Sony Mobile

Next Generation of Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro Spotted

by Sohrab Osati | Apr 5, 2011 | 3 comments

I guess Sony was being serious when they stated that they wanted to become a top Android handset manufacture. We already know that the company is going to be releasing the Xperia Play, Arc, and Neo this year to name a few. Now, we have leaked images of the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro successor which happens to be rocking some Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Outside of that, we don’t have anything else to report like specs or video, though we’re sure in true Sony Ericsson fashion, we will know everything about the phone, months before it’s released.

[Via IT168]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Ad Helps You Blow Up Stuff

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 31, 2011 | 10 comments

Do you like having a smartphone with email, calendar, thousands of apps, and camera/camcorder with geotagging access? Do you like to watch lots of YouTube videos but have an itch to blow $h*t up more often than not? May we present you the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 to Get Android 2.3 After All

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 28, 2011 | 39 comments

Wow, call us shocked, surprised, and happy for Sony Ericsson owners but before we get into the details, lets back up a little bit to see how all of this unfolded and why this news is actually a big deal. Sony like many other handset makers was left in turmoil after the introduction of the iPhone with no particular plan of action to counter Apple. Like many others, Android seemed the sure way to fight off Apple and with Google continuously updating and expanding Android, Sony Ericsson like others could instead focus on making their build personal and their phone unique. During 2010, Sony released quite a few of different Android phones, ranging from the Xperia X8, to the Xperia X10 Xperia X10 Mini and Pro. Though fine phones on their own, compared to the slew of handsets in the market, the Sony Ericsson phones all shipped with out dated Android builds. In fact, when Sony shipped the Xperia X10 in late 2010 with Android 1.6, most other developers has already been shipping with Android 2.1 and were transition to Android 2.2, seeing how Android 1.6 had been out for almost a year. This left Sony’s handsets at a disadvantage, with an older, more problematic build, compared to other devices. Sony did however promise to deliver a new Android build and during the last few days of 2010, they did manage to give the Xperia X10 series a bump to Android 2.1 which again was already outdated. Soon, Sony announced that they had no plans to release any further updates for their 2010 phones. Irony would of course set in only a few weeks later when Sony released their Reader App for the Android Market which required Android 2.2 or higher, leaving out Sony’s entire lineup of phones.

That was 2010 and since then, Sony has recognized that they have made mistakes during that period and have stated that 2011 will be different. With the current batch of new phones that are set to arrive, we have every intension to believe Sony’s claims, and now, we are more confident then ever that though they might not become the top Android maker quite yet, there is some form of strategy being put together behind the scenes. You see, Sony has realized that it’s in their best intentions to give their older phones a bump of new life and that is exactly what they are doing. Sony Ericsson has announced that the Xperia X10 will be jumping from Android 2.1 to Android 2.3, specially, the Android 2.3.3 (the latest) build in late Q2, early Q3 of 2011.

We plan to bring an upgrade to Android Gingerbread for the XperiaTM X10 to generic trade kits end Q2 / early Q3 this year.

[Via Sony Ericsson Blog]

Sony Ericssons Xperia Play Grabs Gameloft’s BackStab as Exclusive

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 27, 2011 | 4 comments

Sony has a lot riding and a lot to prove with the upcoming Xperia Play which was previously believed to be the PlayStation Phone. With a focus on gaming, the Xperia Play is designed to feed the hunger of those who want a smartphone and like to game while on the go. Now that we have an understanding of the pricing scheme that will set on games, Sony Ericsson has announced Gameloft’s BackStab will be exclusive on their device for 30 days when it launches in Q2 of 2011. If you look at the pictures of the jump, what should be immediately apparent is that this is not your average smartphone game. Set in colonial times, there are luscious 3D environments with a gameplay that is designed for fights with multiple enemies at once. That’s all that we have on the game currently but will report back, once more information is released.

As always, hit the jump for the full press release and for additional pictures of BackStab.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Games to Range from $1.50 to $16

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 25, 2011 | 3 comments

As we continue to learn more and more as we get closer to the North American launch of Sony Ericssons gaming focused, Android Smartphone, the Xperia Play. By now, it’s apparent that even though this new phone will feature all the staples of a modern Android phone with the latest Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread, the real focus of the Xperia Play is gamers out there. Not only will the Xperia Play have access to nearly all Android based game with its 4-inch, 854 x 480 multi-touch LCD screen, but also exclusive games, designed for certified PlayStation Suit Android phones which have the capability of playing PlayStation One games. With the Xperia Play being the first of the PlayStation Suit certified phones to hit the market, all eyes were on the pricing scheme that would follow and as we have now learned, it’s really nothing to write home about. As in, prices are expected to be between $1.50 and a high of $16 which is fairly normal on both the Android Market and iOS Appstore. Of course, at the end of the day, it’s really in the hand of developers to set the price for their game but going off these numbers, it seems that Xperia Play users will not be hit with some form of premium pricing, just because they have a gaming enabled smartphone.

[Via MCVUK]

Those Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 are ‘old prototype’

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 19, 2011 | 0 comments

Before Sony Ericsson put the company’s full resources behind the Android platform, many wondered if Sony would expand into different platforms and back the new and upcoming OS from Microsoft, Windows Phone 7. Sony Ericsson France CEO Pierre Perron went on record with a simple note likely, pointing to the fact that there would too many limitations and the company would “run the risk of standardizing [their] smartphones.” Still, many wondered what a Windows Phone 7 would look like from Sony and now thanks to images, we have a clue. Though these pictures are from an old prototype, you can see that Sony was keeping a design structure similar to some of their upcoming Android devices, which feature a slide-out keyboard with the home button and back button at the bottom. We remind you though that these are indeed old and it is very doubtful that Sony will get behind the Windows Phone 7 platform.

[Via Slashgear]

Sony Ericsson Supplies to be Affected by Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 12 comments

There isn’t a whole lot of details about this but Sony Ericsson has issued a statement, indicating that the companies supply chain will be affected by the recent natural disasters that have struck the people of Japan. Sony has also shut down another 6 plants in Japan, due to damage. We don’t know how immediate of an disruption this will have on the companies new set of Android handsets that will be launching in the Spring.

“Although the full impact of the current situation on our business will take additional time to assess, Sony Ericsson anticipates disruption to its supply chain operations,” the company, owned by Ericsson and Sony Corp., said in a statement. “As part of our business continuity plan, we are in contact with all our key suppliers in the region and we are identifying the possible relocation of certain component manufacturing, and looking at secondary sources of supply.”

[Via Reuters]

Full Sony Ericsson Xperia Play ‘The Donor’ Commercial

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 17, 2011 | 10 comments

Remember that Sony Ericsson commercial during the Super Bowl? The creepy one with the Android robot getting a human thumb so it could play better games? Well, there is more to it than that. We can now bring you the full commercial which will put a little more context to the entire premise. Still, we hope Sony will go with something less gritty when the product launches, though this does beckon your attention. Then again, if anybody remembers the crying baby commercials during the PS3 launch year…yea, that didn’t go over too well.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Priced and Dated for Spain

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 14, 2011 | 2 comments

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is a hot and leading phone for Sony. Combining the latest from Android (Gingerbread 2.3) and giving the users a taste of PlayStation on the go, this soon-to-be-released phone has many things going for it. Sony Ericsson also has high hopes for the device. Though the company sold over 9 million Android phones last year, the company was hardly able to make a dent or appearance in the US market. One of the ways Sony is looking to change this is with the Xperia Play, targeting smartphone users with the need for more gaming. Now we have learned that the Xperia Play will launch in the UK on March 31st and follow into Spain on April 1st. The only piece of the puzzle remaining is the price of the device, which Sony Ericsson has announced is €649 for Spain, which translates to roughly a little over $900. Now, before we all freak out, we have to take into consideration that this is the price for an unlocked Xperia Play with no contract. We should also take note that there is a big difference between the value of Euro and the dollar so an exact conversion does not give the whole picture. To put things into context, the iPhone 4 with no contract is over $600 in the US which we imagine is even higher in Europe. It will be interesting to see what price the Xperia Play gets tagged with, once carrier subsidies are factored in which helps drive the price of the iPhone 4 down to $200 with a two-year contract.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play to Be Released on March 31st in the UK

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 11, 2011 | 10 comments

Well UK fans, wonder no more. Sony Ericsson has announced that on March 31st, the Xperia Play, previously dubbed as the PlayStation will be released to the legion of smartphone fans who want some gaming love on the go. Sony had originally aimed for a late March release and I guess they were spot on. For those unfamiliar, previously we covered the specs and games that make the Xperia Play. One thing that will be different during this Android based smartphones launch then the previous offerings from Sony Ericsson is a large media campaign; in fact the biggest for Sony Ericsson.

“We are currently still in commercial conversation, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t see Xperia Play appear in other channels,” Sony Ericsson marketing director for UK and Ireland David Hilton

The Xperia Play is set to be available from every single mobile retailers and operators in the UK. With games like Bruce Lee Dragon Warriors, Tetris, Star Battalion, Crash Bandicoot, FIFA 10 and The Sims 3, plus thousands of other Android games, Sony is hoping to gain the attention of gamers and none gamers a like with the first smartphone centered around gaming.

[Via MCV]

US Smartphone Market Share Visualized, Sony Ericsson Currently Not On Radar

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 3, 2011 | 1 comment

In the past few months, Sony Ericsson has made huge strides with their Android ambitions and in the following two months, we will see the fruition of them. Though Sony Ericsson did have a few phones like the Xperia X10 and the Xperia X8 available in the US in 2010, the Android phones were released without a strategic plan, provider partnership or advertisement campaign. Now with their new lineup up Android 2.3 devices like the much anticipated Xperia Play and Xperia Neo, Arc and Pro, Sony Ericsson will surely do better then the above graph.

[Via Nielsen]

GSM Version of Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Revealed by FCC

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 2, 2011 | 10 comments

During the initial announcement of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, previously called the PlayStation Phone, it was believed that the device would launch as a Verizon Exclusive. Since that time, it’s became clear that an exclusivity is no longer in the cards with all mentions of it being removed from Sony Ericsson’s website. Now a new publishing from the FCC reports that the Xperia Play will also sport a global GSM bands and 900 / 2100MHz 3G, which are primarily used in Europe and Asia. This reveal here does indicate that multiple carriers will be getting the Xperia Play but for our friends in the North, Rogers will still be the exclusive carrier.

[Via FCC]

Europe Receives Sony’s New VAIO L Series Touch HD PC/TV all-in-one

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 23, 2011 | 2 comments

During CES 2011, we had the chance to look and play with Sony’s new VAIO L which we thought had some Minority Report-like technologies. With the series set to make its way to the US shores in the next month, Sony is already looking at Europe for the next wave of shipments. The VAIO VPCL21S1E/B packs the same 24-inch 1080p Touchscreen display with “Edge Access” that we saw during CES. Now, we also have some official specs to accompany this all-in-one PC which include:

Intel Sandy Bridge Core i7-2630QM
8GB of RAM
1TB HDD
Nvidia GeForce GT 540M
Blu-Ray Reader/Burner
WiFi 802.11n
Bluetooth 3.0
USB 3.0
HDMI Out/In
HD Web Camera and a Wireless Keyboard.

We’re still lacking an official release date and price point but I would expect the latter to stay in line with the current $1,500 price. Hit the jump for a few more shots and official press release.

Sony VAIO S Series Gains Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5-2410M CPU

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 22, 2011 | 13 comments

March is turning out to be a big update month for Sony’s VAIO lineup. Hot on the heels of their VAIO CA and CB announcements, Sony is looking to update their ultra portable and powerful VAIO S with a new design and specs. Grabbing the latest from Intel, the VAIO S will be shipping with Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processor, the Core i5-2410M and a Radeon HD 6470M graphics with up to 1GB of dedicated ram. Other specs include a 1366 x 768 LCD screen, a 500GB hard drive, 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11n WiFi, backlit keyboard and ambient light sensor. For those on the go, Sony is also offering a featuring called “everywair” which is a 3G WWAN, allowing you to connect to 3G offerings from mobile providers. Hit the jump for an official press release and additional photos.

Sony VAIO CA and CB Gain Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5, Blu-ray

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 22, 2011 | 13 comments

Starting on March 13th, you can pre-orde the new Sony VAIO CA and CB which first showed off their new radical designs and color at CES. Coming in with a neon green and orange, expect additional colors in the future though we don’t have a date on that yet. With a touchpad that “emits a beautiful glow”, Sony really wanted these units to stand out from other notebooks out there. The CA10 packs a 14-inch screen while the bigger brother CB10 comes in with a 15.5-inch. Both units will be available with the new Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630 graphics, and Blu-ray drives. Not bad for a series that starts at $880. For those who want a little more entertainment in their living rooms, select models will have the new Intel’s WiDi 2.0 chip, which enables you to stream 1080p video to your TV. If you have a PS3 or Bravia television, both laptops series will also come with Sony’s Remote Keyboard which allows you to use your VAIO as a navigation and input device. Hit the jump for an action packed press release, in plain ol boring black and white, though more neon colored laptops will be featured.