Hands On with the Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro
Posted by Norman John in Mobile World Congress 2010, S60, S60 5th Edition, S60v5, Sony Ericsson, Symbian, Vivaz, Vivaz Pro
Sony Ericsson was the only manufacturer that announced a new Symbian based handset during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro is an advanced version of the Vivaz, which was announced just a week prior to MWC. Apparently there are just two main differences between these two Symbian devices - a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and the downscaled 5-megapixel camera. Other than that these two devices are completely identical.
The main highlight of the Vivaz Pro is the 720p HD video-recording capabilities. Of course, this is nothing new since the Samsung I8910 HD features it already. However, there is even more about the video recording other than just the HD quality. When compared to the other smartphones, the focus of the camera on the Vivas Pro constantly adapts. Basically what this means is that everything you record is extremely sharp, whether it be a text in front of the lens or the house a couple of meters away. Even some standalone cameras with video recording functionalities don’t support this.
Although the Vivas Pro’s five-megapixel camera makes it a great camera and video recoding device, there is only a single LED flash on the back. The Satio for instance has a LED and Xenon flash which improves the image quality drastically. A Xenon flash on the Vivaz Pro would’ve made it a real winner.
On the right hand side of the device you will not only find a dedicated camera key but also a dedicated video recording key, so that you can jump straight to your desired mode without the need to switch from camera to video mode or vice versa.
The Vivaz is based on Symbian S60 5th Edition, with some Sony Ericsson based functions and customizations. One of which is the homescreen with five different panels which you can personalize as you wish.
As social media is becoming more and more significant, Sony Ericsson preloaded the Vivaz Pro with a Facebook and Twitter application. In combination with the full slide out QWERTY keyboard, using Facebook and Twitter on the Vivas Pro is a very enjoyable experience. The keyboard has four rows with relatively large keys. Finding the pressure point is easy and one can get used to the keyboard fast. On the right hand side you will find the four arrow keys as well as the enter and backspace buttons.
In terms of the size the Vivaz Pro measures in at 109 x 52 x 15 mm, not too big, and slightly smaller than the Nokia N97. It is built mainly out of plastic and there are no highlights in order to make it look and feel more desirable.
The Vivaz Pro does not support kinetic scrolling in the menu or in lists. We don’t have any information whether this will be added in future updates but thus far there is no sign of kinetic scrolling.
We must note that Sony Ericsson have finally decided to use a proper 3.5mm audio jack and microUSB port. This has always been a major hassle and a major reason to not buy a Sony Ericsson. Leaving the proprietary jack behind and replacing it with the current standard is a great step forward. The Sony Ericsson Vivas Pro is expected to be released in Q2 2010 with a price tag of 490€.
Related posts:
- Pink Sony Ericsson Vivaz
- Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro is shipping
- Stuff Magazine Review The Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro
- Sony Ericsson Vivaz UI – Video Demo
- Sony Ericsson Vivaz on Vice Capture
