Hand On : Xperia Ion review

The look and feel of Android devices has been a hot topic for some time now, and which has recently come to a boil, in the form of litigation. Many diehard Apple fans contest that Android smartphones and tablets, or at least certain models, shamelessly rip off Cupertino. And believe it or not, the other side sometimes shares that sentiment.


Thankfully, a few parties are attempting to do just that. And, those who truly want "think different" might want to look towards Sony. Specifically the Xperia Ion. It represents the very best that Android can possible be.

Hardware and Design:
There are many ways to describe to the Xperia Ion. Its distinct design might not beautiful to all, but it's most certainly and undeniably bold. The thing simply has presence and oozes confidence. Its sharp angles offer a break from the super safe curves you normally see, and is a breath of fresh air.


At 5.2 x 2.7 x 0.4 inches, the phone is fairly large. Its considerable profile is the primary reason for its imposing presence. Yet, the Ion fits comfortably in one's hand without becoming too much to handle.
And given how much space it takes, its 5.1 ounce weight is surprisingly light.

At the very top is the 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right is the power button, the volume rocker, and a camera button. On the left, where one would normally find the volume keys, is the micro USB port, to connection the Ion to a Pc or the AC adapter, and HDMI port, to connect the device to a HD television. Both obscured by a small door. The bottom, aside from the microphone, is totally bare.


Software and Interface:
Inside you'll find a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 CPU, which is getting long in the tooth by some standards, but is more than up for the task of running the Ion. However, given that it's running Gingerbread (version 2.3.7), it's little surprise that Sony's latest hardly breaks a sweat.

Again, what should be an Ice Cream Sandwich device is not. Though it's certainly capable of being one.
The Ion is available with 4.0 out of the box, but not through AT&T, and there is no word on when an update is pending. Hopefully soon.

In its place is Gingerbread with much of the ICS trimmings, at least visual speaking. Sony's skin for Android is, in this reviewer's opinion, one of the nicest yet. In some ways, it's actually superior to the stock Google OS experience.

Camera and Performance:
When it comes to capturing imagery, both still and moving, the Xperia Ion is unfortunately a mixed bag. On the plus side, the dedicated camera button will activate the camera automatically, and in a pinch, far more so than many other Android devices.

The app itself is the not stock Android variant that we have become used to. As such, there's not nearly as much control offered, which is a shame. Though on the plus side, still image quality is great, in both outdoor and indoor situations. So fiddling with settings is not such a necessity.


Though one unexpected issue was the very slow auto focus. There's no real rhyme or reason for thus, and it can be frustrating when that crucial moment is lost due to slow focusing. Video quality also suffered greatly due to a lack of image stabilization. One will want to replace their point and shoot camera with the Ion, but after some misfires, one will inevitably return to what worked before.

In the end, the Xperia Ion proves that Android phones can be different, yet some parts are business as usual, mostly under the hood. Still, it's a handset worthy of one's consideration.

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