As someone who has the Sony Xperia M2 I was excited to get my hands on it's little brother the Sony Experia E1. It takes a lot from its older brother, mainly the sleek Sony interface. You can expect to find all the same apps that are found on Sony phones, like the Xperia Lounge, The Play Store and Sony Select. It's available now at at Carphone Warehouse from only €59.99.
In terms of the phone's design it is relatively small and simple with rounded edges. It's 12mm thick, 120g and roughly 166m wide which makes it very lightweight and it's fits nicely in your hand. Unique to the E1 is a button on top of the phone that acts as a quick and easy way too to access music. This walkman button instantly plays music once you press it and is designed to give easy access to your music library. This is the phones unique selling point, by acting as a halfway point between a phone and mp3 device. It also acts as a shuffle button for your music , press it once to pause the music, press it twice to skip tracks. It works well for someone who just wants to listen to a few tracks when they're going for a run. It also includes a speaker capable of producing sounds up to 100 decibels ensuring that this handset can hold its own in any party environment.
In terms of the operating system the Sony Xperia runs Android 4.3 and of course it boasts the Sony interface. One of the best Android interfaces around and really makes getting around your phone quick and easy. In terms of the apps on the phone it has the typical one's you would expect such as Walkman for music and Movies which acts as a good video player. One of the more notable apps is Sony Select which is fully integrated into the OS giving you a constant updated stream of movies, music and games. It is definitely a welcome feature that fits with the phone's music player identity.
The Xperia E1 includes a 3.15 mega pixels camera capable of HDR pictures, 4 times smooth zoom and smile detection making it easy to snap pics when you're out and about. The Xperia E1 has an HDR mode which you can use it as a way to make fairly interesting-looking photos despite the phone's limited capabilities. It makes pictures much clearer and brings out the smaller details more than usual.
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The Sony Xperia E1 has a 1700mAh battery which is a very good size for a phone with a small screen. The battery is excellent and it will generally last a day or two, depending on how much you use it. Its battery life makes it good for making calls, texts and surfing the internet and it's really quick to charge, unlike some other smartphones.
Overall, it is a very good option for those looking for a much smaller and affordable smartphone. With a smooth interface, compact camera and it's a signature walkman feature it makes the Sony Xperia E1 a great option.
