The name's T. Sony Xperia T. The Bond phone for 2012.
The latest Bond blockbuster is just around the corner. Skyfall, the 23rd in the series, will open in UK cinemas on 26 October 2012. It stars Daniel Craig, Judy Dench and, um, the Sony Xperia T; the latest Bond phone.
Every spy needs a cool gadget. And a modern smart phone offers most things any secret agent might want. Miniaturised camera – check. GPS location and maps – check. Communications device – check. Password protection – check.
Apart from a pop-up RPG or a concealed cyanide capsule, anyone equipped with an up to date smart phone has everything they need to secretly take over the world. The Sony Xperia T is a pretty good choice. It’s one of the best of the current crop of Android phones, with an amazing 13 megapixel camera, high definition screen and NFC. No voice-activated ground to air missiles, though.
In addition to the 13 megapixel camera with its Sony Exmor R sensor for superior low-light performance, the Xperia T also has a front-facing HD camera for video chat. It runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and has a fast dual-core processor. Other highlights include a high-definition screen and a long-lasting 1850mAh battery
Bond has used a Sony phone before. It was the Sony Ericsson C902 back in 2008 for Quantum of Solace. The C902 looks like a brick now, with its old-fashioned keypad and tiny two-inch display. How on earth did Bond manage to defeat the bad guys with that?
He used another Sony Ericsson in 2006 for Casino Royale. In this case it was a K800i. I seem to remember that Bond used his trusty K800i as satellite navigation for his car. Cool. Especially since the K800i didn’t have a GPS receiver installed. It must have been a modified version supplied by Q.
In Die Another Day (2002) he didn’t even have a phone – maybe he’d just run out of credit. Halle Berry did have an exploding Sony Ericsson T68i, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Anyway, who needs a mobile phone when you have an invisible car?
With mobile phone technology advancing so rapidly, what might the Bond phone be capable of in the next film? Testing DNA or fingerprints against an online database? Using GPS to pinpoint a target and call in an airstrike? Offering advice on how to make the perfect Martini? I’ll probably be happy if my battery lasts the length of the mission!
Steve Morris is a lifelong Bond fan. When not re-watching his favourite Bond films he writes for Mobile Phones UK [http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk]