I was recently sent the Sony Xperia V phone to review.
The promo mailer that I was sent before receiving with the phone, claimed that it was kid proof – HA HA! I thought that was a very brave statement to make as they clearly have not met MY kids.
I have always jokingly said that I should hire my kids out to demolition crews who need a house destroyed in 5 minutes or less! So, after the phone arrived I was very keen to see if it would survive MY kids. The irony is that when I presented the phone to my kids, they were interested for only a few minutes. It seems that something forbidden (like my actual everyday phone) is far more appealing!
They did put the phone through it’s paces though with my 19 month old getting his dinner all over it, while his older brother explored all the apps that come with the phone and then enquired if there were any games on it.
Features
The Sony Xperia V provides the following features:
- 4.3” HD Reality Display powered by the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for razor sharp clarity
- 13 MP fast capture camera with full HD video recording.
- Latest generation 1.5GHz dual core processor for improved battery life, fast performance and ultra-sharp graphics
- LTE for the fastest data download speeds (in markets where technology is available)
- Easy connectivity with One-touch ‘One-touch’ enabled by NFC
- Clear audio+ for the highest level of sound quality
- PlayStation™ Certified
- Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) following launch. Detailed timing to follow
- Highest levels of dust and water resistance in a smartphone (IP55/57+) ensure protection from the effects of immersion up to 1m for 30 minutes
- MHL connectivity for viewing content on a big screen without the need for a charger
My Review
I must say that I already have another phone from a different brand that has a bigger screen which I really enjoy, so I had to put that aside and look at the actual user experience and the kid-friendly capability of the phone.
Firstly, both my phone and this phone run Android which is by far my preferred phone platform so that was immediately a plus as it was a familiar and dynamic interface.
The main difference for me with this phone is that it has a charging dock, which is quite nifty. You can still charge the phone directly by plugging it into the micro USB slot, but it requires you to open an additional cover (used for waterproofing).
I didn’t use the phone much for calling people, but the battery life seemed OK when running games and using other apps on the phone.
One thing worth mentioning: Sony has great media apps on the phone which are sometimes lacking on other brands.
The Good
I am really impressed by this phone’s ability to deal with everyday potential phone disaster situations especially when it comes to kids e.g. hard knocks or the phone even landing up in the toilet!!
I did not do the toilet test, but I did the next best thing and put it in a basin of water (see demo pic above). Although nervous to try it, it definitely lives up to its claim of being waterproof. I am not saying you should go surfing with it, but it should survive a toilet or bath test with ease.
My husband particularly liked this feature and had great fun faking a drop in a bucket of water or casually rinsing it under a tap while shocking an unsuspecting friend or family member.
The Not So Good
I am not sure what to say here except that it is not the biggest phone (screen size) around and it does not seem to have a very good battery life, but other than that, this phone is a strong contender and will definitely be a winner with any parent who is wary about kids damaging their phone(s).
Conclusion
I enjoyed this phone and the opportunity to test it. It does everything a high end smart phone should do and has the added bonus of being dust and waterproof. I think it’s a winner.
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