Just when the phones borrowing the design of the XPeria S were starting to be more than they should be, Sony created a different device, at least design wise, and we are presented with the ST21i.

Sony's Xperia mobile range is expanding faster than Robbie Williams' ego. It seemed like we'd just finished reviewing the brand new Xperia S, P and U when along came the rugged Xperia Go smartphone, and now the Xperia Tipo makes it five for 2012.

Small and light frame; Ice Cream Sandwich OS; smart design; great battery life

Occasional stutter or widget issues; basic camera; screen occasionally unresponsive

A glance of the expert's eye might miss that the Sony Xperia Tipo is an Android Ice Cream Sandwich handset, but it seems that Google's most recently released mobile OS version is everywhere these days - even in a handset preparing to hit the shelves at under £100.

No

Sony Xperia S - With a similar look and feel, the Xperia S has a lot more on offer, but for a higher price tag. The Xperia S is at the higher end of the Xperia series, with a larger screen and more resources to offer Sony's entertainment features in their full glory.

The Sony Xperia Tipo delivers Ice Cream Sandwich to Android lovers on a tight budget. It's not super-fast but for basic tasks it can feel nippy enough -- which is more than you can say for the other ICS 'droid at this price, HTC's Desire C .

Android Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget; MicroSD card slot

Cramped; unresponsive screen; Creaky build quality; Poor camera

Cheap, compact, stylised and up to date, the Sony Xperia Tipo is off the bat a contender in the budget phone category with its ￡89 price tag, pocketable form factor and characteristic design.

Android 4.0; Impressive battery life; Great design

The Sony Xperia tipo is a small phone with a big operating system. In the middle are some average sized features and capabilities

Android 4.0; Good music quality; Pocketable

So-so camera; Small fiddly screen

Sony is churning out new Xperia phones at a rate of knots – and here's number five for this year, the Xperia Tipo (and the Xperia SL is set to launch next week in Berlin…) So where does the Tipo fit within the range?

Compact, light chassis; Android Ice Cream Sandwich; nice design; excellent battery life

Sufffers from the odd stutter; basic snapper; screen not always responsive

Your budget is limited but you want a handset that keeps up with the Joneses. You want Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and you don't want to pay through the nose for it. Sony hopes that its new Xperia tipo will attract your attention, and it could well do ( see our hands on photos ).

Good music quality; Small and light; Android 4.0

Small screen; MicroSD card slot under battery; Fiddly to use