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Hi what you guys think of this phone? Is it worth to buy? I'm planning to upgrade my phone
kelvinkou said:
Hi what you guys think of this phone? Is it worth to buy? I'm planning to upgrade my phone
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Well of course it is! Awesome phone! And you should ask what to buy and stuff in the device suggestion thread
I've been holding out for the Nexus 4 but I have to admit that the Xperia Z has my attention. I think the splash proof feature is great but taking off the charging port cover every time it needs charging (at least once a day possibly more) would be a real pain. If only they included wireless charging then I would have been sold. If I do get the Xperia Z then I'll probably permanently remove the cover for the charging port and thus lose the splashproof aspect. Luckily the Xperia Z has a lot more going for it. The other reason that I might be apprehensive of the Xperia Z is possibly slow Android OS updates.
Techno79 said:
I've been holding out for the Nexus 4 but I have to admit that the Xperia Z has my attention. I think the splash proof feature is great but taking off the charging port cover every time it needs charging (at least once a day possibly more) would be a real pain. If only they included wireless charging then I would have been sold. If I do get the Xperia Z then I'll probably permanently remove the cover for the charging port and thus lose the splashproof aspect. Luckily the Xperia Z has a lot more going for it. The other reason that I might be apprehensive of the Xperia Z is possibly slow Android OS updates.
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don`t worry if you are a even a barely proficient rom flasher (like me ) sony makes it very easy for you to unlock the bootloader with official support It literally took me less than 10 minute to unlock the bootloader and install cm10 plus kernel.
i think this Xperia Z was the best phone from sony...but more interested with Galaxy Note II GT-N7100
cs098 said:
don`t worry if you are a even a barely proficient rom flasher (like me ) sony makes it very easy for you to unlock the bootloader with official support It literally took me less than 10 minute to unlock the bootloader and install cm10 plus kernel.
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I know that custom ROMs make a number of enhancements and improvements over stock but I'm actually really keen on using a phone that is just totally stock (or as close to it as possible).
Plus, I've always found custom ROMs to be more unstable than an official ROM specifically for that phone. I've never tried CM ROMs (mainly been using the Resurrection Remix ROM for SGS2).
Techno79 said:
I know that custom ROMs make a number of enhancements and improvements over stock but I'm actually really keen on using a phone that is just totally stock (or as close to it as possible).
Plus, I've always found custom ROMs to be more unstable than an official ROM specifically for that phone. I've never tried CM ROMs (mainly been using the Resurrection Remix ROM for SGS2).
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when the xperia z come out you should try stock based roms, these only takes a week or two become stable with very minimal changes and because the xperia z has jellybean it should be a smooth experience. And besides I heard sony will be upgrading the z and zl to jb 4.2 shortly after its release
cs098 said:
when the xperia z come out you should try stock based roms, these only takes a week or two become stable with very minimal changes and because the xperia z has jellybean it should be a smooth experience. And besides I heard sony will be upgrading the z and zl to jb 4.2 shortly after its release
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Sure, I appreciate that but Sony would shoot itself in the foot if it hadn't announced a quick 4.2 update after release as it would really hamper sales. I doubt they'll be so timely when the phone is 6 to 12 months old and their attention is focused on a new flag ship phone.
Similar story with the Samsung S2 and S3. S3 gets the JB update very quickly after release but S2 still hasn't gotten JB even though JB was released about 14 months after it's initial release.
I'm really hoping that the N4 will continue to receive updates until it is hardware cannot keep up with the Android OS (which will hopefully be at least 2 years).
Hi
I've just purchased a Sony Xperia Z (second hand). I've run the root programme from Kingo (only via PC worked, not via Android itself).
I've got Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and want to upgrade to the latest one as this version is precluding me from having a couple of apps that I want and have on my other phone.
Can someone please help me?!
Thanks!!
I never thought there would come a day when I would say this about a manufacturer skin, but I'm actually enjoying the .290 Sony 4.3 firmware better than CM 10.2 (And I've been a militant CM supporter/user since version 6.1 -- 4 years ago in the Froyo days). Is it just me or do the Sony firmware builds feel noticeably faster? Also the battery life seems to be improved vs CM and the keyboard is sized more appropriately, etc. etc. The small apps are a nifty feature.
Now I never had stability problems with CM 10.2 so it's not about that; CM 10.2 is rock solid, maybe even slightly more stable than the Stock sony firmware but the Sony firmware seems so so much faster! What say you XDA friends? Do you agree? Am I insane?
brashmadcap said:
I never thought there would come a day when I would say this about a manufacturer skin, but I'm actually enjoying the .290 Sony 4.3 firmware better than CM 10.2 (And I've been a militant CM supporter/user since version 6.1 -- 4 years ago in the Froyo days). Is it just me or do the Sony firmware builds feel noticeably faster? Also the battery life seems to be improved vs CM and the keyboard is sized more appropriately, etc. etc. The small apps are a nifty feature.
Now I never had stability problems with CM 10.2 so it's not about that; CM 10.2 is rock solid, maybe even slightly more stable than the Stock sony firmware but the Sony firmware seems so so much faster! What say you XDA friends? Do you agree? Am I insane?
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No, you're, definitely, not insane and you're not alone on this! Exactly, my feelings. I've never thought that one day I'll start liking one manufacturer's skin/UI better than stock Android. But, it happened. And as a result, I've purchased the Xperia Z Ultra. Couldn't be happier more. It's the best phone I've ever owned.
I have to say/admit that I've faced more stability issues on CM more than Sony's firmwares. And for speed : Yes, it's definitely faster! IMHO, Sony's software engineers are done an excellent job for optimizing the software in the best possible way. There is zero lag, zero glitches etc. Just, very buttery smooth experience.
After the Mr. Kazuo Hirai's becoming the presiden and the CEO of Sony, many things have been changed fundamentally and noticeably. They got their innovation back as it was in 90s and 80s and one more time, started to make some unique products (QX10/QX100, first mirrorless Full-Frame camera except Leica : A7/A7r etc.) like walkman back in the day.
Hopefully, they'll keep this momentum and innovation as long as they can and we will benefit/enjoy of these great products.
Cheers,
Tarkan
brashmadcap said:
I never thought there would come a day when I would say this about a manufacturer skin, but I'm actually enjoying the .290 Sony 4.3 firmware better than CM 10.2 (And I've been a militant CM supporter/user since version 6.1 -- 4 years ago in the Froyo days). Is it just me or do the Sony firmware builds feel noticeably faster? Also the battery life seems to be improved vs CM and the keyboard is sized more appropriately, etc. etc. The small apps are a nifty feature.
Now I never had stability problems with CM 10.2 so it's not about that; CM 10.2 is rock solid, maybe even slightly more stable than the Stock sony firmware but the Sony firmware seems so so much faster! What say you XDA friends? Do you agree? Am I insane?
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No you're right, sony have done it right!
They've allowed you to keep the fluidity of stock android and have given you customization that dont slow the phone down
I couldnt be happier with my Z Ultra
It used to be that the smartphone SoC was very limited in terms of capability so a clean ROM is the better choice. But with rapid development and less bloat on Sony's UI (+cool design) and slower Android upgrade it is clearly better now. So yeah, not that much reason should i jump to CM ROM again (unlike previous RAZR MAXX of mine) for now Maybe if the Android 5.0 come out in the future i guess but for now no..
brashmadcap said:
I never thought there would come a day when I would say this about a manufacturer skin, but I'm actually enjoying the .290 Sony 4.3 firmware better than CM 10.2 (And I've been a militant CM supporter/user since version 6.1 -- 4 years ago in the Froyo days). Is it just me or do the Sony firmware builds feel noticeably faster? Also the battery life seems to be improved vs CM and the keyboard is sized more appropriately, etc. etc. The small apps are a nifty feature.
Now I never had stability problems with CM 10.2 so it's not about that; CM 10.2 is rock solid, maybe even slightly more stable than the Stock sony firmware but the Sony firmware seems so so much faster! What say you XDA friends? Do you agree? Am I insane?
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Click to collapse
I Concur! I've had this device for about three months, & I really enjoy it also! I purchased it with the Sony UI in mind and sure enough it did not disappoint. I wasn't upset to see the Google edition released so soon after I bought this one. This is really the longest I've ever went without root also, as most prior phones did not make the 30 day mark.
I honestly would be happy with root access on the stock Sony Rom, however with all the confusion of root methods / model numbers / TA partitions / possibility of losing LTE, I'm just really trying to be patient. I kept in mind that buying such a large (under the radar phone) my slow my ability to tinker with it, but it's beginning to a bit of a hassle without root.
I recently accepted the 4.3 update, & the speed and mellow performance was noticed immediately. I was trying to stay on 4.2 as I had read different threads saying it was able to be rooted as oppose to 4.3 .290 but as of recently that seems to have changed now... This whole phone's process seems extremely confusing, and I'm tired of reading different contradicting threads .....and it's never a good idea to start playing with your phone when your frustrated & uninformed so I guess I'll just hang out a bit longer until things seem clearer....
I am with you guys.
Although on Note 2 I did not go with any AOSP except from the usual testing, but always came back to stock because of Spen features.
With the Ultra, this stock rom is so light, smooth and plus I keep the phone features plus it has been designed better to use the larger screen...I am VERY impressed with the Sony Rom so I dont see myself flashing anything but Sony based Roms.
I enjoy my phone now more than just using it to flash new stuff trying to get it to be better
Ah after I try a lot of custom ROM
monxDIFIED is my daily ROM
It is Sony base because I prefer stock app
FM Radio
Stock Camera
If I can install two stock app in CM base ROM like Carbon ROM
I may think using CM base ROM as my daily drive
That's common and you are not alone. I too am using the Stock 4.3 without any intention of flashing other ROMs (I do really love flashing as I had nearly flashed every Android phone I have ever owned)
I'm back on stock after a day on GPe. I love AOSP and the GPe ROM is amazing, but I tend to always end up back on stock again. Not sure what it is, but it's solid as a rock, and I know exactly how it works and what it does. No surprises. I feel safe using it, so I guess that's why? Xposed has also changed the way I use ROMs. No longer do I have to flash ROMs if I want a weird feature, I just install a module. I feel like I don't have to flash anything these days, except for when I want a different environment/UI.
In not that tired of Sony's UI quite yet (but I'm slowly getting there), but I'll probably migrate to the GPe full time down the road. BUT, official 4.4 is on its way, so it'll be really exciting to see how it'll be.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
LordManhattan said:
I'm back on stock after a day on GPe. I love AOSP and the GPe ROM is amazing, but I tend to always end up back on stock again. Not sure what it is, but it's solid as a rock, and I know exactly how it works and what it does. No surprises. I feel safe using it, so I guess that's why? Xposed has also changed the way I use ROMs. No longer do I have to flash ROMs if I want a weird feature, I just install a module. I feel like I don't have to flash anything these days, except for when I want a different environment/UI.
In not that tired of Sony's UI quite yet (but I'm slowly getting there), but I'll probably migrate to the GPe full time down the road. BUT, official 4.4 is on its way, so it'll be really exciting to see how it'll be.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Im back running stock UI as well (own rom with Dogg tweaks), and am more or less happy with it.
Cant wait for 4.4 stock (not here today yet)
I had a Nexus 7 and I ran AOKP, I had an Nexus 4 and I ran AOKP, I had a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and I ran CyanogenMod. Today I switched to Sony Xperia Z Ultra and I don't want to switch to AOSP. It never happened before, but I feel like Stock ROM is good
my galaxy tab is always on another rom, after that i had asus padfone, which had no development at all. and z ultra makes me not want to change to another rom at all. loving the stock, dunno why. I'm still on 4.2 and for me it's pretty smooth and fluid already i dont even need to upgrade.
Recently get an OTA for 4.3, but there's no way to root it in a simple way. tempting to root using jackie's way or flashing monx but im still too lazy to do it, still enjoyin my current 4.2 haha
I think sony did a good job here
I'm with you too dude. For me it's close enough to stock not to piss me off, their skin is simple and black base (better for battery), and I like some of the bloatware too.
I have deleted a lot, but that's another thing I like, I was able to delete or freeze most of what I didn't want without needing root. On touchwizz practically nothing could be deleted without root.
For me, Sony have worked it really well, bugs aside, and 290 is perfect IMHO except bluetooth.
I love cm, don't get me wrong, I just don't need it as much with Sony as I did with Samsung.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Same here, actually i'm still on 4.2.2. Still amazed with stock rom, looks good and stays smooth and fast. I can endless opening apps, not any hick up. OOM works unnoticed, and don't need to restart device. On my old LG 3d i changed roms and kernels continously. My son his tab2 flashed a hour after purchase. My Acer A700 running CM10.1 unfortunately my daughter jumped on screen i need to order new screen/digitizer.
But i'm surpised with myself that i'm still on stock and don't want to flash. Only reason for me to flash would be working miracast with my LG 55LM750S.
I'm back on the GPe ROM I was bored yesterday, so the only thing to do when i'm bored is to install or flash something. I'm still amazed how everything is running so smooth and i have still to find a bug. I haven't found a single one. I find it funny that we went from AOSP ROMs that had their fair share of problems, to a AOSP ROM that is perfect like THAT.
I guess i'll keep using GPe for now, but i find some small things to be a little annoying. The volume is rather strange. It can be really quiet on one level, and be really loud on the next one, which makes it very annoying since i have to try to find the sweet spot. The stock ROM is much better at this. The quick toggles are also quite bad. Why do i have to press and HOLD to activate/deactivate a feature? Why can't i just tap a toggle like on CM? One tap on AOSP will open the settings for that feature, and someone at Google should be shot in the face. Well, that's about it really
I agree, been on and off Cm9-10 for years with some stints on Samsung's JB, but these ROMs rock. Only complaint is WIFI is a bit flakey. I don't even have a reason to root.
I have both a C6833 and Tablet Z.
Sent from my C6833 using xda app-developers app
With my ex Galaxy S3 I went from stock to CM in like 4/6 months, and from there I just wanted to change phone like every day.
I guess I just want this to be my phone for a long time, therefore I'll wait to transform it to see if the stock rom satisfies me long enough to get to the official 4.4.2 update.
Which, I bet will be the last "quick" update.
After that I'm sure we will see 4.5, but at a super slow pace.
Anyway, I need time to install and backup everything to begin trying the GPe, and with a 6yo daughter and a 40days son I really don't have much left... XD
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
fastest83 said:
With my ex Galaxy S3 I went from stock to CM in like 4/6 months, and from there I just wanted to change phone like every day.
I guess I just want this to be my phone for a long time, therefore I'll wait to transform it to see if the stock rom satisfies me long enough to get to the official 4.4.2 update.
Which, I bet will be the last "quick" update.
After that I'm sure we will see 4.5, but at a super slow pace.
Anyway, I need time to install and backup everything to begin trying the GPe, and with a 6yo daughter and a 40days son I really don't have much left... XD
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Congrats! I guess that's why we haven't really seen you around here that much lately, but you have a brand new boy in your house now so that's expected
Sent from my C6806_GPe using Tapatalk
LordManhattan said:
Congrats! I guess that's why we haven't really seen you around here that much lately, but you have a brand new boy in your house now so that's expected
Sent from my C6806_GPe using Tapatalk
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Thanks! I try to keep up with everything but now even Tapatalk is against me (meaning the new interface is fugly as hell).
Anyway, I'm curious, does the GPe support multiple users like on the Nexus 7? It is a fantastic feature as it keeps my daughter within the fence of her few apps...
That may be a feature I'd be interested in...
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
fastest83 said:
Thanks! I try to keep up with everything but now even Tapatalk is against me (meaning the new interface is fugly as hell).
Anyway, I'm curious, does the GPe support multiple users like on the Nexus 7? It is a fantastic feature as it keeps my daughter within the fence of her few apps...
That may be a feature I'd be interested in...
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Hmm, i have no idea. I think it "pops up" when you activate tablet mode. I know that CM supports it though, but since GPe build is strictly made for the ZU, Sony may have removed the feature (i can't prove it though).
As far as I can tell both are the same as far as bands go.
However, my question lies in, which is more favorable to get in terms of user experience? Which would you prefer? I hear the "bloatware" that Sony includes is actually pretty useful in the Sony version and rather unobtrusive. But at the same time, I thought that the Google play edition was supposed to be more easy to load custom roms. I also understand that the Google play edition is supposed to get the updates faster, but is it really that bad with Sony?
If you had the choice between the two, which would you go for? They are both about the same price, so it's not an issue, it's just a matter of which would be more preferable out of the box.
From Sony Store
http://store.sony.com/xperia-z-ultr...atid-All-Unlocked-Phones?vva_ColorCode=000000
Or...
Google play edition:
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=sony_z_ultra
ssnova said:
As far as I can tell both are the same as far as bands go.
However, my question lies in, which is more favorable to get in terms of user experience? Which would you prefer? I hear the "bloatware" that Sony includes is actually pretty useful in the Sony version and rather unobtrusive. But at the same time, I thought that the Google play edition was supposed to be more easy to load custom roms. I also understand that the Google play edition is supposed to get the updates faster, but is it really that bad with Sony?
If you had the choice between the two, which would you go for? They are both about the same price, so it's not an issue, it's just a matter of which would be more preferable out of the box.
From Sony Store
http://store.sony.com/xperia-z-ultr...atid-All-Unlocked-Phones?vva_ColorCode=000000
Or...
Google play edition:
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=sony_z_ultra
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Click to collapse
I have the GPe but ordered it before Sony dropped their price. The GPe ROM has been ported over to Sony so if you get Sony you can run that. From what I have seen they can both be unlocked and rooted fairly easily. As for the update I would expect it to be ported to Sony rather quickly. Lots more Roms for Sony but there is work going on with a tool to convert Sony Roms to GPe. I would lean towards Sony but get as many opinions as you can before deciding.
I also have the gpe and would've preferred the xperia version. All the native xperia apps are missing obviously and the Google alternatives aren't that great IMO.
Get the cheapest one and root it (maybe even unlock it) and try the rom that fits you.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
adfurgerson said:
I have the GPe but ordered it before Sony dropped their price. The GPe ROM has been ported over to Sony so if you get Sony you can run that. From what I have seen they can both be unlocked and rooted fairly easily. As for the update I would expect it to be ported to Sony rather quickly. Lots more Roms for Sony but there is work going on with a tool to convert Sony Roms to GPe. I would lean towards Sony but get as many opinions as you can before deciding.
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Click to collapse
First, thanks for all the replies from everyone guys.
Second, @ adfurgerson, in order to port the GPe ROM over to the Sony, I"d have to root and unlock right?
I find it interesting that ROMs for the Sony won't work on the GPe. I was under some impression it'd be practically the same, and that the GPe version would be easier to root and unlock, but didn't know the real story behind it.
I whisked through some threads on here that gave me the impression that rooting and unlocking and loading custom roms was quite challenging on the Z Ultra, is this true?
Because of this, I thought I'd just keep it headache free and stick with stock.
On that note, how is the Z Ultra stock? Or is it really that desirable to root/unlock/load custom rom? FOr example, I have an ASUS Transformer TF700, stock, the thing is frustratingly slow/laggy/buggy, IMO, you MUST root/unlock/load custom ROM on that device to make it "functional"/ really appreciate the machine. Another example is the GS3 and GS4, I know plenty of people who are ok with stock.
THanks again to all. Looks like I'm leaning towards the Sony edition, the two grips I had with the z Ultra in general were: lack of LED flash(I like having a "flashlight" on my phones), and perhaps the "small" battery for such a large device.
The Sony Edition is the best option in this case.
The problem with the GPe is that the partitioning has been changed, something that make it very problematic to cross-flash between GPe and Sony and no solution has been offered as of yet. The result is that the ROM selection for the Sony Edition is much better.
Since the GPe ROM has been ported and there are a couple of options including Sony based ones to choose from, the best route is to go with the Sony Edition. Even if you decide to run the GPe ROM (like I do for now), the better selection of ROMs such as Paranoid Android, PAC, SlimKat, CarbonROM etc favors the Sony Edition.
It is also worth to mention that the Sony Edition came out a couple of months before the GPe - the availability of it is also superior since it is being sold worldwide while the GPe can be sourced only from Google in the US. This means that more developers and users have the Sony version, hence more development of ROMs.
When it comes to Sony Editions, I would go for the C6802 (no LTE) or either C6806 or C6833 depending on location and the importance of LTE bands. I have the C6802 since I consider US LTE to be of no importance to me. If I would be in Sweden, I would take the C6833.
The reason for my LTE stance is the fact that decent data plans are cheaper in Sweden than in the US. I don't see any benefits of having 2 GB of LTE data since Internet browsing etc works great on the HSPA+ network of AT&T. I would not start going on Netflix etc with 2 GB of data.
ssnova said:
First, thanks for all the replies from everyone guys.
Second, @ adfurgerson, in order to port the GPe ROM over to the Sony, I"d have to root and unlock right?
I find it interesting that ROMs for the Sony won't work on the GPe. I was under some impression it'd be practically the same, and that the GPe version would be easier to root and unlock, but didn't know the real story behind it.
I whisked through some threads on here that gave me the impression that rooting and unlocking and loading custom roms was quite challenging on the Z Ultra, is this true?
Because of this, I thought I'd just keep it headache free and stick with stock.
And for more controll rom i Installed App Ops
On that note, how is the Z Ultra stock? Or is it really that desirable to root/unlock/load custom rom? FOr example, I have an ASUS Transformer TF700, stock, the thing is frustratingly slow/laggy/buggy, IMO, you MUST root/unlock/load custom ROM on that device to make it "functional"/ really appreciate the machine. Another example is the GS3 and GS4, I know plenty of people who are ok with stock.
THanks again to all. Looks like I'm leaning towards the Sony edition, the two grips I had with the z Ultra in general were: lack of LED flash(I like having a "flashlight" on my phones), and perhaps the "small" battery for such a large device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im using the Sony ultra (c6833) stock and rooted with unlocked bootloader . After i tried almost all of them rom i got back to stock sony rom and installed xposed and changed some stuff . I even have the DooMKernel kernel on it and works awsome
@ssnova the GPe was very much usable stock and I tried to convince myself to leave it that way. Unlocking , rooting and recovery was easy enough. I must admit I am unsure on which methods are current for Sony so won't comment there. I plan to do more testing of this over the weekend, if it works it would take one factor out of the equation.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2746562
E90 Commie said:
The Sony Edition is the best option in this case.
The problem with the GPe is that the partitioning has been changed, something that make it very problematic to cross-flash between GPe and Sony and no solution has been offered as of yet. The result is that the ROM selection for the Sony Edition is much better.
Since the GPe ROM has been ported and there are a couple of options including Sony based ones to choose from, the best route is to go with the Sony Edition. Even if you decide to run the GPe ROM (like I do for now), the better selection of ROMs such as Paranoid Android, PAC, SlimKat, CarbonROM etc favors the Sony Edition.
It is also worth to mention that the Sony Edition came out a couple of months before the GPe - the availability of it is also superior since it is being sold worldwide while the GPe can be sourced only from Google in the US. This means that more developers and users have the Sony version, hence more development of ROMs.
When it comes to Sony Editions, I would go for the C6802 (no LTE) or either C6806 or C6833 depending on location and the importance of LTE bands. I have the C6802 since I consider US LTE to be of no importance to me. If I would be in Sweden, I would take the C6833.
The reason for my LTE stance is the fact that decent data plans are cheaper in Sweden than in the US. I don't see any benefits of having 2 GB of LTE data since Internet browsing etc works great on the HSPA+ network of AT&T. I would not start going on Netflix etc with 2 GB of data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, your post clears up a lot from a technical standpoint. I'd probably go with the C6806 since I live in the US and we have LTE in my areas.
Ended up stumbling upon this, thanks to your post.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451590
I guess the Sony edition it is.
As a person learning to develop android I would choose the GPe, as a consumer it's 50 / 50.
The Sony stock firmware is quite good and the only thing that lags in 4.4 seems to be the live wallpaper, and blote is a minimum - and usefull.
Unlocking either is exactly the same, the only difference ifs if you want to keep your TA partition (DRM keys). You can only do this on the Sony version by doing the downgrade/root exploit/backup dance.
As for ROMs for the GPe there is CM, Carbon, LiquidSmooth and Slimkat, and I believe that if someone would test the flashable zip I wrote we could convert any (I even think stock) ROM to run on the GPe - but no one wants to have developers making thing for their phone by the looks*
* this could easily develop into a rant so I'll stop there
blueether said:
As a person learning to develop android I would choose the GPe, as a consumer it's 50 / 50.
The Sony stock firmware is quite good and the only thing that lags in 4.4 seems to be the live wallpaper, and blote is a minimum - and usefull.
Unlocking either is exactly the same, the only difference ifs if you want to keep your TA partition (DRM keys). You can only do this on the Sony version by doing the downgrade/root exploit/backup dance.
As for ROMs for the GPe there is CM, Carbon, LiquidSmooth and Slimkat, and I believe that if someone would test the flashable zip I wrote we could convert any (I even think stock) ROM to run on the GPe - but no one wants to have developers making thing for their phone by the looks*
* this could easily develop into a rant so I'll stop there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you're pretty close to making it work for the GP-e, only a matter of time and testers,
I guess I'll lean towards the Sony edition though, since I'll be using it more than developing, though I do play around once and a while.
Slightly astray, but what makes the Google play edition better for learning to develop on android?
nothing really, although I believe it has a much better bootloader/recovery
blueether said:
nothing really, although I believe it has a much better bootloader/recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to confirm
1) if we use the GPE rom on a Sony, will we be able to restore the TA partition and still use the Xperia-specific display enhancements?
2) Even though the partitioning is different, one can flash specific partitions and not the entire ROM, yes? Or are the wires truly crossed: for instance, the bootloader located is in boot?
christcentric said:
Just to confirm
1) if we use the GPE rom on a Sony, will we be able to restore the TA partition and still use the Xperia-specific display enhancements?
2) Even though the partitioning is different, one can flash specific partitions and not the entire ROM, yes? Or are the wires truly crossed: for instance, the bootloader located is in boot?
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1. No, we can't restore the partition while on a custom kernel, but we still get the image processing without the DRM keys intact (aka TA partition) on KitKat builds.
The DRM keys are only important to have in case you have to send your device in for repairs.
2. You can flash the GPe ROM on the Xperia Ultra. You can't run a dully functioning stock Sony ROM on the Ultra GPe (yet), due to partitioning issues and what not. You van flash "everything" on the regular Ultra, not on the GPe, which makes the regular Ultra a better device if you plan to flash a lot of ROMs and you want the option to cross-flash between Sony ROMs and GPe (AOSP ROMs).
Bought mine from Sony, best stock firmware I've ever used, of course mod the hell out of it, but I am very pleased
Sent from my C6806 using Tapatalk
I have multiple Bluetooth devices with Apt-X baked in. GPe does not support it, and I don't think that is going to change anytime soon.
So for me, stock is the only option. Not even CM.
I have tried out most of the alternatives, but keep coming back to stock - the audio quality improvement with apt-x is noticeable. Especially while listening to FLAC, using a player like Neutron.
I prefer gpe, because it feel smoother, simpler, less batt consumption. But yes the gpe is very limited at features and option.
billyliem said:
I prefer gpe, because it feel smoother, simpler, less batt consumption. But yes the gpe is very limited at features and option.
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Sure, but the GPe ROM is available for the stock Xperia Ultra.
LordManhattan said:
Sure, but the GPe ROM is available for the stock Xperia Ultra.
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Yes i use gpe rom 4.4.4 at my 6802, i like it.smoother than gpe 4.4.2. And more responsive too. How about the price on the hardware? Stock sony vs the gpe? Is it different?
billyliem said:
Yes i use gpe rom 4.4.4 at my 6802, i like it.smoother than gpe 4.4.2. And more responsive too. How about the price on the hardware? Stock sony vs the gpe? Is it different?
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only ~$10 in it
http://www.expansys-usa.com/sony-xperia-z-ultra-c6833-unlocked-lte-16gb-purple-251965/
http://www.expansys-usa.com/sony-z-ultra-google-play-edition-unlocked-lte-16gb-black-263504/
Hell, can even get the GPe in nz now http://www.expansys.co.nz/sony-z-ultra-google-play-edition-unlocked-lte-16gb-black-263504/
I keep reading that most people prefer the Sony ROM over GPe. Why is this? What features in the Sony ROM are not in GPe? I'm thinking of switching to GPe because I haven't used many of the Sony apps/features but maybe there is something that I'm missing.
bchaney16 said:
I keep reading that most people prefer the Sony ROM over GPe. Why is this? What features in the Sony ROM are not in GPe? I'm thinking of switching to GPe because I haven't used many of the Sony apps/features but maybe there is something that I'm missing.
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I have been testing the GPe for the last few days and other than some slower benchmarks performance (havent tested games really yet), the phone still feels very smooth (smoother?..I will know when I change back to .108). The only thing I am missing so far is the Small Apps. You still get X-Reality engine and the Sound Enhancements which is cool so is not missing as many things as I thought at all.
Post your thoughts on how this latest version of Android will make the Z Ultra a better device (or worse) ......................
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2470422,00.asp?mailingID=AC913D3C61FEB18EA49B78DC15CCA2EC?mailing_id=1051491
.............................................................................................................................
TravisBean said:
Post your thoughts on how this latest version of Android will make the Z Ultra a better device (or worse) ......................
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2470422,00.asp?mailingID=AC913D3C61FEB18EA49B78DC15CCA2EC?mailing_id=1051491
.............................................................................................................................
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I don't know about run better, but it will be Sexy as f#ck on my white ultra.
Nexus 6 has a 6 inch screen, and they also released the 9 inch tablet, so i hope they've adapted some new or old elements to the bigger screen sizes. Also, Material Design should be responsive, as in it'll resize properly to a device's screen size like a modern responsive website (like Droid-Life and The Verge).
Also, a video previewing the new Nexus tablet hit the web today, and it looks like Google will update the launcher soon. White floating app drawer (like a folder).
Edit: Mentioned video of the tablet.
I just hope they improved the interface.
As it is now, the z ultra still has the interface of a device with a smaller screen size and all the parameters adjusted accordingly ( swipe sensitivity and related). This doesn't work well.
It's too small for a tablet and too big for one-handed operation... but so far there are only two general modes of operation in android: "phone" and "tablet".
Optimally, the z ultra (and related devices, in size) would use an appropriately adjusted UI, something not exactly like "phone" neither exactly "tablet"... sadly, i doubt there will be any development in that direction.
interesting tidbit: the z ultra processor scores higher 7z benchmark score than an amd k II neo processor...
tsiros said:
I just hope they improved the interface.
As it is now, the z ultra still has the interface of a device with a smaller screen size and all the parameters adjusted accordingly ( swipe sensitivity and related). This doesn't work well.
It's too small for a tablet and too big for one-handed operation... but so far there are only two general modes of operation in android: "phone" and "tablet".
Optimally, the z ultra (and related devices, in size) would use an appropriately adjusted UI, something not exactly like "phone" neither exactly "tablet"... sadly, i doubt there will be any development in that direction.
interesting tidbit: the z ultra processor scores higher 7z benchmark score than an amd k II neo processor...
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Click to collapse
Since the Nexus 6 has a 6 inch screen, we can already tell how Lollipop will look and behave on the Ultra. We'll have to wait and see if Sony changes anything. I'm guessing the GPe version will run at 400 DPI like today's 4.4.4, while the official build will run at 320 DPI, making UI elements a little smaller.
I don't care though, since it's easily changeable with a tiny build.prop edit.
I'm interested in seeing how the Flashlight quick settings button will function on the Z Ultra, since it doesn't have an LED flash. Hopefully Google will be smart about it and have it work like the Flashlight quick settings tile in PA and CM (Turn screen white and maximize brightness).
ApertureAndroid said:
I'm interested in seeing how the Flashlight quick settings button will function on the Z Ultra, since it doesn't have an LED flash. Hopefully Google will be smart about it and have it work like the Flashlight quick settings tile in PA and CM (Turn screen white and maximize brightness).
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Sony will add X-Reality and their DSP to the GPe build (like they did with the current build), and i'm guessing that they'll also remove unnecessary features, like the flashlight toggle, but we'll see when the time comes.
Hopefully they switch to 320 dpi instead of that crappy 400 dpi in the current GPe ROM.
Sent from my Sony Xperia Z Ultra
I am more interested in wifi calling because I have T-Mobile.
tsiros said:
I just hope they improved the interface.
As it is now, the z ultra still has the interface of a device with a smaller screen size and all the parameters adjusted accordingly ( swipe sensitivity and related). This doesn't work well.
It's too small for a tablet and too big for one-handed operation... but so far there are only two general modes of operation in android: "phone" and "tablet".
Optimally, the z ultra (and related devices, in size) would use an appropriately adjusted UI, something not exactly like "phone" neither exactly "tablet"... sadly, i doubt there will be any development in that direction.
.
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Click to collapse
I dont want to silence your opinions but what you wrote was completely subjective.
tsiros said:
I just hope they improved the interface.
As it is now, the z ultra still has the interface of a device with a smaller screen size and all the parameters adjusted accordingly ( swipe sensitivity and related). This doesn't work well.
It's too small for a tablet and too big for one-handed operation... but so far there are only two general modes of operation in android: "phone" and "tablet".
Optimally, the z ultra (and related devices, in size) would use an appropriately adjusted UI, something not exactly like "phone" neither exactly "tablet"... sadly, i doubt there will be any development in that direction.
interesting tidbit: the z ultra processor scores higher 7z benchmark score than an amd k II neo processor...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I bought the Xperia Z Ultra over the GPE. I read an excellent comparison and the author stated that he usually chooses the GPE version of a device over the non-GPE, but in the case of the ultra he preferred the non-gpe for the reason stated in this post. The vanilla ui does not take advantage of the large screen .
jaj324 said:
This is why I bought the Xperia Z Ultra over the GPE. I read an excellent comparison and the author stated that he usually chooses the GPE version of a device over the non-GPE, but in the case of the ultra he preferred the non-gpe for the reason stated in this post. The vanilla ui does not take advantage of the large screen .
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That's also the same reason I got a non gpe device. Wouldn't it be the same or better when we flash a gpe rom and change to 240 dpi?
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Leechoonhwee said:
That's also the same reason I got a non gpe device. Wouldn't it be the same or better when we flash a gpe rom and change to 240 dpi?
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
320 DPI. The GPe version runs at 400, while the regular one runs at 320. Yes, you can simply change thr DPI to 320 or whatever you'd like.
I don't know anything about DPI, i do know that the Sony UI is scaled to use the larger screen more efficiently.
jaj324 said:
I don't know anything about DPI, i do know that the Sony UI is scaled to use the larger screen more efficiently.
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Yes, that's right, but it can easily be done on the GPe version too.
H. E. Pennypacker said:
Yes, that's right, but it can easily be done on the GPe version too.
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Click to collapse
When you say "easy" do you mean by rooting and installing a custom ROM?
jaj324 said:
When you say "easy" do you mean by rooting and installing a custom ROM?
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Click to collapse
By rooting and either setting it manually by editing build prop, or with an app.
Yeah, that's not what most people would call easy. Easy is just buying the Xperia model with all the Sony bells and whistles. I disabled what i don't use and enjoy the rest. Did you know that the Xperia model actually outperformed the gpe model in performance benchmarks? Vanilla is more of a drag than the sony skin.
jaj324 said:
Yeah, that's not what most people would call easy. Easy is just buying the Xperia model with all the Sony bells and whistles. I disabled what i don't use and enjoy the rest. Did you know that the Xperia model actually outperformed the gpe model in performance benchmarks? Vanilla is more of a drag than the sony skin.
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Click to collapse
It is easy and it literally takes 30 seconds once rooted. It is easy, but i take from your reply that it isn't the solution you're looking for, which is a different matter. If you want everything that Sony brings to the table, then the most logical thing would be to buy the Xperia model and not the GPe. Simple as that.
Regarding benchmarks, we have really no idea what's going on. The Ultra is not the only device that's reporting low numbers on KitKat (that's running AOSP, i.e stock Android), but i guess it all boils down to optimized drivers etc. You should not care about benchmarks. The GPe ROM actually runs better (smoother) than the stock Sony ROM even when it scores lower on Antutu. It actually scores the same or higher than the Sony version in other benchmarks (GPU benchmarks etc.)
TL;DR: Just buy the regular Ultra.
My biggest concern with 5.0 is achieving root. There are a few apps that are must-haves for me that require it (arliberator for my car stereo is the #1). I'm not sure we'll get root soon or at all with 5.0. .. and that makes me a sad panda.