[Sony Xperia T2 Ultra] Midi_Amp:
I'm coming from Lumia 630, I do missed its ease of use and smoothness but I finally settled to this phone.

I'm looking for a dual Sim device first and foremost, so battery life is a priority even though I yearn for a big screen experience. I bought Asus Zenfone 5 about 2 weeks ago, and the whole android experience is being let down by awful hardware. Very weak GPS, weak WiFi, weak GSM signal, crazy battery life that doesn't even hold a charge for half a day because the device is scrambling for every wireless protocols. Switching to Xperia T2 Ultra isn't as easy for me too... In my country, Sony is notoriously known for very bad after sales service, plus this phone is double the price of the Zenfone 5. I bought it new because nobody is selling it used (the phone isn't exactly a seller).

I had doubts, I kept every bit of plastic covering intact, just in case the phone doesn't work as intended, I'm going to sell it again.

Lo and behold... Strong WiFi signal, quick connecting GPS, stable GSM signal on both SIMs, and the strong battery life makes me extremely happy with my purchase. The big screen might have lower pixel per inch compared to the Zenfone 5, but you won't notice it that much. The media is overblowing the PPI thing, they are accustomed to seeing high end devices screen, but for commoners like us, unless it's very extreme, we won't notice the difference. After the KitKat update, I torture test the device, playing whatever games, go back home, open the browser, Google docs, taking pictures, while Facebook (no messenger) and whatsapp pinging in the background. Some hiccups, but nothing crashing. The games occasionally restart though, due to limited memory, so you might want to limit it to casuals or save a lot when switching apps.

There is one peculiar app that crashed one time, and it's Sony socialife app. I never opened it, but I got a warning the app crashed, might be a background process.

The camera on this phone is disappointing, I could've swore my old Xperia Arc took better picture. Prepare for an overly aggressive image sharpening and slight discoloration. I really don't know why Sony's smartphones cameras are now subpar, up to Xperia S (my last Sony phone before T2), the image was clear and crisp. Might be T2 Ultra is a mainstream high end I mustn't expect much, but when a 3 year old camera phone can do it better, something amiss.

The phone size is just right, I tried Z Ultra before and to me it's a bit too big. I can still put it inside my pants side pocket with ease and can handle it with one hand just fine.

Since my T2 ultra is the dual Sim version, the KitKat update lower the processor speed to 1.2 GHz. Well, at least it's still a quad core and I didn't notice significant slow down on daily usage.

I'm not a power user by far, and so far I only change wallpaper and have Google now and calendar widget with organized icons on my home screen.

Just curious, why didn't you get the Z Ultra for your dad? If you don't need the dual Sim, the Z ultra can be had for a little more than the T2 ultra. In my country, I can get the Z ultra for US $70 more, with free powerbank and free case. Minus the LED flash and the size, everything is better. I need the dual Sim in my case.