Take Sony’s impossibly thin 6.4 inch “smartphone”, rip out the cellular radio, and you have what’s essentially a small Android tablet. Rumors about this device have been circulating for weeks. Just yesterday, it even hit the FCC. And now, thanks to The Verge, we can all rest easy knowing this device has officially been announced. It’s only on sale in Japan at the moment, and it’s retailing for about $500.
Should you buy this thing? Absolutely not. The 4G LTE version isn’t really that much more expensive. And since it’s been out for a while (August/September 2013), it’s already been discounted at many retailers. But forget about price for a second, there’s the whole size issue. Using the Z Ultra around the house is one thing, but do you want to use it outside?
If I had $500 to spend, I’d blow $260 on a 32 GB WiFi only Nexus 7, $200 on a 16 GB Moto G, and spend the remaining $40 on two tickets to my local cinema. Sure, neither the Nexus 7 nor the Moto G are built out of aluminum and sheets of glass, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad products.
Stepping back a second, what I want to know is what will Sony do to the “Ultra” line in 2014. Will we see another 6.4 inch tablet come out? Will the company come to their senses and offer something just a tab bit smaller, say 6.2 or 6.0 inches? I’ve reviewed the 5.7 inch Galaxy Note 3, the 6.3 inch Galaxy Mega, and the 6.4 inch Z Ultra, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the perfect sized phablet lies somewhere in that 5.9 inch to 6.1 inch form factor.
Make it happen, Sony!
