Sony's rugged Xperia Advance arrives in the U.S.
The accident-forgiving Xperia Advance phone hits American shores.
If you're a real butterfingers, Sony's Xperia Advance smartphone could be just what the doctor ordered. Both water- and dust-resistant, Sony will begin selling the unlocked Xperia Advance for $300 to U.S. customers today.
If the Xperia Advance looks familiar, that's because it should. The device is essentially the rebranded Xperia Go global handset sold overseas. Be advised though that despite its name, the Xperia Advance features anything but the latest and greatest components money can buy. Powered by a 1GHz dual-core NovaThor processor, 512MB of RAM, and running creaky Android 2.3 Gingerbread software, I doubt this phone will blow anyone away with its horsepower. It's certainly no Xperia TL, Sony's latest carrier-sanctioned American device and the official Bond phone of 2012.
Of course, the Xperia Advance's claim to fame is its rough and tumble pedigree. According to Sony, the handset meets the international IP67 standard for durability, qualifying that the phone can withstand exposure to fine dust particles and submersion in water. That's certainly a boon to all you klutzes out there, myself included.
Other phone attributes include a 5MP camera capable of recording video in 720p HD resolution and a small 3.5-inch (480x320-pixel) display. The Advance does feature a microSD card slot to bolster its 8GB of internal storage. Sadly though, the 1,300 mAh battery is embedded and since this is a GSM device, you're limited to UTMS HSPA for 4G data. Still interested in learning more? Then take a look at Sony's promotional video for the Xperia Advance.