Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The PlayStation mobile has arrived... among others

Tonight Sony Ericsson announced an impressive four new Xperia handsets based on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and the Bravia graphics engine more commonly found in TVs. Three of these handsets launch globally in March, with Verizon as at least one launch US carrier.

Xperia Play

Xperia Play

The Play sports a unique slide-out PlayStation controller replicating a game console’s controller. Importantly analogue input is supported via touch pads and works surprisingly well. I’m no gamer but I was able to walk around Dungeon Defender without difficulty. According to Agapitus Benjamin Lye, CEO of Trendy Entertainment, Dungeon Defender took 2 months to port to the platform from PS One. The speed of porting has to be in part due to Sony Ericsson’s decision to retain all the input methods of a games console ensuring original games do not need to be redesigned to support touch screen input.

Games can be purchased via a new tab added to the Android market place. Pricing is still to be confirmed but the developers I spoke hinted at single dollar digits. With over 50 games available for launch in March including the first Fifa title for mobile, and a back catalogue as long as the Play Station consoles, plus leading Smart Phone features, the Xperia Play will be the must-have mobile for gamers.

Xperia Pro & Neo

Xperia Pro

Xperia Pro

The Pro and Neo appeared narrower than the Play and the Arc. The Pro provides a slide-out Qwerty keyboard which seemed to allow enough space between the keys to be usable. As soon as the keyboard is opened typing can begin, selecting an application to use the text with becomes a secondary choice. Enterprise management features will also be included. Physically this phone seems very similar to the hugely popular HTC TyTN series.

Half the Pro handsets on display at the launch event had broken by the time I got to have a play, which is I guess why it won’t be available until Q2.

The Neo supports an 8 megapixel Exmor R rear camera for HD video, and high quality stills. It misses the Qwerty keyboard of the Pro but appears identical in most other regards.

Xperia Arc

Finally the Arc is aimed at media consumption with its larger screen. I've probably missed the point of the Arc, but depending on pricing I can't see this being a strong seller. Distributors should order this one cautiously.

Battery Life

Disappointingly the fact sheets still use talk time and standby time as battery metrics. Very noughties. Despite chatting to over 10 different people from Sony Ericsson I couldn’t get any real comment about battery life when gaming or video watching. However if I was a betting man I’d say 3 hours is going to be the upper limit between charges. Expect a thriving market for Xperia Play battery packs.

Summary

Sony Ericsson are the second largest contributor to Android after Google and this deep commitment and understanding of the platform comes through in the user interface enhancements made to Gingerbread. Enhanced camera software, navigation user interface, deep integration with social networks (if a friend changes their mobile number in Facebook it’ll update automatically in your contact list) and cover flow for videos. Not all Androids will be the same from now on despite what Google might want us to believe. Handset manufacturers and network operators will differentiate through enhanced user interfaces and features. The quality of these differences will be what separates handset manufacturers and allows their products to be sold at a premium.

Sony Ericsson appears to be a lot more about Sony than Ericsson heading into 2011. It promises to be a great year for them both. Watch out Nokia and Microsoft.

Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Categories: Handsets and manufacturers, OpinionNumber of views: 9580

Tags: sony ericsson Neo Xperia

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Opinion Articles

How AI technology is transforming the smartphone experience

How AI technology is transforming the smartphone experience

From improved performance to personalized recommendations, AI is enhancing the functionality and usability of smartphones for users

By incorporating advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities, AI can help to optimize a smartphone's performance, providing users with a faster, more efficient and user-friendly experience.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Whatever happened to all my tech?

Whatever happened to all my tech?

Mark Bridge revisits his mobile technology reviews

Mark Bridge writes:

I've been taking a look back at the devices I've written about during the past few years. Some are still faithful companions, others... well, let's just say my faith was misplaced.
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Predictions for 2016: Network Function Virtualisation, 4G throttling and video calling

Mark Windle, head of marketing at OpenCloud, predicts that this year’s reduction in the number of traditional telecoms operators in some countries will provide an opportunity for other operators to innovate and capture market share in 2016.

He says next year will be a year of rapid change for telecoms… whether it’s MVNO disruption, competitive tariff pricing or simply defence from the ‘dark art’ of hacking.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
Kapture review: the audio-recording wristband

Kapture review: the audio-recording wristband

A 'recording watch' that links to your smartphone

Mark Bridge writes:

The most memorable moments in life often go unrecorded. You don't have your camera in your hands. Your finger is still hovering over the 'pause' button on your audio recorder. Or you were simply too busy experiencing whatever was happening. It's all about the one that got away.

That's where Kapture can help.

Author: The Fonecast
4 Comments
Article rating: 4.0
Making mobile websites work better

Making mobile websites work better

Device detection and responsive design explained

Mark Bridge writes:

James Rosewell shows me a colourful roll of paper that's the width of an iPhone but well over three metres long. When I look closer, I can see it's a printed copy of the Wall Street Journal's mobile website. That's a lot of scrolling to do... and a pretty unfriendly user experience for anyone reading the news online. Why does it work so badly?

Author: The Fonecast
1 Comments
Article rating: 4.0
RSS
123457910Last

Recent Podcasts

Big announcements from Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and LG

Podcast - 4th June 2014

Iain, James and Mark begin this week's podcast with Apple's recent iOS 8 revelation and its plan to acquire Beats Electronics.

They then move on to discuss Samsung's Tizen-powered smartphone, a new flagship device from LG and the latest Microsoft Surface tablet - as well as a network takeover in Ireland, BlackBerry’s M2M moves and UK price changes for Vodafone.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Takeovers, tablets, taxes and testing... all from the perspective of the mobile industry

Podcast - 21st May 2014

This week's podcast begins with news about the creation of Dixons Carphone plc. We then move on to talk about patent-related legal action, customised Braille phones and the health concerns of children using smartphones.

There's also time to discuss tablet shipments, potential protests and foreign network sales.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Cloud computing and Mobile: questions and answers from Mobile Monday London May 2014

Podcast - 16th May 2014

This podcast contains the audience question-and-answer session from 'Cloud Computing and Mobile'; a Mobile Monday London event held on 12th May 2014.

The discussion was chaired by Camille Mendler, Principal Analyst at Informa, with a panel that comprised Rob Easton of Google, Dr Janko Mrsic-Flogel from Private Planet, Caroline Van Den Bergh of Golden Gekko and Jonathan Raper from TransportAPI.com.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Cloud computing and Mobile: Mobile Monday London May 2014 panel discussion

Podcast - 16th May 2014

Cloud Computing and Mobile was the title of the Mobile Monday London event on 12th May 2014.

The session was chaired by Camille Mendler, Principal Analyst at Informa, who was joined by a panel that comprised Rob Easton of Google, Dr Janko Mrsic-Flogel from Private Planet, Caroline Van Den Bergh of Golden Gekko and Jonathan Raper from TransportAPI.com.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Huawei upgrades its flagship, Vodafone fixes its prices and Carphone Warehouse prepares an announcement

Podcast - 14th May 2014

This week's podcast begins with a new keenly-priced flagship smartphone from Huawei. We then move on to talk about a UK price promise from Vodafone, mobile payments, feature phone upgrades, WiFi hotspots and the benefits of a Carphone/Dixons merger.

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge condense all the biggest mobile industry news headlines from the past 7 days into a free 30-minute podcast.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First2345791011Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«March 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
26272829123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
1234567

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement