Android and Me » Sony Ericsson

Hands-on the Sony Ericsson Xperia S

Nick Gray — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:18:32 +0000

We’ve been waiting for the Sony Ericsson Xperia S for quite some time now, but now that it’s finally here it’s hard to say if we’re impressed or underwhelmed by the handset. The Xperia S is the latest high-end Android handset to feature a 720 Reality HD display, dual-core Qualcomm processor, 12-megapixel Exmor R camera sensor, NFC support and Play Station certification.

The specs on the Xperia S are not as impressive as those on the Samsung Galaxy Note, or other phones that have been on the market for a few months already, but the handset does have a unique look and feel, which allows it to stand out in a crowd. The Xperia S features a soft-touch rubber coating that reduces those pesky finger prints and a clear band below the screen that wraps around the entire phone and illuminates when the phone receives notifications. Also, the corners of the device are nearly perfect right angles, giving the handset a distinctive look and feel.

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Since the phone itself doesn’t really have the specs to blow the competition out of the water, Sony has equipped it with a few new tricks. Knowing that consumers will love to snap pictures with the Xperia S, the phone comes with a quick snap functionality that allows the handset to take a picture in less than three seconds, even when the phone’s screen is off. Simply hold up your phone, press the dedicated camera button, and the handset will launch into the camera app and snap a picture in under three seconds.

Sony has also equipped the Xperia S with NFC support to take advantage of their new NFC tags. There’s nothing terribly unique about the system, but users can set up different NFC tags at work, in the car, on their night stand or anywhere else. They can then be individually programmed to change specific handset settings. We guess you could compare it to Local, but rather than basing the system on your GPS location, it works with NFC tags.

Like most other Sony phones, the Xperia S also features an HDMI connection and a dedicated media launcher for when the device is plugged into a TV. If consumers connect the phone to a newer Sony Bravia TV, they would be able to control the phone directly from their TV remote control.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia S is a great looking phone with some unique functionality. This may give it a bit of an edge over the competition, but we’re sure the device will be overshadowed by a few dozen phones that will be unveiled in only a month at Mobile World Congress. If Sony really wants to make the Xperia S a success, they will need to hit their late Q1 release date and push out the Android 4.0 update before the competition is able to get their next-generation handsets to market.

SONY Ericsson LiveView 2 sighted on show floor before CES kicks off

Nick Gray — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:13:22 +0000

With the CES show floor set to open in a little more than a day, it’s only natural that we start seeing some show floor sneak peeks. The latest gadget to be spotted on the CES show floor is a new watch-like device from SONY Ericsson which looks very similar to last year’s LiveView. The device features a solid green rubber wrist band and a “spring-loaded clip” which should allow users to remove the display and use it as an independent device.

Unfortunately, no description card was spotted with the device, but we’re going to assume for now that we’re looking at the SONY Ericsson LiveView 2. While many loved the concept behind the original LiveView, the actual implementation and performance of the Android accessory simply didn’t live up to consumer expectations. Let’s hope the SONY Ericsson LiveView 2 doesn’t disappoint.

We know all of you are keeping an eye out for all those new phones and tablets that will be unveiled in the next 24 hours, but we’re expecting Android powered accessories like the SONY Ericsson LiveView 2 and i’m Watch to grab a lot of attention this year at CES.

Android and Me CES Preview

Dustin Earley — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:52:18 +0000

Every year, in the first quarter, two technology conferences take place that set the pace for how the mobile industry will play out for the 12 months that follow them. There’s CES, the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Mobile World Congress, held in Barcelona, Spain.

First on the list is CES, which officially kicks off on January 10th. The Android and Me crew is lucky enough to be headed out to Vegas to cover every nook and cranny CES has to offer, brining the latest in any and all things Android directly to you. So just what do we expect to find once were out there? Three things: thinner tablets and smartphones, more smart TVs, and lots of LTE.

Samsung

Samsung generally leaves their big announcements for MWC, like the expected Galaxy S III and their next flagship Galaxy Tab, but don’t think their presence will be absent from CES.

Samsung has already released a teaser for CES 2012 that leans heavy on smart TVs. And you can bet Android and Google TV will be a big part of what Samsung has to show at CES. A solid Google TV system from Samsung has been a long time coming. They make some of the best selling phones and TVs out there, so it’s about time we see the two come together.

As far as phones go, Samsung should be showing off two major devices.

Samsung has been teasing US availability of the Galaxy Note since the device’s initial release. Thanks to an accessory manufacturer slip up, we now know that Samsung will be announcing the Note for AT&T at CES. But Ma Bell may not be the only one showing off their own Galaxy Note, Sprint is also rumored to carry the device.

The other big device Samsung will be showing off is the Galaxy Nexus. The latest pure Google device may have already been released on Verizon, but the GSM variant has yet to surface in the US. It’s possible that Samsung will be showing the GSM version of the Nexus for T-Mobile and AT&T, along with an LTE version just for Sprint.

Last year Samsung only debuted a couple handsets, the Droid Charge and Infuse just to name two, and there’s a good chance this CES will play out the same way. Again, MWC is where Samsung tends to bust out their latest flagships.

HTC

HTC always puts on a good show come CES, and there’s no reason to believe this year will be any different. Generally, HTC likes to show US only devices at CES. Several HTC devices have leaked online in the last couple months, and there’s a very good chance we’ll see at least a couple.

Not much is known about HTC Fireball, but it did appear in Verizon’s systems as the ADR6410 around December 19th. Rumored to be some sort of Rezound-esque variation, there’s good reason to believe the Fireball will be shown at CES.

The HTC Elite is another good bet for CES. Rumors peg the Elite as launching with AT&T LTE, possibly under the name the Congressional. We could be looking at yet another Rezound clone, but with AT&T LTE, the Elite should be a hit. We’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for this one.

While the HTC Ville isn’t rumored to show up until MWC, the HTC Edge could very well make an appearance at CES. Rumored to come with a Tegra 3 and Android 4 among other beastly specs, the Edge could very well steal the show if HTC debuts it.

Motorola

Motorola has released so many devices in the past couple months, it’s hard to say what they’ll be showing off at CES.

Speculated to be an HD variant of the Droid Razr, the Droid Razr Maxx has been spotted in Verizon’s internal systems, and may finally be unveiled at CES. In fact, we could be seeing a lot of the Razr at CES.

GSM versions of the device do exist; don’t be surprised if Verizon’s exclusivity period ends, and AT&T gets a Razr of their own.

The Droid 4 has been pushed back far enough at this point for it to be detailed and on display at CES, but other than that and a couple low-end handsets, we’re not quite sure what to expect from Motorola.

Last year, LG came out swingin’ at CES, showing off some of the most exciting handsets of the show. This year, we’re hoping for more of the same.

LG has finally announced that they are ready to debut their first Google TV set. And it looks amazing. Set to release in two sizes, the LG’s Google TV will come with polarized 3D. That’s the same 3D technology found in movie theaters. There’s not many more details surrounding LG’s smart TVs yet, but we’re really excited to see what they have to offer.

We haven’t seen many handset leaks from LG lately, save for the LG Optimus U1. It’s supposed to be LG’s first device with Android 4. The validity of the U1 has been questioned since pictures first emerged via an anonymous Twitter user, but CES would make for an excellent opportunity for LG to debut the device.

LG is also slated to to produce the hardware reference for Intel’s new Medfield system-on-a-chip powered devices. Whether or not the device will make it to market is unknown, but it will be on display nonetheless.

We know LG will show up with more than two Android device at CES, so we’ll be paying close attention to what they’ve been keeping under wraps.

Sony Ericsson

Sony could be one of the most popular manufacturers at CES this year, with two killer devices rumored to be on display.

The Experia Arc HD, or Nozomi, is slated to come with a 4.3-inch 720p HD display, 12-megapixel camera and a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor.

The LT28at sounds even better, boasting compatibility with AT&T’s LTE network, a 720p front-facing camera, 13-megapixel camera and a 4.55-inch 720p “Reality Display.”

Expect to hear a lot more from Sony in the months to come.

Wrap up

Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson aren’t the only one’s who will have Android devices on display at CES.

Archos, Acer, Asus, Huawei, ViewSonic, Kyobo, Velocity Micro, Pantech, Toshiba and Lenovo are just some of the other manufacturers set to unveil Android devices this CES.

Don’t forget all the other exciting tech that’s going to be there as well. Audio accessories, video games, low-power displays, phone cases and everything in-between should be on display.

And of course, carriers always use CES to make big announcements too. Sprint should further detail their LTE network, along with AT&T and Verizon. No one knows what T-Mobile may do, but they very well could have HSPA+ 84 in working order.

Follow us live from Vegas at androidandme.com/ces

As far as covering the event from the ground, we’ll have six guys from the Android and Me team (Clark, Taylor, Keivan, Nick, Edgar and Sean) hitting all the keynotes and best booths in Vegas. We’ll also have a home-team at the ready to cover anything that comes across our desk, making sure you don’t miss a beat.

At androidandme.com/ces, you’ll find our masterfully crafted custom CES channel that features everything you could possibly need from the show. Not only does it show the latest posts and tweets related to CES, it auto-refreshes. So all you have to do is sit back, and enjoy.

Thanks for joining us here at Android and Me for CES 2012. There’s going to be a lot to take in this year, and quite frankly, we can’t wait.

SONY Ericsson XPERIA HD leaked images and benchmark scores

Nick Gray — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

The SONY Ericsson XPERIA HD is expected to make its official debut next Monday at CES, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait until then to see some detailed hands-on images and benchmark scores for the new handset. ITProPortal has been able to secure more than a dozen images of the upcoming SONY Ericsson XPERIA HD along with a few more details about the device.

According to the report, the XPERIA HD features a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660 chip which is clocked at 1.5 GHz, 1GB of RAM, a 4.3-inchHD 720×1280 resolution display, 12 megapixel camera (most likely featuring SONY’s Exmore R sensor), 8GB of internal storage and a microSIM card slot. Unlike previous XPERIA devices, the XPERIA HD does not come with a microSD card slot, meaning consumers will most likely have the option to purchase the phone with 8, 16, or 32 GB of internal storage.

Hardware performance on the XPERIA HD was benchmarked with Quadrant standard. We know it’s not the best benchmark app on the market (especially for devices powered by dual-core processors), but it was nice to the phone post a score of 2219 which is in line with was we saw from the HTC EVO 3D which sports the same MSM8660 chip.

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The SONY Ericsson XPERIA HD is currently running on Android 2.3.7 but we suspect SONY Ericsson could have Android 4.0 up and running on the device by the time it hits store shelves. We know most of you aren’t going to be that impressed with the specs or the fact that the phone is currently running on Gingerbread, but SONY Ericsson has proven that they are a serious contender in the Android space and you simply can’t deny that their handsets have a touch of class that sets them apart from the competition.

Sony Ericsson teases what seems like an Xperia Arc Successor

Edgar Cervantes — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:08:37 +0000

CES takes off next week, and everyone is eager to see what gadgets 2012 holds. 2011 was a great year for Android, and this year looks to be more of the same. Sony Ericsson has decided to bring a little excitement before the show starts, teasing some close up images of a new device.

Sony Ericsson has already been teasing “something big” to come during CES. As many have noticed, the teased close-up images look much like an Xperia Arc. In fact, they look nearly identical. This has us wondering whether these are place-holder images, or if the “big” product will simply be an improved Xperia Arc.

Current vairants of this device include the Xperia Arc and the Xperia Arc S, which are great devices, but definitely not up to par with the super phones coming in 2012. Specs include a 1 GHz processor (1.4 GHz for Xperia Arc S), 512 MB of RAM, 1 GB of internal storage, 8 GB micro SD card (supports cards of up to 32 GB) and an 8 MP camera.

It is important to note that the Xperia Arc devices carry Sony’s outstanding Exmor R sensor. This makes for a very impressive picture quality (as well as video – 720p@30fps), especially in low-light conditions. You can check out more details and a video demonstration here. That, along with the awesome dedicated camera button that all Xperia Arc devices carry (and it looks like this one will, as well), should make a great device for the camera-happy.

When the Xperia Arc S was released, one of the biggest differences from its predecessor was the ability to take 3D panoramic images. We certainly hope that, if this device is yet another iteration of the Xperia Arc family, the camera is taken to another level.

There you go, guys. We’ll be at CES covering all the awesome news for you, so stay tuned for more details. What do you think Sony Ericsson has prepared for us?

Sony LT28at passes Bluetooth SIG, HD display and 13 MP camera in tow

Anthony Domanico — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:43:47 +0000

Little is known about the Sony Ericsson LT28at beyond a previous rumor that suggested the LT28at will feature a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor (unknown make). The LT28at is back and has made its way through the Bluetooth SIG process. The SIG showing indicates this Xperia superphone is going to be a beast, featuring a 4.55″ 720P HD “Reality Display”, 720P front-facing camera, and a whopping 13 megapixel rear camera.

The LT28at also has LTE capability on AT&Ts super-fast 4G LTE network. Though AT&T’s LTE technology is only available in a handful of locations, if the speeds experienced in these locales hold, AT&T’s network will be even faster than Verizon’s LTE network, which has been dubbed the fastest cellular network in the country by PCMag.

Signs are pointing toward an unveiling at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in early January, so we’re hoping we’ll be able to get some hands-on time with the device in a few weeks. Given Sony’s full commitment to device updates (they’re the only company who have outlined plans that satisfy the Update Alliance’s goals) as well as the development community, we’re certainly excited about the upcoming LT28at smartphone if the rumored spec sheet holds up.

We’ll be sure to bring you coverage of the LT28at in a few weeks if the device makes an appearance at CES. Anyone else out there excited for this device?

Sony Ericsson: Ice Cream Sandwich rollout will start in March/April 2012

Alberto Vildosola — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:44:04 +0000

You have to give it to Sony Ericsson, they really want you to know that they care about updating their Android phones. The company has been bombarding us with new information about its Ice Cream Sandwich rollout ever since Google dropped the source code a few weeks ago — from giving us a detailed description of how the updating process works to even releasing an alpha ROM based on Ice Cream Sandwich.

Today, the device manufacturer has dropped yet another piece of information related to Android 4.0. The company has narrowed down its update schedule from “in the future” to “between March and May”. More specifically, Sony Ericsson will split its ICS rollout into two groups, with the first group receiving the update around late March or early April. The devices included in the first group are:

Xperia Arc S
Xperia Neo V
Xperia Ray

Then between the end of April and beginning of May, the following devices will receive the update:

Xperia Arc
Xperia Play
Xperia Neo
Xperia Mini
Xperia Mini Pro
Xperia Active
Live with Walkman

Sony Ericsson has also said that not all devices of the same model will receive the update at the same time. Since the actual OTA update to the device is up to the carriers, and we all know how fast those are. The update will be available via 3G and WiFi — says Sony Ericsson — and also via a tethered option. Lastly, the company has promised to keep its users up to date on the progress they make by uploading videos of the new version as they work on it. So keep an eye out for those in the near future.

Even though March is still a few months away, all you Xperia owners out there are now lucky enough to know exactly when your ICS update will arrive. Which is more than we can say about most Android users out there.

SONY Ericsson releases Ice Cream Sandwich alpha ROM for unlocked Xperia phones

Nick Gray — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:58 +0000

SONY Ericsson is the second OEM to deliver an Android 4.0 alpha build for developers to play with. The Android 4.0.1 developer build is available for the XPERIA Arc, XPERIA Neo and XPERIA Ray and can be downloaded directly from SONY Ericsson’s site.

As tempting as it may be to download the Ice Cream Sandwich alpha build for your phone, we’d recommend that you wait things out a bit. SONY Ericsson has quite a few limitations in place to make sure that only advanced developers take the plunge. The Android 4.0.1 build does pack quite a few new features, but SE has not included Google’s apps and has turned off support calling and SMS, Bluetooth, WiFi, ANT and the FM radio.

SONY Ericsson hasn’t give us any new information as to when an official update for the phones will be available for the general public, but we’re still excited to see the progress that they’ve made so far. Check out the video below for a quick look at what Android 4.0.1 looks like on the XPERIA Arc.

How long do you think it will take the development community to turn SE’s Android 4.0.1 alpha ROM into a fully functional daily driver?

New features include:

New “Roboto” font
New “Holo” theme is supported (able to test apps written to make use of the Holo theme)
Music player control from lock screen
Updated UI in the Settings menu
Updated UI in the web browser
Updated UI and interaction with the new messaging action bar
Updated UI for improved multitasking
Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks and browser tabs in the Notification menu

[Thanks @mr1338 for the tip]

Verizon prepping LTE-capable Xperia Play?

Anthony Domanico — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:10:33 +0000

Yesterday we told you about the LG Spectrum, another Android phone headed to Verizon Wireless. Verizon is cranking out Android devices left and right, leading us to ask when they were going to put the brakes on in terms of releases. Rather than slowing down, Verizon seems to be kicking it into high gear and may soon be releasing yet another LTE-capable device in time for the holidays.

The folks over at Android Central were sent a document that shows Verizon is beginning an internal training program for an LTE-toting Xperia Play. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play debuted back in May as the world’s first Playstation phone.

Though sales of the Xperia Play haven’t turned many heads, Verizon is hoping that an LTE-capable version of the gaming phone will kick its sales into high gear this holiday season. We, of course, think the LTE Xperia Play will be overshadowed by another flagship phone, if Verizon actually manages to release it this year.

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Sony Ericsson Arc HD appears again before CES

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:06:23 +0000

The Xperia Arc was one of Sony Ericsson’s best selling smartphones this year, so it’s no surprise the company is gearing up for the sequel. The original device never appeared on any of the major US carriers, but now that Sony has purchased Ericsson’s stake and decided to focus on high-end phones, next year could be a different story.

We have already seen a handful of Xperia Arc HD (codename Nozomi) leaks appear across the web and now GSMArena delivers the clearest shots of the device yet. Last time we saw the Arc HD in white and now it appears in black, so expect multiple color options at launch. The hardware specs were previously leaked, but the new source confirms earlier rumors.

Rumored specs of the Xperia Arc HD include:

Android 2.3 Gingerbread
4.3 inch 720p HD display
1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 CPU
12 MP camera with FullHD recording
1 GB RAM, 16 or 32 GB internal storage
HDMI port

New details revealed in the latest leak include a lack of microSD card and a non-user-replaceable battery. There is also still no mention of NFC support.

Current test units are still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but there’s a small chance the device could launch with Android 4.0. As Nick pointed out earlier, Sony Ericsson was the first handset maker to demo a non-Nexus phone with Android 2.3 at CES 2011, so maybe they could be first with Android 4.0 at CES 2012.

Overall it looks like a nice device, but I don’t see anything too special that makes it stand out from the crowd. Most of the high end devices now feature 720p HD displays and dual-core processors, but the 12 MP camera would be one of the higher spec’d for Android phones.

Look for more updates in the coming weeks when we head to Vegas again for CES.