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Sony Xperia TL review: the company’s second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect

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Sony Xperia TL review the company's second US flagship is muchimproved, but not quite perfect

As Sony's second stab at the US mobile market, the Xperia TL arrives with a major corporate synergistic push: a 007 movie franchise tie-in. But an awkward distinction as the official Bond phone and a smattering of pre-loaded "Skyfall" multimedia content alone won't drive consumer adoption; the specs and pricing will. Following in the footsteps of the company's first stateside flagship, the Ion, this AT&T 4G LTE exclusive is priced aggressively at $99 on two-year contract, packing a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1,280 x 720) powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), 1GB RAM, NFC, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as an integrated 1,850mAh battery.

With Ice Cream Sandwich running the show and a planned upgrade to Jelly Bean in the works, it has all the makings of a current-gen high-end offering. So will the Xperia TL help Sony build much-needed buzz for its mobile division here in the states? Can a sub-$100 price tag effectively lure consumers away from the bigger, faster and flashier Android phones AT&T has to offer? Or is this mainly one for Sony loyalists? Find out after the break as we put the TL through its paces.

Gallery: Sony Xperia TL review

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Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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

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.

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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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Sony Xperia TL for AT&T hands-on (video)

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Sony Xperia TL for AT&T handson

It's not unusual for a device to be sold under a couple of different names for the purposes of carrier branding, or to distinguish a global GSM model from its US bound LTE sibling. Sony seems to be trying for a record though, with the Xperia T adding a fourth rebranding. The company's latest flagship is landing on AT&T here in the US as the Xperia TL. At an event today in NYC the carrier broke out the curved 4.6-inch LTE Android device and we took the opportunity to give it yet another chance to impress us, after falling short of "wow" it's first few times around the block.

Back at IFA 2012, when we first got up close and personal with Sony's latest flagship, we were left feeling rather unimpressed and things haven't changed. The fit and finish of the TL just doesn't live up to the big boy breeches of its high-end ilk. Yes, it feels good in the hand, owed in part to that matte plastic back and subtle arc S-like curve, but the materials feel cheap. Thankfully, that sentiment doesn't spill over into its performance, as the 1.5GHz dual-core S4 powering the device does an admirable job keeping navigation brisk.

With a 720p HD Reality display powered by the outfit's Mobile BRAVIA Engine, you'd expect superb readability from the handset, especially in the dim light of this event. Though colors on the panel are bright and viewing angles seem to hold up fairly well, we did take issue with its overall brightness. Even pumped up to max, the screen just seemed a bit too dark for our tastes.

As with all things carrier-branded, this one lands with a host of AT&T apps onboard alongside three of Sony's own like Media, Album and Walkman. The build of Android on the device is still Ice Cream Sandwich with a light skin, but we were assured an upgrade to Jelly Bean is forthcoming and, given the company's track record, we're inclined to believe it. This official Bond Android phone's targeted for a holiday season release, so sit tight if you want to go all in on this Xperia. Click on past the break for a brief video tour.

Gallery: Sony Xperia TL for AT&T

Terrence O'Brien contributed to this report.

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Sony Xperia TL for AT&T hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 17:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia TL joins AT&T’s 4G LTE lineup as official James Bond phone

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Strange, but true: it seems James Bond is an Android man and the Xperia TL, his phone of choice. Well, at least that's the marketing tie-in made possible by Sony's corporate synergy. Regardless, the company's latest smartphone flagship has found a new stateside home on AT&T's 4G LTE network. The 4.6-inch device, unveiled at IFA 2012, reps a 720p HD Reality display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine, 13-megapixel rear module capable of "sleep to snap" fast capture and runs a skinned build of Ice Cream Sandwich atop a dual-core 1.5GHz S4 CPU. It also comes loaded up with three of the Japanese outfit's media apps -- Walkman, Movies and Album -- a bevy of exclusive content (e.g. ringtones, wallpaper, etc.) from the next Bond film, Skyfall, and packs one SmartTag in the box for use with the handset's NFC chip. There's no official word on when this black beauty's set to hit retail shelves -- or pricing, for that matter. But if the imminent arrival of its galactic stablemates is any indication, expect to see it in "the coming weeks." Official PR after the break.

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Sony Xperia TL joins AT&T's 4G LTE lineup as official James Bond phone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of August 27th, 2012

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Mobile Miscellany week of August 27th, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, MetroPCS welcomed the Coolpad Quattro 4G into its stable and we also caught wind of a redesigned Huawei Mercury for Cricket. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of August 27th, 2012.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of August 27th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 21:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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