New Technology Reviews!.: Xperia

Gingerbread for Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 coming this week

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Sony Ericsson has posted a juicy titbit on its Facebook page, revealing that the Android 2.3 software update for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 could happen this very week.</div>
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The post reads, "The launch of the 2.3 software for X10 is getting closer, and the planned release date is approx. w30."</div>
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Week 30 began yesterday, meaning the update could land any day now.</div>
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Long time coming</div>
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Sony Ericsson went on to warn excitable users that, "The date could still be changed, since the launch is depending on operators' approval.</div>
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"The software will be rolled out continuously, just like the earlier 2.1 release.</div>
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"The exact launch date is depending on market and operators approval, so it will unfortunately not be possible to give precise information on launch dates for each market/operator. You will get more information once the roll out has started."</div>
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This means that unbranded handsets will probably see an avialable update as soon as it's ready from Sony Ericsson, but if you've babbed your phone on a contract be ready for a little bit more of a wait.</div>
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Gingerbread for Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 coming this week

Sony Ericsson has posted a juicy titbit on its Facebook page, revealing that the Android 2.3 software update for the Sony Ericsson Xper...

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray launches with Android 2.3

Over in Singapore, Sony Ericsson has unleashed a new Android 2.3 handset in the form of the Xperia Ray, toting a 1GHz processor. The 3.3-inch touchscreen phone is just 0.1mm thicker than the iPhone 4 and comes with Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine, last seen on the high-end Xperia handsets unveiled at Mobile World Congress, including the Xperia Arc. Sting like a sting ray "We expect Xperia Ray to appeal to consumers who are looking for a combination of beautiful design and a rich feature set," said global product marketing manager Daniel Sandblom. We'd question the beautiful design side of things, but the Ray isn't lacking in features. The 8.1MP camera offers the Exmor R sensor technology and HD video recording, and there's also a front-mounted camera for video-calling. As well as Sony Ericsson's proprietary music player, it also comes with all the Android goodies we're accustomed to (Android Market, Google apps, email etc), with built-in memory of 300MB expandable with an included 4GB microSD card and stand-by battery life set to last up to 430 hours. What's more, Sony Ericsson has come up with a bunch of "SmartExtras", including LiveSound headphones and a LiveDock docking station - both designed to offer easier access to applications when in use. Set to land imminently given the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray UK release date of Q3, the aluminium-framed Ray comes in four radiant colour highlights (black, gold, white and pink).

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray launches with Android 2.3

Over in Singapore, Sony Ericsson has unleashed a new Android 2.3 handset in the form of the Xperia Ray, toting a 1GHz processor. The 3.3-inc...

Xperia X10 goes on sale for just a dollar on contract, Gingerbread-flavored future makes it appealing

<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="1" height="280" hspace="4" src="http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/207/11x04031xpmchd.jpg" style="margin: 4px; border: 1px solid black;" vspace="4" width="245" /></div> Okay, so a couple of weeks back, we wouldn't have cared if Best Buy was willing to give us money to carry the Xperia X10, we still would have steered clear of its flawed UI and outdated software. But Sony Ericsson did a funny thing last Friday by promising to slap Gingerbread on this 4-inch sucker, which makes its current $1 contract price an eminently more intriguing proposition. We scouted out Best Buy's web outlet and couldn't find the X10 listed at all, so this could very well be a final stock clearance of the handset available on a store-by-store basis. If you're tempted to jump on what's looking like one of the cheapest Gingerbread devices for a while, you should be aware that the Android 2.3 update won't be dropping until the end of Q2 at the earliest, so there will be a modicum of patience required.

Xperia X10 goes on sale for just a dollar on contract, Gingerbread-flavored future makes it appealing

Okay, so a couple of weeks back, we wouldn't have cared if Best Buy was willing to give us money to carry the Xperia X10, we still woul...

Sony's Music Unlimited streaming service coming to NGP, will hit Xperia Play this year and PSP 'in a matter of weeks'

<img alt="" border="0" hspace="4" src="fhttp://img683.imageshack.us/img683/2977/33111musicunlimitedngp1.jpg" vspace="4">It may sound patently obvious at this point, but there's still cause to celebrate -- Sony's streaming subscription music service, Music Unlimited, is headed to both the PlayStation Portable and its pair of divergent spiritual successors the Next Generation Portable and Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play. Eurogamer sat down with Sony Network Entertainment VP Shawn Layden, who spread the news readily, confirming that the service would be activated (at least in the UK) on PlayStation Portable "in a matter of weeks." Meanwhile, Android phones including the infamous PlayStation handset will get Music Unlimited "this year," and SNE "will make it happen" on the NGP as well, presumably sometime after the company reveals when its beast of a portable game station will actually come out. All in the name of taking your tunes with you wherever you happen to travel -- a concept that's getting rather popular right now.Sony's Music Unlimited streaming service coming to NGP, will hit Xperia Play this year and PSP 'in a matter of weeks' <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/sonys-music-unlimited-streaming-service-coming-to-ngp-will-hit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A>

Sony's Music Unlimited streaming service coming to NGP, will hit Xperia Play this year and PSP 'in a matter of weeks'

It may sound patently obvious at this point, but there's still cause to celebrate -- Sony's streaming subscription music service, Mu...

Rogers puts Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and Arc up for pre-order

<img alt="" border="1" hspace="4" src="http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1563/rogersxperiapreorder040.jpg" vspace="4">Well, it's not yet confirming the "late April" launch date that leaked out yesterday, but Rogers has now just started accepting pre-orders for both the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and Xperia Arc, each of which will run you $99.99 on a three-year contract (there's no indication of off-contract pricing). It does say, however, that the current "offer" will expire on May 2nd, which could possibly be an indication of an actual release date, or just the beginning of a different offer. What's more, Rogers has also revealed a small surprise of another sort -- it turns out that it will be carrying both the black and white versions of the Xperia Play. Hit up the link below to get your order in if you're interested. [Thanks, Caleb]Rogers puts Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and Arc up for pre-order <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/rogers-puts-sony-ericsson-xperia-play-and-arc-up-for-pre-order/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A>

Rogers puts Sony Ericsson Xperia Play and Arc up for pre-order

Well, it's not yet confirming the "late April" launch date that leaked out yesterday, but Rogers has now just started acceptin...

Rogers' Xperia Arc and Xperia Play launch details leaked

<img alt="" border="1" hspace="4" src="http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7158/xperiaarcplayonrogers13.jpg" vspace="4">O Canada, we stand on guard for thee -- in this case "we" being the Xperia Arc imaging flagship and Xperia Play gaming handset. We knew this day was coming, but it now looks like Sony Ericsson's hottest new pair of Android smartphones will be available from Rogers "late April" for $99. Of course, you'll have to commit to one of those insane 3-year contracts with a minimum $45 voice and data plan for the privilege, but the Gingerbread toting Xperia Arc and Xperia Play could be yours as soon as April 19-21, which is when the devices are expected to ship to stores. While there's no indication when pre-orders will be starting, folks who pre-order could win a trip to sunny Florida. Just promise to send us pictures of Shamu taken with your new phone if you win, OK?Rogers' Xperia Arc and Xperia Play launch details leaked <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/01/rogers-xperia-arc-and-xperia-play-launch-details-leaked/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">via</A>

Rogers' Xperia Arc and Xperia Play launch details leaked

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee -- in this case "we" being the Xperia Arc imaging flagship and Xperia Play gaming handset. We...

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play launches in UK

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Sony%20Ericsson/Xperia%20Play/Sony_Ericsson_Xperia_Play_review_13-200-200.jpg"> The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the first phone with PlayStation Certification, has managed to make its way to general release today. There were suggestions that Sony Ericsson would have to delay the handset due to freight issues, but The Carphone Warehouse, Phones4u and Orange all have managed to nab some stock to start selling it today. However, it's not going to be cheap - the average cost per month of the Xperia Play is over £35 per month, with the likes of Orange offering it for a whopping £40 per month deal. All about the evil The handset will come with five games pre-installed with a further one available to download - although there are only six titles available directly from Sony: Crash Bandicoot, Cool Boarders 2, Destruction Derby, Jumping Jack Evil, MediEvil and Syphon Filter. The rest of the games - of which there are over 50 at launch - are mostly Android games re-purposed for the physical Xperia Play controls, but include the likes of Avatar, Age of Zombies and Nova 2. Early indications show that the Xperia Play phone has only received lukewarm critical success, with the lack of headline-games (Crash Bandicoot aside) on offer at launch meaning customers may not be overly excited to pay all that cash each month for a chunkier device. TechRadar has its own <a href="">Sony Ericsson Xperia Play review</A> going up very shortly, so stay tuned to find out if it's going to be a hit... or whether we're still going to be left waiting for the definitive PlayStation Phone.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play launches in UK

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the first phone with PlayStation Certification, has managed to make its way to general release today. There w...

Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Sony%20Ericsson/sony-Xperia%20PLAY3-200-200.jpg"> The PlayStation phone is the device equivalent of El Dorado, in that it's spent a long time as a golden fable to trot out when conversation slows. Now the fusion of gamepad and Android phone has emerged into the modern world in the form of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. It's a time when iPhones have permeated the globe, able to deliver tactile gaming on the go, and Nintendo's 3DS is making waves by bringing portable 3D fun to the masses. Even within the Sony stable, the Xperia Play has rivals to overcome. There's the NGP, successor to the PSP, on the horizon, which will arrive boasting more processing power than Deep Blue (well, apparently a quad-core chip and graphics processor). What's more, it must establish itself over a selection of fast and competent Android handsets, such as Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc, which also have the chops for 3D gaming of the non-stereoscopic kind. As a gaming-orientated mobile, the headline feature here is, of course, the slide-out controller section. This comes bearing a D-pad, the familiar PlayStation face buttons, a pair of touchpad 'thumbsticks', two shoulder buttons and some menu keys. There's also an accelerometer on board, and the 4-inch 854 x480 multi-touch screen for getting all handsy with your software. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: main body" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0091-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Powering this is a 1GHz Snapdragon processor with embedded Adreno 205 GPU graphics, 512MB of RAM and Android 2.3, or Gingerbread. While that's competitive in terms of modern smartphones, we have to admit we were expecting more pixel-pushing oomph. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: pad" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0093-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Rounding out the offering are a smattering of features, including Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, 5MP camera, Bluetooth and a bundled 8GB microSD card. Okay, now you know what's on offer, let's talk price. SIM-free, the Xperia Play will require a £480-520 extraction from your wallet, and to get the phone free on a contract will typically require paying £35-40 a month. To put that in perspective, you could get the much-lauded Orange San Francisco and a 3DS for the same moolah as a SIM-free Xperia Play with change enough for a small library of games. For this kind of money, you'd be right to expect legendary performance. The Xperia Play hardware itself isn't unattractive, but it is bulky, coming in a finger-width shorter than a closed 3DS and a few millimetres less thick at 62 x 119 x 16.5mm. It's heavy as well and feels too plasticky in the hand, mainly thanks to the creaky, glossy backplate. Oh, and the whole device retains fingerprints better than a crime lab database. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: with 3ds" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0122-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Holding the phone upright as you would to make a call, along the left-hand side of the slide-out section is a 3.5mm headphone socket and the microUSB port. We're not huge fans of how the jack is placed, given its location makes the provided headphones rub against the base of our thumb while playing games and gets in the way for movies. On the top edge of the phone is another less than ideally placed button – the power/lock switch. Because it's recessed, it requires a fair flex of the index finger to operate, which can be faffy at key moments. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: in hand" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0098-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The right-hand side has the shoulder buttons (more on them in a bit) and a volume rocker, which is in a great place for adjusting volume on the fly during calls, but awkwardly right behind the middle of the screen during gaming. There's a minimal selection of non-backlit buttons along the bottom of the screen too to handle navigating duties. These are: back, home, menu and search respectively. They're pleasant enough to use, but we think you'll find it hard to make them out in the dark. Once neat touch is that when you flip the phone over and take off the backplate, you can access the sim slots and microSD card without removing the battery. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: sim" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0125-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Not quite the killer start we'd hoped for, but we've yet to venture onto the Xperia Play's home turf: gaming. The interface on the Xperia Play looks pretty similar to its cousin, the <a href="">Xperia Arc</A>. By default, there are five homescreens to populate as you wish, with a persistent dock-like bar along the bottom with space enough for four customizable icons and a static menu launcher. The Contacts and Phone apps take up the right two slots, with the left two given over to the Media folder and Messaging. We fast swapped out the Media file for the Browser, given that one of the five homescreens is already filled with widgets for the Gallery and Music apps, but you can hone this bar as you wish. Tapping the centre icon on the dock brings up a list of apps to add to your home screens and all you need do is press and hold one to drag it into a free slot. Handily, the background lines behind it will turn green when you've found a valid place, so organising is fast and intuitive. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: menu" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/menu-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> One minor quibble we do have is that you'll have to bypass this system and go via the external menu key to place widgets, folders and shortcuts, which seems a little inconsistent and caused us some early confusion. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: widgets" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/widgets-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> By default, the centre screen is almost entirely given over to the Timescape widget, which acts like a Rotadex of postcards each presenting Facebook and Twitter updates as well as text messages. Much like the Friend Stream system we've seen on recent HTC models, each of these acts as a slick starting point for finding the content you want. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: timescape" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/centre%20homeedit-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Other screens tend to be more open, but notably there's one screen dedicated to gaming, with a half-screen widget for the PlayStation Pocket app and a link to the Android Market to buy more games. All you need do to navigate between screens is swipe left and right, but there's also an exploded view of all your widgets that you can access by pinching. Tap on a widget and you'll be taken to its resident home screen. We're not huge fans of this system, since it neglects to show you apps as well, making it selectively useful, but if you're a widget-fiend then it's perfect. Scrolling left and right between homescreens is generally quick and fluid, though, even if we've found it can be jerky just after waking the device from its slumber in the mornings. On the flip side, we were impressed by the speed of the scrolling Rotadex-type widgets (as well as the PS Pocket, there's one for the Gallery too), making them eminently usable. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: home" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/near%20right%20home-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Taken as a whole, the system doesn't quite gel together as we'd like, but its not hard to learn to work around its quirks. This is what you came for, right? How does the Xperia Play hold up as a gaming device and can it compete in the same league as the portable big boys? Well, controls are the lifeblood of any console, dictating how the software experience plays out (if you'll excuse the pun), and the Xperia Play's are a real mix. The D-pad and familiar PlayStation face buttons (circle, square, triangle and cross) are excellent, delivering a definite click and a really pleasing action. They're nicer on the fingers than the <a href="">3DS</A> equivalents too and a refreshing change from onscreen controls. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: d-pad" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0094-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The dual thumbpads are far less laudable, though. The degree to which they worked varied a fair bit depending on what we were playing but the core problem we had with them was always the same – they're too picky and there's not enough feedback. Yes, there's a little metal circle at the dead centre of each one to help you orientate yourself and they're set in a dimple in the face of the device to let you know when you've strayed beyond their bounds, but even with those aids we found accurate control a struggle. We'd often strike out at an angle slightly off what we really wanted, walk when we'd meant to run or overshoot the pads with half our thumb, causing plenty of confusion. We have a few theories about why this is, but part of it is that the pads are quite small, meaning every little movement is a big deal. Also, they're not good at understanding quick changes of pace. As we said, picky. We've found dual-stick shooters on the iPhone far more forgiving, perhaps because you can see where your thumb is in relation to events. And the thumbpads can't hold a candle to the circle pad on the 3DS. Then there's the shoulder buttons, which are a wee bit mushy for our tastes. Of even more import is that your digits are prone to rubbing on the back edges of the screen. This made us hold the Xperia Play awkwardly at first, but we did find a comfortable position after a while. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: shoulder buttons" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Screens%20Part%20I/IMG_0100-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The start and select keys are good, as is the dedicated menu button. However, the latter seems a little superfluous, given it only replicates the function of other buttons on the device. The slide mechanism is an unqualified success, though. It's rock solid, moving the pad up or down with a satisfying snick. The screen stays put with no wobble or flex too. The dual-personality nature of the Xperia Play is continued in its gaming software. There are two apps that serve as launching stages: the confusingly titled Xperia Play, which is effectively a housing point for Android Market games that work with the device, and the PlayStation Pocket, which handles the honeypot PS One ports we were actually excited to play. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: ps pocket" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Changes/PSP-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Bizarrely, it's the Xperia Play app that starts by default when you slide out the pad – the PlayStation Pocket is found in a homescreen widget and lurking in the menu. We've yet to find a way of switching them over and the inconsistent approach is confusing. Our test handset came with five games preinstalled: Crash Bandicoot as the sole PS One offering, with FIFA 10, Bruce Lee, Star Battalion and The Sims 3 apps to finish the package. The latter barely benefits from being on the handheld at all, but some of the former will make good showcases for the hardware come launch day. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: xperia play menu" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Changes/Game%20menu-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> We're conflicted about the Xperia Play as a gaming package. The controller section, while far from perfect, is a significant step up from playing on a touchscreen phone. But with so many niggles and the higher barrier to entry of the price, it's hard to see who this will suit. If gaming on the go is important to you, we reckon you should wait for the NGP or go grab a 3DS. Having tested the Xperia Play and Ninty's console side-by-side, we can safely say the latter offers a better gaming experience, even if you never turn the 3D effect on. With the Xperia Play, obviously the main media concern is the gaming side of things. However, that's not to say that other multimedia options are left in the cold and the device proves more than capable when it comes to music and movies. 8GB of card-based storage plus the 400MB of internal memory provides plenty of room to get you started, and you can swap in a card up to 32GB in size if your media collection is sizable. The Music player is minimalist, but none the worse for that. You can either control it via the handy homescreen widget, or access the app via the main menu. Upon entering, you'll see the current track's album artwork front and centre, with a large play/pause buttonand smaller track skipping keys to either side. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: media" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Changes/inclockappmusic-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> At the lower edge is an easy-to-access slider that allows you to scrub through your track, handily displaying a prominent time reference in the upper portion of the screen as long as your finger's on the slider. Below that sit three icons to access your music collection, get online information about your currently playing track and see a list of what currently playing. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: music" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/music%20search-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> It's all exactly as we'd expect, pleasingly responsive and well thought out. Press the Menu key and you'll be able to access a set of equalizer presets (no custom option, unfortunately) as well as set the playing track as your ringtone. Neat. Special mention must also go to the handset's two built-in speakers, which give clear, enjoyable stereo sound without the tinniness that accompanies most mobiles. We weren't big fans of the included earbuds, though, given that they seemed to contrive to communicate every cable movement and rustle directly into our cranial tissues. We'll try the other rubber tips soon and see if that improves matters. Movies also benefit from the great stereo sound, and we found the four-inches of screen real estate put to good use. Again, the player itself is simple yet efficient, with simple skip buttons, the obligatory play/pause key and a timeline appearing on a grey bar when you tap the screen. There's none of the jerkiness that can accompany fast panning, but some of the images are a little fuzzy when in full screen mode. We'll be doing more testing on this soon, and will let you know more details as we have them. Aside from the weight of the unit, it's comfy enough to hold in the hand for a while too, so watching an episode or two on the train is entirely feasible if you're all gamed out. Finally for now, let's touch on the Gallery. This is another slick-looking app that's clearly been the focus of attention. Enter the main screen and you'll see files for your pictures and movies laid out in pleasingly messy stacks. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: gallery" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Changes/photo%20clusters-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Tap one stack of, say, pictures and you'll see it expanded out into a wall of thumbnails. From here, you can select one to see all up close and personal, or use as the starting point for a slideshow. You can also access basic editing and sharing options by tapping the menu key. One issue we did have is that the Xperia Play got confused when we took new photos with the camera, showing us the same folder of shots twice instead of the folder of images on our memory card and the new one. It had us worried for a moment until we quit out and returned, although we couldn't replicate the problem again. With Google's might behind the Xperia Play's OS, it's surprising that we've found the web browsing as mediocre as we have thus far. On our test unit we had the option of connecting via Wi-Fi or 3G/HSDPA. Getting our Wi-Fi set up was simple, and handled neatly the the Xperia Play's set-up wizard. All we had to do was enter our password and we were away. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: browsing" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/techradar.com-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> So far, so good, but once connected we found the stock browser hardly blistering in pace. Sites are accessed quickly enough, but scrolling around the full BBC homepage proved prone to stuttering. The pinch to zoom functionality was decidedly jerky too. In a similar vein, text reflowing is merely okay, requiring a double tap to make the device get the job done once you've zoomed in. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: text reflow" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/reflow%20fail-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Using the little plus and minus zoom keys on the screen worked far better for reading a news site in both regular a mobile formats, reflowing text as we zoomed. But these can be annoying too, and we had an issue where one key disappeared behind website content. That said, Flash support has been promising, with our few test sites loading quickly and playing well. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: flash" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Changes/Flash-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The bookmarks system is praiseworthy as well, offering a little icon by your entered URL to log your favourite sites. Enter the pane accessed by the menu key and the top-left square of the screen is dedicated to a creating a bookmark of the current site, while all the other entries show the sites in your collection in handy thumbnails. You can opt for a list instead if you prefer. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review: bookmarking" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/x.prcessed%20withPS/bookmarks-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Similar lists exist for your most viewed pages, a handy secondary jumping-on point, and recent history. It's by no means awful, but the jerky nature of what we experienced is a far cry from browsing on the iPhone 4 or other Android phones such as the LG Optimus 2X. It's disappointing given how much the Xperia Play costs. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Product%20images%20from%20sony/Xperia-PLAY-S..product-4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> As you've probably noticed, this review is a work in progress and we're not quite ready to call time on the handset yet. We'll keep testing feverishly to give you the most in-depth review possible, so check back for updates soon. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia play review" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Xperia%20Play/Product%20images%20from%20sony/Xperia-PLAY-S..product-3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> What we will say is that the Xperia Play is no knock-out punch set to revolutionise mobile gaming. It's better than playing on a touchscreen, but you have to weigh that advantage against the cost and the competition. Regardless of whether you're a Sony fanboy or Nintendo freak, we reckon you could do better for your cash. Plus, we'd caution waiting to see what happens when the NGP hits.

Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

The PlayStation phone is the device equivalent of El Dorado, in that it's spent a long time as a golden fable to trot out when conversat...

Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_officialnew-200-200.jpg"> We've got exactly what we wished for. After being rather impressed by Sony Ericsson's ultra-small <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>, we couldn't help but wonder what Sony Ericsson's heavily customised Android OS would look like on a phone with a middle-of-the-road screen that sits somewhere between that of the monster X10 and the tiny X10 Minis. And that's exactly what we've got here. The screen of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 is three inches in size, so slightly smaller than the 3.2-inch norm as seen in the likes of the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-legend-675318">HTC Legend</A>, <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-optimus-one-906650/review">LG Optimus One</A> and many, many more Android phones. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-5-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-7-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The good news is the X8's touchscreen uses capacitive technology, so it's immediately more usable than other entry-level Android phones like the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-optimus-gt540-711114">LG GT540</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/vodafone-845-700213">Vodafone 845</A>, which use the cheaper, less sensitive resistive technology. And don't work. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-1new-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The form factor of the Xperia X8 is identical to that of the X10 Mini – only bigger. Which means a curved back with easily removable cover, three silver buttons beneath the screen – Android-standard Menu, Home and Back – along with the camera and speaker around the back. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_white_front2-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> The top edge of the phone features the micro-USB connector, which has been covered by a little plastic stopper to stop it accumulating handbag dust. Also here is the power socket in the middle and 3.5mm headphone jack. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Down the right-hand side sit the metallic-effect volume rocker and physical camera button. Sadly, as with the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A> and many other new entry level Android phones, there's no optical or physical trackpad on the X8. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-3new-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> And that's your lot. The phone itself feels solid and well-made, especially considering its £140 SIM-free asking price, with tough buttons and a solid screen. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-8-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-9-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Here's where the Xperia X8 differentiates itself from the Android crowd – Sony Ericsson has included the same incredibly customised user interface as the one found on the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/3-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> This means a unique Home screen that only features one big, central widget, accompanied by four customisable icon shortcuts to your most-used apps in each corner. While this system worked perfectly well and made great sense on the tiny screens of the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>, on the larger three-inch screen of the Xperia X8 it seems like a bit of a waste of space. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/14-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Do we really need one massive Google search box in the middle of a three-inch screen? The OS is still just as fast and smooth to operate and navigate as it was in the X10 Mini and Mini Pro, but this feels like a needlessly hobbled way of doing things on a larger screen in this age of multitasking superphones. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/17-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Still, once you've arranged your four favourite app links in their corner slots it's a workable system – fast and intuitive, and ideal for mainstream users. Android fanatics won't enjoy the limitations of this layout – or the 1.6 version of Android it's built upon – but we doubt many Android fanatics will be eyeing up the X8 anyway. Problem solved. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/15-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Sony Ericsson has also supplied a healthy collection of custom widgets, with a couple that are of great use. The Data Monitor keeps track of how much mobile data you've transferred, which will be extremely useful if you're on a restricted monthly quota. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/16-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Also, there's a specific widget dedicated entirely to turning all data use on and off, making it simple to make sure you're not getting financially crippled thanks to a rogue app deciding to sync your entire music collection over-the-air while you sleep. Very useful little touches, these, especially when the X8 is likely to be sold on unlocked packages with SIM cards that come with strict allowances attached. The actual phone functions of the Xperia X8 are pretty much the same defaults as found in other Android 1.6-powered phones. Only given a big, blue-tinged visual makeover. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/18-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Calling is simple, with the dialer opening up a keypad with separate tab for keeping track of the call history. The Contacts list is accessed separately, and consists of a list of names with a separate tab for those you're starred and set up as your favourites. It works, but you won't be impressing anyone with it. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Customising contacts with photos is very easy. Through the X8's photo album you're able to open up a shot and attach it to a Contact, with this photo representing your friends on the favourites tab. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/20-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Also, Sony Ericsson's Timescape social networking tool helps bring Android's dull Contacts lists to life. When viewing a message posted by someone on Twitter or Facebook in the Timescape aggregator app, there's an option to link the person to a contact. Press that, choose one of your contacts, and the links pair up – enabling you to page through all social network messages posted by that one person. It's a great tool for popular people. On the hardware side of things, the mic is clear and the speakerphone is great. Call volume is loud, and when using the speakerphone it's louder still – and this speaker is also used to great effect when playing music. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/21-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> The keyboard is a full QWERTY, which is a step up from the numeric keypads offered in the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A> – with only a few minor customisations made to the bland stock Android keyboard by Sony Ericsson. The X8 enables users to turn spelling correction on or off, automatically add words to the dictionary and even suggests the next word it thinks you may type – although this never actually happened at all during our time with the phone. It was definitely ticked in the options. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/22-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The keyboard really isn't up to much when compared to modern text input systems such as Swype and SwiftKey. Also, the Xperia X8's rather unresponsive touchscreen means you have to press harder than on most other capacitive phones, which hinders accuracy quite a bit. Plus using a QWERTY keyboard on a three-inch screen in portrait mode was never going to be easy to begin with. You'd be best advised to install a custom keyboard from the Android Market if you plan on using the X8 for anything more complex than sending smileys to people a couple of times a week. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/23-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Email is supported via both Gmail and POP3, with the X8 featuring the same limitation on additional email accounts as found in the X10 Mini and Mini Pro. The phone's email app only lets users set up one email account, so you're stuck with that, plus Gmail. Exchange is supported, but only via the third-party RoadSync application. It's not a great solution, with the X8 not offering an easy way to integrate all your email accounts in one place. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/29-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Text messaging is again the Android 1.6 default, only blue. Pick a contact, type a message, attach a photo and send. That's it. Web browsing is done in the standard Android 1.6 browser, and is identical to that found in the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>. There's no multi-touch support here, so page zooming uses the old Android technique. You press the page, then zoom in and out with the magnifying glass, or use the magnifying tool to highlight particular areas. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/10-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> It's not as glamorous or user-friendly as the modern pinch-to-zoom style found on other cheap Android phones such as the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/orange-san-francisco-901858">Orange San Francisco</A> and would be a right pain were the X8 not a very capable device when it comes to moving web pages around. Pages scroll around very quickly, reducing the potential for browser rage significantly. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/28-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> The 320 x 480 resolution is the most common screen format out there in Android world, and on the X8's smaller three-inch screen this makes web text very sharp and readable. The Xperia X8 manages to display text much more sharply and legibly than the competing budget <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-optimus-one-906754">LG Optimus One</A>, despite the physically smaller screen. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/9-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The only problem here is with the options and general age of the browser. There's not much in the way of customisation or features, with just your standard Bookmarks and History options accessible through the Menu button. You can't copy text from pages, either, although it is possible to share URLs via the Android sharing options. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/11-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> You can send shortcuts to the app drawer and Home screen, though, which is useful. Links to specific pages appear as icons you can slot into any of the phone's app slots for easy access to favourite sites. That's the only decent feature of a very basic, but fast browser. This is one area where the Xperia X8 is seriously lacking when put up against Sony Ericsson's little <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>. The X8's camera spec has been busted down to a three-megapixel model, without flash or autofocus, plus Sony Ericsson has also removed huge chunks of functionality from the Camera app that worked to such good effect in the X10 Mini and Mini Pro. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The camera comes with, er... four options, and they're only simple scene filters. Although, you can obviously switch between video and camera recording, which technically takes it up to five options. And, on start-up, users are prompted to allow or deny the geotagging of shots. So that's a whole extra option. It's not a great camera, given Sony Ericsson's past expertise in the area. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/24-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> The phone's basic photo gallery also betrays the X8's Android 1.6 roots. The ageing version of Android featured a super-simple list of your pics – and that's all you get here. Disappointing. The only option on the Album screen itself is to delete several, - so you can ditch unwanted photos. Press a photo bring it up fullscreen and the standard Android sharing options then appear in one of Sony Ericsson's corner units – where you can upload it directly to Facebook, push it through any installed Twitter apps or Gmail it to whomever you like. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/26-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> This advanced social integration is one area where Android excels. The sharing menus make struggling to get pictures off your phone a thing of the past, and even with the outdated Android 1.6 at its core, the Xperia X8 is a great phone for boring people on the internet with photos of your everyday life. Such as... <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00006-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <a href="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00006.jpg">Click here for full-res version</A> Pictures emerge at 2048 x 1536 resolution and picture quality is quite poor. They're incredibly compressed down to between 250KB and 500KB file sizes, resulting in some major JPEG noise and artefacting. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00008-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <a href="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00008.jpg">Click here for full-res version</A> Indoor photos of bright things are a little better, but there's no focus or macro mode on the X8's camera, so there's not much room for anything fancy. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00009-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <a href="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/camera%20samples/DSC00009.jpg">Click here for full-res version</A> They'll work as proof you went to a certain place, but that's about it. Videos come off the camera at a decent 640 x 480 resolution in 3GP format, although the frame rate isn't that smooth. </PARAM><PARAM value="true" name="allowFullScreen"></PARAM><PARAM value="always" name="allowscriptaccess"></PARAM><EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/XFQpkJgk1hg&hd=1&hl=en&fs=1 width=420 height=315 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"> </EMBED></OBJECT> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/youtube_insert-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Video quality is good, though – certainly better than the blocky mess produced by the equally cheap Android-powered <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/vodafone-845-700172/review">Vodafone 845</A> – and you could definitely live with the results. The one extra video option is the chance to record smaller clips for sending via MMS. It's about as entry level as a camera can get, this. The Xperia X8's music player is based around the simple Android default, only with a comprehensive visual skin that goes a long way to making it look and feel a little better than Android 1.6's standard. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/4-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> The big addition here is the Infinite button, which, when pressed, performs a little automatic internet search for media related to the artist that's currently playing. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/5-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> It's a bit of a novelty, but if you're listening to a song and fancy having a quick watch of the video, it's a useful shortcut and will bring up a list of YouTube clips on a separate screen for you – and the option to buy it via Sony Ericsson's PlayNow shop, if it's in the catalogue. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/7-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The video player is disappointing. Our stock collection of review AVI and WMV files in various Xvid and DivX formats all refused to play, with Sony Ericsson requiring all video to be stuffed on the phone's SD card in a specific MP4 format. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/6-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> So while music playback is good and the supplied headphones loud and capable, the X8 can't be recommended as a full media player. Having to re-encode videos for mobile use is not what people want from a player in this day and age. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/12-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Sadly, with the Xperia X8 being based around the 1.6 version of Android, you're stuck with using the older version of the YouTube client. But it works well enough, with the phone able to handle pausing and skipping with ease. Google apps are well represented on the X8, with Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Voice Search and Google Talk all on here from the outset. But with only 128MB of internal RAM for users, you'll need to be rather selective about what you stick on the X8 – a few of the more memory-hungry apps will soon have you running out of space. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/30-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> There's an odd selection of extra apps pre-loaded on the X8, such as the Wisepilot sat-nav tool – a completely pointless addition when the all-powerful Google Maps Navigation is on here, and doesn't require payment to use. Elsewhere there's Sony Ericsson's own TrackID system for identifying (then buying) music you hear, plus its PlayNow shop and casual gaming service – the latter is rather useless when the Android Market's on the phone, but both will no doubt find a home with casual users. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/31-210-100.jpg" width="210"></IMG> Elsewhere there's the standalone Facebook app if you don't want to use the Timescape widget, a few free game demos, plus a Notes app that enables you to send shortcuts to the Home screen and set little alarm reminders for things. But there's one much more important question we must ask – can it run Angry Birds? <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/32-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Yes. Thank God for that. As with the superb little <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>, the X8 is a great performer when it comes to battery life. The low-spec 600MHz processor and small-ish three-inch screen keep power use low, so as long as you're not GPS-ing your way around the country, it'll last. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/25-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Connectivity is impressive for a phone in this price range, although well within Android standards. You get GPS support, with the X8 hooking onto your satellite position and starting up quicker than most phone sat navs we've used. It's hard to believe that your £140 gets you a fully featured GPS device, thanks to Google's incredible Maps Navigation app. There's an FM radio, Wi-Fi connectivity (which was super-reliable and quick to connect), Bluetooth, micro-USB connector and seamless operation as a mass storage device for dumping your files onto its memory card. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/screenshots/pc_companion-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> The phone comes with Sony Ericsson's PC Companion suite on the 2GB microSD card, designed to simplify the stuff-putting-on process, which is amazingly unnecessary, since the phone identifies itself as an external drive in standard Android fashion. The PC Companion also enables you to sync your phone's content, another needless duplication of Google's Android backup system, plus there's Sony Ericsson's Media Go tool for music organisation. But you'll be best off not using any of it and just chucking all your tunes in big a folder and letting Google handle your Contacts. <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-1new-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-3new-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-5-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-6-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-7-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-8-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/hardware%20photos%20new/x8-camera-photo-9-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_official-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_white_front2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/Xperia_X8_White_Front40-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_white_back-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> <img alt="Sony ericsson xperia x8" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/Sony%20Ericsson/X8/pr/xperia_x8_officialnew-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Android enthusiasts won't like the fact that the Xperia X8 is based around the old Android 1.6, but for the mainstream user this won't be a problem – or even something they're aware of. Yes, a few popular Android apps do require later versions of the OS, but 1.6 is still enough to get most jobs done, and £140 on a SIM-free basis is a good enough price for a solid phone. Despite the small three-inch screen and low-end processor, the Xperia X8 did a good job of handling web browsing and every Android app we threw at it. Also, Sony Ericsson has created one of the few user interface skins that genuinely adds a lot of interesting features to the standard Android experience. We liked Sony Ericsson's user interface isn't just a few widgets and a different-looking dock – it's a total reworking of Android. The 'four corners' design makes great use of the smaller three-inch screen, and the larger widgets are easy to use. It's a bit restrictive, but will have its fans. The fact that you get a three-inch capacitive touchscreen makes the X8 one of the better-specced Android phones at its price point, with the £140 price tag meaning you get a decent display for your money. The battery life is good. Lay off the GPS and you'll easily get a full two days of use from the X8, while in operation the phone is fast and glitch free. Even when you've got 10 widgets stacked up on Home screens and a few apps on the go, there's no crunching. Sony Ericsson's got the X8's 600MHz processor working well. We disliked Sadly the X8's screen isn't very responsive. The usually reliable capacitive technology isn't working too well here, with very firm prods required to register touches. This ruins typing accuracy, making it a pain to use for messaging. The fact that this is based around Android 1.6 means a few flagship apps are either missing or running older versions. Mainstream users won't understand why the official Twitter app isn't visible on the Android Market when using the X8, for example. Visually, the user interface customisations look bland. It's the default Android 1.6 made blue, and that simply isn't very exciting in the face of today's sizzling smartphone competition. The camera is a bit of a disaster and a massive step down from the one Sony Ericsson put in its own <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-679703/review">Xperia X10 Mini</A> and <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-mini-pro-703545/review">X10 Mini Pro</A>. Sure, the X8's quite a bit cheaper, but you'd be better off breaking the bank and getting an X10 Mini if you fancy using your phone for taking photos. Verdict The result of Sony Ericsson's Android skin is a phone that doesn't really feel like any other Android phones out there – it's more akin to using an older 'feature' phone from Sony Ericsson. Also, there's no ignoring the recent arrival of some significantly more impressive Android phones at this cheaper end of the market. The <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/orange-san-francisco-901858">Orange San Francisco</A> blows the X8 away in terms of power and screen size, while somehow also managing to be cheaper. The <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/lg-optimus-one-906754">LG Optimus One</A> offers the modern-day thrills of Android 2.2 and a bigger screen for a similar price. As a result, the X8 finds itself in a bit of a bad place where it's outsmarted on all fronts by other models – even Sony Ericsson's own X10 Mini is a better option. If you're not concerned about having the latest (or even a particularly recent) version of Android, the X8 will do, but it's hobbled by an unresponsive touchscreen and the many difficulties that brings. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 works as a phone and is good for music and web use, but offering an out-of-date version of Android and an unresponsive screen it's best left to bargain-hunters only.

Review: Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

We've got exactly what we wished for. After being rather impressed by Sony Ericsson's ultra-small Xperia X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro...