Sony Ericsson "Rachael" Android XPERIA handset unveiled?

Hello, beautiful. Danish phone site Mobil has uncovered "internal documents" on what appears to be Sony Ericsson's upcoming Android-based handset, an XPERIA number codenamed Rachael. Under the hood is a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, HSPA and an 8 megapixel camera. It's unclear how big the touchscreen is, and other details are scarce -- there is a 3.5mm headphone jack, so that's nice, but unless we're severely misguided, there doesn't seem to be a slide-out keyboard tucked away inside this thin chassis.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Chasethebase @ Jul 4th 2009 12:42PM]

Do want. :)

[Hirudin @ Jul 4th 2009 12:46PM]

Yeah, that thing looks pretty sweet!

As always, the number of dollars they want for the device is sadly not posted.

[af241 @ Jul 4th 2009 12:48PM]

idiot. did u even read the article. say something useful. i'm scolding so u dont do same moronic act again. here 1st post is the most read post.

[DG @ Jul 4th 2009 12:57PM]

af u need to really chill

[af241 @ Jul 4th 2009 1:07PM]

OK. Maybe I overreacted.

[Barney @ Jul 4th 2009 1:23PM]

that's why iPhone roooolez,
boooo Micro$oft

[Spooner @ Jul 4th 2009 1:26PM]

Barney: What does Microsoft have to do with this again?

[Ian @ Jul 4th 2009 1:44PM]

The back of the phone is really pretty.


That's how you know whether a phone comes with a s***ty camera. :P

[KarlW @ Jul 4th 2009 1:44PM]

It does look good, and it's not a "with Google" phone (by the looks of it), so it'll have a custom UI that can hopefully rival HTC's.

[Icello @ Jul 4th 2009 1:51PM]

Me want...
What does MS have to do with this? The iPhone is nice, their are other good phones, and yes, MS WinMo is horrible, but android isn't.

[Nicholas @ Jul 4th 2009 2:04PM]

If my experience with the SE P series is an example, this lovely device will likely cost about $800, lack most US network protocols, but be quite a nice example of where things should go.

I want as well. I develop/design for the iPhone, but Android would be pretty impressive on the SnapDragon!

[JimboJones @ Jul 4th 2009 3:25PM]

what exactly is horrible on WinMo phones HTC makes? oh yeah, there are 100x more apps than Android has

[Time tO GeT Paid @ Jul 4th 2009 4:16PM]

It's alright.. there's no flare to it

[Excelsium @ Jul 4th 2009 7:43PM]

SE made smartphones? :).

[MrNuclear @ Jul 4th 2009 8:30PM]

Snapdragon? Who's naming processors these days! Answer me!

I also want one, this phone has the looks. And no waste-of-space physical keyboard. Hopefully that screen is all glass.

[James @ Jul 5th 2009 6:10AM]

@ MrNuclear

Im pretty sure Qualcomm names it.

[Mikeweezer @ Jul 5th 2009 3:00PM]

@Jimbo - Don't stick up for the travesty that is WinMo 6.1. It locks up at least 3 times a day, takes 5 - 10 seconds to repond to button presses, randomly decides to turn itself on and call people.... You could have a million apps for WinMo, and it would still be horrible.

Wishing I could get Android on my HTC.

[Jay @ Jul 4th 2009 12:46PM]

Man now that's a powerful device !

[Demo @ Jul 4th 2009 12:53PM]

That's what she said!

Android on a 1Ghz processor is gonna be awesome. Maybe Sony will have its own special UI on top of Android like HTC is doing?

[derX @ Jul 4th 2009 10:37PM]

If she called it a "device," she was probably referring to your battery-operated counterpart. (Jk, of course. It needn't run on batteries, but in the spirit of Engadget... ;D)

I'm most excited to see the pleasurably gratuitous technological showing. Having the Xperia label and not having the "with Google" designation, this phone should be pretty damn kick ass. Furthermore, any Android without a chin is a welcome one.

[Kurian @ Jul 5th 2009 8:48AM]

If it ran on batteries and vibrated wouldn't it be a 'he' :/

[Jamel George @ Jul 4th 2009 12:48PM]

http://www.coveroo.com/ProductSelector/tabid/102/ver/1/cnm/military/Default.aspx#/ver/1/cnm/military/pnl/dev/mnm/htc/dnm/htc-g2,black

is this the real G2?? i found it while looking for android phones..

[Zach Adams @ Jul 4th 2009 1:57PM]

That's the Sciphone G2 I believe... rofl.

[murmermer @ Jul 4th 2009 3:24PM]

are you joking? This phone is made by Sony Ericsson the G2 is made by HTC

[Sarig @ Jul 4th 2009 5:03PM]

HTC makes the Xperia phones for Sony-Ericsson.

[Muhammad-Oli @ Jul 4th 2009 6:34PM]

@Sarig: HTC made the X1 but as far as we know they won't make any more for SE.

[paul34 @ Jul 4th 2009 12:48PM]

Hmm, perhaps I have finally found my next handset?

I wonder if it has an OLED screen, though. That would really be awesome if it did.

[cbhwr @ Jul 4th 2009 1:25PM]

I am tempted to say the same - so far I've not seen 1 Android met my "wanted" list of features, but this might just make me forego the slide-out keyboard...

[Information Central @ Jul 6th 2009 7:09PM]

Yes, if only it had an OLED screen to wear out faster.

[Totalfixation @ Jul 4th 2009 12:48PM]

I hope it has a capacitive touch screen. I might have faith in sony ericcson if this comes out with pretty good reviews.

[indeed @ Jul 4th 2009 7:00PM]

i can't see a stylus anywhere on the phone (could be my eyes tricking me.. or wishful thinking) so it could mean it's a capacitative touchscreen! woohoo!

*owner of a X1

[indeed @ Jul 4th 2009 7:02PM]

I don't see a stylus anywhere on the phone (could be my eyes tricking me since it's late and/or wishful thinking) so that could mean it's a capacitative screen!

*owner of a X1*

[badabing @ Jul 4th 2009 7:05PM]

Could be my eyes tricking me since it's late and/or wishful thinking but... i don't see a stylus anywhere on the phone so that could mean it's capacitative!

*owner of a X1*

[indeed @ Jul 4th 2009 7:06PM]

damn. terribly sorry about the triple reply!! :(
opera doesn't play well with engadget i guess

sorry :\

[RobertT @ Jul 4th 2009 8:21PM]

Split Personality Disorder?

[n_shakuras @ Jul 5th 2009 9:48PM]

More like sock puppet malfunction.

[redleader158 @ Jul 6th 2009 8:54PM]

i thought android was only capacitive

[Alan Strangis @ Jul 7th 2009 9:41AM]

This sub-thread brought to you by "Sock Puppets Exposed".

Triple post could be blamed on engadget, if all three posts said the same thing. Best to just get a new user name and be done with it. ;)

[Jonathan @ Jul 4th 2009 12:52PM]

Doesn't this not have enough buttons and such to be an Android phone? I thought to use Android you need a home button, back button, pick up, end call, some others I'm forgetting and some sort of navigation input like a dpad or trackball.

It looks pretty nice though. Nothing amazing in design, but nice.

[kevin @ Jul 6th 2009 3:46PM]

that's what I thought. I remember reading something indicating that 4 buttons were required (and that a headphones jack wasn't allowed), so I'm skeptical that this will be running Android :(

BTW - love my ION!

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jul 4th 2009 12:53PM]

Finally, someone put a media processor into an Android handset!

Hopefully it's packing something more than a 3.2" 320x480 touchscreen.

[af241 @ Jul 4th 2009 12:57PM]

looks like it'll be wvga.

[Zach Adams @ Jul 4th 2009 1:38PM]

Almost assuredly 3.5''++++++

[Theli @ Jul 4th 2009 2:03PM]

It's perfectly possible. Sony Ericsson previously stated that they would skip 1.5 and wait for version 2.0 before releasing their first handset.
One of the features that are supposedly added to Android 2.0 is WVGA (800x480 or 854x480) support.

Of course, we don't know how big the device is...

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jul 4th 2009 2:38PM]

With the Photoshop ruler (and the larger picture from the host site: http://www.mobil.nu/ArticlePages/200907/04/20090704151734_MDK719/rachael3_s.jpg)

And using the 3.5mm jack as a reference, I'm measuring a screen diagonal of somewhere between 3.75" and 4". [My exact number is 3.83", subject to error]

This thing could be huge!!!

[mitch @ Jul 4th 2009 12:56PM]

I want the sense UI on it

[chrisk1590 @ Jul 4th 2009 12:56PM]

Seeing as how the Xperia X1 had an 800x480 screen, anything lower would be a downgrade. This does look nice though, and I bet someone could figure out the size of the screen by measuring by how many times the inner headphone jack hole fits diagonally.

[Carl_Withakay @ Jul 4th 2009 1:01PM]

I was just about to work out the math on the screen size but then I realized I have a heap of hot dogs to eat, so I'm gonna pass the task on to someone else.

[paul34 @ Jul 4th 2009 1:02PM]

Based on your method and my extremely rough measurements, it's about 71.167 x 39.667 mm.

[Ike Turner @ Jul 4th 2009 12:58PM]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's actualy running WM and not Android...wait & see...