Will the LT29 and LT30(Hayabusa & Mint) be launched tomorrow?

So, June 20th is here. Well, almost. Sony is holding an event to announce new Xperia smartphones. So what do you think? Will the 'Hayabusa', and probably the 'Mint' too, see the light of the day?

In case you've forgotten, here's what the LT29 ie 'Hayabusa' will bring:

A 4.6-inch (720 x 1196) display, 1.5Ghz dual-core Qualcomm S4 Krait processor , 16GB flash memory, HDMI, microSD card slot and a 13MP camera with Exmor sensor and full HD video recording. The phone's design resembles the Xperia arc and will have a chassis with a matte texture coating. It will also have a removable 1700mah battery.

The LT30 (Mint), if we do manage to see it that is, has the same specs as the LT29 with the few differences being:
1. It will have LTE
2. A non removable 1850 mah battery
3. A metal back cover of sorts

Also, the Mint is significantly thicker than the LT29 and it doesn't come in white. Only Black and Silver.

Another day to go, are you excited? We certainly are!

Will the LT29 and LT30(Hayabusa & Mint) be launched tomorrow?

Xperia S & Xperia Ion announced

Sony has just announced two new handsets at CES, namely the Xperia S and Xperia Ion.

Key Features for Xperia S

- 4.3 inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine with HD resolution screen (1280 x 720), as well as front (720p) and back (1080p) cameras for HD recording.
- 1.5GHz dual-core processor for fast browsing and content download, which can be stored on the internal 32GB flash storage.

- 12MP back camera with Sony Exmor R™ for mobile along with Fastest Capture to take shots in just 1.5 seconds directly from standby mode.
- NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled to access growing range of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags.

- With HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and using BRAVIA Sync for controlling your Xperia S with your TV remote control when connected to the TV, Xperia S delivers a full HD experience on TV.

Xperia Ion will be the first LTE handset by Sony, exclusively for AT&T.

Key Features for Xperia ion:

- 4.6-inch HD Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine with HD resolution screen (1280 x 720), as well as rear (1080p) and front (720p) cameras for HD recording.
- 1.5GHz dual-core processor for fast browsing and content download, which can be stored on the internal 16GB flash storage.

- 12MP rear camera with Sony Exmor R™ for mobile with fast-capture to go from standby to first shot in less than two seconds.
- HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and BRAVIA Sync to quickly and easily stream content on other screens.

Sony Ericsson gearing up for CES

It's no secret that Sony Ericsson will announce new handset(s) at CES, Monday 9th January? So as a promotion, they've uploaded a couple of pics, inviting fans to take part in a contest as well, just to spice things up as the day nears. 

We all know the Nozomi is coming, with another device ( Aoba was cancelled, another device has taken its place, with supposedly similar specs) also in the fray.

All new devices will launch with ICS, so they'll be launched about the same time existing devices get the ICS update.

Thanks to Unknown13x

Sony Ericsson’s upcoming 13MP behemoth

If you thought the Nozomi was SE's attempt at upping the ante, you'll have to think again ;) 

A Bluetooth End Product List has revealed that the Sony Ericsson LT28at (heading to AT&T) is the largest 2012 Xperia leaked so far. It will be armed with a 4.55-inch Reality display with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution. It will be LTE enabled and come with a whopping 13MP back-illuminated camera sensor with LED flash and a 720p front facing camera.

Given the display size and camera megapixel count, this is likely to be an entirely different device. It is also possible that the Sony Ericsson LT28at will be unveiled during CES in early January.

And here are a couple of camera samples to keep you going, courtesy xperiablog! Remember to click for a bigger image.

Xperia Nozomi pics leaked

GsmArena just managed to get their hands on a few live pics of Sony Ericsson's upcoming smartphone. The smartphone codenamed Sony Ericsson Xperia Nozomi will come with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread at launch and will be built around a 4.3" LCD display of HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). It will also sport a 12 megapixel camera with FullHD video recording and a LED flash.

The device will, in all probability be powered by the MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset featuring a couple of 1.5GHz Scorpion cores and the Adreno 220 GPU. A HDMI port has also been thrown into the fray. It will also have 1GB of RAM so multitasking shouldn't be an issue.

Now for a few negatives. There wont be a MicroSD slot but the device will have 16GB/32GB internal memory depending on the variant you select. Also, the handset uses a microSIM slot and the battery is non-removable.

It should be launched at CES in Jan 2012. Stay tuned for more!

Xperia Ray and Xperia Active announced

Besides the txt, Sony Ericsson Announced two Android powered Xperia smartphones, the Ray and the Active.

The Sony Ericsson Ray sports a scratch resistant 3.3 inch screen with reality display. It runs android 2.3 powered by a  1Ghz processor. Its just 9.4mm thick, which does remind one of the Arc. It will also have a 8 megapixel camera with an Exmor sensor, Timescape UI and is rumoured to be built with premium materials such as Aluminium. It weighs just 100 grams and will be available in four colors, black, gold, white and pink.

The Xperia Active is designed for people with an active lifestyle. Remember the Motorola Defy? Well, its on similar lines, so we this one's water (under 1m of water for up to 30 minutes)and dust resistant too.It comes with a 3 inch scratch resistant display,(320x480 pixels) It also  features ANT+, wet finger tracking (accurately track your wet fingers),GPS, barometer, pedometer, pulse meter, a 5 megapixel camera, HD video recording (720p) and runs on Android 2.3 with a 1GHz processor.
The handset comes with a wrist strap, an arm case, and replaceable back covers to change the phone's back color to white. Otherwise the Xperia active will come in orange or white with a black back cover.

The Xperia ray and Xperia active will be available in Q3 2011 for selected markets, though Sony Ericsson has disclosed that the Xperia ray will definitely be available in Japan.

Sony Ericsson announce the Txt

At the CommunicAsia Singapore, Sony Ericsson announced three new devices, first of which is the Txt.

The Sony Ericsson txt is a QWERTY candybar feature phone which is targeting the youth. So if you're a heave texter and don't want a smartphone, it could be an ideal choice. The device has a 2.6-inch screen, QWERTY keyboard and a SMS shortcut key. Like the txt pro, the txt has a "friends" app that lets you see social media updates from Facebook and Twitter for up to five friends.

The handset will come in four shades, white, black, pink and blue. The txt will be available in selected markets in Q4 2011.

Sony Ericsson Selects NXP's NFC Solution for Its Android-Based Smartphones

NXP Semiconductors announced that its world leading near field communication (NFC) technology has been selected by Sony Ericsson for inclusion in its Android-based smartphones.

Specifically, Sony Ericsson will be implementing NXP’s NXP PN65 NFC solution for its upcoming Android-based handhelds intended for featuring mobile payments support. That NFC option will also include a radio controller, the typical NFC software and embedded security measures such as advanced cryptography.

However, neither Sony Ericsson nor Google have announced specific smartphone models that will sport this NFC power. It also has not been announced when we could expect to see these Android-based Sony Ericsson mobile devices ready to make purchases via Google Wallet.

Sony Ericsson Urushi ST18i leaked

Sony Ericsson's upcoming smartphone dubbed as Urushi has recently appeared online in leaked images. This mobile phone has model number ST18i and is codenamed 'Urushi'.

Urushi, which could be a compact variant of its famous handset Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, is sporting a 3.2-inch touchscreen display supporting 16 million colours with a resolution of 854x480 pixels. This new handset will also pack the same BRAVIA Mobile engine technology and will support the Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) version of OS, other than some typical customizations.

The device may sport a 8-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording and a LED flash.Other specs include 335MB of RAM, a powerful 1GHz Snapdragon processor and an Adreno 205 CPU.

Via: GsmArena

Two new feature phones – Txt pro and Mix

Sony Ericsson has just revealed two new feature phones set to launch later this year in a Facebook competition. The txt pro is the phone we had already seen leaked previously (CK15i), featuring a slide-out keyboard, four-corner UI and a single home key on the front screen.

The Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman phone looks almost exactly like the WT18i (a China-only model), so we might be seeing similar specs. That might mean an 800MHz CPU, 3.2” HVGA screen, 3MP camera with VGA@24fps video capture.

Both handsets are expected to launch soon.

What's new with Facebook integration

Sony Ericsson just announced they plan to bump up the Facebook integration on their XPERIA phones to a whole new level. Beyond the obvious single sign-on and contacts and calendar sync, Facebook will now show its face at numerous places throughout the Xperia user interface.

So what's new:

• There's a Like button in the music player, so you can share the tracks you like.
• The photos shared by your friends on Facebook now have a dedicated tab in the Timescape UI.
• Facebook notifications now appear alongside your mised calls and text messages on your lockscreen.
• The Android image gallery now integrates your photo albums from Facebook besides the Picasa web albums.
• A new Media discovery widget will automatically show you the videos and music shared by your friends.
• Besides getting synced with Facebook, contacts now have new tabs full of their likes, interests, wall activity, and photos and videos.

The new Facebook integration will come standard issue on the new Xperia pro and pro mini, but it will be implemented on the entire 2011 Xperia lineup via an update by Q2. 

Xperia Play to ship with Android 2.4

Sony Ericsson representatives have confirmed to fudzilla that the new Xperia Play will be one of the first phones to ship with Google's Android 2.4 operating system.

Sony Ericsson wants to be the first with 2.4 as it has learned from its mistakes by taking too long to transition from Android 1.6 to 2.1 with previous Xperia series handsets.

This will change now and you can expect Android 2.4 on many new Xperia phones from day one. The execs said that the Xperia Play will ship in March in Europe, all depending on your mobile network provider.

The Play will officially launch on the first of April, while the Neo will be available from the end of march.

Via: SE-NSE

Xperia Play Multiplayer gaming, 50 titles at launch

Xperia Play combines a PlayStation-quality gaming experience with the very latest Android smartphone technology.It is the world's first Playstation certified smartphone and Sony Ericsson has finally cleared the air about the game titles and the entire support system that its going to make available.

Sony Ericsson promises a library of 50 additional titles available at launch from 20 publishing partners. Some games ported from existing smartphone platforms (like Reckless Racing) will have bonus content on Xperia Play, too. Local area multiplayer gaming is a go, as you'll be able to host a WiFi hotspot on one device and join the game with another.

XPERIA PLAY: Pure, unadulterated gaming

After years of waiting, here's something, the one device that'll make any gaming aficionado go weak in the knees, the Xperia Play is out folks!

As we've heard for ages now, it'll run Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor with Qualcomm Adreno 205 graphics and will display how fluid gaming can be on a sizable 4-inch, 854 x 480 multi-touch screen, the combination of which Sony says will provide 60 frames per second playback and manage up to 5 hours, 35 minutes of battery life in a single game session with the slide-out PlayStation Certified controller.

Gaming credentials aside, you're looking at either a quad-band GSM or CDMA and EV-DO smartphone with a 5-megapixel autofocus camera, LED flash, stereo speakers, Bluetooth and WiFi functionality baked in, as well as Sony Ericsson's Timescape UI.

The phone comes preloaded with a "legendary" PSone game,not disclosed yet, as well as a bevy of popular Android games including Asphalt 6, The Sims 3 and Tetris.

It's launching in March, and will be available on Verizon (a US exclusive) in "early spring,"

Official Press Release

Next up - Xperia Pro

Sony Ericsson has just announced the second biggie - Xperia Pro - a slider device with a full QWERTY keyboard. The device sports a 3.7-inch, 854 x 480 display (which uses uses the company's Bravia graphics engine technology), runs atop a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, and is sporting SE's customized build of Gingerbread (Android 2.3). The phone has an 8 megapixel camera (Exmor sensor of course), HD recording with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera, and will be available in silver, red, and black.

Should be out by april. Another good news though, Arc will be out in March :)

Official Press Release

Say hello to Xperia Neo!

Greetings everyone!
So no 3D, no dual-core, no Pico projector, yet.

Sony Ericsson decided not to jump the dual core bandwagon just for the heck of it ( The current Android versions aren't optimized for it), but chose to storm the front in an albeit different way.

So first up, put your hands together for the Xperia Neo.

It is pretty similar to the Arc, even powered by the same single-core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor as the Arc and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The device is able to plug into your HDTV via HDMI and can be controlled with a standard remote. The 3.7-inch screen on the device sports a healthy resolution of 854 x 480 and uses Sony's Bravia graphics engine. The phone has a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, an 8 megapixel camera- an Exmor R unit,capable of HD video recording with LED flash (and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera), and will be available in an array of colors (silver, red, and blue).

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo measures 116x57x13mm and weighs 126 grams. An 8GB microSD card will be in the box.

Official Press Release

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play goes official!

"The smartphone with everything you need, and the one thing you want."

The tagline says it all doesn't it?

Sony Ericsson has finally made the XPERIA Play official through a Super Bowl commercial. The presentation is still scheduled for 13 February, but now we all know what all to expect.

In case you forgot, the smartphone is also likely to be the first device to meet Sony's PlayStation Certified distinction standards. The specifications set out by Sony allow Android-based handsets to play older PlayStation games on mobile phones.

Other specs include Android 2.3 (Gingerbread),a 4-inch multitouch 854 x 480 LCD display,1 ghz Qualcomm MSM8655 chipset and Adreno 205 GPU.

Check out the advertisement (somewhat creepy) below:

Xperia Neo Previewed

The rate at which Sony Ericsson handsets are leaking out, it'll be surprising if they'll have anything to show on 13th at MWC. Techradar has managed to get their hands on the Xperia Neo (codenamed Hallon), which is a brilliant Android handset with a Vivaz esque design.

Like the Arc, it will come with a 4 inch LED backlit LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels. It will be powered by a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM and an Adreno 205 GPU, just like the Xperia Play. It has an 8 MP camera with an Exmor R sensor and LED flash and also supports 720p video recording. It also has a nice secondary camera, either a 1.3 MP or a 2 MP one, for video calls.
It will be powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the latest version of the Android OS. It will have the Timescape UI too, and will also offer HDMI out.

Read their Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Preview