The recently concluded 2010 Mobile World Congress had Sony Ericsson showcasing its latest Android smartphones starting with the miniaturized XPERIA X10 handsets. One of them, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini Pro, sports a QWERTY slider form factor that should live up to its "pro" designation albeit with a diminished feature seat we've known from the delayed X10.=
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Miniature Features
Nothing best exemplifies what a Mini is than the watered-down features of its Android derivatives.
- Your 1 GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon used in the X10 is now just 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 running the same Android Cupcake version with the UX user interface. Sony could have done its markets a favour by using the later Android 2.0/2.1 Éclair.
- Imaging resolution gets axed from a defining 8 megapixel camera to a plebeian 5 megapixel snapper with no image stabilization and touchfocus features on the X10. You still get autofocus, LED flash, geo tagging and video light. Its press release it is silent on the video recording details but it can't possibly be of the same WVGA resolution as that in the X10.
- That's because you only get a QVGA 2.55-inch display, down from the X10's glorious 4-inch Wide-VGA display. At least you now get 16 million colors against the 64k colors on the X10, a gravity accelerometer and scratch resistant surface.
- Phone memory almost disappears from a generous 1GB to just 128 MB in the Mini Pro but you still have microSD expandability of up to 16 GB.
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Apart from those grossly diminished X10 features, the Mini Pro shares many other hardware and software goodies with the X10.
- It's the same quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE on the 2G network and a 3G with dual band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA. Data connectivity gets WiFi 82.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR and A2DP and microUSB 2,0. There's a built-in A-GPS, stereo FM receiver with RDS, Bluetooth A2DP and 3.5mm headphone jack for either wireless or wired headset listening.
- On the software front, the Mini Pro has Timescape that aggregates all your communications and SNS updates on Facebook and Twitter in one location as well as Mediascape that draws together all your handset media content and those from the PlayNow music store and YouTube.
Sony Ericsson may have started a product strategy trend to affix the "pro" to create models with QWERTY sliders. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini Pro is just the first with the Vivaz Pro as second. Admittedly, its unabashed pretense to being a pro with a simple "pro" appended to the X10 Mini name is more of a caricature with a next to useless QWERTY keyboard.
Good of Sony to retain the virtual on screen QWERTY using a stylus for a faster keying of data. But admittedly, even a diminished X10 feature set makes the Minis a capable smartphone by any definition. It should attract a younger crowd who prefer smaller and more pocket-friendly. Expect this to arrive in April, crossing your fingers.
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Due for release in the 1st quarter of 2010, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 boasts a plethora of useful features and is run by version 1.6 of the renowned Android operating system. As well as standard mobile phone features, this handset offers multimedia functions, internet access and an impressive 8MP camera.
The Xperia X10 measures 119x63x13mm and weighs in at 135 grams. Thanks to its slim profile and relatively light weight, it is an extremely comfortable handset to hold and use. The large 4 inch TFT capacitive touch screen is capable of displaying up to 65,000 colours at 480x854 pixels, offering bright, vibrant on screen images. An accelerometer is built in which senses when the phone has been tilted and automatically rotates the on screen image so it can be viewed in both portrait and landscape forms.
Users are alerted to incoming calls and messages by vibration and ringing, and can download polyphonic ringtones and utilize MP3 music files for this purpose. A composer is even included for the production of custom ringtones. A speakerphone is included for hands free communication and a 3.5mm audio jack accommodates hands free kits as well as headphones for listening to music.
Internal memory in the Xperia X10 is 1GB as standard. However thanks to a microSD slot with a pre installed 8GB memory card, up to 16GB can be accommodated offering generous storage for media files and other data.
In order to stay connected, Class 10 versions of both GPRS and EDGE are utilized. Connection to 3g networks is via HSDPA at speeds of up to 10.2 Mbps. HSUPA is available at up to 2Mbps. Wi-Fi connectivity allows users to take advantage of local wireless routers for an even faster internet connection. Bluetooth version 2.1 is installed as standard so users can directly transfer files and data between other compatible devices in the same vicinity.
As mentioned, the Xperia X10 is equipped with a digital camera boasting 8MP allowing high quality still images to be taken. This operates at a pixel resolution of 3264x2448 pixels. This includes such features as autofocus and LED flash, so high quality images can still be taken in low light conditions with the minimum of fuss. The camera also has the ability to shoot video in WVGA quality at a rate of 30 frames per second.
The handset's package of features includes a media player which has the ability to play several formats of both music and media files. Media files can easily be transferred to and from a computer by using the included microUSB (v2.0) port. Other entertainment options include a range of pre-installed games, and applications allowing direct access to websites such as Google and YouTube.
As mentioned, the operating system of choice for the Xperia X10 is Android version 1.6. In conjunction with a powerful Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon 1GHz processor, demanding applications are handled with ease.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 offers a well rounded package of functions and powerful hardware. Whilst it may not compete with several other available smart phones, it certainly holds it's own with offerings such as an 8MP camera.
The handset will be available in Sensous Black and Luster White. So not only is the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 a powerful Smartphone, it is sure to appeal to many as a fashion statement as well.
