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Refresh Roundup: week of August 12th, 2013
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 names devices that will (eventually) see Android 4.3
With Android 4.3 being less than 24 hours old, it's nice to see manufacturers already addressing concerns about whether all those under-the-hood tweaks will reach their devices. On Sony Mobile's website, the company confirms that the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP and Xperia Z Ultra will get Android 4.3, though a concrete timetable hasn't been provided. Furthermore, if you own an Xperia ZR or Tablet Z, then consider yourself lucky, because you'll see Android 4.2 hit your device next month, making the wait for 4.3 that much more bearable. So yes, a Nexus might get its updates quicker, but can it receive them in the bath?
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 15th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Samsung added two new colors to its GS4 LTE-A lineup, Motorola teased its manufacturing facility for the upcoming Moto X and @evleaks spilled the beans on a new smartphone for Verizon. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 15th, 2013.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 1st, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Simple Mobile changed its low-cost plans for the better and actionable notifications in BlackBerry 10.2 were shown off in a video walkthrough. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 1st, 2013.
Sony announces the Xperia SP M35t, its first TD-LTE device for China Mobile
Announced alongside the Xperia C just now is the TD-LTE version of the Xperia SP (M35t), and naturally, it's headed to China Mobile, which pretty much owns the technology right now. Like before, the device comes with a 4.6-inch 720p plus a touchscreen that works fine with gloves. Additionally, NFC and the iconic illuminating transparent element are still present. Not much was said about the detailed specs, though, so we're not sure if it's the same chipset inside. Again, stay tuned for further announcements.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 27th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, a new addition to the LG L-Series surfaced in Russia, a Lumia 920 was sighted that'd make Oscar the Grouch flip, and TalkTalk added three new devices from Huawei to its roster. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 27th, 2013.
The Daily Roundup for 05.14.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Sony Xperia SP review: lights, camera, performance
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-188132%
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 6th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought hints of changes to the Droid RAZR lineup, a peek at Sense with Android 4.2 and the arrival of the Lumia 520 to Canada. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 6th, 2013.
Sony Xperia SP on sale now in the UK at T-Mobile, Orange and EE
Sony's mash-up Xperia, the SP, is taking its transparent element light show to the UK today, giving budget-minded Brits one stylish and feature-packed mobile alternative. The 4.6-inch 720p handset, which is basically a Best of... edition of the Xperia S and P with an aluminum unibody, is shipping now at T-Mobile UK for £250 outright (about $387 USD), whereas Orange and EE are offering up the device for free with qualifying plans. If you want LTE, however, you only have one carrier option and that's EE -- a choice that'll have you shackled for a two-year period. As for O2 and Three, those carriers still have the SP listed as "coming soon," but it's safe to say you won't find a better bargain than *free. *Nothing in life is free.
Finally, you can bring a DualShock 3 with you to play mobile phone games
On Sony's upcoming Xperia SP mobile handset, you'll be able to control various PlayStation Mobile titles using the PlayStation 3's ubiquitous DualShock 3 controller. Sure, it seems a bit strange to us that you'd want to carry a full game console controller with you, but then it's also a much better option for games with virtual buttons. And hey, Sony's not the only one employing such strange logic, so who are we to judge? Anyway, the controller functionality seems locked to Sony's Xperia SP phone for now, but it's likely to head elsewhere before too long (at very least to the rest of Sony's Xperia line, if not all PlayStation Mobile-enabled devices) -- we've asked the company for more info, but have yet to hear back. Since the DualShock 3 connects via Bluetooth, pairing the DualShock 3 with the Xperia SP is a snap; simply connect via USB, pair the devices, and you're off the races (or the shooting, or whatever game you're playing). After doing so, you'll be able to reconnect without wires in subsequent uses by holding down the PlayStation button in the middle of the DualShock 3. For a quick walkthrough of how it works, head past the break for a snazzy video showing off just that.
Editors Letter: Who cares for the UNcarrier?
It seems like a year ago already, but it's been only a few days since we wrapped up our inaugural Engadget Expand event. If you weren't able to join us in person, you missed a seriously good time. Attendees got to take a ride in a Tesla Model S, perform surgery using a da Vinci robotic surgery system and cruise around the show floor on the San Francisco Special edition of the electric ZBoard, which made its debut at the show.
Sony Xperia SP announced, we go hands-on (video)
While Sony's Xperia Z tablet and smartphone occupy its high-end Android selection, it's now the turn of the middleweights. Say hello to the Xperia SP, a 4.6-inch phone that ties together the some of the features (and design cues) from both the S and P models of 2012 -- yep, it's all in the name. Alongside a 720p screen with Sony's Bravia Mobile Engine 2, there's an 8-megapixel Exmor RS sensor on the back, NFC, LTE and a dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon MSM8960 Pro processor. That's all built into a classy aluminum frame that's just shy of 10mm thick and weighs 5.5 ounces. The phone marks the return of Sony's see-through strip, but with a slightly more advanced (and customizable) notification light built into it. We managed to spend a bit of time with the device last month, so please hop past the break for some more impressions and our hands-on video. %Gallery-183056%
Sony Xperia SP render possibly spied, puts the Xperia Z design in a smaller package
So you're enamored with the Xperia Z's premium look, but not the slightly hand-defying 5-inch screen size. There might not be reason to worry: an apparent press-quality image making the rounds in China shows the Xperia SP (aka Huashan), which now seems to be a more compact expression of Sony's Omnibalance design. The render doesn't suggest much on its own besides a familiar software layout, although previous rumors have hinted that it could be a slightly reworked Xperia T with a similar 4.6-inch 720p display, a faster 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 and a scaled back 8-megapixel camera. While there's nothing here to validate talk of a launch as soon as next week, the existence of a seemingly final press shot implies that there won't be long to wait for the real deal.
