Sony Xperia tipo and tipo dual reach the US in unlocked form, give Americans a taste of dual SIMs

Posted on 27/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

Few of us who live outside of Asia or Eastern Europe know the potential convenience of a dual SIM phone. Own one and you can globetrot, or else keep separate home and work lines without the bulk of an extra device in the pocket. Sony is gambling that enough Americans have that multi-line desire by selling the Xperia tipo dual and its regular, single-SIM counterpart in the US as unlocked GSM models. Neither of the Android 4.0 phones is what we'd call a powerhouse with the same 3.5-inch screen, 3.2-megapixel camera and 800MHz Snapdragon inside, but both can latch on to HSPA 3G on AT&T, refarmed T-Mobile coverage and 2100MHz carriers abroad, even if the single-SIM tipo curiously has 900MHz 3G support that the tipo dual lacks. It's undoubtedly price that Sony is counting on more than anything: at respective contract-free prices of $180 and $190 for the tipo and tipo dual, the pair of Xperias may be sold most often as travel-only phones for the jet set.

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Sony Xperia tipo and tipo dual reach the US in unlocked form, give Americans a taste of dual SIMs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012

Posted on 05/08/2012 by Zachary Lutz

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless each became available for free, while in the MVNO world, Simple Mobile dropped the price of its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 30th, 2012.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012

Posted on 20/07/2012 by Brad Molen

We here at Engadget tend to spend ~~a lot of~~ way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

FCC Fridays: July 20, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 18:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia miro and Xperia tipo hands-on (video)

Posted on 10/07/2012 by Mat Smith

Sony's smallest additions to its smartphone roster won't launch until late August, but that didn't stop us dabbling with both handsets at Carphone Warehouse's Christmas (already?) show in London earlier today. The point of interest here is Ice Cream Sandwich, which arrives ready-to-go on both devices. The Xperia tipo will be arriving in Europe in its single SIM guise, with the dual-slot brother launching in Asia. It feels unerringly light in the hands at 3.5 ounces, while the 3.2-inch 480 x 320 TFT screen and 800MHz processor just about suffices for web browsing. There's a 3.2-megapixel camera on show on the back, with room for microSD storage expansion.

The Xperia miro expands the touchscreen to 3.5 inches, and whacks the camera up to five megapixels, although you won't find the same Exmor R sensor that impressed on preceding devices. There's a nice curvature below the Android capacitive button row, although the backing is unfortunately plain on both color options we saw. In sort, both devices aren't going to wow you with their technical prowess -- although they might with their prices. The Xperia tipo is set to arrive in August priced below £100 (less than $155), while the slightly larger Xperia miro will arrive around a month later, priced around £150 ($232). Head on past the break for a video of both handsets in action.

Gallery: Sony Xperia Miro hands-on