically which has the better battery life, is there a noticable difference between the two for battery life? I need a new phone and was planning on the z3 and am now thinking of the x.

X moment - helping on DDs school trip of 7 year olds to go 40 miles away to the sea. At the beach and took a girl down to the sea, she asked me what the swooshing noise was. Realised she had never seen waves, nor the sea, nor had any idea of the noise of them. In that second I realised even though we are pretty skint and my kids don't have much and the house is a hole that actually they and I are pretty lucky and for that I am truly grateful. The smile on the girls face was priceless too (but obviously couldn't take a photo!)

My x-moment was the whilst on holiday a couple years ago. Whilst walking on a trail by Victoria Falls, My then 4 year old son was just a just a few feet away from an impala hiding in the bushesk. It eventually ran away but It was so amazing being so close to a wild animal in its natural habitat! Managed to catch that moment on my phone but unfortunately that phone got lost but the memory of it not forgotten.

Seeing his face when he was called up to get a certificate during awards ceremony when he wasn't (we weren't) expecting one. I really wish I had a photo of that moment, but that face is locked in my memory

Simon z3 battery is better then the x battery. I have both of them in stamina mode and both charged up to 100% before I go to bed and the x is on 92% in the morning and the z3 is on 98%.

They both last all day but where as my z3 would last all day and be on 50% ish by the evening the x is on 25/35ish.

Camera is better on x but the z3 camera wasn't bad. The selfie camera was awful but the x selfie camera is super clear.

I like the x better but I would have still been happy with my z3.

My x moment was when my dd was handed to me after we were apart for a few hours after she was born. The way she looked up into my eyes as we met for the first time 😍