First-time smartphone buyer and on a budget? The Sony Xperia tipo and tipo dual could be the phones for you.
These are designed specifically for first-timers, no doubt with a price to match. But both phones launch with the Ice Cream Sandwich variation of Ice Cream Sandwich, so you're not sacrificing everything to go budget.
Saying that, this isn't going to be for everyone. The tipo offers an 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM7225AA processor, 3.2-inch scratch-resistant touch-screen, a 3.2-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom (no mention of a flash), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
It also comes with a 'dedicated set-up guide', along with a built-in application enabling users to monitor their data usage. Looks like Sony is aiming this at parents looking for a child's first handset. So what's with the 'dual' thing then? Well essentially, it's the same phone as the standard tipo, only with a dual SIM option.
Both are sized at just 103x57x13mm and are offered in classic black, classic white, deep red and navy blue. No news on a shelf date or price, but expect the latter to be in the affordable bracket.