Remember way back when you would walk into a video store and displayed prominently on the counter were the ‘Staff Picks’ or the ‘We Recommend’ videos? It looks like Rogers is taking that to a new level with their selection of smartphones by featuring a “Staff Pick” every quarter. If you look under their “Featured Devices” they not only have their normal ‘Limited Time Offer’ devices that are on sale or offer certain perks, but now you will find their ‘Staff Pick,’ which this quarter is the new Sony Xperia M4 Aqua. Surprisingly, this is one of Rogers’ cheaper models and can be purchased for as little as $0.00 on a two-year Share Everything Plan, so it may be Rogers’ way of promoting some of its lower-cost smartphones.
Rogers’ definition of a ‘Staff Pick’ is a smartphone “that we stand behind” and it must be “loaded with features that set them apart, and a price and device warranty that makes your decision easy.” As an incentive to customers to purchase a ‘Staff Pick’ device, Rogers will extend the warranty from one to two years. These Staff Picks will feature a new device every quarter and Rogers says that “a wide range of Rogers’ staff will continue to be a part of the device selection process.”
It did not take Rogers long to make the Sony M4 Aqua a ‘Staff Pick’ considering they just started selling it the other day. The M4 Aqua is a terrific way for Rogers to start their Staff Picks – it has a 64-bit processor, waterproofing and you can probably even stretch it two days on its 2,400 mAh non-removable battery. It uses the usual glass and metal Xperia housing and retains the IP68 dust and water proofing allowing it to be in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes…perfect for some underway photos or videos.
You will get a 5-inch HD LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and about 294 pixels-per-inch (PPI). The 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.0GHz and four cores clocked at 1.5GHz coupled to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory power this great smartphone. A 13MP sensor with autofocus and LED flash will take some good photos and the 5MP front-facing camera (FFC) will be great for social media selfies and video chatting. The M4 Aqua measures 135.5 x 72.6 x 7.3mm and weighs in at 136 grams – looks like a great ‘Staff Pick.’