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< Esato Forum Index > Sony Ericsson / Sony > Symbian phones > I'm looking at Vivaz Pro. What should I know? Bookmark topic

I'm looking for a replacement for my SE Aino. My main requirements are:
1) Better video-recording, meaning it must be HD since Aino records VGA
2) Equally audio playback quality, meaning it must be Sony Ericsson, since I have been unable to get the same quality from other brands. (e.g. Nokia N82 sucks at audio playback).
3) I want hardware keys. I hate touch-only devices
4) It must be a small device. iPhone-sized phones are too big.

So first I looked at X10 Mini Pro, which looks really nice. Unfortunately it has a poor battery time, and it doesn't record video in HD. Otherwise it would have been my next phone.

So currently I'm looking at Vivaz Pro.

Now, I know that many people say Vivaz isn't a great phone. But I think I might not care about many of its lacks. For example, I don't use my phone for internet browsing. If I do, I always stick with websites tailored for mobile phones. I generally don't want to surf the web with my phone. I want a bigger screen for that, so I do that on my computer. But small websites build for mobile phone displays is another matter, and I think Vivaz Pro should do fine then.

There's currently actually only 1 thing holding me back from buying the Vivaz Pro: Audio in video recordings are way too low according to samples I've seen, and according to what other people write.

Are there really no fix for this? No one who has done any patching? Any hacks? I know we can't count on Sony Ericsson. We never can. They're hopeless at giving updates. 2-3 updates, then bye bye customers. It's a joke. But apart from that, they do make great phones.

And some other questions about Vivaz Pro:
1) I assume it's easy to put on some plain simple theme without any animations and other useless stuff that just slows down the device?
2) I assume it's easy to change the top 5 shortcuts? I remember vaguely reading something about it wasn't possible at first, but it did become possible later, right?
3) Can't you confirm that Vivaz Pro plays back audio in the same high quality as Aino?

Any other useful info a potential Vivaz Pro buyer should know?

Thanks


EDIT: An alternative to Vivaz Pro could be the HTC Desize Z, but I think it's slightly too big, and I doubt it can produce the same audio playback quality as SE Aino. (HTC Dream definitely couldn't, but that is of course an old device now).

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Posted: 2010-10-29 19:00:35
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You can check out my review for details regarding this phone.

http://youthquotient.com/m/ph[....]tegration/?generate_topic=1391

I've used it for last 5 months and i am quite satisfied.
The only problem is the UI...which is not that user friendly.
Sound quality is good but not upto the walkman phone standard. The volume is slightly low and there is lack of bass. There is no manual equalizer...only presets are present.
However, you can install 3rd party apps like powermp3 which have manual equalizer...for better sound...
The keyboard is very nice...infact...i'm typing this message from my vivaz pro right now.

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Posted: 2010-10-29 19:37:12
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Hi rontysee, nice review.

What do you think about the volume in video-recordings?

You write that I need to charge the phone daily. Does that mean the battery is as poor as X10 Mini Pro?
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Posted: 2010-10-29 19:53:05
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In the first 2 weeks...i found that the battery life was a little short...but as you use it more, the battery life increases. Still, dont expect it to last as much as feature phones. But, 1-2 days of normal use can be done on a single charge which is good enough for a smartphone.
The volume in video recording is a little low but is of good quality. The problem of low volume was mainly present is vivaz. Vivaz pro records video at a higher volume compared to vivaz. But, the camera lacks a little contrast compared to vivaz.
There are a lot of videos of vivaz pro on my channel on youtube. Many of them are there in the review. Check out those videos. They will be quite helpful.
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Posted: 2010-10-29 20:23:03
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I've Vivaz (not pro) the defect of this device is the Symbian OS.
Aino have SE owner OS that is another world.
_First of all SMS and MMS features, write in Aino is quick and OS help you suggesting words, in symbian is difficult.
You can overfly the problem with qwerty of PRO version but MMS is not so easy for example you can't decide time for pages, background and text colors.
_The system is not so stable as SE OS, the camera some times don't work because the memory finish and you must reboot the phone.
_You must sign any software before install exept for java app and playnow store.

I've not try Xperia X10 but i think must be better than vivaz and with new firmware will rec video in HD with autofocus.
You must renounce qwerty!
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Posted: 2010-10-29 23:53:22
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Cannot set time or color og background in MMS on Vivaz Pro? See, that's what I'm constantly confused about.
To me, there's nothing smart about a "smartphone" that has these lacks compared to a "non-smartphone". The whole definition of smartphone is wrong, since it seems to be "when apps can access the hardware via the native OS".
And then Apple comes with a "smartphone", which couldn't even send MMS, and no file transfer via bluetooth either etc etc.
That's not a smart phone, is it? To me, that's infact a dumb phone.
But Sony Ericsson Java Platform phones are "smart". Lots and lots of features, great sound player, great camera, and lots of basic features you have to go out and find online when using other platforms. (E.g. a simple egg timer for Nokia phones).

But at least looking at the Vivaz Pro videos, it looks like it's a fast device. The freezing part happens on Aino's touch screen as well. Missing MMS features and smileys are annoying, but maybe there are apps to fix it. Looks like SPB Mobile Shell offers SMS with smileys anyway.
But I have to sign SIS files? That sounds even dumber than having to sign JAR files to prevent security popups. I don't remember having to do that on e.g. W950. On Vivaz I have to sign SIS files just to be able to run them? No wonder Symbian is dying. Who the hell makes these idiotic decisions? That just sounds too stupid to me. Can someone confirm that's true? What SIS files are we talking about? Doesn't the authors sign their own stuff? Or do they, like many J2ME devs, skip that part because of the $500 yearly expense?
On SE JP phones you can patch the devices to kill the Java Security popups. Can't you do something similar for Vivaz Pro for SIS files then?

X10 is too big, and I'm not giving up hardware keys. I hate touch phones.
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Posted: 2010-10-30 07:28:18
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Yes you do need to have apps signed in order to install. Best way is to helloox2 the handset and then you can install any app you want to.

Although, I'd avoid the Vivaz as I have just got an X10 moving from Satio (which is nearly the same device and runs on the symbian s60v5 os like Vivaz) and it's a mjor improvement, in both speed, stability and every other way with the possible exception of the flash for the camera. Even with raafat's modification pack its not even in the same league as the X10. I got my X10 (in perfect condition but used) off ebay for £160 so that's a bargain in my book.

I really love the X10 just a shame that it's not going to be updated to Android 2.2 anytime soon.
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Posted: 2010-10-30 16:56:04
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Hey Stu, thanks for replying.

The X10 is too big, and lacks hardware keys. If I have to accept a phone that size, it'll be one with a hardware qwerty keyboard like the Desire Z.
But generally I think those phones are too big.

Perhaps I'm just better of with a SE feature phone. Maybe I should just wait for SE to release a Java Platform phone capable of HD video recording, just like when Aino came out with VGA video recording. I can hope it'll have other improvements too then, compared to the Aino, such as better keys for SMS.
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Posted: 2010-10-30 17:21:32
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How about the Motorola Milestone-2? http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_milestone_2-3495.php being a Motorola im sure sound quality is realy good. It certainly isn't small but has all the other things you want.
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Posted: 2010-10-30 18:41:05
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I forgot...
Vivaz don't have a flash light but a simple light that you must turn on and off before rec video or take a photo depending on the situations.
There isn't torch function, you must buy a software apart like "PhoneTorch"
Smyles in sms are nonexistent you will see the text " : - ) " instead of

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Posted: 2010-10-30 21:32:18
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