Manage updates with the Download AppSony Xperia Ion (AT&T)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: LT28AT/T
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The $99.99 Sony Xperia Ion looks like a good Android deal but its weaknesses make it not worth even the budget price.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Over 1,000 Sony products. Direct from Sony |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 06/19/2013 |
CNET editors' review
Sony Xperia Ion (AT&T) price range: $0.00
- Reviewed by: Brian Bennett
- Edited by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 06/24/2012
The good: The affordable Sony Xperia Ion has solid call quality and swift 4G LTE that ties into Sony's vast entertainment empire.
The bad: Lackluster images and video belie the Xperia's claimed 12MP camera. It's also held back by an old processor and an outdated OS.
The bottom line: The $99.99 Sony Xperia Ion looks like a good Android deal but its weaknesses make it not worth even the budget price.
User reviews
-
-
Great price, great phone. great for oridinary people.
by TechGuyChris on June 26, 2012
Pros: Excellent Camera, Beatuful design, allows you to sync movies purchased and /stored from Playstation 3 to your Xperia Ion via Sonys video unlimited, Good speed, runs games easily, limited Android GUI modification.
Cons: Runs 2.3.7, installing playstation Store could be easier, takes some getting used to pushing the buttons
Summary: I would suggest people ignore the review that CNET has given this phone and would say go to AT&T or Best Buy and try it out for yourself. ...
Summary: I would suggest people ignore the review that CNET has given this phone and would say go to AT&T or Best Buy and try it out for yourself. The phone is beatiful phone and it has the features of Android ICS built into its customized version Android. The camera takes amazingly sharp and accurate pictures. It could do better in low light but it is still good. The phone has brilliant colors. One cool feature with the camera, is taking a picture in 1 secondor less even when in lock mode. The digital keyboard is very accurate and very responsive.
Another feature about this phone that no other phone manufacturer has, is its ability to work with Sonys Video unlimied service. Those of you who use a Playtation 3 and have purchased movies from the Playstation store will be able to sync those movies to this phone and take them with you on the go.
Sound quality is amazingly great on this phone.sound than a and one cool feature is that you can pre program apps to launch when you plug in an accessory. i have the music unlmited app launch automatically when I plug in headphones.
Facebook, text messaging, twitter, is a snap using Sonys Timescape app. Theres really no reason to launch the facebook, or twitter apps when you can do everything from the new version of Timescape. Sony really did a good job with Timescape update
The design of this phone is solid and doesnt feel cheaply made. The front is pratically all glass and has a frameless look. (It looks like a Sony Bravia HX 8 series TV) The back is made of aluminum. The very top and very bottom of this phone is the only part made in plastic. Another problem is that the buttons arent as sensitive and you usually experience in Android phones. Trust me when i say you WILL get use to it though. They are sensitive, just not as senstive as some other phones. other phones can be to sensitive.
Games run smoothly and fast on this phone.
The only things i can find disappointing is that its running 2.3.7 and not Android ICS aka Android 4.0 (the newest version) but, its getting an update... so I wouldnt worry aobut that too much.
Cnet has kind of left me with a sour taste regarding this site. its almost like they didnt want to say anything good about it ro point out its exclusive features. The review was very biased, and that is why i encourage people to go play with the phone rather than basing your decision off of this review. Read the user reviews and not the Cnet review.11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Get more than what you pay for
by DerTrommler on June 25, 2012
Pros: Gorgeous Screen
Attractive design/Choice Materials
Great Battery Life
LTE enabled
Playstation CertifiedCons: Outdated OS (2.3.7)
Last Gen Processor (Still surprisingly snappy)Summary: Overall, I shocked myself with how much I liked this phone. I've been waiting on the S3 for months now and quite frankly the s3 is a better phone. ...
Summary: Overall, I shocked myself with how much I liked this phone. I've been waiting on the S3 for months now and quite frankly the s3 is a better phone. But we have to evaluate what we truly need here. This phone has a gorgeous (if not better) display, a still quite powerful processor and better battery life, yes still manages to come in at half the price. My phone died yesterday so I decided I had to replace it right away. Not wanting to dish out $200 on the one x I decided to give the Ion a go. Truthfully its a great phone. Its getting some negative reviews, but thats becuz everyone wants to compare it to the s3. I'd say its price point shows that sony had a different target audience in mind. If you aren't someone that requires being on the bleeding edge of smartphone tech, this is perfect for you. Its by far at&ts best offering aside from the one x and the s3, and its not so far behind them that anyone considering those two shouldn't at least try it. Its main problem is the lack of ICS coming preloaded, but Sony is promising an update soon and you can always load your own rom.
All in all I'm quite happy with it. All i can say is go try the phone for yourself. You may be surprised at how much you like it.8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Great Phone for just $49.
by phanny9 on July 22, 2012
Pros: 1) True colors in HD due to having non-amoled screen( which has saturated colors)
2) Great 12mpx camera
3) unique design with glass on front & aluminium on back.Cons: Should have shipped with ICS out of box, but atleast the upgrade is due, but for at&t's delay.
Summary: Great phone for $49 at SonyStores or BestBuy.
True colors in HD.
Dual core S3 processor is pretty fast enough.Summary: Great phone for $49 at SonyStores or BestBuy.
True colors in HD.
Dual core S3 processor is pretty fast enough.4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
No S3, but a respectable phone in it's own right.
by IngeniousHax0r on June 29, 2012
Pros: Low pricetag (Certain retailers have it for $50, DON'T BUY FROM AT&T)
Awesome screen
12mp camera, and nice front-facing too
Processor may be last-gen, but it's pretty fast
LTE
MicroSD slotCons: Phone-call volume rather on the low side
Gingerbread, not ICS
Less popular model, so things like updates and accessories will be rare.Summary: Sony may be a bit behind the competition when it comes to specifications, but they've put their own clever design into this phone. The curved shape takes some getting ...
Summary: Sony may be a bit behind the competition when it comes to specifications, but they've put their own clever design into this phone. The curved shape takes some getting used to holding in your hand (I would personally prefer a large case, but am waiting on a decent one to come out), but the aluminum backing is nice, and the phone doesn't have a cheap plastic-y feel to it (my one major gripe about Samsung phones). As a first-time LTE user, I think AT&T's internet speed is pretty dang phenomenal. The last-gen dual-core processor may seem like a letdown, but bear in mind that it's still the same processor powering the Galaxy Note and S2. The camera is really nice, and even features a dedicated button on the side of the phone. Like most modern smartphones, it features an LED at the back for shooting photos in the dark. Sony's promised an update to ICS coming soon, and while I can make do with Gingerbread, I miss the features of Android 4.0 that I have on my Transformer Prime. That said, Sony does have a folders feature that works fairly well, and the UI looks nice enough to help you believe (read: trick you into thinking) your OS isn't completely outdated. All in all, it's a decent phone, and if Sony can manage to hurry up with an update, this phone is capable of competing with the others out on the market with it's eye-catching price, at least for those who don't absolutely require the latest specs. I was waiting on an S3 and decided to go ahead and save $150, and so far I'm not disappointed.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Best phone I've ever had
by benhicks85 on July 19, 2012
Pros: Screen, camera, processor, and also picks up a steady 5 bar 4g signal. I've just been through a HTC ONE X and a SAMSUNG GALAXY III and this Sony phone is by far faster than both of them.
Cons: Battery life could be better, but turn off the BRAVIA engine and you'll be fine.
Summary: With Sony's own integrated apps this phone is classy and fast. Best for the price!
Summary: With Sony's own integrated apps this phone is classy and fast. Best for the price!
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
This phone is the worst phone I have ever owned.
by davidmlowery on May 10, 2013
Pros: None, zip, nada. There are no pros to this phone, it is slow, the feel is clunky and they did not use ICS operating system.
Cons: Slow, clunky, it drops calls all the time. The phone will switch application by itself, from the home screen to emails. From the home screen to text messages.
Summary: When I upgraded to this phone, I looked it up on line for reviews, the reviews seemed favorable. After using this phone for not quite a year, it is slow, ...
Summary: When I upgraded to this phone, I looked it up on line for reviews, the reviews seemed favorable. After using this phone for not quite a year, it is slow, the phone will reboot all by itself, switch screens by itself, the touch screen is non responsive. I go to my previous calls, tap on the last number dialed, it will hang, I tap it again, nothing, again, nothing finally it will dial the phone number and make the call. When I finish the call, it will try to dial it again. I am so done with Sony phones, they make a great TV and gaming system but they need to get out of the smart phone market.
-
Great Phone for free at Best Buy with a Contract
by nsenman on March 22, 2013
Pros: Screen is HD (Sony Bravia Engine) and awesome color. Better than most
Camera 12.1 MP
Can dock in special made docking station. Love this feature.
Good HD Video
Good Looks
Screen Size 4"6Cons: Battery Life is ok, but then again most Android Phones are the same
Can lag at times maybe because the processor is older
Speaker phone is not the best, actually my X10 had a better one.Summary: I got this phone from Best Buy for free and you cant beat that. Going from the Xperia X10 this was the jaw dropping. I love the Screen (better than ...
Summary: I got this phone from Best Buy for free and you cant beat that. Going from the Xperia X10 this was the jaw dropping. I love the Screen (better than Galaxy S3). Can do HD video, 12pm camera, has 16 GB storage and SD card Slot.
Overall, I think its a great phone. CNET review it a bit more critical than I would of thought. It came with the 2.3.6 Android Operating system but I am not upgraded to 4.0.4, and Jelly Bean is right around the corner.
As far as negatives, I could only say that at times the screen can lag but nothing major or something to complain too much about.
If your looking for a great phone at an inexpensive price than this is a good phone to get. AT&T no longer offers it but you can get it cheap on Ebay for $180-200 in Excellent Condition. -
Great phone!
by azsam111 on March 14, 2013
Pros: Affordable
LTE
Fast processor
Great screen
Excellent camera
Playstation CertifiedCons: OS is older version
Summary: Best phone for the price!
Summary: Best phone for the price!
-
A Must-Have Smartphone
by TechXpression on February 18, 2013
Pros: Android 4.0 availability, a fantastic 12MP camera, an HD screen, superior audio quality, 4G LTE and its price
Cons: I wish it ran Android 4.0 from the box and have on-screen buttons
Summary: This phone is a fantastic value and one of the greatest phones available on AT&T.
Summary: This phone is a fantastic value and one of the greatest phones available on AT&T.
-
Great phone!
by Missy_Mu on January 13, 2013
Pros: Easy to use and fits well in your hand. For one who is not familiar with touch screens, this one did not take me long to figure out. Camera is good and pictures clear. Not cheap and nasty. Recommend to all looking for a touch phone.
Cons: None as yet
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: LT28AT/T
- Bottom Line: The $99.99 Sony Xperia Ion looks like a good Android deal but its weaknesses make it not worth even the budget price.
General
- Product Type Smartphone
- Width 2.7 in
- Depth 0.46 in
- Height 5.24 in
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Body Color Black
Cellular
- Technology LTE
- Service Provider AT&T
- Operating System Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS
Display
- Diagonal Size 4.6 in
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
%20-%20Compare%20prices,%20reviews,%20user%20opinions%20-%20Shopper.com&srcUrl=http://shopper.cnet.com/smartphones/sony-xperia-ion-at/4014-6452_9-35117945-1.html?info%3Dreview&x_breadcrumb=8900:3488:3504:6452&x_arw_bkts=MAD:first_impression){kind=small}