Currently, mobile devices are produced in most cases with two SIM cards. This solution allowed users not only to refuse a second phone, but also to significantly save on the cost of communication services. There are situations when you need to make a call to a subscriber who uses another mobile operator. Naturally, this previously caused inconvenience. However, with the advent of Dual models, everything changed for the better.

It will no longer be possible to surprise buyers with such devices, since the market is simply overcrowded with them. Many people pay attention not only to the number of SIM card slots, but also to other criteria. Performance, design, battery life and other characteristics play an important role.

In this article, the reader will be able to get acquainted in detail with such a device as the Sony Xperia Tipo smartphone. Although this model went on sale four years ago, it is still of interest to a certain category of users.

So, let's start the review of the debut model Sony ST21i2 of the Xperia line. We draw the attention of readers that the information presented in the article is also relevant for the Sony ST21i device. The differences between them are only in the number of SIM card slots.

Release of a new model

In 2012, Sony decided to open a new segment of dual-SIM mobile devices. The surprising thing is that its activities have always been successful and active, but for some reason the developers ignored the introduction of new technologies for a long time. But it was no longer possible to delay it any longer, since competitors were supplying the market with innovative smartphones in full. The company made its debut with the budget model Sony Xperia Dual Tipo. How successful this decision was, we will find out in this article.

In fairness, it is worth noting that the new product created a kind of excitement. Since its release, the model has become a popular topic of reviews. They focused on a large number of advantages.

Success came almost immediately after the start of sales. The undeniable advantages of the model were its low price, well-chosen materials, build quality and, of course, the highest quality matrices for cameras, which at that time had no analogues on the market.

Design

The Sony Xperia Tipo phone is small in size. Almost all of it fits in the palm of your hand. Externally, the case looks pretty good. It is made of plastic coated with paint. However, from a distance it can easily be confused with metal.

As soon as the buyer takes the device in his hand, the shortcomings are revealed. The first thing that becomes noticeable is the thickness. It is 13 mm, despite the fact that the length and width of the case are only 103 and 57 mm, respectively. Because of this, the device can be safely called thick, since thin ones are those whose indicator does not exceed 8-9 mm. And if you also take into account the fashion for tight trousers, this can become a big problem.

There has been a lot of controversy among users regarding ease of use. Most claim that due to the beveled corners and the rather slippery surface of the case, the phone constantly tries to “jump out” of the hand, and this drawback manifests itself both during a conversation and when scrolling. But there is also a category of owners for whom heavy weight and massiveness have become advantages. It is impossible to draw clear conclusions regarding the level of convenience, since there is a factor of individuality here.

The Sony Xperia Tipo smartphone was supplied to domestic buyers in two colors - black and silver. Due to its compact size, the manufacturer had to place SIM and memory card slots directly under the battery. Although this is a minor drawback, it can still cause inconvenience to the user.

The front panel has a standard set of elements. These are an earpiece, a capacitive screen, touch control buttons, and a proximity sensor. At the top there is the brand name, and at the bottom there is a logo indicating that it belongs to the Xperia line.

There is also nothing original on the back cover. Like other models, the camera lens is removed. It is slightly off center to the left. At the bottom there is a white and green corporate logo, the name of the line and the output speaker are duplicated. The microUSB port is located on the left side, on the opposite side there is a volume rocker key, a hole for a lanyard and a button for working with SIM cards. The microphone is located at the bottom end, and the headphone jack is at the top. Next to it is the on/off button.

Sony Xperia Tipo: specifications

Before delving into the description of the Tipo smartphone, let's look at the main specifications.

• The case is a monoblock.
• Type - smartphone with touchscreen.
• Network work - WCDMA/HSPA and GSM/GPRS/EDGE.
• There is only one radio module.
• Platform at the time of release - Android version 4.0.
• Processor model - Qualcomm MSM7225AA.
• Memory: built-in - 4 GB, RAM - 512 MB.
• Memory card - capacity up to 32 GB, type - microSD.
• Display diagonal - 3.2 inches.
• Screen resolution - 480×320 px.
• GPU - Adreno 200.
• Data transfer - microUSB 2.0, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.
• Battery - 1500 mAh.
• Camera matrix - 3.2 MP.
• Video recording - VGA.

Screen

What image will please the Sony Xperia Tipo Dual buyer? The display characteristics are hardly impressive. The screen diagonal is small - only 3.2 inches. However, this is quite expected, since the model has quite compact dimensions. The resolution is critically low by modern standards, it is 480x320 px. The number of pixels per inch is 180 ppi. The image is grainy, even the “cubes” are visible.

The device is equipped with a TFT matrix. The display is capable of displaying 262,000 colors. A significant advantage of the device is the multi-touch technology for two simultaneous touches. It is also worth noting the presence of acrylic glass, which performs a protective function. If you believe the manufacturer, then it is not afraid of chips or scratches.

The screen is completely typical for representatives of the budget segment line. You shouldn't have any high expectations for him. The image will differ little from push-button phone models.

CPU

What kind of performance can a Sony Xperia Tipo owner expect? Unfortunately, in this matter, as well as with the display, you should not expect high performance. The Qualcomm MSM7225AA processor is quite weak. Its operation is ensured by a single core with a clock frequency of 800 MHz. This characteristic makes it clear that the Tipo model is a typical “state employee”. The main functions work quickly, no bugs are noticed by the user. However, there are significant limitations in functionality - the device is not able to cope with resource-intensive applications. For example, when starting a mid-level game, freezes begin, and using several at once is completely out of the question. The Sony Xperia Tipo cannot handle such tasks.

Autonomous operation

An important indicator of a mobile device is the battery life. The Xperia Tipo model can hardly be called “long-lived”. Unfortunately, the battery is also not one of the device's strong points. Its capacity is only 1500 mAh. By modern standards, this figure seems simply ridiculous. However, for battery life, the weak processor and screen became advantages. It is precisely due to the fact that they do not use large resources that the device can work for about 2-3 days at an average load.

What numbers does the manufacturer indicate? In standby mode, the battery will only run out after 15 days. Those who like to talk on the phone for a long time need to be prepared for the fact that they will have to charge it once every 5 hours during a continuous conversation. As a music player, the device can work up to 35 hours, and in video mode - up to 8 hours.

Camera

When releasing the Sony Xperia Tipo, the manufacturer did not focus on the camera. The device is equipped with a 3.2 megapixel matrix. There is no autofocus or flash, so you can’t count on high-quality pictures. In the photo, the text turns out to be almost unreadable, the color balance and image clarity also leave much to be desired.

What could such a camera be useful for? Users claim that the quality of the pictures is only suitable for installation in a subscriber’s phone book. An acceptable photo is obtained if you take it in fairly good lighting and at a close distance. Another disadvantage is the lack of a front camera, so making video calls will be extremely inconvenient using the rear one.

Memory

An important performance criterion is the amount of RAM. Considering that the model used a weak processor, one cannot count on a high level of this characteristic. The RAM is only 512 MB. This is quite enough to work with simple applications offered by Android, but the device is not capable of complex tasks.

The manufacturer states in the instructions that the built-in memory capacity is 4 GB. However, not all of them are available to the user. About half of it is already occupied by operating system files. Of course, this significantly reduces the possibilities, but you shouldn’t get upset ahead of time. The developers have provided a slot for a memory card. The maximum volume of removable media should not exceed 32 GB.

Sony Xperia Tipo: reviews

So, what do buyers think of the device? Those lucky ones who purchased the smartphone immediately after its release paid about 6 thousand rubles for it. There are many rave reviews online, indicating an ideal price-quality ratio. Of course, at present the characteristics of this model are already significantly behind modern requirements, but users call this device a durable “workhorse”.

Introduction

Sony produces many devices with a similar design, which can be said to be borrowed from the Xpreia S. At the same time, the company is trying to create other devices, at least in terms of design, such as the ST21i. After the Xperia appeared on the market, the manufacturer was faced with the fact that the company had one new device and another one that was more expensive. Variations of these devices do not attract much attention, but they are followed by the ST21i.

This device is very different not only in size and design, but also in price; it is positioned as a replacement for the Xperia Mini/Xperia Mini Pro, although the latter use much better materials and hardware for its time. The ST21i is Sony's attempt to attract consumers with a low price, offering Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, but making them forget about the two-year-old hardware platform, cheap and small screen, which are just acceptable for work.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Finally, Sony decided to show a phone that is not a cheap replica of the Xperia S design. The design of the ST21i is simple, there is nothing superfluous in it, except for one detail - the recesses under the touch keys at the bottom of the case. The size of the phone is small for most people and it will fit perfectly into any pocket. The weight of the phone is well balanced, it doesn't feel light or cheap, but it doesn't feel heavy either. The back wall is made of fairly thick plastic, it is a soft touch, there is no feeling of cheapness. The only thing that gives away the budget nature of this phone is the screen. Its protective plastic looks cheap, but the resolution and picture quality are not good either.

Despite its price, the ST21i leaves a much better impression of materials and design than older models, for example, the Xperia U.

The main part of the front surface of the device is occupied by the screen, below it there are three touch keys. Despite the fact that there is an ICS inside, these keys were left in due to their low resolution. There is also a proximity sensor and a light indicator, both hidden behind dark plastic and almost invisible.

On the left side of the device there is a microUSB connector, it is used both for charging and for connecting to a PC. On the right side there are volume keys and a small hole for a strap. The on/off button is located on the top end, and there is also a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones. At the bottom there is a recess to open the back cover. On the back surface, you can see the main speaker, as well as a 3-megapixel camera.

Display

Considering that this model is budget, you shouldn't expect much from the screen. A regular HVGA screen (320x480 pixels) with acceptable color reproduction, with a predominant blue tint. An important note must be made here. Sony is updating current devices to ICS and now, on devices with similar screen resolutions, this version of Android is not yet used by Sony. Due to this, some controls are rendered clumsily, but this will be fixed later. I would like the screen to be more responsive to touch, but for a budget product everything is acceptable.

Despite the presence of an automatic light indicator, there is no such option in the settings. It is possible that it will appear with a phone firmware update.

Battery

The phone uses a BA-700 battery with a capacity of 1450 mAh, familiar from other models. Since this device is still in the development stage, there is little point in measuring the operating time on a single charge. But based on the experience of previous models and the corresponding hardware, we can assume that the device will easily work for about two days.

Communications

All usual and traditional communications are presented in the phone.

Bluetooth. Version 2.1, also supports A2DP and a number of other profiles

WiFi. The usual protocol is 802.11 b/g, no problems were noticed, the device can be used as an access point.

USB. You can connect your phone to a PC, but so far only the MTP standard is supported.

Memory, platform

The phone has 512 MB of RAM and almost 3 GB of internal storage for your files. Unlike older models, there is a slot for memory cards, and you can install a card of any size.

The device uses a Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset with an ARM11 processor with a frequency of 800 MHz and a rather old Adreno 200 graphics accelerator. There are no problems in launching pre-installed programs, but trying to open a heavy web page or launch Angry Birds Space will not lead to anything. This phone is designed to be used only with standard applications or not too heavy ones.

Camera

Regular 3 megapixel camera, no autofocus. The quality of the photos is sufficient for social networks, but when viewed on a computer you will see all the flaws in the picture. It is possible to record video, but the maximum resolution is 640x480 pixels, the quality also leaves much to be desired. The camera interface is familiar from other company products, but there are no complex functions, since the camera is budget.

Software

This is Sony's first phone in the budget segment and with hardware that is already two years old but works with ICS. At the moment, the phone is in development, and therefore it is impossible to say that nothing will change. Much will change and there is no point in evaluating the device. The main thing is that the ICS version works acceptably on old hardware, although it does not support “heavy” applications.

Conclusion

The phone has no problems with call quality, the speaker volume is excellent and sometimes even excessive.

The role of this device in the Sony line is interesting; it does not overlap in design with other models, those that originated from the Sony Xperia S. The company is trying to use the fact that production in Asia or China does not mean low quality of the device. Compared to ZTE phones, Sony is able to achieve better quality at a lower price (still can). Having inherited a software and interface development team from Sony Ericsson, Sony can install a different shell on their phones or make it more attractive, which is not available to Chinese companies. Due to this, the company can win in the budget segment.

For a price of 200 euros at launch, this phone remains expensive for most users. For a little less money you can buy a Samsung Galaxy Ace, built on the same hardware, but with better body materials and a slightly larger and better screen. It is very important for Sony to be the first company to introduce Ice Cream Sandwich in the budget segment, and it is important to try to capitalize on this. We will find out whether this will become possible in the very near future. It is possible that someone will be able to overtake Sony in this field.

This is your convenient smartphone running Android OS.

Beginning of work

Open the box. Turn it on. Relax. Simply set up your accounts such as Google and Facebook by following the instructions and transfer contacts from your old phone.

A phone that will make your life easier

Entertainment is always at your fingertips. In addition, the Xperia tipo is very easy to use. Access new apps and music with just one tap on the home screen. Xperia tipo also runs the latest Android OS to make browsing the Internet faster and easier.

Control your expenses

Worried about data costs? Not worth it.

With the Xperia tipo Android smartphone, you'll only be scared when you're watching a new horror movie, not when you get your phone bill. The application for monitoring transmitted data allows you to set a limit on the amount of data transmitted while surfing the Internet, chatting and playing games online. You will be able to control your expenses and spend no more than you plan.

Stay connected - longer!

Chat via phone. Or chat with a friend all night using the Facebook features built into your Xperia smartphone. Longer. Thanks to the powerful battery, you can charge your phone and use it for 24 hours without recharging. With long phone battery life, you'll never miss an important call—or a funny status update—again.

Entertainment for every mood

Xperia tipo is a smartphone. It provides instant access to online content and a range of applications such as your email client, Google Maps™ and Google™ Search. Customize your Android smartphone to your liking by selecting the apps you're interested in from thousands of options. Apps are easy to open - they all appear on the home screen.

Your jukebox

Dance party in the living room? Select tracks from your audio library and xLOUD volume boosting technology will bring them to life. Or connect headphones to your phone and lose yourself in dreams while listening to your favorite soundtracks.