Sony Mobile

Sony DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100 External Lenses for Smartphones Leak

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 12, 2013 | 2 comments

In mid July, rumors began to circulate that Sony was looking to get into the camera business for smartphones. If you think that Sony already produces a great many sensors for its own fleet of Xperia smartphones and for competitors like the iPhone, you’d be correct. However, this news came with a twist that Sony was looking to make an external camera for smartphones, that would house an image sensor, battery, and memory and attach to the phone via small magnetic mounts. With sales of compact cameras declining ever since the debut of the original iPhone, Sony sees this as a solution for those who might not want a DSLR or even a compact NEX camera but still want something more than their smartphone’s camera. Thanks to leaks, it looks like Sony will indeed be delivering on this vision with the DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100.

The Sony Xperia M Joins the Update Party

by Ricardo Feliciano | Aug 11, 2013 | 5 comments

Sony Mobile has been on a tear lately putting out both Android and firmware updates for their Xperia line of devices. First Sony announced their Android 4.3 upgrade plan, and now we’re seeing devices like the Xperia Z/ZL, Tablet Z, and S getting updates.

Friday the Xperia M was updated from firmware version 15.1.A.1.5 to 15.1.A.1.9. Though there’s no official changelog, the Android version remains at Jelly Bean v4.1.2 so not many changes are expected. Maybe some minor bug fixes. For those of you who can’t get the update OTA for some reason, you can find the build here.

Sony Begins to Tease Xperia Honami?

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 9, 2013 | 0 comments

The Sony Xperia Z has been a success for Sony, especially in the East and Europe where Sony has properly supported and marketed the phone. At IFA 2013 in Berlin, it’s expected that Sony will announce the Xperia Honami, the company’s next flagship Android smartphone, which is believed to offer a 20-megapixel camera and 5-inch display. In case you were expecting a 6.4-inch display, you need to look towards the officially announced Sony Xperia Z Ultra for that. So with less than a month away from the what’s expected to be the phone’s unveiling, has Sony officially begun to tease us about the flagship phone?

Sony Adds a Splash of Red In Their Limited Edition VAIO PCs

by Ricardo Feliciano | Aug 9, 2013 | 1 comment

If you’re anything like me, you’re a fan of Sony because of their dedication to quality and design. Earlier in the year, Sony refreshed their VAIO lineup with the new VAIO Fit series, VAIO Pro series, and a new VAIO Duo. If IPS displays, Intel Haswell processors, and cutting-edge PCIe SSDs weren’t enough to separate you from your money, today Sony unleashes a limited line, dubbed Sony VAIO | red edition.

Sony Updates its Walkman, Movies, and Album Apps for Android (video)

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 7, 2013 | 3 comments

It’s only been a few days since Sony rolled out a new update for their Socialife app for Android and Windows 8 with a free new look and functionality and the company is already rolling out another series of updates. This time, exclusive to their Android fleet, Sony is updating their Walkman, Movies, and Album apps with better integration of your media that resides in the cloud. Lets talk details.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra vs. Nexus 7 in Pictures

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 6, 2013 | 7 comments

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra is an interesting device. Not quite a smartphone with its 6.4-inch 1080 display and yet it’s not quite a tablet with smaller units like the Nexus 7 and iPad Mini offering a 7-inch display. If anything, the Xperia Z Ultra (pictured right), which I’ll call a Phablet, was designed to compete with other Phablets out there like the Samsung Galaxy Note series which houses a 5.5-inch display. So how does the Xperia Z Ultra size up against the recently released Nexus 7 tablet from Google/Asus? After the jump, we have plenty of pictures comparing the two devices.

Sony’s Android & Windows 8 Socialife App Gets a Welcomed Refresh

by Ricardo Feliciano | Aug 5, 2013 | 3 comments

Promised earlier this month, Sony recently dropped version 4.0.02 of Socialife. The update, available only for Xperia smartphones at the moment, brings with it a new UI, some swipe gestures, and, most importantly, a 50% performance increase. Improvements and screenshots for the Socialife app available for your consumption, after the break.

Android 4.2.2 Now Available for Sony Xperia Tablet Z

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 4, 2013 | 0 comments

Just days after Sony released Android 4.2.2 for the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL, the company has now been able to do the same for the Xperia Tablet Z, their leading Android tablet. The new 10.3.1.A.0.244 firmware is available via the PC Companion app as well as by SUS. What kinds of features and enhancements can we expect from the latest update from Sony? We have that for you after the jump.

New Sony Xperia S Firmware Update on the Horizon?

by Sohrab Osati | Aug 2, 2013 | 2 comments

While it failed to gain much traction with consumers due to a lack of carrier support and marketing campaign from Sony, the Xperia S is still credited as the launch device that began to turn things around for Sony’s mobile initiative. In fact, Sony just revealed their 2013 Q1 earnings which saw higher sales for smartphones (9.6 million units) with revenue for the division up 36% while sales were up nearly 38% compared to the year prior. With mobile playing as one of the key pillars of Sony’s growth strategy moving forward, its good to hear that the company has not forgotten their nearly two year old smartphone and that a new Xperia S firmware update might be around the bend.

More Sony Xperia Honami Images Leak

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 31, 2013 | 1 comment

Nothing gets me going in the mornings like waking up to leaked images from a product that many of you have been clamoring for. The Sony Xperia Honami is set to be the companies next flagship Android smartphone. Here to replace the Xperia Z, it’s widely believed (can’t use the word confirmed yet till Sony actually announces it) that the Honami will offer a 20.7-megapixel ExmorRS sensor, 5-inch display, and ship with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 800 and 2GB RAM. To make the devices imminent announcement that much more likely, just last week, the ‘none existing’ device made its way through the FCC, the final step required to sell a device in the United States. Now, thanks to a member of the community, we have some more leaked Honami images to share with you which await you, after the jump.

Android 4.2.2 Firmware Begins to Roll Out for Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 30, 2013 | 0 comments

Sony has begun rolling out Android 4.2.2 firmware ( build number 10.3.1.A.0.244) for the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. According to reports, the firmware is not listed on the PTCRB website but notifications should slowly begin appearing for owners. The best way to check for the firmware is by connecting your Xperia smartphone to your PC and running the PC Companion software from Sony. Depending on your internet connection as well, be sure to give ample download and install time as the firmware comes in at a hefty 758.5 MB size. Via Twitter, a member of the community has also pointed out that:

word of advice rooted users SHOULD NOT FLASH THIS DIRECTLY. use OTA RootKeeper or something. perf_event root exploit is patched.

Sony Announces Its Android 4.3 Compatible Devices

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 29, 2013 | 0 comments

With the announcement of Android 4.3, this marks another potential fragmentation in the Google ecosystem which still has a majority of its device running on a two year OS. This runs counter to the iOS world which has over 90% of its smartphones and tablets running on iOS 6, the latest from Cupertino. Sony in the past has never been part of the solution as they’ve routinely left devices in the cold with no way of getting to the latest OS from Mountain View. Even worst has been the long wait times for phones from Sony that would eventually receive the next version of Android. With that in mind, it’s a welcoming sign to see Sony announce their software roadmap for their current smartphones. While there is no information on release date, even this information tended to come long after news about the latest OS. In this case, Android 4.3 was only released a week ago and Sony is already talking about it which is very much a change of pace for them. So what phones will get it? The details, after the jump.

Sony Xperia Honami Stops by the FCC

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 29, 2013 | 0 comments

Any and all wireless devices that are to be sold in the United States are required to submitted to the FCC for inspection. While just because a device has passed through the FCC does not mean that it will eventually be sold here, more often then not, it is the case. This is especially true when the company bust submit the final build of the device in question. Now, it seems the semi mysterious and next Android flagship smartphone from Sony has made its way through the FCC. With an expected official announcement of the Xperia Honami in the next week or two, it reasons that Sony will want to bring the device to the US as well. Now whether that happens between logistics and lack of carrier support in the US is an entirely different question.

Sony Xperia Honami Photos Leak, Includes Massive Speaker

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 23, 2013 | 2 comments

The Sony Xperia Honami is going to be a monster of a phone if everything that’s been leaked about it pans out. Not to be confused with the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, their latest phablet which houses a 6.4-inch display, the Xperia Honami will be the successor to the Xperia Z and will stand as the companies next flagship Android smartphone. As a recap, it’s believed that the new smartphone will offer a 20.7-megapixel ExmorRS sensor and ship with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 800 and 2GB RAM. The 5-inch 1080p display with Triluminos technology will be powered by a massive 3,000mAh battery that should help your phone last all day. As a comparison, most smartphones ship with a 1,7000Ah battery. It’s expected that Sony will officially announce the Xperia Honami at IFA in Berlin next month which means the phone must be nearing final build. This helps give the leaked shots which can be found after the jump more weight. It also helps that Mr. Blurry Shot wasn’t behind the camera, something that most faked leaked pictures share.

Sony to Make External Cameras for Smartphones?

by Sohrab Osati | Jul 22, 2013 | 0 comments

Chalk this under the rumor mill but according to recent chatter from the ever elusive anonymous sources, Sony is looking to expand its presence in the camera and smartphone world with a single product. Well, two to be exact as it is one product with two different models but I’m getting ahead of myself. It seems that Sony is interested in expanding the capabilities of smartphone cameras by attaching a new camera lens to the given camera. It remains to be seen if this is a product that will be Xperia-exclusive or compatible on a range of products. With small smartphone marketshare and a huge upside from selling to the masses, it’s more likely the latter, especially when you hear how their looking to do this.