Smart is different ... Sony expands with the Z1 a small tablet.

The Sony Xperia Z1 is a superbly crafted instrument with a very good, high-contrast and bright display.
In terms of processing and material selection is the Z1, the new reference (1) and placed clearly before the iPhone 5 (2) and the HTC One (3).

Due to its natural color reproduction and good viewing angle stability it does not stand comparison with the competition.
The display of my white Z1 is perfect - so far 100% on iPhone5 level.
The readability in direct sunlight is also very good - for example, significantly better than the Galaxy S4.

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Update 9/25/2013:

Attention!

Sony installed apparently qualitatively completely different displays.
Some blogs and forums (XDA, Android aid) and the review of Christian B. partially report
of poor display quality with respect to color reproduction and viewing angles.

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For the display screen and also for the back, I would have, instead of almost always used by SONY films,
eg Gorilla Glass desired with fingerprint resistant coating.
The quality of the factory-mounted slides can be something to be desired.
The Z1 and is therefore quite fast littered with fingerprints and thus acts often dingy.

The camera is second to none and has been able to completely convince me in every situation.

The Sony UI and the redesigned launcher has an excellent, consistent and fresh design and has never overcharged or even playful.
I have discovered no place where the Z1 would have granted the slightest reflection.
Absolutely everything goes smooth and supple vonstatten.
I have to in addition to the usual benchmark tests, a 64Gb Class10 memory card equipped with 36GB of various data and many conceivable possible, memory accesses and processor utilization played through.
The Sony Xperia Z1 is in addition to the Xperia Z Ultra, the fastest, readily available device with Android operating system.

The voice quality (sending and receiving - GSM / HD Voice tested) is clear, loud and balanced course - no static or other noise tarnish the good impression.
The reception (GSM / HSPA / LTE tested) is consistently on a very high level -
also in less served areas, the Z1 should (still telephoning!) to fulfill its main task well.
The Wi-Fi reception is average - but gives no cause for criticism.

Disappointed me the media speaker.
This is, with any setting, all the media files only powerless and quite quiet again.
This also applies to handsfree - here the tendency, built on the lower end side, clink speakers at higher volumes for.
Due to the considerable size of the speaker opening the Z1 and the ample space below the screen I would have expected a very good sound.
Here, scores quite clearly the iPhone5 and of course the HTC One - which is due to its stereo speakers and their arrangement should not be compared with the Z1 and the iPhone5.

Because of the shortness of this test, I can not make a binding statement on the standby time or the endurance of the battery.
Just as it looks at here no surprise, neither in negativen- give still in a positive sense.

It is now - the thick end:

I've still never about so much more than a smartphone as annoyed about the Sony Xperia Z1.
Due to the many good qualities one wants to have it
and you think SONY would have done everything right here - only our human anatomy does not allow this.

We have more than 40 various people interviewed, what first impression produced on them (critical to the buying behavior in the store!) The Z1:

The hands are reluctant to touch the huge machine, it will quickly release it.
The eyes do not like the unbalanced proportions.
The relationship between display and frame and also the angular design is everything else - just not "by nature".
One immediately wonders inevitably: "How, especially where I transport this huge machine?" - It is supposed to be our daily companion.

Precisely for this reason, the Sony Xperia Z1 in the "POS" - the shop - a shop keeper!
(I hate this jargon - Wiki: "In the stationary retail plays the Point of Sale (PoS), ie the place where the sale occurred, the central role.")

In Mail, it will sell reasonably well.

Schade SONY!

A consistent development from Sony Xperia ZL - the still smallest smartphone with 5-inch display on the market - would have been a wise decision, and certainly topped by better sales figures.

Who the massive dimensions and angular design like who buys with the Sony Xperia Z1 an excellent smartphone with which you will have a lot of pleasure for a long time and that is a long time technically at the highest level.

Many greetings and all buyers a lot of fun with the Sony Xperia Z1.

Maik Strong
PV: Strong
Phone dealer since 1993