They state absence makes the heart expand fonder. But that maxim, such a truism when applied to social relationships, doesn’t rather hold the exact same weight when extended to the intimacy between expectant geek and promised hardware. So here we are, 6 months later: CES has actually long passed, the One X and Galaxy S III have actually been revealed, and the Android landscape is now decidedly regulated by Ice Cream Sandwich. A veritable eternity has actually passed because Sony first offered the AT&T – bound Xperia Ion, its LTE flagship for the United States market, muting a lot of the preliminary buzz encompassing the handset. So, why choose now to bow a smartphone that’s already been outshone by even more current and robust contenders? Perhaps it’s simply an instance of far better late than never ever. However definitely after all of that time, both parties might’ve taken care of to deliver it with Android 4.0 and not the dated 2.3.7 build of Gingerbread that we get as an alternative.

The Ion’s aging OS and 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 CPU may be a nod to mobile’s past, however the rest of its internals paint an even more forward-thinking photo. This 4.6-inch Sony-bred device gloats a 1280 x 720 HD Reality display, 720p webcam / 12-megapixel rear camera with Exmor R sensor, PlayStation Accreditation, 16GB of storage space plus 1GB RAM, a 1,900 mAh battery and NFC. For that spec mix, you ‘d expect the Ion’s on contract price to increase up on the Benjamins, however as an alternative it’s been priced to sell at an appealing $ 99– a great deal like the Lumia 900. Will that retail positioning hurt or assist its leads? Can the Ion successfully straddle two globes, carving out an identification for itself and enticing a defined market portion? Or will this hodgepodge of internals prove too inconsistent for any type of group, conserve, perhaps, bargain hunters? Find the answers to those questions and even more below.

Tags: Android, Assessment, device, personality, Sony, Split, Xperia