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Sony's ultrastylish Xperia S (pictures)

The $459.99 Sony Xperia S has landed on U.S. shores packing unconventional good looks and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Brian Bennett
Brian Bennett is a former senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET.
Brian Bennett
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1 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Meet the Xperia S

The Sony Xperia S has just landed in its pure, unlocked, and unadulterated form. Onboard are a fresh update to Android 4.0, a 12-megapixel camera, and apps for downloading media from Sony's entertainment library.
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2 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

A smooth back

On back of the Sony Xperia S are its 12-megapixel camera and LED flash. The phone's smooth back doesn't have much ornamentation save for the clear band that wraps around the entire base of the device.
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3 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Light and magic

Here's a closer look at the clear bar that runs around the Sony Xperia S' base. Inside are icons for Android functions that aren't actual buttons. In fact, the capacitive keys, little dots, sit above them and are tough to see, let alone press.
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4 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Turn it up

The Sony Xperia S' right side holds a dedicated power button, volume control, and HDMI port.
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5 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

The HDTV connection

Hidden under a flap on the Sony Xperia S' left side is its HDMI port for outputting video to HDTVs.
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6 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Power and audio

On the top edge of the Sony Xperia S are a power button and 3.5mm headphone jack.
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7 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Protected USB

Sealed under a flap on the Sony Xperia S' left side is its Micro-USB port.
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8 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Battery not removable

The Sony Xperia S uses a 1,700mAh battery that is not removable.
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9 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Camera settings aplenty

The Xperia's 12-megapixel camera has lots of scene modes and capture functions.
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10 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

A simple keyboard

The Sony Xperia S offers a basic virtual keyboard that doesn't have many frills but is easy to type with.
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11 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Sony Video Unlimited

Sony adds its Sony Video Unlimited app to the Sony Xperia S, offering movies and TV shows for rental or purchase.
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12 of 12 Sarah Tew/CNET

Sony Music Unlimited

Tapping into the vast Sony Music library, the Music Unlimited app streams music and playlists for online and offline viewing.

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