Sony Xperia C5 ultra REVIEW

Hello everybody!

Here I am, again. Finally, here's my review for the Sony Xperia C5 ultra smartphone.

To give you the back story... If you've read my previous blog, you'll know that this phone was the one I chose to replace Samsung J7 Ultra as my gift to my mom since the first  unit (the Samsung Galaxy J7) was defective. I added a little amount of money to upgrade my purchase and I've never had regrets about it!

She loved it!

In fact, I was so amazed by this phone that I kept on bragging about it to my boyfriend. To my surprise, he gifted me with the same unit during our anniversary. Hahaha! I guess, it's true when they say that "what you give is what you receive" :)

So, let's start! Here are the things that I love about this phone -

1. The size. It may feel big at first but when you use it, eventually, it doesn't matter anymore. In fact, I have learned to love the size of this phone because it gives me more screen space which is nice for watching movies, YouTube videos and simply browsing! I became used to it that I already find other phones too small for me. Size matters! Actual dimension - 164.2 x 79.6 x 8.2 mm (6.46 x 3.13 x 0.32 in)

2. Speakers. I like how Sony positioned the speakers in front of the phone (at the topmost and bottom part of the phone) because it gives me more access to the sound. The speakers are loud enough for movies, music and video games. You don't need an extra speaker to appreciate the audio coming out from this phone. But if you want more bass, then it's also good to use it with additonal speakers. 







3. FM Radio. Yes! This phone has a built in FM Radio. For several years, I've been longing to have this feature on my phone. My previous phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) has no FM Radio. That's why, I know now the value of this feature, and I love it!

4. It's lightweight. Despite the big screen size, the phone is actually lightweight. I have no complains  about its weight. Actual weight is 187 g (6.60 oz)

5. Battery. The battery is fine depending on the usage. If you have the mobile data always turned on, with normal browsing, the battery can last up to around 7 to 8 hours. With intense browsing, it may last up until 5-6 hours. As for me, I always bring my power bank just to make sure I always have power wherever and whenever I need one.

6. Ultra power saving mode. Related to power issues, another thing that I like about  this phone is the ultra power saving mode feature. I use this a lot especially when I don't need to browse the Internet that  often. It's very efficient in saving battery life. In my case, when I have this turned on in the morning, without mobile data, just plain phone features, my battery would still be at around 87% to 93% percent by the end of the day; still depending of course on the  number of calls that I have to take or make for the day.

7. It's thin. The phone is actually thin enough for me to be able to slip my phone easily to any small bag, wallet or pocket; without consuming too much space. Not bulky at all. 







8. Speed. It's actually an efficient phone. With a CPU that's Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53, It doesn't lag or freeze. It's fast enough to accommodate my daily usage. Opening several apps is not a problem. It doesn't slow down even when playing games. I also loved how Sony placed a special, very small button at the side of the phone which you can press with an earing just to refresh or hard reset your phone whenever the need to hard reset arise. 






9. Best front and back camera by far. For me, nothing beats this phone in taking quality pictures especially selfies! It has a built-in flash at the front and at the back; so your selfies are always crisp and are always best in quality! 13 MP Front and back camera, with LED flash both at the front and at the back! I cannot ask for anything more! Plus the, camera features, effects and snap-chat-like masks and filters.. Ugh, I'm still drooling over this phone's cam! The best! It takes perfect pictures even in low light! 

Here are some sample pictures -

     

Sample shot (front camera)




Sample shot (front camera)




Sample shot (low light, front camera with LED flash)




Sample shot (low light, back camera with LED flash)




10. Best price ever. Not too cheap, not too pricey. This phone is priced perfectly; definitely a bargain for its performance and quality. It's definitely a steal! Its price, range from 17,000 Php to 18,000 Php.

11. Great display. It has great resolution - 1080 x 1920 pixels (~367 ppi pixel density). Crisp enough to enjoy this phone. It's not too soaring to the eyes, not pixelated in any way. It's great for watching movies and gaming! Even the app icons look good. Having been an S5 user before, I'd say, compared to that, I have no complains regarding this phone's resolution at all. I think I even appreciate watching movies on this phone better than on S5 because the colors are a bit more natural as compared to S5's super vibrant display which sometimes hurt my eyes.

OK, so now that I have given you the good points, let's go to the deal breakers on this phone..

1. Size. Even though I have learned to love the screen size of this phone, some people may find it still very bulky. Because, really, it's a huge phone! I guess it depends on your personality. If you want a phone that's easy on the hands or if you have small hands, the size might be a deal breaker for you.

2. Screen brightness. I find it very hard to look at this phone in broad daylight. It's hard to use it outside especially when the sun is at its peak in the afternoon; when it's super bright outside, it's hard to look at the screen bacause it's not that bright enough to make the screen stand out when you are outdoors. I always had to cover the screen with my hand in order to see the photos I've taken. That's what I miss about my old phone, the S5.

3. Charging. This phone is not fast charging. I always have to wait 3 to 4 hours for this phone to fully charge. For some, this could be a deal breaker. This is also another thing which I miss about my previous phone, S5.

4. Battery. The battery is non-removable similar to iPhones. This may be a deal breaker to some, especially to those who prefer owning battery packs than power banks.

All in all, I love this phone and no matter what I have mentioned as deal breakers, I'd still prefer having this phone over other smartphones. The camera and performance simply compensates for it all. I'd say, over Samsung Galaxy S5, this one is still the best.  :)

For full phone specifications, visit http://m.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_c5_ultra-7463.php.

Finally! Replaced Samsung Galaxy J7 with Sony Xperia C5 ultra after DTI complaint against Abenson

Finally! The worst is over. Abenson agreed to replace my Samsung Galaxy J7 for the Second time! (if you want to read the full story of my very frustrating crusade, please check my blog here.)

However, Abenson warned me that they will never replace the unit again if found defective. Duh! Although in my mind I was saying to myself, "I can always write to DTI for complaints anyway."

Soooooooo...

Enough of this.. But, I have to warn you. Don't buy Samsung Galaxy J7! A blogger replied to my post yesterday saying that she's experiencing the same defect with her J7 wherein the phone just automatically shuts off and can't be opened without taking the battery out and placing it back in again. See? Now, that's proof enough for Abenson that all J7 units are defective. Because all the while when we were haggling for a replacement, they were insisting that the unit was fine and that it didn't have any defects. Yeah! Like, I am  crazy complaining for no reason!

Anyway, on a brighter note, we're happy because we already got our new Sony Xperia C5 Ultra yesterday and it was F-A-bulous! Although I had to shell out extra bucks to get it, it was so worth it! My mom loved it!

Compared to J7, C5 has a bigger screen. It is very light to carry; and the camera and resolution is just perfect! Hats off to Sony!

I shall post a new blog entry to further review the Sony Xperia C5 ultra for you guys. 

For now, I'll be celebrating my triumph over Abenson and Samsung Galaxy J7 first. Woo-hoo!

Samsung Galaxy J7 defect and my bad experience with Abenson Robinson's Galleria

I wanted to give my mom a special birthday present this year. So, I went to Abenson Robinson's Galleria to buy her a new smart phone. Among the Samsung phones that I saw in the store, the Samsung Galaxy J7 caught my attention the most since the specs and features were very nice and the display; very crisp and high end looking - similar to my phone, Samsung Galaxy S5. I loved the design and of course the price. 

I chose the newly released Samsung Galaxy J7 for my mom since I find the screen size very appropriate for her. Also, the specs and and features were just right for her since she is not that techie to begin with. Plus, the price is just right for me. I thought I found the perfect fit but (damn) I was wrong.  

Originally, the unit was priced 15,000 php. But, I only got it for 12,990 php since I paid straight payment using my credit card. I bought the unit last August 5 and gave it to my mom on her birthday, August 9. 

Just 5 days after I gave her the unit, August 14, the defect came out. It automatically shut off and it cannot be turned on again. She tried charging the unit (because she thought it was lowbatt) but it didn't charge. She then tried to take the battery off and place it back in - only then was she able to turn it on again. Same thing happened 3 days after; the phone won't turn on and we had to take the battery off to make it work again. 

So, I called Abenson for assistance. They advised me to go to Samsung's repair center in Megamall to have the unit checked and to ask for a technical report, since according to them, Samsung will be the one to decide if the unit will be replaced. 

They (Abenson) very much stressed the 7-day rule that they have wherein you can only have a gadget replaced 7 days after the date of purchase. - - Okay, so hooooow (eyes rolling) unfortunate of me that I gave this as a gift to my mom 4 days after purchasing the unit and that the defect came out just 5 days after giving her the gift, right? They were really stressing on this rule like I don't deserve a new working phone which I paid in full and which I deserve in the first place. DUH! 

When I went to Samsung, last August 18, they connected the phone to their computer to  have it reset. They said, the reason why the phone was automatically shutting off might be because of the apps that were installed. - - Okay, first of all, I find that very hard to believe since I've been an android phone user for 3 years already and never have I experience such a thing. Plus, the apps that I installed on the phone were the same apps that I have already installed in my S5.- - Anyway, I asked the lady in Samsung (to validate for myself what Abenson said) if they are really the ones to decide if the phone can be or should be replaced.  According to her, no. It is the merchant's (in my case, Abenson's) discretion if they will replace it or not. BOOM! Gotcha! 

After having the phone repaired and getting the technical report from Samsung, I had my mom observe the phone for a few days... And BOOM, it happened again! August 21 to be exact. This time I'm already firm in requesting for a replacement. I called Abenson to demand for a replacement.  They required me to surrender the phone to them and write a letter to address the issue. 

Here's what transpired after:

·August 25, 2015 – I surrendered the phone to Abenson. They told me that they will coordinate the replacement with Samsung

·September 8, 2015 – Abenson texted me to inform me that the request for replacement “has been denied”

·September 10, 2015 – Samsung called and told me that they will only repair the unit and they cannot replace because of the 7 days replacement rule and even pointed out that I only surrendered the phone August 25, 2015 to which I CLEARLY OBJECT since I reported the incident to Abenson week after my purchase.

First of all, with regards to the “7 days”, technically if you will study my case, it has only been 5 days since we started using the unit when the defect became noticeable. Plus, the “7 days replacement” rule for gadgets does not even give justice to consumers since 7 days is too short for technical glitches like this to come out. I am not accepting the repair which they are very much recommending me to, since I believe; I am entitled to a Brand New working phone. 

For me, accepting the repair is unfair since I am a consumer and I have rights. I have the right to get what I paid for. REPAIRING THE UNIT WON’T MAKE THE UNIT BRAND NEW.

After I told Abenson that I am not accepting the repair and that I am reporting to DTI to seek for help, they never contacted me again.

After writing a letter to DTI via email, they replied immediately with a Notice of Mediation addressed to the president/manager of Abenson Ventures Inc. and to Ms. Mercy M. Laitan of Abenson. Mr. Renato Dadula of DTI invited us to be present in the mediation conference scheduled on September 22 and 24. Ms. Mercy Laitan replied immediately after I have acknowledged the receipt of the email from DTI informing that the replacement has "been reviewed" by the management and (voila!) was already approved by the management. 

So, I went to Abenson one day before the scheduled mediation to get the new unit. By the way, they only replaced the unit, not the whole box and accessories.  Instead of getting the original color, which is white, I chose black just to make sure. 

(I really hope the story ends here. But boy, looks like this story still has a loooooong way to go!) 

However, just one day after using the new unit, it automatically turned off again and It can't be turned on by merely pressing the power button - same defect with the old one! 

What I did was I instructed my mom to not remove the battery this time. I went straight to Abenson to return the unit and to make them see for themselves the defect I am talking about. Even they could not open the unit. They had to take the battery off and place it back in just to turn the unit on. 

Ms. Evelyn Mesa of Abenson Robinson's Galleria already have the unit now and I was asked to wait further as they will have to coordinate the matter once again to Samsung.  

I will be updating this entry to tell you the end of my story. As of now, I'm waiting for Abenson's advise. I have already updated DTI regarding this matter using the same email thread.(To read my update and to know what happened next, please read my blog here.)

Thanks for reading! If you have any concerns similar to this, you may contact the Department of Trade and Industry or DTI at +632 751-3330. You may also email them at ftebmediation@dti.gov.ph. Make sure to include documents to serve as evidence such as receipts and technical forms; and your contact number and merchant's contact number with your complaint letter for them to take action immediately.