Mar 03, 2013 12:52 PM
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(via Mobile)
(Updated Mar 03, 2013 12:52 PM)
A cute handset with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the Mini Pro has a great screen, good performance and a decent camera!
Despite its 3in screen and full QWERTY keyboard, the Mini Pro still packs the same processor and graphics chip as the Xperia Play. It also has the same amount of internal storage space and shares the same 5-megapixel camera and LED flash. Plus, it runs the very latest version of Android, has a built-in FM radio and support for 720p video.
Battery capacity isn't huge at 1, 200mAh, but with the smaller screen, the Mini Pro draws less power and lasts three hours longer than the Play in our tests. The screen has a relatively low 320x480 resolution, but at this size images look pin-sharp and text remains clear. It's a bit dark, though, and you'll struggle to read it under direct sunlight, even at its brightest setting. The capacitive touch interface is smooth and responsive and when you slide open the keyboard, the screen automatically switches to landscape mode.
The keyboard is a pleasure to use: it has four rows of keys of equal size except for the Space key, which is three times the width. The layout is simple but logical, and the keys have a rough matt finish on them which means your fingernails don't slip off them. Their action is quite stiff but has a definite bite, so you'll know when you've pressed one. Our only concern is the limited clearance between the top row of keys and the bottom of the screen - especially if you have big thumbs.
Shots taken with the 5-megapixel main camera were clear and suffered less from noise than other phone cameras, but colours lacked punch. Video lacked contrast and suffered from more noise than the camera, but the high resolution meant that the quality was good enough to capture significant events.
Sony Xperia Mini Pro: Verdict
We're fans of the Xperia Mini Pro for the simple reason that we're seeing something different.
The slide out keyboard is surprisingly easy to use despite being squished into a smaller space, and the larger screen makes using the phone a lot easier than the previous version we used.
The camera could be a little higher in quality in our opinion, and the battery isn't all we'd dreamed it would be - but this is a cool and cute little smartphone with all the power of Android in a pocket-sized format.
A definite contender if you like something a little different but just love a physical keyboard.
