Hasta La Gadget!

Sony took a rather unusual path with its flagship smartphone for 2013: it designed the hardware twice. The Xperia Z is ostensibly the star of the show with its glass body and waterproofing, but it’s launching alongside the Xperia ZL, an equally brawny, yet plainer sibling. On a spec sheet, there’s no apparent reason for the ZL to exist when its features almost perfectly match those of the slimmer and more stylish Z.

Still, it’s precisely that emphasis on function over form that might just win the day. Sony bills the ZL as the most compact 5-inch smartphone on the market, which could win over folks who see large-screened phones as unwieldy. But is it enough to challenge conventional thinking on big phones, especially in light of fiercer competition? And is there anything special lurking underneath the ZL’s reworked hood? Read on and we’ll let you know whether the second device in Sony’s dual-phone strategy is strong enough to outshine the Z — and, more importantly, its rivals.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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As we noted early in March, and then again later on in March, Sony‘s Xperia ZL handset has been destined to arrive on shelves in the United States, but until now it was unknown which carrier would be offering it. That question has finally been answered, with Cincinnati Bell announcing via press release that it will be the first carrier in the U.S. to offer the sleek 5-inch handset.

The Xperia ZL handset is high-end phablet offering a full 1920 x 1080 HD Reality Display, as well as a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor and the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. There’s a rear 13-megapixel Exmor RS for Mobile camera that can record HDR video in 1080p, offering both noise reduction and Superior Auto focus. The handset supports 4G LTE and offers both NFC and infrared connectivity, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

To help ensure that users aren’t having to charge too often, there’s the Battery STAMINA standby feature as well. The handset is compatible with HSPA+ 1/2/4/5/8 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900. The carrier will be offering the Sony Xperia ZL for $249.99 after a mail-in rebate and a two-year contract, and says it will be available on May 1 via its website and retail stores.

Said Cincinnati Bell’s Consumer Markets Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Vanerwoude, “We’re excited to add the Sony Xperia ZL to our line of premium smartphones. With this extraordinary device, customers can connect with each other using the best technology Sony has to offer. The Xperia ZL on Cincinnati Bell’s 4G wireless network creates an unbeatable combination.”

[via Business Wire]

Cincinnati Bell will be first US carrier offering the Sony Xperia ZL is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We saw some pretty cool stuff at Mobile World Congress this year, and there definitely wasn’t a shortage of tablets. Two slates in particular that we got our hands on were the HP Slate 7 and the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. However, you’ll be waiting longer than expected, as both tablets have been delayed into June and May, respectively.

Originally, HP said that its new Slate 7 tablet would be available sometime next month, but the company has pushed back the release to June, giving eager buyers a couple more months to mull over their decision. However, we’re not exactly sure why the tablet is delayed. It went through the FCC without any problems, so perhaps HP simply wanted to make some slight last-minute changes.

As for the Xperia Tablet Z, the tablet released on March 22 in Japan, but it has yet to see the light of day in other parts of the world. It was also originally set for a release sometime next month, but it has been pushed back to May. As with the HP Slate 7, there’s no word on exactly what’s causing the delay, but again, it’ll give more time to those eager shoppers to think about whether or not go for it.

The Xperia Tablet Z was one of the more nicer tablets that we saw at Mobile World Congress last month. It’s got a 10-inch 1080p HD display and it runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. When it eventually does make its way to the states, it’ll cost $499 for the 16GB model — right on par with Apple’s entry-level iPad.

Update: HP has updated its Slate 7 product page, and the release date is now listed as “April 2013.”

HP Slate 7 and Sony Xperia Tablet Z delayed [UPDATE] is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week the folks at Sony Mobile Communications have ushered in the Xperia ZL for a full United States release, making sure to note that it is their most compact 5-inch offering ever. In fact, they make sure to say that this 5-inch display-toting beast is the most compact 5-inch smartphone in the world, coming complete with a 13 megapixel camera on the back and powered by their lovely Mobile BRAVIA Engine under the hood. What’s that mean for you? It means the best Sony-made smartphone ever pushed to the USA is on it’s way now!

This device works with some advanced industrial design features such as concentration on perfecting the roundness of the edges and “premium build and craftsmanship” put specifically into the power button. Strange and excellent! This device also works with a display that’s got Sony’s own touch of greatness in it with “Reality Display” technology and power backed up by Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2.

NOTE: Don’t forget to check out our review of the Xperia Z as well – similar, but not the same!

This device also boasts implementation of Sony’s own Exmor RS technology, the first in the world – so they say – that offers a mobile implementation of HDR Video. You’ll find that this device also works with a “STAMINA” mode for battery life extension so you’ll be able to shoot all day long.

Key features for Xperia ZL:
• 5″ 1080 x 1920p full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2
• 13MP Fast Capture camera with Exmor RS for mobile, HDR video (1080p), Superior Auto and • Noise Reduction to effortlessly capture razor sharp pictures and videos in any conditions
• Battery STAMINA for improved standby time
• NFC-enabled and Infra-red capable
• 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB RAM
• MSRP $759.99 (unlocked, Model C6506) and $719.99 (unlocked, Model C6502)
• Available colors: Black, White, Red
• Xperia ZL will launch on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

Past the idea that this machine will be launching with the not-quite-newest version of Android (with 4.1 instead of 4.2 Jelly Bean), it’s clear that Sony means business with this release. Expect this lovely little amalgamation of bits and pieces to be available to you sooner than later right here in the USA! Pre-sales have already begun!

Sony Xperia ZL “world’s most compact” 5-inch phone heads to USA is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

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.

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