Sony unveils the Xperia M: 4-inch FWVGA display, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 5MP camera

Posted on 04/06/2013 by Jamie Rigg

Sony's just announced a new handset will be joining its Xperia line-up this year: the Xperia M. Much like the Xperia L, it's aimed at the lower end of the Android spectrum, with far from benchmark-busting specs. It's got a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) display seated behind a panel of stcratch-resistant glass, and a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon S4 SoC (MSM8227) inside, paired with 1GB of RAM. There's only 4GB of on-board storage, but a microSD slot supporting up to 64GB cards will allow you to bolster that. The rear camera has a 5-megapixel Exmor RS sensor and companion flash, while the front-facing shooter is only a VGA offering. There's no LTE radio in the Android 4.1 handset, so HSPA+ will be taking care of data, with Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC for pairing and sharing. While it's no transparent element, the OmniBalance design includes a notification light for, well, notifications. A 1,750mAh battery powers both the the single- and dual-SIM versions, which will be available in black, white and purple (yellow also for the single-SIM variant) when the Xperia M becomes available globally "from Q3 2013."

Gallery: Sony Xperia M press shots

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Via: Sony Xperia (Twitter)

Source: Sony (1), (2)

Sony Xperia SP review: lights, camera, performance

Posted on 14/05/2013 by Jamie Rigg

Sony's Xperia Z took the company into the big leagues this year: the company finally has a handset that turns heads and can compete with the established Galaxy and One brands. The Z and its plainer ZL variant weren't the only bullets in the Xperia revolver for 2013, though. Back in March, the company announced the Xperia SP and Xperia L handsets to fall in line behind its flagship. While the L is undoubtedly targeted at the low end of the Android spectrum, the Xperia SP sits in a strange middle ground, with a 720p display and internals that rival the flagships of 2012. It's not some kind of Xperia S and P fusion, either. The design is vastly different from the sum of its moniker, although the transparent element that defined those devices makes a comeback here.

And thus, with intrigue, we must put the Xperia through its paces the Engadget way. Is it just another Android handset put out so there's something with the Sony name available at a lower price point than the Z? Is there anything other than a transparent piece of plastic to set it apart from the plethora of other touchscreen rectangles that live in the shadow of their top-tier peers? Instead of pondering the answers to those questions yourself, save time by heading past the break for our full review.

Gallery: Sony Xperia SP review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Sony Xperia S39h spotted in leaked photos, looks to be a dual-SIM Xperia L

Posted on 13/05/2013 by Stefan Constantinescu

An unannounced Sony phone with the model number S39h has been spotted by Xperia Blog. There are no specs or launch details to share, but Engadget China has it pegged as a dual-SIM phone. It's similar to the Xperia L (S36h), albeit with some small differences like a relocated front-facing camera. Not as glamorous as a dual-SIM Galaxy S 4, perhaps, but two signal bars are always nice to see.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Via: Engadget China

Source: Xperia Blog

PlayStation Mobile’s ‘New Year giveaway’ offering six free titles over six weeks

Posted on 16/01/2013 by Jamie Rigg

For those who haven't yet found a reason to check out the three-month old PlayStation Mobile store, Sony's got a rather compelling one for ya: freebies. Starting today, one game will be available gratis every seven days as part of a "New Year giveaway," which will last six weeks in total. To obtain the complimentary titles, you'll need either a Vita, or a device that's been PS-Certified -- an honor currently bestowed upon several Sony slates, a bunch of Xperia and Sharp handsets, and HTC's One series Android phones. Samurai Beatdown is the first cross-platform game to lose its price tag, so if you've got rhythm, hack and slash your way over to the PlayStation Mobile store to get downloading.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Mobile, Sony, HTC

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Source: Sony PlayStation Blog

Sony Xperia Z ‘Yuga’ and ZL ‘Odin’ make a press shot debut on New Year’s Day

Posted on 01/01/2013 by Zach Honig

Are you ready to welcome in 2013? It's sure to be another hot year for handsets, and if this pair of leaked Xperia smartphones is any indication, Sony is likely to be off to a solid start come CES. The svelte Xperia Z "Yuga" and slightly sleeker ZL "Odin" have made a premature debut on the Japanese tech giant's site, with a pair of straight-on press shots appearing overnight. The Xperia Z shot appears to be in line with earlier leaks, while the ZL is shaping up to be a slightly more compact variant, potentially squeezing identical hardware into a smaller shell. Both devices are rumored to include 5-inch 1080p LCDs, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processors with 2 gigs of RAM and Adreno 320 graphics, along with a 13-megapixel Exmor RS sensor on the rear -- oddly, the ZL's front-facing camera appears to be positioned on the bottom. Sony has yet to confirm either device's specifications, but with CES just around the corner, we don't have long to wait for either device to become official.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Via: Engadget Spanish, Xperia Blog

Source: Sony Mobile (Z), Sony Mobile (ZL)

Sony Xperia TL comes to AT&T on November 2 for $99 with a two-year contract

Posted on 25/10/2012 by Alexis Santos

We've already gotten our collective mitts on Sony's Xperia TL, and come November 2nd, you'll be able to do the same by plunking down $99.99 and inking a two-year contract with AT&T. In case you need a refresher, the LTE handset runs a skinned build of Ice Cream Sandwich, packs a 1.5GHz dual-core S4 processor, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, NFC and a 4.6-inch 720p display powered by the firm's Mobile BRAVIA Engine. Since Sony's smartphone flagship is lucky enough to call itself the official James Bond phone, it'll come stuffed with behind the scenes footage of the upcoming film Skyfall and Bond-themed ringtones, wallpapers and more. For the full lowdown on the Xperia TL's arrival on Big Blue, hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Sony Xperia TL comes to AT&T on November 2 for $99 with a two-year contract

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

Sony Xperia TL comes to AT&T on November 2 for $99 with a two-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘MyXperia’ trademark filing suggests Sony might launch its own cloud service

Posted on 23/10/2012 by Mat Smith

'MyXperia' trademark filing suggests Sony might launch its own cloud service

There's no shortage of cloud storage sites and apps, but it looks like Sony might be trying to get a little more involved in ethereal storage. According to this European trademark filing spotted by Juggly, Sony Mobile has staked a claim to MyXperia, outlining that the service (or mobile app) involves itself in the "upload, storage, retrieval, download, transmission and delivery of digital content and media." In short, the kind of stuff you already do with your cloud service of choice. While Sony has no shortage of cloud-based services, MyXperia.com currently sends you to a bare-bones login page, underneath the Sony Mobile umbrella -- it looks like we'll have to wait for some account credentials before we get to take a look.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Sony

'MyXperia' trademark filing suggests Sony might launch its own cloud service originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 05:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Juggly.cn, Xperia Blog | source

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Sony Playstation Mobile store now live, offers cross-platform games and apps from $0.80

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Sharif Sakr

After what feels like a mighty long time since it was first announced, Sony's cross-platform PlayStation Mobile store is now up and running with an initial line-up of games (plus one lonely-looking app) for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Certified Android devices. That hardware category currently includes Sony's latest tablets and Xperias, plus HTC One-branded handsets -- check the source link for a full list and installation instructions. So far, we can access PSM on the Vita via a new tab on the PlayStation Store, and we know that readers are having luck on devices in the US -- including the Xperia Play -- but the One X (both global and AT&T) has only given us error messages. If you succeed or fail, please post your results below and we'll update accordingly.

Update: Okay, there are definitely teething problems on HTC devices and we're reaching out for an explanation. Meanwhile, owners of the Nexus 7 and the Xperia Ion on AT&T bring happier tidings.

[Thanks to Paul and all who've commented]

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds, Tablets, Sony

Sony Playstation Mobile store now live, offers cross-platform games and apps from $0.80 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

Posted on 29/09/2012 by Edgar Alvarez

Well, it looks like Sony's in-house software developers have decided this is the perfect week to deliver delicious treats to a large portion of the company's mobile lineup. Not long after outing updates for the Tablet S and Xperia Ion (in the US), the electronics giant is now bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to handsets such as the Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola. The refresh itself brings a slew of novel traits to the trio of Xperia slabs, including a "new way to experience" music, photos and video, improvements to the lockscreen, the ability to resize widgets and the addition of a "multitasking" button. While the standout features remain the same across the board, the Xperia sola does get an added bonus in the form of a so-called, self-explanatory glove mode -- which is made possible by the device's "floating touch" technology. Sony does note that availability of the 4.0 upgrade will vary by market and, not surprisingly, carrier requirements. Let's just hope you get to enjoy the changes soon.

Continue reading Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Sony

Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia Tablet S review: Sony’s second-gen Android slate has a slimmer design, faster guts

Posted on 24/09/2012 by Joseph Volpe

Sony Xperia Tablet S review

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For Sony, it's all about the presentation. To be sure, since the company put all of its mobile products under one roof, it's achieved more of a balance between style and substance than it did with the original Tablet S and Tablet P -- two devices that had a lopsided emphasis on unique, proof-of-concept designs over user experience. It's fair to say those initial tablet efforts failed to resonate with consumers, leaving the company with little recourse other than an all-out do-over.

Which is why the new Xperia Tablet S has a lot to prove: it can't get by based on looks alone. Running skinned Ice Cream Sandwich and packing a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC, this 9.4-incher maintains the same 1,280 x 800 IPS LCD panel used on the first-gen S, and even assumes the same folded-over magazine shape -- albeit, in thinner form. Yes, that full SD slot remains, but you might not need to rely on it now that the tablet comes with up to 64GB of built-in storage. So, will an emphasis on OS, ecosystem (Video Unlimited, Music Unlimited, Crackle, Reader, etc.) and a slimmed-down build make up for the blunders of the first-gen Tablet S? Will a $399 starting price help this WiFi-only tab stand out amongst the Android competition? Stick around as we find out whether this S is more than initially meets the eye.

Gallery: Sony Xperia Tablet S review