CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies reach Xperia Z and ZL, other recent Sony models

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="copy post-body" dir="ltr" itemprop="text" style="text-align: left;"> <div class="image-container" style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="CyanogenMod 101 nighlies reach Xperia Z and ZL, other recent Sony models" data-src-height="340" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/04/sony-xperia-zl-top-1366117059.jpg" /></div>Sony has been friendlier than many of its mobile rivals toward outside code, backing AOSP efforts even when it has had to shoulder most of the responsibilities. It's only fitting, then, that five of its more recent smartphones just received their first nightly CyanogenMod 10.1 builds, all in one fell swoop. Support for the Xperia Z and ZL is no doubt the highlight, although experimenters who stand just short of the cutting edge can get CyanogenMod releases for the Xperia T, TX and V. As always, nightlies of custom OS code redefine risky -- but those who can't wait for Sony to push a safe Android 4.2 release can now do more than just twiddle their thumbs.<br /> </div></div>

CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies reach Xperia Z and ZL, other recent Sony models

Sony has been friendlier than many of its mobile rivals toward outside code, backing AOSP efforts even when it has had to shoulder most of...

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Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame" data-src-height="340" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/04/sony-xperia-zl-review-1365529409.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">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.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">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. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XMLgd7-cg_E?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe></div>

Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame

Sony took a rather unusual path with its flagship smartphone for 2013: it designed the hardware twice. The Xperia Z is ostensibly the star o...

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Sony Xperia ZL reaches Canada through Bell, Rogers and Videotron

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="copy post-body" dir="ltr" itemprop="text" style="text-align: left;"> <div class="image-container" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Sony Xperia ZL" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/xperiazl.jpg" /></a></div>While we're still waiting on an American carrier to officially release Sony's <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Xperia ZL</a>, it turns out that Canadians don't have to be quite so patient. That promised April launch in the northern country has come right at the start of the month, and locals can order the compact 5-inch flagship from Bell, Rogers or <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Videotron </a>as of today. Pricing varies sharply between networks, however. Bell is offering the most aggressive discount, at $100 on a lengthy three-year contract, while Rogers and <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Videotron</a> raise the prices to a respective $125 and $200 on similar terms. You can also buy the smartphone off-contract from the carriers for $600 (Bell and <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Videotron)</a> or $625 (Rogers), in addition to the $675 unlocked model from Sony itself. We'd think carefully about a purchase when the <a href="http://greenzoneregypt.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Xperia ZL</a> is about to get some stiff competition in the next few weeks; those who want a better sense of (Omni)balance in their lives can hit the carrier links at the source.<br /> </div></div>

Sony Xperia ZL reaches Canada through Bell, Rogers and Videotron

While we're still waiting on an American carrier to officially release Sony's Xperia ZL , it turns out that Canadians don't h...

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Sony Xperia ZL goes on pre-order for US customers, off-contract: $720 for HSPA, $760 for LTE

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sony Xperia ZL goes on preorder for US customers, carrierfree" data-src-height="446" data-src-width="619" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/xperiazl.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> Remember the Xperia ZL? While it lingered in the shadow of the waterproof Xperia Z back at CES, the phone does still exist and has now gone on preorder at Sony's own webstore. Withc the same 5-inch 1080p display, 13-megapixel camera and Snapdragon S4 Pro of the omnibalanced Z model, the Xperia ZL packs it into a smaller footprint and adds the courtesy of a physical camera button. Sony's NFC skills remain onboard and that lead camera is capable of HDR video capture, alongside recent improvements to the Xperia range's automatic shooting mode. While its own retail site is currently down (and there's no concrete date for when you'll get your hands on the phone), Sony says that it will be available from other online stores soon, pricing the Xperia ZL, contract- and carrier-less, at a hefty $720 on HSPA, or $760 for the 4G variant. That pricier option includes LTE Bands 2, 4 5, and 17, which means it should connect with AT&T's 4G network -- with or without any carrier branding.</div><div class="pr_box open" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> <div class="pr_box_button">Hide Press Release</div><div class="pr_text"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <strong>The Xperia™ ZL, the World's Most Compact Smartphone with a 5" Display, Comes to the US</strong></div>--5" Full HD Reality Display with the highest* phone-to-screen ratio, powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2<br /> --13MP camera with Exmor RS™ for Mobile image sensor for HDR photos and videos<br /> --Easy One-touch connections to wirelessly share music, photos, and videos across other NFC-enabled devices<br /> --Sony's media applications deliver rich user experiences and instant access to entertainment services<br /> <br /> ATLANTA, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Mobile Communications (USA), Inc. ("Sony Mobile") brings the Xperia™ ZL to the US, offering consumers the best of Sony in a premium smartphone. The Xperia ZL is now available online for pre-sale at Sony Store and will soon be available through other select online retailers.<br /> The Xperia ZL has all of the specifications expected from a premium smartphone and offers even more with best of Sony experiences. It combines a razor sharp 5" full HD (1920x1080p) Reality Display with an elegant and compact design. Intelligent camera features make taking high quality images easier than ever, and One-touch connections via NFC (Near field communication) allow the Xperia ZL to communicate with a wide range of NFC-enabled devices with a single tap.<br /> Compact design<br /> With Sony's expertise in design and craftsmanship, the Xperia ZL comes with subtly rounded edges, a curvature that fits naturally into the palm of your hand, and a compact layout that optimizes the iconic phone design.<br /> The power button also has high functionality, as the average user is likely to touch it an estimated 76 times per day, and exemplifies the premium build and craftsmanship that has gone into the Xperia ZL.<br /> <br /> Intelligent Sony Technology<br /> <br /> Xperia ZL's Reality Display, powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2, brings Sony's long-standing TV expertise to the smartphone and delivers an immersive viewing experience with optimized colors, contrast, and clarity. Most smartphones available today have screen ratios of between 60 and 68 percent. Xperia ZL has been precision engineered for an exceptional viewing experience while maintaining a compact design, allowing the brilliant display-representing 75 percent of the overall footprint*-to take the spotlight.<br /> <br /> Xperia ZL also shares capabilities with Sony digital cameras and features Exmor RS for mobile, the world's first image sensor with HDR** (High Dynamic Range) video for smartphones. HDR technology enhances clear images against strong backlight, enabling users to capture razor sharp pictures and videos, no matter the conditions.<br /> <br /> Sony's One-touch functions enable consumers to easily share music, photos, and videos from their smartphone to an array of NFC-enabled Sony devices including speakers, headphones, and TVs. With the latest NFC-capable BRAVIA TV, simply touch the Xperia ZL to the TV remote control to instantly enjoy your photos or view the content of your phone's screen on a large TV screen. With an NFC-enabled headset or speaker, listen to the songs on your Xperia ZL with just a tap.<br /> <br /> Xperia ZL also includes Battery STAMINA Mode that significantly improves the battery standby time by automatically shutting down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and starting them up again when the screen is back on.<br /> <br /> Discover, enjoy and share entertainment with Sony's media applications<br /> <br /> Sony media applications offer a consistent entertainment experience across a range of Sony devices. The "WALKMAN", Album, and Movies apps enable discovery of online and offline content through a single access point. Each application provides new ways to enjoy and share that content. The "WALKMAN" application provides access to all of your downloaded music, a library of 18 million songs to explore from Music Unlimited***, and Facebook social integration. The Movies application gives consumers access to over 100,000 movies and TV series from Video Unlimited***, while the Album application enables easy access to Facebook friends' photos-you can even browse photos by location.<br /> Key features for Xperia ZL<br /> 5" 1080 x 1920p full HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2<br /> 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<br /> Battery STAMINA for improved standby time<br /> NFC-enabled and Infra-red capable<br /> 1.5 GHz asynchronous quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB RAM<br /> MSRP $759.99 (unlocked, Model C6506) and $719.99 (unlocked, Model C6502)<br /> Available colors: Black, White, Red<br /> Compatible network bands:<br /> Model C6502 HSPA+: 1,2,4,5,8 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900<br /> Model C6506 LTE: 2,4,5,17 & HSPA+: 1,2,4,5,8 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900<br /> Xperia ZL will launch on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)<br /> </div></div></div>

Sony Xperia ZL goes on pre-order for US customers, off-contract: $720 for HSPA, $760 for LTE

Remember the Xperia ZL? While it lingered in the shadow of the waterproof Xperia Z back at CES, the phone does still exist and has now go...

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Sony Xperia ZL coming to a swath of Canadian carriers in April

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><hr dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" /><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Sony Xperia ZL hands-on" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/01/xperiazl.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><!-- adsense -->It's not quite a US launch, but it's close: Sony is bringing the more compact of its two 5-inch smartphones, the Xperia ZL, to Canada in April. While that's already good news for locals who like their Xperias extra-large, the real perk will be a change in Sony's tendency toward limited launches in North America. The release will put the ZL on several of the more significant Canadian networks, including heavyweights Bell and Rogers as small-but-significant carriers like Mobilicity, MTS, Videotron and Wind Mobile -- the only major exceptions appear to be Telus and the big providers' budget brands. There's no word on pricing, although we're not expecting a radical break from the norm. We're mostly just left wondering whether the Xperia Z will appear as well, and just which if any of Sony's 1080p flagships will cross the border to the States.</div></div>

Sony Xperia ZL coming to a swath of Canadian carriers in April

It's not quite a US launch, but it's close: Sony is bringing the more compact of its two 5-inch smartphones, the Xperia ZL, to Cana...

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