Sony Ericsson

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]

No PS4 in the Immediate Future

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 18, 2011 | 20 comments

Many would agree that there isn’t a need for a PlayStation 4 yet. The PS3, year after year continues to expand on its offerings. The little console that started out with games and Blu-ray playback can now deliver a new and much improved PSN store, Netflix, Hulu and Vudu movies services. Sony also via software has added 3D gaming and 3D Blu-ray capability to every PS3 and has taken motion control gaming to the next level with the release of the PlayStation Move a little over 6 months ago. With Sony’s Qriocity Music and Movie streaming service expanding to countries, and games continuing to improve upon their last year counterparts like Killzone 3, Uncharted 3 and LittleBigPlanet 2, there seems to be little getting in the way of the PS3 staying fresh, up to date and cutting edge, 5 years after its release.

Because of that, there seems to be little point for Sony to start working on the PS4. If work began on the machine now, we could see a 2013 or 2014 release date and I don’t think the consumer is ready for another machine yet and frankly with Sony focusing on the NGP, their Tablets and Sony Ericsson lineup, I think the company has enough going for them. Luckily, Sony seems to be on the same page.

Sony Ericsson to Release LTE Device “Pretty Soon”, Could Be the Sony S1 Tablet?

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 17, 2011 | 9 comments

Little is still known about the Sony’s Tablet ambitions outside of the few facts that we’ve reported. Still, it’s interesting to see Sony Ericsson CTO Jan Uddenfeldt talk about the future of the company and mention LTE devices and Tablets in the same conversation. As Uddenfeldt mentioned, Sony Ericsson is looking at bringing LTE devices to the market “pretty soon”, with a focus on the US market. The first of their goals was reached with the Android assault of phones, ranging from the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, Play, Neo and Pro that are set to be released in the US in the next few months. Secondly, Sony Ericsson wanted a partner in the US this time around and their partnership with Google helped them secure deals with Verizon who is getting the Xperia Play exclusive. This is actually quite a big step for Sony as prior to this, their phones would get released in the US with no carrier support. This meant that consumers who actually wanted their devices had to hunt down the few select locations that sold them. Once found, because of the lack of carrier support, the phones would be at full price, instead of the usual carrier subsidized price with a two year contract.

Now with multiple handsets on their way to the US market with carrier partners, Sony is discussing their LTE ambitions as well. With Sony already having TD-LTE prototypes in house, they expect to release LTE devices “pretty soon” though no exact time frame was given. However, what might be even a bigger news is the fact that Uddenfeldt mentioned a collaboration between between Sony and Android on future tablets. Could this mean that the Sony S1 tablet is actually a collaboration between Sony and Ericsson? If their new handsets are any indication, this would make perfect sense. Especially if you consider that tablets are designed around the idea of connectivity, outside of WiFi offering. With Sony Ericsson, Sony can offer 3G, 4G and LTE variations with carrier support to ensure their product has a healthy network connectivity behind it. Outside of that, not much more was given from the Sony Ericsson CTO.

[Via Fierce Wireless]

Sony Ericsson Loses First Round Against Clearwire Trademark

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 17, 2011 | 1 comment

Last month, Sony Ericsson decided to sue Clearwire, indicating that the companies logo was too similar to that of their own, thus infringing upon their trademark. Many times, when it comes to trademark lawsuits, it’s mostly about companies freaking out, or more appropriately, their lawyers being bored but in this case, the logos are pretty damn similar. However, the ruling judge on this case doesn’t seem to agree, denying Sony’s current lawsuit. Still, I’m sure Sony Ericsson will further peruse this but till then, the ruling stands.

Clearwire is pleased with the federal court’s decision to deny Sony Ericsson’s motion for a preliminary injunction against the use of the CLEAR marks at issue in the case. The judge’s findings of insufficient evidence of likelihood of confusion and no irreparable harm further support our contention that the suit is without merit. We expect that the final disposition of the case will be in our favor and that it will demonstrate that the CLEAR branding is clearly differentiated from the Sony Ericsson brand.

Breaking: First Sony Android Tablet News Emerge, Codename S1

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 16, 2011 | 14 comments

With only Apple’s iPad on the market, (Sorry Samsung but you Galaxy S is not real competition) the tablet sector is already feeling crowded, with every major electronic company in the last two months announcing some form of up coming tablet. The problem and reason for these delays include that Android is still not yet designed for Tablets. Of course, all of this will change, once Android 3.0 comes out but till then, you either have to create subpar experiences ling Samsung has and use a version of Android that Google itself admits was not meant for tablets. Or you can wait like the other companies till Google actually gives you the tools you need to create something compelling.

With every other major electronic company announcing some kind of tablet ambition and or future release, Sony has been curiously quite on the front. The company has on several occasions hinted at a Sony tablet but we have yet to get a sense of the companies plans till now. Sony is said to be using a wide range of its engineering teams, bringing in people from the VAIO, Reader, Sony Ericsson and PlayStation divisions to help built what’s been described as “cutting edge” tablet. With Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) running under the hood, this 9.4-inch tablet is believed to be released under a new title from Sony, instead of relying on current brand names like VAIO. On top of what Honeycomb will provider to companies, Sony is said to be building a custom tailored UI, centered around media, with Sony’s own Qriocity service playing a dominant roll, much like Apple’s iPad and iTunes. This of course makes perfect sense with Qriocity providing Movies, Shows and Music, Sony also has its own ebook store and game offerings with PSN. With the recent announcement of the PlayStation Suit coming to Android devices, including tablets, we can’t but think with the inclusion of PlayStation engineers onboard the S1 (Sony’s current internal name) that Sony wants to create a compelling entertainment experience.

Xperia Play Gaming Video

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 16, 2011 | 1 comment

If you haven’t already, read our prior post where we discuss the Xperia Play and what the Sony Ericsson Smartphone has to offer. For those who want to see what gaming will look like on the Xperia Play, here is another video for you. Checkout some prior videos as well if you’re still hungry for details.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Comes to Verizon in the US, Rogers in Canada (Updated 2x)

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 15, 2011 | 3 comments

As we reported yesterday, we have a much better idea about the Xperia Play, now knowing the full spec list and games that will be offered on launch. We also reported that for the United States, the Xperia Play will be a Verizon Wireless exclusive. What we didn’t know is who our friends North of us would have as their carrier. Now we know that both the Xperia Play and Xperia Arc are coming to Canada and will be exclusive to Rogers. With a Spring release window set, we’re still awaiting an official launch date.

Update:

Looks like we are a little closer to an official date. Canada’s release window is now set for late March, similar to the US.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Update 2:

Since the product announcement, all information in regards to an exclusivity from Verizon have been taken down from both parties. As one of our readers pointed out, the Xperia Play is “gsm/hspa compatible (t-mo & at&t) with the availability to go to a cdma (code division multible access),” meaning that the phone can come to both Verizon and AT&T/T-Mobile. As we get closer to the launch date, expect us to report on the carrier status of this phone and Sony Ericssons other up coming Android phones like the Xperia Arc, Neo and Pro.

Thanks to SonyFanboy for the tip!

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Video

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 15, 2011 | 20 comments

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is designed to cater to the smartphone user who wants to game on the go as well. Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Xperia Play is a fully loaded with the latest offerings from Android while giving PlayStation users a familiar pop out keypad, designed to satisfy the gamer on the go. If you haven’t already, read our previous post where we dive into the phone and it’s offerings. Bellow, you will find some videos from Sony Ericsson, highlighting the idea of the Xperia Play and some of the devices functionalities.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Details, Specs and Games

by Sohrab Osati | Feb 14, 2011 | 84 comments

With the Mobile World Congress 2011 (MWC) now in full swing, we have a clear vision of not only the many leaked products from Sony Ericsson, but their exact specs, offerings and release date information. The most infamous product over the last several months from Sony Ericsson has been the Xperia Play. Before we knew the details of the phone, many had though that the device would be a fusion of Sony’s PlayStation and Ericsson division, thus calling it the PlayStation Phone but things are now much more clear. First, the nitty gritty specs of the phone and then we will dive deeper into the games being offered, as well as some video and pictures of the device.