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Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Sony Xperia S heading to Canada on April 17th, exclusive to Sony Stores
Still patiently waiting to find out when Sony's NXT child will hit Canadian shelves? According to the Japanese outfit, residents of the Great White North can finally expect the Xperia S to make a grand entrance on April 17th. The handset is set to be sold exclusively at Sony Stores around the country, but unfortunately, there's no word on how much it'll cost. That said, we do know that the 4.3-inch Gingerbread device will only be compatible with Rogers network, so Xperia lovers on Telus and Bell need not apply. So, not all Canadians can grab the new Sony slab, but at least some of you can before your neighbors down south.
Sony Xperia S, P and U to visit America, Brightstar to buy the tickets
Sony may be readying the Xperia Ion for US shores, but we haven't heard any news yet on whether the phone-maker's NXT family of phones will ever visit all those states. That's where Brightstar comes in. The wireless distributor has announced that it'll be offering up the Xperia S, P and U -- but hasn't yet offered up any concrete dates or specific markets. This means we may see the three Sony phone appearing on smaller, possibly lesser-known carriers -- Brightstar mentions its "regional and local expertise." The distributor's excitable press release is right below.
Distro Issue 32: HP's glass-clad Envy 14 Spectre and the state of portable gaming
With the Ultrabook onslaught in full effect, manufacturers are doing their best to make their Air opponents stand out from the crowd. For its part, HP has outfitted its ultra offering, the Envy 14 Spectre, with a touch of glass and NFC baked-in. In this issue of Distro we'll find out if those two additions are enough to make it worth the $1,400 starting price. Also in this issue, Sean Buckley reports from GDC 2012 with a look at the portable gaming industry's "big three." In addition, we put HTC's Sense UI 3.6 and Sony's Xperia S to the test, Tango's Eric Setton takes on the Q&A and Box Brown draws a Last Word with the drinksman in mind. So grab yourself a beverage and get to downloading.Distro Issue 32 PDFDistro on the iTunes App StoreDistro in the Android MarketDistro APK (for sideloading)Like Distro on FacebookFollow Distro on Twitter
Xperia S, now with more PlayStation Store
While we generally liked our time with the Xperia S, we were a little perplexed as why it went on sale with a placeholder instead of proper access to Sony's PlayStation Store. That changes today, as early adopters attempting to access it will now be pointed to a new page where they can download the storefront as-well as the PS Pocket app. Per Android Central, currently there's around a dozen titles available, although curiously some still require the S' more gaming-focused brother, the Xperia Play. Seeing the update? Let us know how you fare in the comments.
Sony Xperia S available now from Three UK
Sony's new Xperia flagship has arrived. While we've already revealed our thoughts on theS model, UK customers can now lay their hands on one -- provided they're willing to go with data-happy Three. Expect to pay £370 for the device on pay-as-you-go, while you'll need to splash out at least £30 per month for the contract option. You'll also have to make the trek to the nearest bricks-and-mortar outlet to pick one up -- the phone remains non-existent on the carrier's online store.
Sony Xperia S review
Has spring 2012 brought a rebirth to the Xperia range, or just a rebranding? On the face of it, that's an easy one. The Sony Xperia S (codenamed "Nozomi") is the first handset we've reviewed in the post-Ericsson era and you only have to glance at its spec sheet to see that more has changed than just the logo. The 4.3-inch LCD display outguns older Xperias with a bright and contrasty 1,280 x 720 resolution. This feature alone helps the device to sit more snugly on the Sony family sofa, where it can share popcorn with the tablets, PCs and TVs that Kaz & Co. want to merge into a seamless media-munching ecosystem. The Xperia S' camera pushes in that same direction, shooting 12-megapixel stills and 1080p video and then streaming its creations to other displays over HDMI and DLNA. Rounding it off, you get quirky features like NFC and a distinctive, Bravia-like physical design. But not everything here is so fresh and spring-like: other aspects of the device are still tinged with winter, as you'll discover if you read on. %Gallery-149568%
Sony's 2012 Xperia series gets together for awkward family portrait
While Sony's newly-christened Xperia phones are a bit difficult to tell apart, there's nothing quite like getting the whole clan together to tell these statement slabs apart. It's largely about the size and build differences here -- while the 4.3-inch Xperia S readies itself for retail stores very soon, the middleweight Xperia P is showing off its aluminum unibody frame. The Xperia U then shyly rounds out the series with the smallest footprint of the bunch. Hopefully our gallery below will help you decide exactly which Sony phone is the one for you.
Sony Xperia S now shipping globally, Ion to join the world tour come summer
Those of you that have been waiting to get your grubby paws on Sony's Xperia S are in luck, as Sony just confirmed during its keynote that it's started shipping globally, with the first units available at Sony's Barcelona store during MWC. Those with stellar memory will recall that's more concrete than its former Q1 suggestion. To recap, those taking the plunge will be privy to a 1280 x 720 4.3-inch display, a 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 12-megapixel camera all wrapped in a gorgeous shell -- albeit one that runs Gingerbread, with an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade in due course. Additionally the electronics giant also confirmed the Xperia Ion will be available globally, however those interested will have to wait until summer. It too, totes Gingerbread and a 12-megapixel sensor, but plays host to a larger 4.6-inch display (albeit at the same resolution as the S), a presumably faster dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and delectable LTE. If either strikes your fancy, we humbly suggest our pair of hands-ons from CES -- at least if neither the freshly unveiled Xperia U or P are to your liking.
Xperia S UI poses for Mr. Blurrycam, calls itself 'UXP NXT' (video)
We've seen the Sony Xperia S before, heck, we've even gotten our grubby mitts on it. The Xperia S UI, on the other hand, has been a bit of an elusive beast. That is, until now -- the tech world's very own out-of-focus paparazzi caught a look at the handset's upcoming UI, revealing a slightly blurry view of the Xperia S ' finer details. The UI is apparently being christened "UXP NXT" and is slathered on top of Android 2.3, though a 4.0 update is reportedly on the way. The video shows off the home and lock screens, gallery, music player and a new rendition of Timescape. Anywho, feel free to check out the above vid in all its blurrycam glory.
Sony Xperia U 'Kumquat' pics leak, gets sized up ahead of MWC
It looks like one of Sony's latest creations, the Xperia S, could be getting a little brother at next week's Mobile World Congress, according to a series of leaked pics. Sixteen crystal-clear images show the new sibling -- none other than the previously seen ST25i, aka Xperia U or Kumquat -- snuggled up to the Xperia S. As it appears, the handset will likely be a lower-end offering in the Xperia lineup: it's said to feature a 3.5-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) Reality Display, a 1GHz dual-core CPU, Exmor R sensor with 720p video capture and a tiny user-replaceable 1,290mAh battery. Oh, and Android 2.3.7 is rumored, though the rumor specifically mentions it will soon be upgraded to ICS. If these whispers turn out to be accurate, the U will likely be pitched as a smaller and less expensive option for fans of the Xperia S's design. Also, we don't foresee the device's Sony Ericsson branding to make an appearance at the show, given the two companies' recent divorce. To check out the full suite of comparison pics, check out the source link below. [Thanks, Pavlo]
Sony Xperia Sola appears at US Patent Office, forgets to mention its codename
So far, the extent of Sony's 2012 smartphone portfolio for the US extends only to the AT&T-bound Xperia Ion, with no word just yet whether the see-through banded Xperia S will arrive on American shores. What happens if it was called the Xperia Sola? That very name's showed up at the US Patent and Trademark Office, although that's largely it. So it could be a phone we've already seen, or perhaps one of those many road-mapped pseudonyms. Well, with a certain big mobile event just around the corner, we're sure to get a few more answers on Sony's other plans for the New World later this month.
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 23, 2012
This week may not have been incredibly packed with news in the mobile world, but it was still easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of January 23, 2012:
Sony ST25i Kumquat leaves fruity name behind, becomes Xperia U
We deal with enough fruitiness all day, so it's refreshing -- pardon the pun -- to see that Sony's ST25i Kumquat is leaving its citrusy roots behind for some good ole-fashioned corporate branding. A document found on the website of Indonesia's FCC equivalent lists the handset as the Xperia U ST25i, which lines up nicely with Sony's existing LT26i Xperia S nomenclature. Of course this also makes us wonder if Sony's planning to follow in Samsung's Galaxy-branded footsteps by creating an orchard of Xperia models. We'll just have to wait and see, right?
Leaked Sony image: Is this the ST25i Kumquat?
What's this? If this is true, it looks like one of the jilted partners in the Sony Ericsson split is doing all it can to ruin the nice surprises planned for next month's MWC. An image has appeared at Xperia Blog that purports to be of the ST25i Kumquat, which, if you've been paying attention is the cheapest of the three phones due in April listed on the leaked roadmap from a few days ago. The design language matches the Nozomi and the Xperia S we played with at CES, but the on-screen icons are clearly bigger: pointing us in the direction of this having a cheaper display (with a worse resolution) than its brothers. Don't let that Sony Ericsson logo fool you either, the company's producing versions that bear both branding, at least for this set of releases. We're off to grab a microscope and see if we can't glean any more facts from the snap.[Thanks, Joseph]
CES 2012: Smartphones round-up
The Superbowl of smartphones? Why, that would be Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. But that didn't stop the mobile industry's heavy hitters from giving us a taste of the year in wireless to come at CES. With Windows Phones finally getting LTE, Intel's Medfield CPU making its handset debut, Sony synergizing under its mega brand umbrella and fringe manufacturers wowing attendees with stock Ice Cream Sandwich and super-thin profiles, it appears phone aficionados have plenty to anticipate. So, while you sit slack-jawed in front of that computer screen, let's revisit some of the highlights of this past week.
Sony Ericsson keeps busy before the break-up, intros Xperia NX and Xperia acro HD for Japan
While we've been bamboozled by both a Sony and Sony Ericsson-branded Xperia S, the soon-to-be-divorced company still has a few handsets left to belt out of its once happy home. Alongside its new HD flagship and the LTE-powered Xperia Ion, Japan is getting treated to its own two slabs of smartphone magic. The Xperia acro HD will match Japan-centric features like mobile wallet and TV tuner found in the original, but present it all with the same 720p Reality Display we admired on the Xperia S. It'll arrive in four guises: aqua, black, sakura (that'll be pink, then) and ceramic (read; off-white). It's joined over in Nihon by the Xperia NX, which is apparently a Japanese-flavored Xperia S and keeps with the monochromatic flavors we've seen at CES. Sadly, we'll have to admire from a distance -- these Japanese market customization jobs are very unlikely to arrive elsewhere. Get the full Xperia 2012 story in the English press release after the break, or decipher the Google-translated source below for the full nitty-gritty.
Sony Xperia S hands-on (video)
We had the feeling that the Sony Xperia S might rear its lovely little head at tonight's press conference in the Las Vegas Convention Center -- and indeed this pretty little slab was announced amongst the deluge of products and superstar cameos.The Sony Xperia S is a smartphone with a bit of an identity crisis, which is to say that there were two versions of the same handset on the showroom floor -- one with the now oddly outdated Sony Ericsson branding along its top bezel, just above the speaker grill and another which simply reads "Sony" in big, block letters. And really, the new naming convention doesn't seem to out of place on the Android 2.3 handset -- it's got a bit more room to breathe up there. And besides, the gorgeous S looks right at home alongside Sony's other glossy hardware.The Xperia's bright 4.3-inch display monopolizes the upper 2/3 of the handset. Just below this, you'll find three white dots. These line up with the home, menu and back button. Icons for each are embedded in a a sliver of thick glass casing. Upon seeing the handset, we found ourselves attempting to touch the icons themselves -- it turns out it's actually the aforementioned dots that activate the functionality. We appreciate the clear focus on aesthetics here, but the whole thing is a bit counterproductive.Update: In fact, that see-through strip acts as the antenna, which you can just about see if you get up-close and personal, with micro-fine dots riddling the strip.The handset itself has a nice feel, with a concave back, which makes the handset a bit thick than the segments of the Android population attempting to win the title of the "world's thinnest." But hey, you've got to have some place to shove that 1.5GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM, right? And it's good they did, this handset is quite zippy.Joseph Volpe and Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Sony announces another in the Xperia line: the Xperia S
We only caught wind of the Sony Xperia S -- which is a decidedly beautiful Android 2.3 set -- launching at CES a couple hours ago, and here it is in all its black or white glory. Featuring a large 1280 x 720 4.3-inch display, a quick 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and will be available in both 16 and 32GB versions -- but choose wisely as there's no internal storage expansion. The rear camera is a 12 megapixel affair featuring Sony's Exmor R backlit sensor, and a useable 1.3 megapixel cam up front to service all your video calling needs. The set should ship during Q1 this year but we'll be back in a few with some galleries and impressions as we learn more.
Sony set to launch gorgeous Xperia S at CES?
Hot on the heels of the Xperia Ion launch chez AT&T this morning, it would seem Sony may have yet another trick up its sleeve in the form of the Xperia S. While nothing is official until Sony tells us so, the newest -- and if looks alone count -- and nicest Xperia packs a 1280 x 720 4.3-inch display, MSM8260 dual-core thrumming away at 1.5Gz, and a 12 megapixel shooter that'll capture at 1080p. Sadly the word is that it'll launch in the second quarter running Android 2.3 and not our beloved Ice Cream Sandwich. Design-wise, the Xperia S looks like others in its family with the gentle curve in the back but what immediately caught our eye is the small translucent lit -- notification with this would look brilliant -- bar toward the bottom. Here's hoping this is the real deal, and if so we'll be back in a few hours with a load of vids and pics of it in action.
