Sony Xperia M Dual reportedly receiving Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update

Sony Xperia M Dual users can now experience the benefits of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS, updating their smartphones via the Sony PC Companion software.

The update comes after Sony rolled the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS Update to its Xperia M smartphone a week before. Also known by the firmware version 15.5.A.0.18, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update is said to be confirmed for Brazil and European regions, as per Xperia Guide website. It has been also mentioned that the update is sized more than 770MB.

The Sony Xperia M Dual, when launched in June in India, came with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS out of the box. However, now the dual-SIM smartphone comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS out-of-the-box, as per the Sony India site.

The Xperia M Dual is powered by a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8227 processor with 1GB of RAM. It features a 4-inch TFT LCD with a resolution of 480x854 pixels and boasts of a scratch-resistant covering. It now runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Sony's Timescape UI on top. The phone offers dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) support.

The phone comes with 4GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB with the help of microSD card. The Xperia M Dual sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a VGA front camera. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS and NFC. It also includes a 1750mAh battery that can deliver up to 10 hours of talk time and 498 hours of standby time on 2G networks, according to Sony.

The Sony Xperia M dual is available in Black, White and Purple colours.

Sony Xperia M dual

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

4.00-inch

Processor

1GHz

Front Camera

0.3-megapixel

Resolution

480x854 pixels

RAM

1GB

OS

Android 4.2

Storage

4GB

Rear Camera

5-megapixel

Battery capacity

1750mAh

Nokia challenges Sony to a camera duel, Lumia 1020 versus Xperia Z2

Nokia, the Finnish smartphone maker, has challenged Sony to a '#camera duel'. The gauntlet was thrown by Nokia over Twitter, and pits last year's Nokia Lumia 1020 against the recently launched Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone.

Sony, in the Twitter post on Tuesday, had stated "Picture-perfect moments deserve award-winning camera technology, see how with #XperiaZ2" to which Nokia UK replied "This town ain't big enough for the both of us, @sonyxperiagb!," followed by an image. Sony at the time of writing had not replied to Nokia's post.

The Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone sports a 20.7-megapixel Exmor RS mobile image sensor which can record 4K resolution videos, capture images in burst mode, HDR along with an 8x digital zoom feature. The front-facing camera features 2.2-megapixel sensor, which can also record 1080p videos. The Nokia Lumia 1020 boasts a massive 41-megapixel camera with PureView technology and Optical Image Stabilisation. The rear camera lens have been manufactured by Zeiss optics. While the rear camera can record full-HD videos, the front-facing 1.2-megapixel camera can record 4x VGA (1280 x 960 pixels) resolution videos.

As for which device will actually win a camera duel between the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Sony Xperia Z2, you'll have to wait till we get a review unit of the Xperia Z2 before we give you our verdict.

Nokia recently mocked Apple over its 8GB storage variant of Apple iPhone 5c handset. "Hey Apple: "Today we announce a colourful, fast and affordable 8GB smartphone" - Nokia, Feb 2013," tweetedNokia with an image. The image shows off the admittedly very popular Nokia Lumia 520 budget handset in its different colour variants.

Nokia also made fun of the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S5 handset on Twitter by stating "Stand out from the crowd! #MWC14 #UNPACKED" and posting an image of a Nokia Lumia handset that also mentions "NOT THE SAMESUNG ;)."

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra Dual with 6-inch HD display launched at Rs. 25,990

Sony's recently announced mid-range smartphone, the Xperia T2 Ultra Dual, has been officially launched in India with a price tag of Rs. 25,990. The smartphone will be available from Thursday at Sony Center stores, Xperia Flagship stores and major electronic stores across India.

The Sony Xperia T2 Ultra Dual is the dual-SIM variant, which was announced alongside its single-SIM supporting version, Xperia T2 Ultra, and two other mid-range handsets Sony Xperia E1 and Xperia E1 dual in January 2014.

The Sony Xperia T2 Ultra Dual sports the same innards as its single-SIM version. The phablet runsAndroid 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. It comes with a 6-inch HD Triluminos display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2 and offers a resolution of 720x1280 pixels.

The phablet is powered by a quad-core 1.4GHz Snapdragon 400 (MSM8928) processor with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. The phablet sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor, and also houses a 1.1-megapixel front-facing camera with an Exmor R sensor. The Xperia T2 Ultra Dual packs a 3000mAh battery with battery STAMINA Mode. The handset is available in three colour variants - Purple, White and Black.

Notably while the single-SIM variant of the Xperia T2 Ultra has not been made officially available, the phone was listed back in February at an online retailer for Rs. 32,000.

Earlier this month, Sony launched its Xperia E1 for the Indian market priced at Rs. 9,490 and Rs. 10, 490 respectively. The Sony Xperia E1 is the single SIM variant, while the Xperia E1 Dual is the dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) variant, and both models otherwise come with identical specifications.

Sony at MWC 2014 launched a new mid-range smartphone, the Xperia M2, alongside the company's flagship Xperia Z2 smartphone and the Xperia Z2 Tablet.

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra dual

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

6.00-inch

Processor

1.4GHz

Front Camera

1.1-megapixel

Resolution

720x1080 pixels

RAM

1GB

OS

Android 4.3

Storage

8GB

Rear Camera

13-megapixel

Battery capacity

3000mAh

Sony Xperia E1 Dual with Android 4.3 now available online at Rs. 9,899

The Sony Xperia E1 Dual is now available through an online retailer at Rs. 9,899. Sony had announced the Xperia E1 Dual alongside the Xperia E1 on 5 March 2014, with the former given a retail availability of 10 March 2014, and the latter single-SIM version given a 25 March 2014 availability. Sony had announced MRPs of Rs. 10,490 and Rs. 9,490 for the Xperia E1 Dual and Xperia E1 respectively.

The Sony Xperia E1 Dual is the dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) variant, and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. It features a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixel) display with a pixel density of 233ppi. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (MSM8210) processor, alongside 512MB of RAM. The Xperia E1 Dual comes with 4GB of inbuilt storage, with expandable storage support up to 32GB via microSD card.

The Xperia E1 Dual sports a 3-megapixel rear camera capable of 720p recording, and has no front-facing camera. The smartphone packs a 1700mAh battery that's rated to deliver up to 9 hours of talk time, and 551 hours of standby time. Notably, it features 3G connectivity support. The smartphone weighs in at 120 grams, and has dimensions 118x62.4x12 mm.

The Sony Xperia E1 Dual smartphone is available in three colours - Black, Purple and White - via online retailer Infibeam in India.

Sony claims the Xperia E1 Dual can through its loudspeakers produce up to 100 decibels of volume. Sony also is offering a promotional 30 day free pass for company's Entertainment Network music streaming service.

The Xperia E1 Dual was first announced in January this year, alongside the Xperia T2 Ultra phablet.

Sony Xperia E1 dual

• KEY SPECS
• 
  

Display

4.00-inch

Processor

1.2GHz

Front Camera

No

Resolution

480x800 pixels

RAM

512MB

OS

Android 4.3

Storage

4GB

Rear Camera

3.15-megapixel

Battery capacity

1700mAh

Sony to sell its Tokyo 'birthplace' in a desperate bid to raise cash

Sony said Friday it would sell properties at a prestigious Tokyo site where it had its headquarters for six decades, as the once-world beating firm struggles to repair its bottom line.

The company's 16.1 billion yen ($157 million) deal to sell the real estate to Sumitomo Realty and Development will be completed next month, it said.

The properties are in the Gotenyama area near the city's Shinagawa railway station, where land prices have been on the rise recently.

In 2007, the firm sold a portion of the site, moving its headquarters to the opposite side of Shinagawa station.

Sony started as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo in 1946, the year after Japan's defeat in World War II. The following year it moved from a different site in the capital to the Gotenyama area, where it grew into a global player built on its groundbreaking Walkman and popular televisions.

A museum archiving Sony's epoch-making products will be one of its few remaining properties there.

The deal Friday comes after Sony said last year it was selling its US headquarters in Manhattan for $1.1 billion as it looks to recoup from four consecutive years of losses.

Sony and domestic rivals Panasonic and Sharp have faced severe competition from abroad in their hard-hit consumer electronics units and have been undergoing painful restructurings to move past years of losses.

Despite returning to profit in its latest fiscal year, Sony is braced for a $1.08 billion loss in the 12 months to March as it plans to cut 5,000 jobs and exit the stagnant PC market.

On Friday, Sony said the real-estate sale would not affect its earnings forecast for the current fiscal year.