The?Sony Ericsson Xperia X10?is expected to be hitting AT&T?in the US when it eventually launches in February if the spec sheet is to be believed.

According to Android news site, Phandroid, the specs for the Sony Ericsson first Android powered handset suggest that it will be going to the US mobile phone operator who also has the iPhone based on the radio bands the handset will offer.

According to the tech specs, the phone will come with GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900and UMTS/HSPA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 however not offer UMTS HSPA 900/1700 for phones sold in Americas.

While to most that won't mean the foggiest it means AT&T will be the only carrier in the US who is able to support the handset.

There is currently no official word from either AT&T or Sony Ericsson.

We will keep you posted, but in the meantime check out our?First Look review.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android AT and T

Sony Ericsson X10 destined for AT&T originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:24:43 +0000

Sony Ericsson?has implied that it may bring its new?Android?skin destined for the?Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, the Nexus UX platform, to other devices.

"Nexus has been developed with a broader focus in mind", said Steve Walker, head of portfolio planning and communications for Sony Ericsson, following a question in an informal journalist briefing on whether we would see the new UI on other devices.

Although not going into specific details about specific products, Walker hinted in a further conversation with Pocket-lint that the new Nexus interface had been developed for devices of "all shapes and sizes".

The news comes as Sony Ericsson announces further details for its latest handset, the Xperia X10, which is due out in February 2010.

Working in what appears to be a similar way to HTC's Sense UI, Sony Ericsson will create a new "skin" for Android and Symbian OSes called the Nexus UX platform that offers a more graphical interface for users to get involved in.

Creating a dedicated WebSDK to accompany the new "skin", Sony Ericsson is hoping that by allowing developers to create apps specifically for Sony Ericsson handsets, it will help it gain the edge over other Android based handsets from Motorola or HTC.

"It is more than a UI skin", Christopher David, the man in charge of pushing the SDK to developers told us in a one to one interview. "The WebSDK, announced today allows developers to develop applications specifically for our phones and be sold in the PlayNow store".

Sony Ericsson will start the ball rolling with two applications, Timescape and Mediascape with the promise of many more over time.

Timescape will promise to manage all your communication with one person in one place, allowing you to browse through your conversations on Facebook, Twitter, photos, emails, and texts all in one go. Mediascape will focus on the multimedia elements to the handset, allowing you to search your phone for music, photos and videos as well as access interactive services like YouTube or PlayNow.

"We expect to have around a couple of hundred apps and plug-ins for Nexus at launch", David confirmed.

Other features of the new OS overlay include a feature that links faces with contact details at the touch of a button from within the phone on the fly.?

Sony Ericsson says that users will be able to download dedicated Sony Ericsson Android apps created using its WebSDK via its Play Now store rather than in Android Marketplace, however users will be able to access standard Android Marketplace as you would normally.?

The Xperia X10 is the first of many handsets that will use the platform, says Sony Ericsson, with the new handset acting as the flagship model when it hits stores in February.?

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Mobile phone apps Sony Ericsson Android Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

Sony Ericsson's Nexus Android skin promised for more devices originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:52:03 +0000

Here are the nominations for Best Mobile Phone in The Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009.

The following products were chosen because we feel they represent the best phones on sale in the last 12 months that are available in the UK.

The nominations are:

HTC Hero

iPhone 3GS

Palm Pre

BlackBerry Bold 9700

HTC HD2

A notable commendation should also go to the Sony Ericsson W995 and the Nokia N900.

Now in its 6th year, the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards, thought to be the longest running in the UK, pick the best gadgets and gizmos from the last year released in the UK.

Pocket-lint's vigorous vetting process means that all the gadgets up for nomination have to have been seen by a member of the Pocket-lint team (so far over 600) and have to have been available in the UK between December 2008 and December 2009.

The awards, voted by a panel of leading gadget journalists from around the world, including the staff from the Pocket-lint team, will decide the real must-have gadgets of the year, rather than those simply deemed cool or anticipated, being the definitive guide for consumers looking to buy gadgets.

Winners will be announced at an Awards evening in London on Monday 7 December.

If you would like to order tickets to the event please visit our awards event page.

Public voting will start on Wednesday 18 November.

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Related links:

• Link - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Tags: Phones Mobile phones HTC Apple Palm BlackBerry Sony Ericsson Nokia

Best Mobile Phone 2009 nominations originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson has revealed a little more about the launch timescale for its latest Xperia-branded handset, the X10.

Via a pre-order page on its site, the phone manufacturer has revealed that the new high-end handset is due in February.

We knew the X10 was getting a Q1 launch, but this is the first time the phone's debut has been pinned down to a month - although the exact text reads: "Expected launch - Feb '10".

Those who like the look of the new Android device can pre-register their interest now to be kept informed of progress.

The touchscreen X10 offers a 4-inch display, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8-megapixel camera, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and Sony Ericsson's new Mediascape and Timescape applications.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 dated originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:13:14 +0000

The Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Best Mobile Phone nominations are probably the ones we've all been waiting for. The smartphone industry is ablaze and every year we see more and more impressive handsets as the mobile becomes so much more than simply the telephone it once started out as. They are our pocket computers, our access terminals, our windows on the world and it's time to let us know which ones deserve that extra special praise for their impact in 2009. Which one gets your vote?

Android phones

After a very slow start Android is all the rage right now. Until a matter of months ago, HTC dominated with last year's G1, as well as the Magic - which is likely to be in the running - and the HTC Hero, on which it's very hard not to place a heavy bet for the winner of this award. That said, of late we've seen some really impressive contenders with an awesome come back from Motorola with the QWERTY based DEXT and the pure touch Droid.

Never ones to miss the boat, Samsung brought out the Galaxy i7500 and the imminent arrival of the LG GW620 brings the other Korean giant in on the action as well. The T-Mobile Pulse aka Huwaei's Android effort and the HTCs Eris and Tattoo have also shown that consumers can get a piece of Google's mobile OS at a reasonable price, while the launch of the impressive looking Rachael, or Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, makes Nokia's absence look all the more obvious.

Palm & Apple

The shotgun method is not something you'd associate with these manufacturers' approaches to the mobile phone industry in 2009. Nonetheless, between them they've had arguably the biggest impact of all. We were blown away by the Palm Pre at CES in January with its new OS, slideout QWERTY and beautiful touchscreen - even if we did have to wait the best part of a year for the thing to turn up in the UK - and the Apple iPhone 3GS - once Stevie J and friends had decided how to spell it - did just enough to keep itself on top.

More recently, the Palm Pixi has arrived as the lite version of the Pre and doubtless we'll see more webOS devices in the future. So, will Apple be following suit with an iPhone mini all of its own? One for 2010, perhaps.

BlackBerry

The other mobile cult all of its own is the church of RIM and its beloved BlackBerrys. The company has seen an impressive rise in market share and profits in 2009 with its more consumer facing approach. Handsets like the Curve 8520 and the Bold 9700 have proved as popular as their family heritage would suggest and even the second installment of the BlackBerry Storm seems finally to be going down as its name would have us believe. The only question is whether these recent announcements have left it too late for us all to rave about.

Other QWERTYs

If the OS and the touchscreen have been the biggest mobile trends of late, then the move to QWERTY keyboards has to be the next one down. While they used to be the preserve of RIM and a select few business models, the rise of the smartphone with e-mailing, browsing and IM needs has caused a greater desire for ease and speed of typing on our handsets. Most of the mobile makers have caught onto it and you can now buy the things on PAYG or just cheap contracts with basic phones.

The youth messenger market can now get hold of finger tappers like the LG GW300, the pink Samsung B3310 and Samsung Genio/Corby TXT if you're not man enough for the colour scheme on the other model. Go one step up and there's the slightly more mature LG GW520, the Nokia Surge/6760 and the Nokia E72 - the upgrade to the hugely popular business model of 2008. Last of all, there's the QWERTY to end all QWERTYs with the recent launch in the States of the TwitterPeek handset with the kind of keyboard that'll give your desktop a good run for its money.

Windows Mobile

With Android the rising star of 2009, it's easy to forget that Microsoft launched a new version of its mobile OS as well. Windows Mobile 6.5, or Windows Phone, may not necessarily be the choice of the consumer but the manufacturers can't get enough of it and, to give it its dues, it is getting better. HTC is one of the platform's largest supporters, despite the affiliation with Android, and both the HTC HD2 and the HTC Touch Diamond 2 have turned out to be very impressive implementations of the system.

Both the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 and Toshiba TG01 have taken the custom UI approach to Windows Phone and come up with a couple of handsets to make the consumer's choice that much harder, while Samsung launched an entire update to the OMNIA family with four whole models, each suited to a particular user.

Until the last few weeks, Acer has been solely focused on the Microsoft mobile OS as well with a mass of interesting, if not entirely refined, set of phones and, of course, the LG GM750 is a quick toe in the water for the Korean company while it makes up its mind which way to jump from its own S-Class interface - indeed if it intends to jump at all.

Nokia

It's not been the best of times for the company that still remains the number one in the mobile phone market. Yes, its presence in the developing world is incredible but the Finnish giant's grip on the West has slipped. With Symbian OS the platform of choice, there's still be some noteworthy releases including the headline N97 and N97 mini as well as the super snapper that is the N86.

The business E range is probably one of the strongest and certainly most interesting sectors beyond that, and we've had the pleasure of upgrades like the E52 and the E72 to enjoy over 2009, as well as the intro of the E55 candybar as well.

The classic series has been as well designed as ever with perhaps the Nokia 6700 classic the pick of the lot. Otherwise its all been about the much debated Comes with Music push and the Xpress Music handsets in the shape of the 5530 and the more premium touchscreen X3 and X6 devices, that could well find themselves doing better than some might think in the overall rankings.

Finally, Nokia wouldn't be Nokia if it wasn't trying something crazy and this year it's been the Nokia 7705 Twist. We'll let you judge that one for yourselves.

LG

With grit like determination to be the number two handset provider in the world, LG has been pushing, showing and innovating its heart out over 2009. While the Cookie continues to be its standout success, the likes of the LG Arena and new versions of both the Chocolate and Viewty in the LG BL40 and Viewty Smart have shown some serious intent, if lacking that final touch of class.

More recently, the LG BL20, or even newer Chocolate, looks to make its Black Label sibling that little bit more affordable along with the launch of the GD510 Pop, but the big design oohs and ahhs were saved for the LG GD900 see through phone and the LG Watchphone. Seen anybody actually wearing one yet?

Samsung

As well as being early on both the Windows Phone and Android markets, Samsung has been on a steep learning curve in all mobile departments throughout 2009. The company has been the first to test out the Vodafone 360 platform with the touchscreen H1 as well as briefly holding the record for the fastest phone in the west with the Samsung Jet.

Having finally perfected the touchscreen, the company has brought out more in the Tocco range for all levels if customer to play with and even gone AMOLED with superb handsets like the HD video shooting Samsung i8910. Beyond that, Samsung was the first to reach the 12-megapixel cameraphone mark with the Samsung Pixon12 and has added a couple of impressive innovations like the Beat DJ for the music obsessive and the solar panelled E1107. Generally a very good year for Samsung.

Sony Ericsson

There was a very long tease for Sony Ericsson fans this year. With the Satio and Aino shown off what seems like decades ago, news of the update to the Xperia back in March and Rachael round the corner since back in the summer, we're all just pleased that they made it in time for the 16th November Pocket-lint awards cut off.

Mercifully, while we were waiting for the big guns we had the pleasure of Maria Sharapova's company in the sale of the Sony Ericsson T707 plus, the eco-friendly Sony Ericsson Naite and the T715 more recently to pick up some native Twitter access. It wasn't a prolific year for the Japanese mobile maker but perhaps its biggest unsung hero was the continuation of the Walkman range with the likes of the Sony Ericsson W995 - one of the most complete mid-range handsets a person could buy. Well worth a shout.

The rest

Naturally, the last 12 months has come with its range insanely expensive luxury designer phones for equally insane people with obscenely insanely large wallets. See the Mobiadio Grand Pioneer, gold Nokia Carbon Arte, Motorola Aura Diamond and Tag Heuer Lamborghini handsets for just four of such examples. We wouldn't presume to deny yourselves and the panel of judges the chance to name any of them mobile phone of the year, but if you'd rather something more sensible, then spare a brief thought for the Land Rover S1 from Sonim and a good hour of pondering whether INQ really has cracked it this time with the INQ mini 3G.

What do you think?

But these are just some of the fantastic choices our readers have had in 2009. What would you like to see held aloft as the winner of Pocket-lint Best Mobile Phone 2009? What have we missed out? Which are your unsung heroes and of those we've already mentioned, which would get your vote? Let us know in the comments below and you can help our panel decide which make the shortlist of nominees to be announced here on Pocket-lint on 16 November. We'll have all out coverage of the Vodafone Pocket-lint awards 2009 right here. Don't miss a minute of it.

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Related links:

• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - home cinema device
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - gaming hardware
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - games

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Features LG Nokia Android HTC iPhone 3GS Sony Ericsson Samsung

Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - mobile phones originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:49:23 +0000

We brought you news from the launch, a hands-on gallery and a serious look at the phone's features, but can now offer a glimpse of how Sony Ericsson will be marketing the new Xperia X10 with this new video.

The glossy promo - beautiful people in glamourous locales to a pop background - does get in plenty of beauty shots of the handset, so if you're taken with this new phone then hit play for some carefully choreographed action footage.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Video Advertising Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 gets glossy promo vid originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:51:38 +0000

Sony Ericsson's newest handset - the Xperia X10 - isn't due until February next year, but it's already up for pre-order from Clove Technology. The handset formerly known as Rachael can be yours for ?460, including VAT.

As previously reported, the X10 has a heavily modded Android 1.6 OS, 4-inch capacitive TFT touchscreen, and 8.1-megapixel camera and a speedy 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has Wi-Fi, HSUPA and Bluetooth, and comes with an 8GB microSD card.

It's packed with a range of apps, too. Mediascape lets you browse through local and online photo, video and audio content, and Timescape lets you organise and interact with your contacts across a wide range of messaging platforms. Both of which are part of the UX platform that will be arriving on several handsets from Sony Ericsson next year.

Oh, and if you need to see a few more photos of the device before you make up your mind, you can check out our gallery of shots from the secret preview event that we attended in London.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android Clove

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 available unlocked for pre-order originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:07:01 +0000

Sony Ericsson has released a detailed video of its new Xperia X10 mobile phone.

As well as offering hands-on footage of the new handset and its interface, the official vid goes into great detail about the new Timescape and Mediascape functionality.

As some of you might know, Timescape is a communications app, which aggregates email, Facebook, Twitter, IM, and SMS into one big "lifestream", while Mediascape is built around music, video and images and organises all three on your device.

Hit play on the video above to see more and we'll keep you posted on Xperia X10 news.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Video Android

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 demoed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:52:34 +0000

Sony Ericsson is about to launch its latest smartphone, the Xperia X10. Pocket-lint managed to get a sneak preview of the handset, formerly known as Rachael, so we grabbed some photos.

The first thing you'll notice is that this is an Android 1.6 handset with a considerable UI overhaul. SE has turned the whole thing blue and modded the default interface considerably. Everything from the dialler to the homescreens to the contacts and messaging apps have been re-skinned.

There's also a couple of custom applications - Timescape and Mediascape - which allow you to sift through your contacts and messages, and your pictures, music and video, respectively. The apps and UI will be rolling out across several handsets in the first half of 2010.

The Xperia X10 has a 4-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8-megapixel camera with flash, and all the connectivity options you'd expect, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HSUPA, and GPS. It ships with an 8GB microSD card, and there'll be up to 1GB of on-board memory, too.

It will be showing up in Q1 of next year, around the middle of the quarter. "It won't be 31 March", said Steve Walker, Head of Portfolio Planning at Sony Ericsson. It'll come in either Sensuous Black or Lustrous White.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Photos Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

PHOTOS: Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson, following considerable teasing, has finally unveiled its flagship handset for 2010 - the Xperia X10. It's an Android 1.6 device, complete with 4-inch capacitive touchscreen and a whole host of interface modifications that Sony Ericsson has created for the phone, and for a range of other handsets that'll be launched in 2010.

We got up close and personal with the handset, and spoke to Steve Walker, Sony Ericsson's head of portfolio planning, about how the release represents the company altering the way it does business. He told us that the company is now focusing on providing camera and multimedia functionality in the same phone - rather than splitting the product range.

The X10 represents that move, including both an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and a 3.5mm headphone jack (very welcome on a Sony Ericsson handset) with a tonne of multimedia software - something that is a weakness of the default Android build.

The Android build has been heavily modified for the X10, but it's just the start of a whole range of both Android and Symbian handsets that'll be appearing from the company in the first half of 2010. Each will share a common interface design and set of applications and functionalities, starting with Timescape and Mediascape on the X10.

Timescape is a communications app, which aggregates email, ?Facebook, Twitter, IM, and SMS into one big lifestream that you can navigate through. Each "event" is represented by a tile, which you can tap to view in more detail, or long-press to get a preview of.

That tile has a button marked with an "oo" infinity symbol. Hitting that will take you to related content - which could be content from the person in question, or it could be web content related to whatever is on the tile. The list can be filtered by medium, and you can reply to individual messages within the application.

Mediascape is the other "signature" application. It's built around music, video and images and organises all three on your device. It incorporates players for all three, too, and can hook into various bits of online content. YouTube was named explicitly, but we'd expect Last.fm and perhaps Flickr to show up here too.

Items in Mediascape also have an infinity button and pressing this will again summon related content. For a band, that could be songs on your device, YouTube videos, or even other artists that are similar to whatever you're listening to. The overlaid controls of this section looked quite similar to the Zune's UI, though that's only a good thing.

Lastly, the image viewer in Mediascape supports facial recognition, meaning that you can tag up to five people in a photo and then the handset will attempt to identify those people in other images too - the more you tag, the more accurate it is. The feature can also hook in with your contacts list - you can tap a person in a photo to call them, for instance.

Although Sony Ericsson has deeply modded the UI, it's still Android at its heart. Any regular Android app can be installed and will look normal, and no sections of the default interface have been locked off and made inaccessible. Mostly they've just been re-skinned.

The handset packs a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and has a big 4-inch capacitive FWVGA TFT touchscreen. It has an 8-megapixel camera, with LED flash, and comes with an 8GB microSD card in the box. It has HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth, and connects to computer via micro- (not mini-) USB on the top.

It'll initially be launched in Q1 in "some markets", rolling out across the rest of the world (including Japan) over the first half of the year. It's not clear exactly which markets, but Walker hinted that Europe could be high on the list, discussing its "more flexible carriers" compared to the United States.

As for when in Q1, Walker said "it's not going to be two months, and it's not going to be five. You won't be seeing this on 31 March". Perhaps late February is a good estimate then, though handsets are often prone to delays. Although it ships with Android 1.6, Walker confirmed that Android 2.0 would be rolled out as soon as possible.

However, as this is only the first in a range of Android and Symbian handsets from Sony Ericsson that'll be packing similar user experiences, we wouldn't imagine that the company would be hanging around in launching this product. When we hear anything concrete about launch dates, or pricing and networks, we'll make sure that you know.

Update: There's now an Official Press Release on the handset.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android

Sony Ericsson unveils the Xperia X10 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Gosh, Sony Ericsson has done quite a job on the interface for its forthcoming "Rachael" Android handset. The bulk of the additions seem to be targeted at the multimedia end of the operating system, which, as Engadget points out, has always been a little on the meagre side.

There's a tinge of blue about everything, and some very Zune-influenced menus and interface choices. Lots of big pictures of artists too, which we hope are sourced from the Web, otherwise our patchy ID3 tags will be exposed. The title of the video also betrays the screen resolution that the device is getting - a roomy 480 x 854.

So we've got a good look at the interface, and a good look at the outside of the device, all that's left is a full reveal of the handset - something that we should be getting imminently. We'll keep you posted.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Video Android

VIDEO:Sony Ericsson's Rachael Android UI detailed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:44:08 +0000

With the message "We're looking forward to November 3rd. We think you should be too", Sony Ericsson has stepped up its teaser campaign for its next handset launch with a new video.

Briefly showing glimpses of the device - thought to be the "Rachael", or Xperia 3 handset, the video asks "What's next?"

The rumour mill has stepped in so far to answer that question with some spy shots and a few murmured specs, but it's not long now before all will be revealed. We will keep you posted.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Video Rumours

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson issues Rachael teaser for 3 Nov launch originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:46:01 +0000

3 has announced it is very soon to offer the Sony Ericsson Satio, the first 12-megapixel camera phone on sale in the UK.

Available on both contract and on a pay as you go basis, cost-concious consumers will be happy to note that 3 is under cutting Vodafone's pricing for the new phone.

While Vodafone is offering the Satio free on ?35 per month, 2-year contracts, 3 customers can get the handset for free by signing up to a ?30 per month tariff for 18 months.

3's Mix and Match contract comes with 300 minutes or texts, 300 3-to-3 calls, free voicemail, free Skype-to-Skype calls and Windows Live Messenger. Unlimited internet and email access costs an extra ?5 a month.

For those that would rather nab the new handset without a contract, they'll need to shell out ?399.99.
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The Sony Ericsson Satio will be available from 3 from the 30 October.?

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson 3 Vodafone Tariffs

3 to offer Sony Ericsson Satio originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:14:05 +0000

The web might be buzzing with rumours of Rachael, but it's easy to forget that the Android-powered superphone's predecessor, the Xperia X2, hasn't yet been released. We got hands-on with the device and grabbed a few pictures of the Windows Mobile-powered handset.

The big feature is "panels", as with the original Xperia, which are a bit like full-screen widgets that sit on top of the default Windows Mobile 6.5 interface. There's plenty provided and available, including some from companies like Skype, eBay, Qype and Amazon, and there's also an SDK available so that developers can code their own, too.

Sony's brand manager for the device, Aaron Duke, told us that the company was working with both Last.fm and Spotify to develop panels for the device that'll add more music functionality. The company sees the market for this handset as business users that also want some multimedia functionality.

The handset will be available exclusively from Vodafone in the UK and will be arriving in November. We don't have any tariff details yet, but as soon as we hear about any, we'll be sure to let you know. We have been told, however, that it'll be cheaper than the rather pricey X1.

As for the future, Duke shared little, except to say that he was looking forward to getting capacitive touchscreen technology on the handset. That could be through the next version of Windows Mobile, or it could be through shifting to another operating system entirely.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia 2 Photos Windows Phone

PHOTOS: Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:08:27 +0000

Sony Ericsson?is expected to announce the "Rachael" handset on the 3 November.

Although the company has yet to officially confirm the news, it has started a teaser campaign for the handset on its website.

"Sometimes there’s a thin line between the extraordinary and the magical. Did we cross it?" the slogan reads on Sonyericsson.com/whatsnext.

Why experts think it's the Rachael? Well it seems the web developers weren't the sharpest tools in the box when it came to coding the page - the main image is titled "Rachael - infinity".

The news comes just 1 week after spy shots of the Xperia 3 leaked?(codenamed Rachel) showing the new handset packing the Android operating system.

At the time, the official Twitter account of Ericsson Labs (which isn't part of Sony Ericsson, technically) has been retweeting a rumour that the handset will be announced in November.

It's rumoured to contain an 8-megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, 800 x 400 display and microSD card expansion slot.

With the 3 November just around the corner, we will keep you posted.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia 3

Sony Ericsson Rachael hitting 3 November originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:03:20 +0000

The Sony Ericsson Jalou by Dolce & Gabbana is about as fashion as any handset aimed at the female market gets.

The new device is small, touts just enough tech spec to not make it a joke, has a mirror function and 24 carat gold plating.

To give you an idea of where the new phone is aimed, here is the ad - or "short film" - for the new phone that offers Dolce & Gabbana clad models in a film noir setting.

As well as being available via O2 on contract, the Jalou is available to buy handset-only for around the ?400 mark.

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Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Jalou Dolce and Gabbana Advertising Video

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson's Jalou by Dolce & Gabbana launches originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:52:30 +0100

Vodafone has announced a triple-whammy of new handsets for customers on its network. There's the Windows Mobile LG GM750, the Android-tastic HTC Tattoo and the snap-happy Sony Ericsson Satio.

We'll start at the top. The LG GM750 has a 3-inch display, 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and GPS. It runs Windows Mobile 6.5, so it'll synch with Outlook and other work-related things, as well as offering four home screens and apps for accessing Facebook, Twitter, email and IM. It's free on ?25+ 2-year monthly contracts.

The HTC Tattoo is another entry-level Android handset for the UK market. It has HTC's Sense interface, like the HTC Hero, along with a 3.2-megapixel camera, 2.8-inch QVGA display, GPS, compass, Bluetooth and the same 528MHz Qualcomm processor as in every other Android handset. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD expansion slot too. Again, it's free on ?25/month 2-year contracts.

Lastly, the Sony Ericsson Satio is a renaming of what was originally called the Idou. It combines the company's Walkman and Cybershot brands to deliver a phone that can take 12.1-megapixel photos with a Xenon flash but also comes with media player functionality. It runs Symbian and has a big 3.5-inch screen. This one comes free on ?35/month 2-year contracts.

All three handsets are available now, and come with 300 extra minutes per month when you buy them online.

Related links:

• News - HTC Tattoo "mass market" Android phone announced

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Vodafone HTC HTC Tattoo Android LG LG GM750 Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Satio

Vodafone gets LG GM750, HTC Tattoo and Sony Ericsson Satio originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:15:45 +0100

With news from Sony Ericsson officially announcing the retail availability of the company's high spec, mulitmedia mobile, autumn double whammy due soon; we thought we'd take a look at the more specialised end of the smartphone market.

While the Aino is all about integration with the PS3, it's the 12-megapixel marriage of the Cyber-Shot and Walkman brands that's got the universal appeal for the cameraphone loving public. However, the SE way of doing things isn't quite everyone's cup of tea, so here are five other great megapixel monsters to look out for that might also tickle your fancy or leave a little more left in your wallet.

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Samsung Pixon12

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Resolution

12 megapixels

Flash

Xenon

Lens

28mm wide-angle

Price

Free from ?35/month

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The Pixon12, or M8910, was the world's first 12-meggy monster and still the equal biggest. It's got a 3.1-inch AMOLED screen with 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a 28mm wide angle lens and can snap a pic every 2 seconds. There's a dedicated "Camera Power Key" for one-touch access to the camera function and a nice Xenon flash too. One of the best features though is the touchscreen controlled auto-focus tracking, where users can select a focus point with the touch of a finger and the AF function will automatically follow the object, while the Smart Auto feature changes the scene and mode based on its object, background and lighting. Other specs for the quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE phone include HSUPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, an FM radio, 720 x 480 video capture at 30fps and up to 16GB memory via MicroSD for storing all your high res snaps.

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LG Louvre

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Resolution

12 megapixels

Flash

Xenon

Lens

Schneider-Kruznach

Price

unavailable

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LG showed off a concept 12-megapixel camera phone called the GC990 Louvre at the Korea Products Exhibition in Warsaw a few months back and although it's not yet on the scene, it's the only other competitor to the Pixon12 and Satio in pure resolution stakes. It has autofocus and touch-focus, the ability to record 720p HD video at 30fps and an ISO up to 3200. There's also automatic geo-tagging and LG claims there'll be zero shutter lag. POIDH. Away from the camera, there's Wi-Fi, TV-Out, GPS, a 3.2-inch touchscreen 16:9 display, an accelerometer, Bluetooth, and support for DivX and Xvid video formats as seemingly standard for LG these days. Sadly, it's only a concept model and there are no official plans to bring it to market. Perhaps LG has decided that the megapixel race is very 2008.

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Sharp Aquos Shot 933SH

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Resolution

10 megapixels

Flash

Xenon

Lens

28mm wide-angle

Price

Japan only

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The 10-megapixel mark hasn't been hugely popular for mobile manufacturers but a certain phone maker which has been very quiet over here has been busy with this stunner in the East. It has a 3.3-inch WVGA display which has a rotating touchscreen that brings incredibly compact camera-esque control to your mobile device. It's packet with picture taking features and scene modes and, as the name suggests, houses some of the LCD technology found in the Sharp AV units. Very nice for watching TV on the go. Yes, they do that out there.

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Nokia N86 8MP

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Resolution

8 megapixels

Flash

dual LEDs

Lens

28mm wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar

Price

Free from ?20/month

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Going with the headline "Imaging at its very best..." Nokia has designed the N86 to take the big boys as well as other 8-megapixel offerings. It's got wide-angle Carl Zeiss Tessar optics lens with a mechanical shutter, up to 1/1000 shutter speed and an f-stop range of 2.4-4.8 to suit low light conditions. It also supports geo-tagging capabilities and comes with a 3rd generation dual LED camera flash rather than a Xenon, which Nokia believes to be superior. There's 8GB of internal memory for your snaps for around 4000 images plus A-GPS, a 2.6-inch QVGA 230 x 320 screen, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0. It's also got a scratch-resistant AMOLED display.

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Sony Ericsson W995

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Resolution

8.1 megapixels

Flash

Photo Flash

Lens

standard

Price

Free from ?20/month

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The other option, of course, is just an older, slightly lower spec Sony Ericsson model - the W995. It features Media Go access for all your gaming an entertainment needs and offers a 2.6-inch screen, a built-in stand, built-in stereo speakers, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headphone jack and all the Walkman features like SensMe and TrackID as well. As for the camera, there's not a lot to get excited about aside AF, face tracking and geo-tagging and the large sensor but then, none of the others on the list come bundled with headphones as well as an 8GB memory stick.

Related links:

• News - Satio, Aino and Yari confirmed

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson W995 Samsung Pixon12 Samsung Nokia Nokia N86 LG LG Louvre Sharp Sharp Aquos Shot 933SH Features

Five mobile phone megapixel monsters originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:19:25 +0100

O2 has announced it is to offer the Sony Ericsson Naite - the first of the manufacturer's "GreenHeart" range.

With its overall carbon footprint said to be reduced by 15%, the Naite is made from recycled and recyclable plastics, comes with a low power consumption charger, reduced packaging and an e-manual.

Features for the 3G handset include Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, an FM radio and an expandable memory up to 8GB.

The Sony Ericsson Naite is free on selected pay monthly tariffs and ?97.86 on Pay & Go. As an added incentive Naite purchasers will be offered either a solar powered charger, a family Eco day out, an organic food hamper, or the option to give a donation to charity.

Hit play on the video above to have O2's big green cheese talk you through the new eco device.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Video Eco O2

VIDEO: O2 intros green Sony Ericsson Naite originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:11:58 +0100

Microsoft has officially launched Windows 6.5 or Windows Phone to you and me on Tuesday, but what phones can you get with the new operating system and what phone can you upgrade?

If you've already bought a HTC Touch Diamond II, HTC Touch Pro II, HTC Snap S552 or Toshiba TG01 WP, you can upgrade today via the HTC and Toshiba websites bringing you all the new features without having to buy a new handset.

If you want to upgrade your handset, here is the official list from Redmond of what you can get your hands on now and in the near future:

New handsets in the UK

• HTC Touch II from T-Mobile and Carphone Warehouse
• HTC Touch HD II from O2 and Carphone Warehouse
• LG GM750 from Vodafone
• Samsung Omnia II and Samsung Omnia Lite from Carphone Warehouse
• Samsung Omnia Pro - B7730 from Carphone Warehouse on 30 October?
• Sony Ericsson X2 from Vodafone on 30 October?
• Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 from O2 on 30 November

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New handsets in North America

• HTC Pure from AT&T
• HTC Imagio from Verizon Wireless
• Samsung Intrepid from Sprint, available 11 Oct, 2009
• HTC Tilt 2 from AT&T, available in the coming weeks

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In Europe

• MDA Vario V, MDA Compact V and HTC Touch2 and the Samsung Omnia II from Deutsche Telekom in select European markets
• HTC HD2 from Orange, available in the coming weeks in France
• HTC Touch2 from Orange, available in the coming weeks in France, Spain, Switzerland and Romania
• A software update for the HTC Touch Pro2 from Orange, available in the coming weeks in France, U.K. and Romania
• Samsung Omnia II from Orange, available in the coming weeks in Poland, Switzerland and Slovakia and from early December in France
• Samsung Omnia LITE from Orange, available in the coming weeks in France and Spain
• Samsung Omnia PRO B7320 from Orange, available in the coming weeks in France and the U.K.
• Toshiba TG01 W from Orange, available as an update to the TG01 in the coming weeks in France, the U.K., Switzerland and Romania
• LG GM750 and Samsung Omnia II from SFR in France?
• TMN Bluebelt 2 and TMN Silverbelt, made by ZTE Corp., from TMN in Portugal
• Samsung Omnia II and Omnia LITE from TMN in Portugal
• HTC Touch Diamond2 from Vodafone in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa and Central Europe
• HTC Touch Pro2 from Vodafone in the U.K. and Switzerland
• LG GM750 from Vodafone in Germany, the U.K., Spain and the Netherlands?

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In Latin America

• Samsung Omnia available in the coming weeks from TIM Brasil

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Open market in Europe:

• Samsung Omnia II, Omnia LITE, Omnia PRO B7320, Omnia PRO B7330 and Omnia PRO B7610 available in October

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In Asia

• ZTE X60 from China Unicom
• HTC Touch Diamond2 from Telstra

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Open market in Asia

• Acer beTouch E100, beTouch E101, beTouch E200 and Acer neoTouch
• Garmin-ASUS n?vifone M20 ?
• HTC Snap, HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch2
• LG GM730 and LG GM550
• Samsung Omnia II and Samsung Omnia PRO B7320, Omnia PRO B7330

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Handsets that can be upgraded from 6.1 to 6.5

• HTC Touch Diamond II from T-Mobile and Carphone Warehouse?
• HTC Touch Pro II from Vodafone on 14 October
• HTC Snap S552?
• Toshiba TG01 WP from Orange

Related links:

• Link - HTC

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Microsoft Windows Phone Windows Mobile HTC Samsung LG Orange T-Mobile AT and T Sony Ericsson

Microsoft Windows Phones: What phones are available originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:18:39 +0100

3, no stranger to Twitter-friendly phones, has announced it is to offer a special version of the Sony Ericsson T715, featuring an integrated Twitter application that is available only on its network.?

The integrated Twitter application gives users one click access to their Twitter page, where users can read, reply and search for Tweets, upload photos via Twitpic and view profiles.

The T715 on 3 also features an integrated Facebook application, as well as a YouTube uploader pre-loaded on to the device, Windows Live Messenger and free Skype to Skype calls.

The slider gets a 2.2-inch screen and a 3.2-megapixel camera. It's available in galaxy silver, rouge pink and petrous grey and is available in 3 Stores from now on costing ?99 on PAYG or free on the ?15 Texter tariff.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones 3 Twitter Facebook Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson T715

Sony Ericsson T715 gets integrated Twitter app on 3 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:53:55 +0100

Hold onto your hats - the new Sony Ericsson Aino is now up for pre-order in the UK.

Mobile price comparison service Omio has the phone due for release on 5 October - a little earlier than the 7th we were expecting - and on Orange in the UK.

It seems to get the handset for free, you'll need to sign up for a 2-year deal at ?25 per month with 400 minutes and unlimited texts, which does not seem as steep as it perhaps could be.

As many of you will know the Sony Ericsson Aino, with a 3-inch touchscreen, will be able to connect to the Sony PS3 as well as your PC. Other features include a 8.1-megapixel camera, and a GPS receiver.

Hit play on the video above to see a music-, rather than gaming-, themed promo for the phone. Is it us or are people in mobile phone ads getting younger?

Read

Related links:

• Shop - Omio
• News - Sony Ericsson Aino, Satio confirmed for October availability

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Aino Omio Gaming PS3 8 megapixels

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson Aino due 5 October originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:51:02 +0100

When Vodafone decided to name its new service 360, they weren't messing around. It invokes ideas of all-round connectivity. But it goes much further than just integrating your Facebook friends with your address book on a few handsets.

360 rolls up a whole collection of services giving Vodafone a chance to attack a number of different markets - this isn't just about launching new handsets, or just about launching new services for Vodafone customers.

Yes, the complete experience from Vodafone 360 will be on the new Samsung handset - the Vodafone 360 H1 - and its little sister the Vodafone 360 M1, which is yet to make an appearance. There will be a total of 10 devices that support the entire Vodafone 360 experience, including the Nokia 7630, from launch.

But Vodafone 360 will span devices, giving Vodafone an opening into the world of apps, giving them the Vodafone Shop to flog their wares, with an open platform for developers to create these apps, for distribution through-out the Vodafone network. With 1.1 billion connected global customers through JIL (Vodafone, Verizon Wireless, China Mobile and Softbank Mobile), it's an interesting proposition indeed for developers.

The Vodafone 360 system will also work in the opposite direction, by giving Vodafone the opportunity to push their new apps to other handsets on other networks, which is where the waters get slightly murky.

Essentially they have mashed up a range of previous acquisitions and agreements to provide a unified offering with Vodafone 360. The integration of contacts and social networks in Vodafone People comes from the roots laid down by ZYB. The navigation side comes from Wayfinder. The music offering comes from RealNetworks.

Vodafone today confirmed its intention to provide Vodafone People to iPhone users via the App Store (subject to confirmation as it is "in development"). A full list of over 100 supported devices is already on the Vodafone 360 website (link below).

Whilst Vodafone 360 is a complete service, it can be nibbled at piecemeal, so you might find yourself in the future downloading (or buying?) a piece of the Vodafone 360 "collection", because you like the way it works.

In essence, they are outlining a service that looks a little like Google Mobile. Take the lot (if your device supports it), take the pieces you want, or buy into the whole thing by getting a Vodafone handset - rather like buying an Android with Google services ready to go.

What does Vodafone stand to get out of this? Well apart from the brand recognition and any sales of their in-house developed applications, they'll get a 30% cut of any apps they sell through their Shop too.

It's a bold move as another player steps into the mobile apps and services market.

Related links:

• News - Vodafone 360 services and handsets announced
• Supported handsets - Vodafone 360
• Photos - Vodafone 360 H1

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Vodafone Vodafone 360 iPhone Vodafone 360 H1 Comment Nokia Sony Ericsson Software Samsung

What exactly is Vodafone 360? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:16:16 +0100