Announced at CES 2013, the Sony Xperia Z is the best smartphone the manufacturer has released in some time.  The build quality is gorgeous, with a high-end industrial look and feel that's reminiscent of the Apple iPhone 5 - proof that Android handsets can be gorgeous too.  It packs a quad-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 5-inch 1080p HD display, 13.1-megapixel camera with 1080p recording, 2,330 mAh battery, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sony's Timescape UI.

For too long, Android has been associated with cheap build quality, so it's great to see devices like the Xperia Z and HTC One making waves in the market.  Sony has a strong software and hardware ecosystem as well - perfect for competing with Apple and Samsung.  All they need now is multiple carrier partnerships in the United States; an area where they have historically faltered.  It's a beautiful device with a powerful spec sheet, and if marketed properly, it could do very well in the USA.

Check out the full gallery below, and stay tuned for full coverage!  Have a question about the Xperia Z?  Leave it in the comments below or tweet @PhoneDog_Aaron!