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Sony Ericsson scoops a new CTO
Seems like it was just last year that Sony Ericsson was replacing its CTO -- oh, that's because it was last year! For reasons unknown, the company is repeating history already -- and this time looking outside its own workforce (but just barely) by heading over to parent Ericsson to nab Jan Uddenfeldt, who current holds the roles of senior vice president and senior technology advisor there. Uddenfeldt's based in San Jose, which means it'll be a short jaunt to his new office in Redwood Shores where he'll pick up the duties come July 1. We'd mentioned last year that we'd hoped that having an Americas-focused CTO at the company would mean wild new things for its US presence, but that dream hasn't really materialized yet; here's hoping.
NTT DoCoMo, KDDI launch their endless Summer 2010 collections
Surprise: Japanese carriers are announcing literally dozens of phones at once. Okay, look, that's not a surprise at all, but bear with us, because there are a few shining jewels in here amongst the seemingly endless array of WVGA displays and one-seg tuners from NTT DoCoMo and KDDI au, both of whom have announced their Summer 2010 collections of handsets this week. Of note, two of the models from DoCoMo -- the Fujitsu F-06B and Sharp SH-07B are capable of shooting 1080p video, while KDDI's SH008 from Sharp, S003 from Sony Ericsson, and CA005 from Casio all feature sensors of 12 megapixels or larger. Several of the devices can also be used as WiFi hotspots, and Hitachi's trick Beskey for KDDI has interchangeable keypads that change the shape of the keys, not the layout -- a bit superficial, perhaps, but we're all about choice. DoCoMo is also launching a handful of smartphones: the Lynx SH-10B from Sharp (not to be confused with the old Atari handheld of the same name) that features Android atop a 5-inch touchscreen, Toshiba's 4.1-inch T-01B Dynapocket with WinMo, and RIM's plain old BlackBerry Bold 9700. Don't get us wrong, it's still quite a haul, but we can't help but feel that the gap between Japan's wireless scene and the rest of the world is closing fast.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is likely NTT DoCoMo's best selling smartphone -- ever
Japan's wireless networks have a longstanding, legendary reputation for existing in some parallel plane that's technologically light years ahead of the rest of the world, but that reputation's unquestionably in greater danger today than in any point in the past fifteen years. Why? Though the featurephones offered by NTT DoCoMo, SoftBank, and KDDI are ultra high-spec beasts, they're still featurephones at the end of the day -- and this comes at a time when smartphones are finally becoming true cultural phenomena across the remainder of the developed world (and, in some cases, the developing world). There's no greater evidence of this than the word this week that Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 -- a phone that's been met with lukewarm reviews, including from Engadget Japanese's own Ittousai -- has allegedly become NTT DoCoMo's best-selling smartphone in history, a fact that would seem completely inexplicable in any other market globally. What makes it possible in Japan, of course, is DoCoMo's historically lame selection of true smartphones, a lineup that currently includes localized versions of the HTC Magic, and the original HTC Touch Diamond and BlackBerry Bold. What's more, many of these devices integrate poorly with popular carrier services on account of their super-tight control of the operating systems running across the featurephone lineup, something they've got less control over with a device running Android or Windows Mobile. In other words, when it's reported that DoCoMo had sold 100,000 X10s in its first 20 days -- and a third-party retailer claims that the Magic-esque HT-03A is the next best seller at 80,000 units in 10 months -- it seems plausible, if not likely (and Ittousai agrees). Yeah, even though the localized device has been plagued with performance problems and bugs, incompatibilities with DoCoMo's i-mode push email, and so on. It's hard to say what it's going to take for these guys to make an honest-to-goodness transition to the brave new world of open platforms and freewheeling third-party development, but they're clearly not there yet.
Sony Ericsson Aino's new firmware update is all about the two S's: stability and stamina
Alright, Aino owners, listen up: firstly, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Secondly, we thought you might like to know that Sony Ericsson has recently released a firmware update for your phone that should make it a bit more livable. Improved system stability and better battery life are both promised, but that's not all -- it's said that you can also expect the WiFi and Bluetooth to work better at the same time (keep in mind they're both running at 2.4GHz, so interference between the two is a well-understood problem). Oh, and there are new features, too: support for MIME type mpeg4-generic videos, the Bubble Town 2 game, and 3 new Sony Ericsson-designed themes. All told, not a bad haul.
Sony Ericsson's X10 mini meets the FCC
The biggie-sized X10 is now shipping in parts of the world, but let's be honest: every once in a while, you'd probably rather carry around a tiny scale replica of the thing. Of course, Sony Ericsson was happy to oblige with the announcement of the X10 mini back in February -- and now, it looks like we're getting close to finally enjoying some face time with the smallest Android device to come out of a top-tier manufacturer. The version that just scored FCC approval isn't for US sale on account of its Euro-only 3G bands, but at least they'll be the cutest 3G bands you've ever seen.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro lands FCC approval
We can imagine the conversation going something like this: "Hello, FCC speaking. How can I help you?" "Hey, Sony Ericsson here. So basically, we took this phone you guys already approved, and just... you know, slapped a keyboard on it. We cool?" "Well, no, we aren't 'cool.' Go ahead and submit another set of test results and we'll get back to you." "But..." "...no 'buts.' Just do it." (click) And that, you see, brings us to this filing for the Vivaz pro. It's not a North America-bound version -- there's no 850 / 1900MHz or AWS 3G -- but at least it'll get you some high-speed data if you're in 900 or 2100MHz markets (read: Europe). And heck, it might even make an original Vivaz owner or two jealous in the process.
AT&T scheduled to get Sony Ericsson X10 in week 30 of this year
We've just gotten word from a trusted source that AT&T is currently signed up to get Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 in fiscal week 30 of 2010, which represents the tail end of July and the beginning of August. Naturally, those plans can change -- AT&T has been known to drop Sony Ericssons from the lineup at the last minute, after all, and there's no way they could have that week 30 time frame locked in with certainty this far in advance -- but it seems at least plausible considering the fact that an 850 / 1900MHz 3G version of the device exists (we've tested it) and that AT&T's significantly ramping up its support for Android this year. Of course, the relevance of an Android 1.6-powered X10 in the third quarter is an open question, but sadly, it could very well be the top-of-the-line Android device in AT&T's roster even that far down the road. We'll see how this plays out.
Sony Ericsson's Zylo and Spiro offer music, weird names on the cheap
As many smartphone operating systems as Sony Ericsson is actively supporting simultaneously (three, at our latest count), its featurephone business continues to solider on, too -- after all, there's that whole Walkman brand to pimp, right? The latest models to break cover -- the oddly named Spiro and Zylo sliders -- were announced this week with the promise of bringing high-end music capability at an "affordable entry point," and considering the specs, we don't doubt that the company will be able to meet that goal. Starting at the lower end of the range, the Spiro offers a 2 megapixel camera along with a 2.2-inch QVGA display; the Zylo ups the ante with a 3.2 megapixel shooter with geotagging, a 2.6-inch display, 3G, and some advanced audio capabilities. Both models will hit "selected markets" early in the third quarter; follow the break for some promo video of both models in action.
Sony Ericsson X10 can do multitouch after all, will get Android 2.1 in September?
So, was all that hubbub for nothing? British retailer mobiles.co.uk -- a wholly-owned subsidiary of giant Carphone Warehouse, for what it's worth -- is claiming a "man on the inside" as saying that the X10 actually can do multitouch after all, despite word from a Sony Ericsson product manager to the contrary. In fact, not only can it do multitouch, but it will do multitouch through a software update in the second half of the year, the source goes on to say. This all ties in nicely with the dude's claim that the X10 will see an official update to Android 2.1 in September, a window that dovetails rather nicely with Sony Ericsson's official line of 2H 2010. Of course, by the time September rolls around, we can only assume that Froyo will be alive and well, so the ultimate question of relevancy for Sony Ericsson's very first Android venture remains to be answered.
Magnificent wormhole to 2009 spontaneously opens in Sony Style store, expels Satio, closes
Hey, if you want to pay $650 for a phone announced in February of last year, don't let us stop you -- just don't get too close to the blinding light. Alternatively, you can use the same wormhole to travel to circa-October 2009 London and buy a retail unit, then take another wormhole to December 2009 where you'll be offered some firmware to make it not suck. The choice is yours.
Sony Ericsson pushes major firmware update for Xperia X2, all three owners celebrate
Alright, X2 owners, you ready for this? Odds are you aren't, since virtually all of you are east of the Atlantic where it's getting close to bedtime and you're not likely reading this -- and for our New World friends, the North American version is still inexplicably missing in action. Be that as it may, though, Sony Ericsson hasn't given up on its critically panned Xperia X2, delivering a sizable new firmware update that offers a variety of goodies like FM radio support, video calling, sundry performance and stability improvements, and SlideView 2.0 featuring "better usability throughout with a fresh design." It's currently being rolled out market by market, but the company expects everyone to have access to it by the end of the week -- except North Americans, of course, unless SonyStyle decides to get its but in gear in the next day or two.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 coming to Rogers on April 15, free Bluetooth headset in tow
So who's the first North American carrier to pick up Sony Ericsson's high-end X10? AT&T? T-Mobile? Nope -- it's Canada's Rogers, which is once again showing its superior Android prowess by getting first dibs on a phone that plenty of folks have been anticipating since its announcement late last year. Looks like April 15 has been locked in as the carrier's date with destiny, but there's more to the story than that: they'll be tossing in a gratis Sony Ericsson MW600 Bluetooth headset with integrated FM radio if you're an existing customer who's eligible for a hardware upgrade. It's actually a pretty deluxe deal -- the MW600 retails for almost $100 -- so if you were on the fence about whether to pull the trigger on the upgrade, this might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. [Thanks, Phil T.]
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 review
Of the world's largest phone manufacturers, perhaps none has taken a more twisted road to smartphone ubiquity than Sony Ericsson. It began its journey back in the pre-joint venture Ericsson days by throwing its weight behind Symbian, a smartphone platform that would ultimately become the world's most popular -- but it made a fatal error in supporting the doomed UIQ flavor that never saw even a fraction of the support its S60 cousin did. UIQ's untimely (but predicted) collapse last year left the company nearly rudderless and ill-equipped to deal with competitors like Nokia, HTC, and Apple, all of whom had long since embraced other platforms -- all with fighting chances of market dominance. Left without a platform to champion, Sony Ericsson would ultimately continue supporting Symbian through its involvement with the Symbian Foundation and phones like the Satio and Vivaz... and it would ramp up support for Windows Mobile with the Xperia X1 and X2... and it would bring Android into the fold with the X10, all within a few months of each other. All told, Sony Ericsson enters 2010 actively supporting three unrelated smartphone platforms, and comments by CEO Bert Norberg at MWC in February lead us to believe that they'd be happy to take on a fourth (or more) if the opportunity presented itself. It's an odd strategy to be sure, particularly for a company that's struggling mightily and shrinking its workforce more than any other top-five manufacturer. How it intends to effectively compete on three different fronts without spreading itself hopelessly thin, well... that remains a huge question mark. That said, the Xperia X10 is perhaps the most promising of Sony Ericsson's confusing crop of modern smartphones, combining attractive hardware with killer specs, Android, and an intriguing custom skin. Does it hold its own against modern competitors like HTC's Nexus One and Desire? And more importantly, can it keep Sony Ericsson from going over the brink? Read on to find out. Note: Sony Ericsson contacted us shortly after the review was published to let us know that this particular X10 is running pre-production firmware, which may account for some of the issues we had with keyboard performance and occasional sluggishness. Let's hope! %Gallery-88687%
Sony Ericsson Vivaz available on Vodafone, Satio looks on with envy
If you don't have a need for a physical keyboard -- or you're just not willing to wait long enough for the Vivaz Pro to come to market -- then you might want to take a gander at Sony Ericsson's plain-Jane Vivaz now that it's available from Vodafone in the UK. The Symbian-powered slate features a 3.2-inch WVGA display, 8.1 megapixel still camera, and 720p video capture with continuous autofocus -- a truly unique feature for a cameraphone at any price. As is usually the case with these guys, you're able to score the Vivaz for a big, fat naught on contract as long as you're willing to pony up at least £30 (about $46) a month on your plan.
Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by -- who else -- Sony Ericsson
Guys, guys, look: unboxing is our job. We know it's fun and we know it brings eyeballs to your site, but we think your customers would be better served if you just concentrated on shipping the mighty X10 rather than teasing them with a product they can't yet have. Apparently, Sony Ericsson just took delivery of its first commercial samples of its inaugural Android device, so to kick off the occasion in style, a couple staffers have unboxed them in glorious high definition for us -- both the white and black versions, mind you -- using none other than their own Vivaz to maximize the meta factor. There's not a lot to the video, really (even the captions are disappointingly accurate), but if you're truly desperate for X10 eye candy as you wait for the retail launch, it's worth a gander. Full video after the break.
Sony Ericsson promises Satio software update 'just around the corner'
Following a December firmware boost, users of Sony Ericsson's much-maligned Satio should start gearing up for another significant update that -- at a glance, anyway -- brings some pretty awesome new features to the table. On top of a promise that it'll "rectify some issues, [and] optimize performance even further," Sony Ericsson's high-end Symbian set gets WVGA video recording (though VGA remains the default), integrated picture uploads to Facebook and videos to YouTube, DLNA support, sundry "UI improvements," and firmware integration of the Facebook app that's already available on PlayNow. Not bad for a phone that Sony Ericsson could've easily abandoned in favor of support for the Vivaz -- but probably not enough to totally shake the phone's tarnished rep this far into the game.
Sony Ericsson's eco-loving Naite now available from Sony Style
Following availability on Rogers by just a handful of days, Sony Ericsson is now talking up availability of the simple Naite candybar down south of the border -- but it's not through a carrier this time. Instead, you'll need to stroll into your local Sony Style store (or order online) to get it unlocked and unsubsidized. Oftentimes that's a brutal situation financially, but seeing how the Naite is a rather low-end device, these guys are charging just $159 for the privilege of using a device touting a case made of 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and an ultra-eco charger. It's available right now -- a good backup phone, perhaps?
Rogers gets LG Pop, Fido goes green with Sony Ericsson Naite
Let's circle back and take a look at a couple of big handset launches in the Great White North this month, shall we? Rogers nabbed the LG Pop -- sans solar back -- for a mere CAD $19.99 (about $19) on three-year contract or CAD $174.99 ($166) commitment-free, living up to the phone's philosophy of taking full-touch awesomeness downmarket with a 3 megapixel cam and 3-inch WQVGA display. Next up, Rogers' value brand Fido added the Naite from Sony Ericsson -- the first GreenHeart-branded handset to land anywhere in North America -- for $25 on a two-year deal. The eco-focused candybar (which might tug on the heartstrings of ex-T610 owners) keeps it simple with a 2 megapixel camera, but still manages triband 3G and an integrated FM radio. Both are available now.
ST-Ericsson's U8500 brings dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 to the Android world
Can't get enough of hearing about implementations of ARM's Cortex-A9 MPCore processors? Good. ST-Ericsson's powerhouse U8500 system-on-chip has come a major step closer to appearing in mainstream devices with today's newly announced support for the Android operating system. Having optimized the OS to take advantage of Symmetric Multi Processing -- a method for extending battery life by sharing the load between the two processing cores and underclocking when necessary -- the partner company is now ready to start dropping these 1.2GHz dual-core beasts inside the next generation of smartphones. The claim is that you'll get all that additional power while sacrificing nothing, as devices based on the U8500 would maintain "the cost and power consumption characteristics of a traditional feature phone." We're promised built-in HDMI-out support, 1080p video recording, and 120 hours of audio playback or 12 hours of Full HD video off a 1,000mAh battery -- pledges we'd very much like to see fulfilled.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro hands-on
It kinda got buried beneath the X10 mini and mini pro, but Sony Ericsson went ahead and threw us a Symbian-flavored bone this evening with the Vivaz pro. The phone's nearly a dead ringer for its non-pro doppelganger -- the original Vivaz -- but it adds a claimed 2 millimeters of thickness, which we found to be nearly imperceptible when you're holding it or gazing in its direction. We'll admit this is a better looking phone (along with the Vivaz) in person than we'd figured from the press shots, but we're still not sure we'd buy in -- the UI feels a little bit like a warmed-over S60 5th Edition, unlike the X10's thorough reworking of Android. If anything, this could very well be an N97 mini killer, especially considering the keyboard's decency -- just check out that centered spacebar! Enjoy a few more shots of the phone in Sony Ericsson's ridiculously under-lit venue (it's a nightclub, in case you couldn't tell) below. %Gallery-85478%
