Sony Ericsson set the stage for MWC by announcing three new handsets in a press event held on the day before the launch of the international mobile phone conference. Sony rolled out two new compact Android handsets based upon the design of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and one Symbian-powered handset phone that is the big brother to the previously announced Vivaz. The X10 mini and X10 mini pro are similarly spec’d handsets with the X10 Mini Pro sporting a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Vivaz Pro is a slightly modified version of the Vivaz and offers a QWERTY keyboard, a touchscreen interface and the Symbian S60th 5th edition operating system. All three handsets are expected to launch in Q2 2010 in select markets. Hit the jump for the full rundown of specs.
Both the mini X10 and mini X10 Pro include:
600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor
5 megapixel camera with autofocus and geotagging
2.55 inch QVGA touchscreen display
aGPS
Google Maps
Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Full suite of Google services
3.5mm audio jack
microSD expansion with 2GB card included in the retail package
Sony Ericsson today announced the Aspen, the latest handset in its GreenHeart line of eco-friendly devices. A no-nonsense Windows Phone geared towards business users, the Aspen’s features include a full-QWERTY keypad, 2.4″ QVGA dispaly, 3.2 megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and SPB Mobile Shell floating on top of Windows Mobile 6.5.3. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the Sony Ericsson Aspen is scheduled to drop in Q2. And yes, this puppy is available with some US 3G love, albeit only on the 850 MHz band. Oh well. 1900 is teh suck anyway.
[BGR]
The Sony Ericsson Vivaz, formerly known as the Kurara, is a smartphone with enough optical muscle to challenge any high end pocket camcorder.
We'll ignore the Symbian S60 OS for a moment (pretending that Android wouldn't be so, so much more tempting), and point out the Vivaz's 8.1MP camera with perks like face detection, that's also completely capable of shooting 720P videos and uploading them to services like YouTube or playing them back through TV-out.
Otherwise, the Vivaz has the typical smartphone amenities, including a 3.2-inch (360 x 640) touchscreen, EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA 7.2 Mbit/s/HSUPA, Wi-Fi, GPS and MicroSD support. Look for the Vivaz soon, running somewhere between $670 and $750 in select markets.
[Gizmodo via Sony Ericsson via phoneArena]
Appears that Sony Ericsson have made inroads optimizing the X10 Android phone for its 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The pre-pro handset shown earlier this month ran the Rachael interface in slow-motion, but this new prototype looks much more responsive.
The Timescape social networking app and Mediascape multimedia manager finally look like something you might want to get your hands on in February. No price or carrier info has come out yet. And yeah, the super dramatic music at the start of the vid made me laugh, too.
[Gizmodo via HDBlog via SlashGear]
In case you missed it, the XPERIA X10 got official overnight. Besides the 1GHz Snapdragon processor and big 4-inch capacitive touch display, it's Sony Ericsson's beautiful Rachael interface sitting on top of Android that impresses. Take a look:
At the event, Sony Ericsson also said that the X10 is just the flagship in a new Android-powered range, and that the Rachael UI will also likely end up on its Symbian phones. Interrresting.
SlashGear points out what Engadget noticed, too: the software running on the pre-production handset shown overnight was sluggish because it's not yet optimized for the Snagdragon processor. That will no doubt change by the time the phone ships early next year.
XPERIA X10 Specs Camera
• 8.1 megapixel camera
• Up to 16x digital zoom
• Auto focus
• Intelligent face recognition features
• Geo tagging
• Image and video stabilizer
• Photo and video light
• Send to web (photo and video upload)
• Smile detection
• Touch focus
• Video recording
• Recent shot tray Music
• Album art
• Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
• Media player
• Music tones (MP3/AAC)
• PlayNow™
• TrackID™ Web
• Bookmarks
• Google™ search (from standby)
• Web feeds
• WebKit web browser
Communication
• Sony Ericsson Timescape™
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating alert Messaging
• Conversations
• Email
• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
• Picture messaging (MMS)
• Predictive text input
• Text messaging (SMS) Design
• Auto rotate
• Gesture control
• Picture wallpaper
• Touchscreen Entertainment
• 3D games
• Media browser
• Infinite button
• Video streaming
• Video viewing
• YouTube™ Organiser
• Alarm clock
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Flight mode
• Infinite button
• Office suite
• Phone book with dialer
• World clock Location-based services
• A-GPS
• Google Maps™
• Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation* (free trial version)
• *The service may not be available in every market. For more information, go to www.sonyericsson.wisepilot.com Connectivity
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth™ technology
• Micro USB connector
• Synchronisation
• USB support
• Wi-Fi™ Preloaded applications
• Sony Ericsson Timescape™
• Sony Ericsson Mediascape
• Sony Ericsson Home with clock widget
• Sony Ericsson Sync
• Android Market™ Client
• Gmail™
• Google Calendar™
• Google Maps™ with Street View
• Google Media Uploader
• Google phone-top search
• Google search widget
• Google Talk™
• Google Voice Search™
• Network Location Provider
• Set-up Wizard
• YouTube™ Screen
• 262,144 colour TFT touchscreen
• 4.0 inches
• 480 x 854 pixels (WVGA)
• Scratch-resistant Accessories In-Box:
• XPERIA™ X10
• Battery
• Stereo portable handsfree
• 8 GB microSD™ card
• Micro USB cable for charging, synchronisation and file transfer
• User documentation Optional:
• Hi-Fi Wireless Headset with FM Radio MW600
• Car Charger AN300
• Screen Protector ET902 Facts
• Size: 119 x 63 x 13 mm
• Weight: 135 grams
• Phone memory: Up to 1 GB
• Memory card support: microSD™
• Memory card included: 8 GB
• Operating system: Google™ Android Donut, version 1.6
• Processor: 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ QSD8250 Availability and versions
• Networks
• UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS HSPA 800/1900/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• Available in selected markets in Q1 2010 Color
• Sensuous Black
• Luster White
[Gizmodo via SlashGear, ElectricPig, and Sony Ericsson]
…And that’s a good thing. Check out the two minute video below which shows what the Sony Ericsson Rachael UI looks like when doing some of the increasingly more common phone tasks. We’re no longer just making and receiving calls - We want to play videos, look at pictures, and listen to music. If the user interface ends up looking like the concept video, consider us officially “in love”.
There’s nary a drop of stock Android to be phone in the design and that’s probably what the SE folks had in mind. It’s elegant, functional, and certainly unique. May we also add that it is astonishing? As in “The Astonishing Tribe“. TAT is one of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance and has done work with Sony Ericsson so it would not be a surprise to us at all if they were behind this design. Swing by their showroom and take a look at some of their other work!
[AndroidGuys]
The first few pictures of the upcoming Sony Ericsson X3 handset have landed online. Thanks to Engadget, we’re getting a glimpse of the much lusted after handset that will sport a 4″ screen and 1GHz processor. Just like with all leaked photos, they have a certain degree of blur to them. Would you expect anything less?
The pics give a sense as to how big the 4″ screen will be but that’s about all. Nothing special to see within the UI, just mostly stock Android stuff. There are also a couple of shots with a white model getting the unbox treatment. Again, not edge-of-your-seat stuff, just further proof of its existence.
It’s still exciting to see this phone getting that much closer to real world launch. How many of you are holding off for one of these?
