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Sony's waterproof Xperia Z2 Tablet coming to Verizon for $600
We already knew Sony would eventually release an LTE version of its super-thin, waterproof Xperia Z2 Tablet; we just had no idea which network it would work on. Turns out, the lucky winner is Verizon. That's right, the Z2 Tablet is going to be a Big Red exclusive here in the states, at least for now. That's something of a departure for Sony: the last-gen Tablet Z was compatible with both AT&T and T-Mobile. In any case, regardless of whether you're already a Verizon customer, you can pre-order one tomorrow for $600, sans contract (shipments are expected to start next week, on July 17th). If you place your pre-order early enough, Verizon will also throw in a free noise canceling headset, while supplies last. For a limited time, too, you can buy the tablet for $500 with a new two-year agreement, but let's be real: Smart shoppers don't lock themselves into new service contracts just to get a 4G tablet.
Sony hopes Michael Jackson's legacy can boost its streaming music service
Sony sure knows how to dangle a carrot in front of its customers. In a not-so-subtle use of music industry clout to drive its technology business, the company is offering access to five tunes off of the Michael Jackson album Xscape on its Music Unlimited streaming service days before the album's official debut (May 13th in the US). Meanwhile, iTunes and other services are getting one early song at best.
Sony trolls the US by accidentally showing off an Xperia Z2 for Verizon
Hey, what's this? Sony said that it would only sell the Xperia Z2 in the US as an unlocked model, but the company has briefly teased Google+ followers with a picture of the high-end Android phone sporting a conspicuous Verizon logo. The image has since vanished, but it hints that Sony has at least been considering a reunion with Big Red -- notable when the carrier hasn't offered a Sony smartphone since the Xperia Play in 2011.
Sony's online store will be the only place to buy its best phone in the US
Sony's Xperia Z2 may be a big, powerful slab of a phone, but fans in the United States hoping to snag one in-person or with a contract are out of luck... for now, at least. The company just confirmed that neither it nor its tiny cousin the Z1 Compact will make their way to US store shelves "in the near future." The news comes as sort of bummer considering that Sony's Z2 has received pretty consistent acclaim so far, but hey -- at least Sony isn't completely full of bad news. An unlocked version of the Z2 will be available in the company's online store come the summer, though anyone hoping to nab one a pint-sized Z1 (which is no slouch either) will have to ferret out some alternate sources. At least Xperia fans in need of a fix have at least one option: the Xperia Z2 tablet will be available here soon, and it's easily one of the best 10.1 Android tabs coming to market.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: A top-tier slate with a familiar face
Oh, Sony. Its earliest Android tablet efforts were a little odd (and that's putting it politely), but the company eventually managed to get its act together. Last year's Xperia Tablet Z? Easily the finest Android slate that Sony's ever made. When it came time to craft an upgrade, though, Sony was faced with a choice: Should it try to push the envelope in a different direction? Or simply stay the course and apply a healthy dose of polish to an already-good device? Needless to say, it chose the latter. The new Xperia Z2 Tablet looks strikingly similar to its predecessor, albeit with a swapped-out set of components under the hood. The strange sense of drama that comes with a new product seems absent here. In a cynical age when new devices can fly or flop based on spectacle alone, Sony played it safe. It iterated. But is that such a bad thing? Is "iterating" really as yucky a word as we've all been led to believe? Let's find out.
Sony Xperia Z2 review: a big, powerful slab of a phone
It's been nearly three years since I reviewed the Xperia Neo, manufactured by what was then Sony Ericsson. The Neo represented just the second generation of Xperia phones running on Android, from a period when Sony was finding its feet in the world of mobile and still chucking out plenty of duds (I'm looking at you, Tablet P). Fast-forward to today and things have changed dramatically under Kaz Hirai's stewardship. I'll tell you this right now: The Z2 is an easy phone to recommend, at least for those living in countries where it'll definitely be available (a list that includes the UK and Canada, but not yet the US). The only real caveat is the handset's huge, monolithic construction (a far cry from puny, 126-gram Neo). As you'll see, if you can get past its size, the Z2 addresses some of the most serious gripes we had with its predecessors, the Xperia Z and Z1, particularly with respect to its LCD display. In fact, in some respects, it's far ahead of any other Android phone currently on the market.
Sony's Xperia Z2 is coming to North America in May
Sony's Xperia Z2 is already available in a few corners of the world, but North America has so far been left high and dry. That drought will soon come to an end, though, as Bell says that it's bringing the waterproof Android flagship to Canada this May. While the carrier isn't divulging pricing at this stage, we'd expect the Z2 to cost $200 Canadian or more on a two-year plan, like most high-end smartphones. As for the good ol' US of A? Unfortunately, there's no word on an American launch -- for now, you'll have to make do with the Xperia Z1S if you live stateside.
Sony shows (and tells) us why 4K on a phone isn't crazy
At Sony Mobile's HQ in Tokyo, Kichiro Kurozumi is itching to go into detail about the new flagship Xperia Z2. The VP says it's "all in the details." We really hope so, because it's getting increasingly hard to tell Sony's recent smartphone iterations apart, especially when it comes to the Xperia Z2 and Z1. Kurozumi emphatically states that it's all the work done behind the scenes (reengineered frame, a 20.7-megapixel camera that records in 4K) that makes the Z2 stand out. "2014 is about premium smartphones, tablets and the smartwear experience but we... Sony has to do it differently." Take the Xperia Z2's 4K-recording camera sensor. Sony's certainly not the only smartphone maker with a device capable of recording video in Ultra HD, but Kurozumi reckons the company's software-based "SteadyShot" stabilization keeps the Xperia Z2 ahead of the pack. Because of the relatively large camera sensor, it can compensate for more movement than its rivals -- up to 21 percent. He offers up a professional-level clip and his own real-world sample from a few weeks earlier in Barcelona, and (courtesy of a 4K Sony TV in the room) the level of detail is noticeably beyond that of 1080p video, but won't the lack of 4K screens (UHD TVs are still pretty rare) limit the usefulness? We asked Kurozumi exactly that.
MHL 3.0 does 4K video output, 10W charging and data transfer over a single cable (video)
You may have already followed the announcement of Sony's Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet last week, but did you know that they are also the first mobile devices to feature MHL 3.0? For those who haven't caught up, this standard allows 4K video output -- over a bandwidth of 6 Gbps -- from a micro-USB port, while giving back up to 10W of power to keep your phone or tablet juiced up. Better yet, you also get a dedicated 75 Mbps channel for data transfer, as opposed to just 1 Mbps in earlier versions, which is only enough for HID input (like keyboard, touchscreen, mouse and even gesture control). It's still snail pace compared to the likes of USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt, but at least you can now transfer files to and from your mobile device over the same cable. Besides, it's possible to achieve a higher transfer rate of up to 600 Mbps using special connectors, such as USB 3.0's 10-pin configuration. At MWC last week, Silicon Image demoed MHL 3.0 -- powered by its SiI8620 transmitter chip -- working between an Xperia Z2 and a Sony 4K TV, with the bonus capability of navigating through the phone using the TV's remote. The company also showed off file transfer between a USB drive and a Snapdragon 800 development board over MHL 3.0, though products (likely monitors, set-top boxes and docks) that support this feature won't be out until later this year. For now, you can check out our demo video after the break.
Live from Sony's MWC 2014 press event!
The time has almost come for Sony to pull back the curtains on its next Xperia Z flagships at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. You're just here a little early. But that's okay -- we admire your spunk. Just make sure to check back at 2:30AM EST / 8:30AM CET when you'll have a live, front row look at all the news as Kaz and co. reveal it. Don't worry, we know you like your tech news fresh and up to the minute. And that's exactly how we'll be serving it up! February 24, 2014 2:30:00 AM EST
We'll be live from Sony's MWC 2014 press event tomorrow at 2AM EST!
If history is any indication, then we have a sneaking suspicion Sony could be using this year's Mobile World Congress as a showcase for its next, great Xperia Tablet. More specifically, it could be this fella right here, the Xperia Tablet Z2 -- a minor spec update to its waterproof, "omnibalanced" Android slate. But that might not be the only Xperia flagship waiting in the wings here in Barcelona. Recent leaks have us fairly convinced Sony's planning yet another Zed Part Deux debut, but this time it's for the company's rumored Xperia Z2 smartphone. Lucky you, we'll be live at Sony's MWC press event to report on the news as it unfolds and count how many times Kaz says, "Wow!" So make sure to tune in here tomorrow at 2AM EST / 8AM CET to catch your (Xperia) Zzzs. February 24, 2014 2:30:00 AM EST
