If you prefer your Android smartphone from the Sony brand, the company's online store is finally accepting preorders for the latest Xperia ZL handset in the U.S. - but you might need to take out a loan to get one.
Sony Mobile Communications announced Monday that online preorders are now available in the United States for the Sony Xperia ZL, an Android-powered smartphone with a 5-inch, 1920x1080 HD display.
Sony's website isn't exactly pricing the handset to move at a suggested retail price of $759.99, but the hefty price tag does at least give you free ground shipping and an unlocked, 4G LTE-capable device.
Available in your choice of black, white or red, the Xperia ZL is estimated to begin shipping around April 8 from Sony.com.
Comparison shopping
While the Sony Xperia ZL comes with an extremely capable 13MP front-facing camera powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, it does pay to shop around before buying - especially if you want one sooner.
According to Android Authority, at least two online sellers are showing stock available for a 3G-only model of the Xperia ZL intended for international markets, available via Amazon Marketplace for a more reasonable $640.
Popular mobile device reseller Negri Electronics also has the same version in stock for a few dollars more.
The report noted that Sony is offering an LTE-less, HSPA+ model of the Xperia ZL for $40 less, but that version is not currently available for preorder.
