How would you change Sony’s Xperia U?

Posted on 17/12/2012 by Daniel Cooper

The most exciting things in life, we are told, are measured not by the kilo, but the gram. Is that the case with Sony's Xperia U? The runt of the company's mid-year litter has an unspectacular camera, adequate internals and a middling five-hour battery life, and yet somehow, it's more than the sum of its parts. Combine that with the sheer charm of the unit, and you can't discount it as just another unexciting Sony phone. You've had nearly half a year to live cheek-by-jowl with this handset, so why not tell us what you love, what you loathe and what you'd change?

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Refresh Roundup: week of December 3rd, 2012

Posted on 10/12/2012 by Zachary Lutz

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!

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Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of October 29th, 2012

Posted on 05/11/2012 by Zachary Lutz

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Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

Refresh Roundup: week of October 29th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

Posted on 29/09/2012 by Edgar Alvarez

Well, it looks like Sony's in-house software developers have decided this is the perfect week to deliver delicious treats to a large portion of the company's mobile lineup. Not long after outing updates for the Tablet S and Xperia Ion (in the US), the electronics giant is now bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to handsets such as the Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola. The refresh itself brings a slew of novel traits to the trio of Xperia slabs, including a "new way to experience" music, photos and video, improvements to the lockscreen, the ability to resize widgets and the addition of a "multitasking" button. While the standout features remain the same across the board, the Xperia sola does get an added bonus in the form of a so-called, self-explanatory glove mode -- which is made possible by the device's "floating touch" technology. Sony does note that availability of the 4.0 upgrade will vary by market and, not surprisingly, carrier requirements. Let's just hope you get to enjoy the changes soon.

Continue reading Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Sony

Sony starts delivering Ice Cream Sandwich update to Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony starts pushing Android 4.0 update to Xperia P owners, Xperia U and more coming soon

Posted on 17/08/2012 by Jon Fingas

Sony has been steadily deploying its Android 4.0 updates, but it's been leaving some of its newest phones out of the loop. Consider the Xperia P back in the groove: its upgrade is rolling out over the course of a few weeks, starting today. As always, the exact timing will depend on the carrier and country, and some owners may have to download the update the archaic, wired way instead of through the air. Should the Xperia P deployment still leave your device out of the running, Sony keenly points out that the Xperia U, Xperia go and Xperia sola are next on deck to receive a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich. About the only question left is when Android 4.1 will reach any Xperia models, although we're really just thankful to have much of Sony's current lineup on the same page.

Filed under: Cellphones

Sony starts pushing Android 4.0 update to Xperia P owners, Xperia U and more coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia NXT series available now unlocked for US tastes

Posted on 16/07/2012 by Joseph Volpe

The waiting is the hardest part -- just ask stateside fans of the Xperia NXT series. But in a welcome change of fortune, Sony's breaking down international borders and making its Android trio available unlocked for American mitts. Interested parties can hit up Sony stores or visit the usual online mega retailers now to snag the 12-megapixel-toting Xperia S, WhiteMagic-y P and wee U for $560, $480 and $300, respectively. You'll have to hitch your wireless ride to AT&T to take full advantage of the goods and there's no 4G LTE service to speak of, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. Hit up the source link below to get'em while they're hot.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Sony Xperia NXT series available now unlocked for US tastes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 18th, 2012

Posted on 24/06/2012 by Zachary Lutz

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, we learned of the first market outside of China for ZTE's new Grand X smartphone, and received news that both the Sony Xperia U and Xperia P will arrive in Australia. 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 June 18th, 2012.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 18th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Jun 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s NXT trio sees the light, gets transparent bar notifications via third-party app

Posted on 14/06/2012 by Joseph Volpe

If there's one thing Sony got right with its NXT line, it's that design-distinctive, transparent element. Problem is, aside from color matching with your photo collection, that incognito antenna doesn't do much -- well, not with the company's official blessing anyway. Users that take a quick trip to the Google Play store can download a third-party app dubbed, rather self-evidently, Illumination Bar Notification. And it does just what it claims to do, letting Xperia U users set myriad notification hues (P and S owners will have to make do with white only) and blinking speeds for texts and calls. It's free to download, so if you're looking to make that handset sit and look even prettier, you'd be well advised to hit up the source below.

Sony's NXT trio sees the light, gets transparent bar notifications via third-party app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 4th, 2012

Posted on 10/06/2012 by Zachary Lutz

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, the LG Optimus L7 and Sony Xperia U both arrived at Fido, and Verizon Wireless unleashed some wicked LTE expansion across the US. 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 June 4th, 2012.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 4th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 09 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Xperia U review: a little slice of Android that punches above its weight

Posted on 06/06/2012 by James Trew

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There's an oft-used idiom about small packages, which frequently doesn't apply to the world of technology. That's to say that a diminished form factor often doesn't bring the "best things" with it. For example, Sony's NXT family members, revealed between CES and MWC, gifted consumers with the choice of three new handsets: the Xperia P, S and U. The last one in that list is by far the smallest, and in congruence with the general trend of mobile technology, the most lightly armored.

However, we're not ones to make assumptions, and heaven forbid we pre-judge something based on size alone. We're as willing to be surprised as anyone, and the new baby of the Sony bunch is as likely a candidate as any to throw us a curveball. Our initial impressions in Barcelona were largely positive, so this review -- as the firm says on its marketing material for the phone -- is all about (the Xperia) U.

Gallery: Sony Xperia U review