Can't wait for the waterproof, slim and sleek Sony Xperia Z smartphone to hit the United States? Now you don't have to.
The Xperia Z is available in plenty of European countries now, but there's been no official word of when it will be coming to America.
But mobile phone retailer GSM Nation is offering an unlocked version of the Xperia Z now for $849.
That's a pretty steep price upfront, especially considering it will probably cost around $200 in a few weeks if you buy it subsidized with a two-year contract from one of the big carriers.
But if you do that, you're locked into that contract, with that carrier. Talk, text and data plans usually run about $80 a month. Add in the cost of the phone and you're looking at over $2,100 for two years of phone service.
But no-contract prepaid plans can run as little as $40 or $50 a month. You pay more upfront, but in the long run, you can save several hundred dollars, as well as switch to any carrier you like or use a cheap SIM card when overseas instead of paying exorbitant roaming costs.
Also, you can have the Xperia Z right now. The order page on GSM Nation says it ships in 24 to 48 hours.
Of course, if you're in the middle of a contract right now, the Xperia Z doesn't make sense, either unlocked or subsidized.
But if you're in the market for a new phone, the Xperia Z has a 5-inch, 1920x1080 screen, a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon processor and a 13 megapixel camera.
Oh, and it really is waterproof, up to a meter in depth. Pool parties will be a lot less scary.