Sony Xperia TL

“Part of being a world famous secret agent, James Bond will surely appreciate that he’s finally given a smartphone for his missions – as opposed to the dummy phones of yesterday, though, the Ericsson concept phone in Tomorrow Never Dies was an interesting one. Also, when you take into account the modern hardware and attractive price point of $99.99 that’s attached with the Sony Xperia TL, it has the appeal to make even Bond call it his daily driver. Frankly, it might not be the shiniest thing from Sony’s stable, but regardless of that, it’s still compelling enough to give it a license to kill.”

“When you review its specs on paper -- 720p display, 1.5GHz dual-core S4, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage and 13.1-megapixel rear camera -- the TL would seem to be a high-end phone, a device fit to compete against the Galaxy S III and One X on AT&T's lineup. But where Samsung's handset crams in a multitude of sharing functions and HTC's sports a gorgeous screen and innovative unibody design, the Xperia TL falls a bit short. With a display prone to washout, a derivative chassis and middling battery life, the TL fails to meet the expectations we'd have for phones in this class.”

“Sony has come roaring back with the sequel, the Xperia TL. At just $99.99, the device offers the modern Android 4.0 OS, Snapdragon S4 CPU, and a camera capable of snapping quality images. You also get swift 4G LTE access and long battery life as part of the deal. Still, the Xperia TL’s sober design doesn’t exactly have looks to thrill. If you’re not a Bond fan or dedicated to the Sony brand, I suggest getting the $99.99 HTC One X, which offers the same level of performance and more style, though less battery life and slightly better camera. Otherwise, the Sony Xperia TL is a very technologically shrewd purchase that even Q would agree to.”

“Sony made a gorgeous phone that seemingly has the potential to be the device that finally delivers its elusive home run hit. That potential is sadly wasted on a device that has just enough frustrations to be another link in a chain of disappointments. The Xperia TL has an incredible camera, marvelous hardware, and better than expected software, but the total package - the oomph that makes a device an all-around pleasure to own - is absent from the device. The screen can look amazing at times, but the viewing angles are limited and it frequently looks washed-out. The software is much improved and thankfully makes very little intrusion to Android, but it sadly comes with a dated version of Android with no signs of a refresh in sight. There's plenty to love about the Sony Xperia TL, but unless you are someone who heavily favors form over function, there's just too much about this phone to dislike.”