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Sony Ericsson teases new Xperia unveils for February 13th at MWC
Sony Ericsson hosts an unveiling every year at Mobile World Congress, typically the night before the show kicks off -- so really, it's no surprise that they're doing the same at the next show in February. What does makes this a little more exciting, though, is all the recent PlayStation Phone / Zeus talk -- and considering that the invite specifically calls out "new members of the Xperia family" and that we've got rumors of Xperia Play branding for the gaming platform, this could be a biggie. It's unclear what (if anything) Sony Ericsson's got in store for CES, which fires up in just a couple weeks, so we should have a better sense for what the MWC event might be all about after we get our Vegas on. Stay tuned.
Sony Ericsson Yendo delayed right into a fiery pit of irrelevance
Look, we'll be honest: the idea of an X10 mini running dumbphone software never really appealed to us from the start, so the news that it's apparently been delayed into 2011 doesn't elicit much of a reaction from anyone here at Engadget HQ. The Walkman-branded Yendo is currently targeting February to be specific, which would put it well past CES and pit it against what is likely to be a strong lineup of announcements at Mobile World Congress in the middle of the month, so we're thinking there isn't much retail traction in its future. And hey, in this cutesy, diminutive form factor, the keyboard-equipped X10 mini pro is where it's at anyway.
Exclusive: PlayStation Phone 'Zeus Z1' prototype benchmarked on video
We can't get enough of Sony Ericsson's PlayStation Phone (also known as Zeus Z1), and we're guessing neither can you. We were just sent a new video of the device in action, only now it's running Qualcomm's Neocore benchmark app. As you can see, the device managed 24.4 frames per second on average. That doesn't seem like much -- our Nexus S, for example, just pulled off 55.6fps -- but bear in mind, this isn't the final software (or hardware probably), so there's no conclusions at all to draw from this benchmark right now. Just think of it as another nice view of the phone as we inch closer to a finish line we still can't make out over the horizon. Sorry, no slide-out gamepad, but you saw that last week -- don't be greedy. Video after the break.
Android 2.3 definitely supports game controls, may (or may not) be PlayStation-related
Google's really been big today on emphasizing that Gingerbread is better than ever for game development, and that's already bearing itself out thanks to a page culled from the Android 2.3 SDK where we see a handful of new keycodes in the system clearly targeted for gaming: L1, L2, R1, R2, Select, Start, and so on. Does it have anything to do with the Sony Ericsson Zeus Z1 and all the PlayStation phone noise, though? We imagine it lays some of the groundwork, but all told, it's hard to say -- after all, PlayStation famously uses shapes for its primary controls, and we wouldn't be surprised if Sony were working on a separate development environment of some sort for PlayStation-branded titles rather than letting it all flow through the official Android SDK proper. We also don't yet know whether Sony Ericsson's gaming efforts are coming in the Gingerbread or the Honeycomb timeframe (though we're definitely expecting news next February at MWC), but one way or another, game devs should find it a little easier now to map the controls they need.
Sprint phasing out Nextel's iDEN network, selects vendors for $5b network upgrade project
Looks like the Motorola i1 Android set (not pictured above) will stand as the highest-end Nextel phone ever -- Sprint just announced that it's phasing out the iDEN network sometime in 2013 as it begins a new four to five billion dollar network enhancement project called "Network Vision." We've expected this for a while -- the Sprint / Nextel merger has been beset by subscriber losses and rumors of a breakup for years now -- but this is the first time we've gotten a date. Sprint's rolling out push-to-talk on its own network to support its 10.6 million Nextel customers, but we don't have a schedule for that yet. Sprint's also announcing vendors for Network Vision: Alcatel-Lucent, Samsung, and Ericsson will each handle a region and be tasked with expanding and fortifying Sprint's existing 1900MHz 3G network while buying 800MHz, 1900MHz, and 2.5GHz spectrum for future use. Interestingly, Sprint's definitely hedging its WiMAX bets a little -- it can upgrade its new gear to LTE with swapping in a baseband card and issuing a software patch, which certainly gives the company some 4G flexibility should Clearwire not pull things together. We'll see what happens -- the underdog's making some moves.
Sony Ericsson's Zeus Z1 PlayStation phone contributes sample shots to Picasa
At this point, does it really surprise anyone that a new phone is leaking by way of a photo sharing site? We totally understand the conundrum: when you're logged into a phone that you're testing and you're taking pictures, it's so easy to upload 'em. And hey, you need to test the sharing functionality at some point anyway, right? At any rate, we love it, so we're not going to complain that a few photos with Sony Ericsson Zeus clearly called out in the EXIF data have started showing up on Picasa. The four appropriately-labeled pictures all clock in at 5 megapixels, so we hope you weren't expecting an N8-beating resolution here... but then again, when you're heads-down in PlayStation-branded games for hours on end, do you really have time to be taking decent pictures anyway?
Android 2.1 rolling out to Sony Ericcson Xperia X8, depending on product code
Here's an extra bonus for those of you who snapped up an unlocked Xperia X8 on a frosty Friday morn -- Sony Ericsson is starting to push Android 2.1 to the handset right now. Thirty-two tasty batches of Eclair are already in the oven, and you can easily check to see if you're a likely candidate for upgrade by scanning the back of your phone. If your eight-digit "SI-number" (e.g. 1242-4859) matches any of those on the list at our source link, your 720p video recording mode, enhanced social networking integration and five homescreens are on the way. Just don't necessarily expect to see them anytime soon on AT&T.
Samsung i9100 is the dual-core Galaxy 2, sequel to the Galaxy S?
Along with a Sony Ericsson Anzu, the James Bond of cellphones -- alias Eldar Murtazin -- claims to be playing with a Samsung GT-i9100 right now, calling it the "Galaxy 2" and saying it's "so technically advanced" thanks in part to a dual-core processor. It seems like a long shot that this would be the Cortex-A9-based Orion since chips and development boards are just now being sampled -- but considering how far in advance Murtazin tends to score phones, we can't rule anything out. One possible scenario is that the i9100 could be something akin to a TouchWiz-skinned version of the upcoming Nexus S, much as HTC's Desire was essentially a Sense-skinned version of the Nexus One. Samsung, of course, has been pushing TouchWiz very hard across its Galaxy S line this year, and if the Nexus S is as beastly as the rumors are claiming it to be, there's little doubt that Samsung would love to repurpose the hardware for something with a little more of its flavor thrown in. Speaking of the Galaxy S, keep in mind that the original European GSM model goes by the code GT-i9000, so it would stand to reason that the i9100 could be the proper successor -- and with Gingerbread-based TouchWiz and a dual-core processor on board, we'd say they're off to a strong start. [Thanks, Peter]
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 hacked to support multitouch, sort of
So there's no recent sign of an official multitouch update ever coming to the maligned X10 from Sony Ericsson, but you know how it goes: when a manufacturer fails to step up to the plate, a hacker with a heart of gold (or two) usually does so in its place. So it goes in this case, with folks on xda-developers showing off some very, very rudimentary multitouch capability on video. The hack isn't available to the public yet -- and considering that Sony Ericsson claimed multitouch wasn't technically possible with this device, there's no guarantee it'll become good enough to use -- but it's a promising sign. Follow the break for a video of it working... kind of.
Israel to activate SMS-CB missile alert system next year
This one's been talked about since the middle of last year (at least), but it looks as if the time for contemplating is over and done with. It's bruited that the Israel Defense Forces will be moving forward on a plan to light up a new cellular system that will blast out SMS-CB alerts to citizens if and when a missile is fired in the direction of Israel. Just over $7 million will be invested, with the application itself being jointly designed by eVigilo and Ericsson. If all goes well, it'll be operational in June of 2011, and it's just one aspect of the country's effort to consolidate all emergency alerts into one centralized system. We're told that the blasts would be sent in a variety of languages, and there's even potential to send 'em to TVs, radios, websites and "billboards." And unlike various other SMS emergency alert systems that have been implemented, these would actually differ based on how the threat was forecasted to affect different geographic regions. Something tells us eVigilo's going to become a multinational company in no time. Update: eVigilo pinged us with a few extra details surrounding the service. For starters, it'll be using SMS-CB (read: not standard SMS) in order to circumvent core networks that tend to collapse during emergencies. This will enable the messages to bypass any congestion and hit all users at around the same time. The alerts would be delivered geographically, not to a specific number of users, with tests proving that "millions" could be reached within 20 seconds over 3G. Besides broadcast over mobile networks, the company will also connect to the national TV network using DVB and offer also DAB reaching digital radio subscribers. Additional capabilities will be given through multicast over IP (Billboards, Variable Message Signs and social networks).
Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 slated for Android 2.1 upgrade this year
Sony Ericsson's midrange X8 shipped this month with a hilariously out-of-date version of Android installed -- Donut, to be specific -- but it looks like the company is going to be moving a little quicker to rectify the situation than it has with the similarly-afflicted X10. A "company spokesman" has told IDG's news service that Android 2.1 will be coming before the end of the year, with details on exactly how that's going to happen coming "in the near future." We're in November now, so there's really no time for games if they're serious about making this happen before 2010's out -- then again, how many X8 owners are out there at this point?
Sony earnings call entertains PlayStation Phone, reveals tablets are on the radar
Earnings calls aren't usually that interesting, and that's doubly true when trying to listen via official translators. Still, we couldn't help but give an ear to Sony's fiscals, and sure enough, someone asked about our (still real) PlayStation Phone leak. We're not sure who answered since it's through interpreter, either Executive VP / CFO Masaru Kato or Senior General Manager of Investor Relations Division Gen Tsuchikawa (we're assuming the former). Citing the aforementioned device, the curious party asked if such a product would come out of Sony or of Sony Ericsson, and no, it wasn't a complete denial. Instead, we're told just how such a device would happen, that a gaming phone would be planned and prototyped under the (recently restructured) Network Services umbrella. We're also told how SCE's move to Sony City headquarters now puts them closer to the planning and engineering group, meaning the company "can better incorporate all these capabilities better... so when the timing is right we can probably announce to you the new product we have." Ericsson is later cited as a resource "on smartphone and for the games devices," although this might be something peculiar with translation. Again, that's far from a confirmation, but they're certainly entertaining the notion in a very, very detailed response. But that's not all; there's also apparently a tablet brewing in the background, one that would obviously fall somewhere in between PC and Sony Ericsson's efforts. There isn't much else said, but if you're up for psychoanalyzing executive commentary, we've transcribed and placed the full quote after the break.
Android 2.1 starts rolling out to Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 line this weekend
Doesn't get much more "late October" than this, does it? Sony Ericsson has announced that it'll begin delivering Android 2.1 upgrades to its X10 line of phones at long last this coming Sunday, October 31st -- but odds are pretty good you won't be in the first batch. In fact, only unbranded X10s, X10 Minis, and X10 Mini Pros in Nordic countries will be getting boosted at first, followed by "more kits" on Monday and throughout November. As a refresher, these updates will bring 720p video capture on the X10 proper (complete with continuous autofocus), a new backup / restore app, and a bunch of other tweaks that should make your little pal feel a bit less 2009 and bit more 2010. Froyo would be nice, of course... but we'll take what we can get.
Sony Ericsson Z-System: the PlayStation Phone's gaming platform?
A bumper crop of circumstantial evidence surrounding the Android-based PlayStation Phone is starting to come together today -- when it rains, it pours, as they say -- and one particularly interesting thread suggests that the ecosystem surrounding the device might be called "Z-System." An astute tipster notes that the term appears in the upper left of one of our shots, which maps to a domain -- z-system.com, naturally -- that's owned by Sony Ericsson. Turns out the company also holds trademarks for Z-System in the US and Benelux trademark offices (among others, presumably) that were filed (and approved) this year, and the filing category includes "software for interacting or playing with electronic or video games," not hardware, so that strongly suggests we're looking at a platform here. We suppose it's possible that this specific device will be called Z-System, but we're going to float the theory that its actually underlying gaming platform that'll bear that name -- possibly a premium game store and set of software libraries that together will earn a device the Z-System badge. As we already saw with the BlackPad / SurfBook / PlayBook fiasco, trademarks don't mean much until a device is actually announced -- but it's something to keep an eye on. [Thanks, Andrew] %Gallery-106129%
KDDI au outs Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 collections at the same time
A few of these handsets were already public knowledge, but by and large, KDDI's mind-numbing torrent of phones announced as members of its new Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 collections will leave you once again asking why you haven't sold your four-bedroom suburban home and relocated your entire family to a 125 square foot flat in the heart of Tokyo. We've already talked about the X-Ray, a member of KDDI's fashion-forward iida line, and the 16.4 megapixel Sony Ericsson S006 -- but other highlights include the IS04, IS05, and IS06, Android smartphones from Toshiba, Sharp, and Pantech, respectively (which doesn't even include Sharp's IS03 announced at CEATEC a few days ago). Of the three, none matches the IS03's 960 x 640 display nor its low-power secondary LCD, but the Toshiba Regza IS04 notably features a 12.1 megapixel cam. As the iida line goes, the X-Ray will be joined by the G11, a follow-on to 2009's G9 model -- and from what we can discern, it'll be a GSM / CDMA dual mode slider for international roaming with a touch-sensitive area below the 854 x 480 display in place of the G9's physical keys. Highlights among the other models include an upgraded Sharp Aquos Shot SH010 combining a 14.1 megapixel sensor with a waterproof shell, a Bravia-branded Sony Ericsson S005 with a 1GHz processor, and "simple" phones from Kyocera and Pantech -- the K008 and PT002, respectively -- that are designed for the occasional shopper that actually doesn't want ridiculous specs designed to make every phone outside Japan look like a DynaTAC. There's also a new e-reader, the E Ink-equipped Biblio Leaf SP02, featuring integrated solar recharging -- a smart feature for a device designed to sip power in the first place -- and a new mobile WiFi hotspot from Pantech, the WiFi Walker Data05. If you need to know more, follow the source link, but we've got to warn you: it might be hours before you're done.
Sony Ericsson posts lower numbers in Q3 but stays profitable, says Windows Phone 7 is in the works
Sony Ericsson's been trying to dig itself out of a revenue and market share slide that had developed over the course of many quarters prior to 2010, and its third quarter results suggest that there's still plenty of work to be done. The good news is that the joint venture is profitable, turning in €49 million ($69 million) worth of net income on sales of €1.603 billion ($2.26 billion) -- but the bad news is that shipped units fell both year-over-year and also versus the quarter prior: 10.4 million versus 14.1 million and 11 million, respectively. CEO Bert Nordberg mentioned on the call that the company would eventually adopt Windows Phone 7, a fact that isn't terribly surprising considering they had been announced by Microsoft as a platform partner earlier this year. It'll be interesting to see how that Timescape implementation turns out, won't it?
Dell Streak, HTC Surround, white Samsung Fascinate, and Taylor Swift-ified white SE X10 coming to Best Buy exclusively
We've got a little more detail on those four new pre-orderable phones up in Best Buy Mobile's business this week now that the news has gone from leak status to official, and needless to say, the truth is even stranger than fiction. The Dell Streak will be available for the first time in retail stores for $299.99 on contract come October 24, joined by a white version of Verizon's Samsung Fascinate for $149.99 on contract; those two will be followed on November 8 by the HTC Surround for $199. Here's where it gets interesting, though: the white Sony Ericsson X10 for AT&T -- also rumored in our original leak -- will come pre-loaded with "The Essential Taylor Swift Experience," which frankly doesn't paint a picture of the target demographic we'd really expected. But hey, we like surprises! What does her essential experience entail, exactly? Two albums, a new single, ringtone and video content, and access to her new album when it launches on October 25. This bad boy also comes in on October 24 for $99 on contract. Best Buy claims that all four of these are in-store exclusives... which, particularly with the Surround, is pretty insane. Follow the break for the press release.
White Samsung Fascinate and Sony Ericsson X10 joining Dell Streak in Best Buy this month
Let's be real: almost every phone looks better in white. Okay, so that's strictly a matter of personal opinion -- but if you're a white phone kind of person, turn your attention away from the forever-delayed iPhone 4 and toward a couple that are launching shortly thanks to some new details from Best Buy. Turns out Verizon's white Fascinate and AT&T's white X10 are both scheduled to hit on October 24, alongside the Dell Streak -- not in white, by the bye -- followed by the HTC Surround on November 8 (which we already knew). Any of 'em can be yours for a $50 deposit. Update: We've been told that the white Fascinate and X10 will be exclusives for Best Buy, at least at first. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Rogers, Ericsson turn Ottawa into an LTE trial playground
Rogers is breaking LTE out of the confines of its labs for the first time with the announcement today that it's flipping the switch on a trial network in Ottawa -- a place where infrastructure partner Ericsson conveniently just happens to have some facilities. The 4G network won't be open to customers yet, but it seems like that'll be a relatively small step -- in the Ottawa area, anyway -- once all the technical issues have been ironed out. Step one will be a deployment in Rogers' AWS spectrum portfolio, but they've already filed a request with the gub'mint to roll out on 700MHz as well -- a critical step if these guys want any semblance of interoperability with the first LTE deployments in the US. So, Canadians, tell us: excited? Follow the break for the full press release.
Rumor: Sony's PlayStation division looking for engineers with Android dev experience
Back in August, our sister site Engadget reported on a forthcoming Sony Ericsson phone with PlayStation branding -- a phone that would employ Android OS 3.0. Sony still hasn't made a peep officially but has, in the meantime, posted a job listing for a senior server engineer in London with "experience in mobile development." The company noted, "specifically Android is a plus." Since Engadget first pointed out the job listing, the "specifically Android is a plus" part has been removed (the unaltered image can be seen above). Whether that makes the long-rumored Ericsson / PlayStation partnership any more realistic is hard to say. We'll believe it when we see it.
