The Sony Xperia Tipo Dual
Another Android smartphone that has a significant price cut is the Sony Xperia Tipo Dual (ST21i). It was retailed at RM499 when it was first released in September 2012 but I noticed on some online stores that it was sold for less than recommended price, at one store it was sold for only RM300. I checked on some local stores yesterday and found out that the device is also sold less than the retail price, ranging from RM390 to RM450. I am not sure if the phones sold were original or AP (Approved product) but I would expect that most phones sold on small retail shops normally sell AP products.
The Sony Xperia Tipo Dual when first introduced in Malaysia was the cheapest entry-level smartphone on the market. What is most interesting is that the device is packed with Android 4.0.4 (Ice cream Sandwich) out from the box, so there will never be any hassle of trying to update the phone! Physically, the phone is not among the cutest nor does it one of the ugliest, but it does look sturdy and durable. The Tipo stands at 103mm tall and is 57mm wide, so it is relatively a small phone and can easily fit your pocket. The screen is a 3.2-inch TFT capacitive touch screen at 256 colours and 320 X 480 resolutions and made from scratch-resistance glass. Other specs are as follow:
- CPU: Cortex-A5 800 MHz
- Chipset: Qualcomm MSM7225AA
- GPU: Adreno 200
- Memory: Internal: 2.9GB, external through microSD up to 32GB
- Data: GPRS Up to 86 kbps, EDGE Up to 237 kbps, Speed HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR, and microUSB v2.0
- Camera: 3.15 MP offering 2048×1536 pixels and features Geo-tagging and touch focus. It can shoot video relatively easy at 480p.
The highlights of this phone is of course the dual-sim capability and Android Ice cream Sandwich operating system. I do recommend Xperia Tipo Dual for a first time buyer of a smartphone, a person who is on a very tight budget or a business person who want to keep the day-to-day dealings away from personal life. For a good review of the phone you may want to take a look at this site or for a fuller information about specifications, visit this site or you may want to watch the video review below courtesy of PhoneArena.
