Sony Xperia Z Pictures

The 4G LTE-capable Xperia Z has a 5-inch 1080 x 1920 full HD display and runs on a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB RAM.

The rear-facing camera captures 13MP images, and is the first ever with high dynamic range capability for video.

At 7.9mm slim and weighing about 140g, the Xperia Z is a lightweight device despite its larger dimensions.

A quick dip in the bathtub or toilet won't phase the Xperia Z, which can be submerged in 3.2 feet of freshwater for up to 30 minutes — and survive. The audio, micro USB, and SIM ports are covered, and tempered glass and anti-shatter film cover the entire body of the phone.

The Xperia Z comes in three different colors — purple, white, and black — while the ZL only comes in white and black. The optional charging dock (sold separately) would make a nice bedside table accessory. The built-in Smart Connect app can be programmed to perform specific functions when the phone is connected to the dock. Turn on your morning alarm automatically, for example, once you dock your phone before sleeping.

These two copper colored ports connect to the charging dock.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is the Xperia Z's mobile OS. Sony has four apps available exclusively on their phones: Walkman (yes, as in the Walkman), Album for photos, Movies for films and trailers, and mobile PlayStation.

Xperia's photo gallery sorts photos by month in a grid view.

But a quick pinch resizes the photos to view more images or just one per row.

Globe view uses the images' geotags to create a graphic visualization of your photos taken around the world. Neat feature for frequent travelers.

Movies and trailers of the Sony Entertainment Network can be viewed in high-resolution on the Xperia phones.

We watched a clip of the new Total Recall on the phone, which, sadly, still isn't as good as the original.

An interesting quirk of the Android OS on the Xperia phones is the ability to adjust widget windows and add additional widgets to the home screen without having to toggle in and out of widget editing mode. Android users will know what we're talking about. Subtle, but a substantial improvement.

On the inside, the 4G LTE-capable Xperia ZL is almost a carbon copy of the Xperia Z, but it looks and feels very different. Instead of tempered glass, the back is rubberized and soft, which is why the Sony spokesperson told me that the Xperia ZL will likely be given a more affordable price point.

The 5-inch full HF, 1080 x 1920 HD display with a 1.5 GHz quad-core 2GB RM Snapdragon processor is the same as that of the Xperia Z.

Another major hardware difference is the dedicated camera button on the side, which is a nice addition for avid mobile photographers.