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Somy X5: basically a Sony Ericsson Pureness for a tenth the price
Here's the thing about Sony Ericsson's Xperia Pureness: once you get past the translucent display, there's not much to it. Seriously -- it doesn't have 3G, a camera, hunks of precious metal, or even a fancy name to flaunt like Vertu, Dior, or Versace; it's just a low-end phone from a mass-market manufacturer that can't do much other than make calls. We suppose that's why it was so easy for a Shenzhen KIRFer to pop out this near-perfect duplicate of the Pureness -- the Somy X5 -- in no time. Heck, it's even got support for two SIMs, or exactly twice as many as you'll find on the $1,000 genuine article -- which, if you're keeping track, is over twelve times the bargain-basement sticker on the Somy here at RMB 550 ($81). Anyhow, looks like it's back to that search for a faithful Aura replica, eh?
Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness hands-on
Occasionally, a phone exists simply because it can. Not because it's powerful; not because it offers amazing bang for the buck; not because the manufacturer negotiated some lucrative exclusivity agreement with a major carrier, and certainly not because it's introducing some groundbreaking new smartphone operating system. Yeah -- not even Sony Ericsson is attempting to frame or formulate a legitimate business case for the sinfully hedonistic Xperia Pureness, because they don't have to. One look at that wild transparent display and you'll either be smitten or confused and dismayed by the $1,000 sticker price. It's that simple. Anyhow, we've just taken delivery of a Pureness today and have had a few fleeting moments to check it out. If it weren't for the screen, you'd be looking at a $30 prepaid candybar here -- you don't have a camera, a high-res display, or any sexy metal or soft-touch bits to give the phone a premium feel. The UI is about the simplest possible incarnation of Sony Ericsson's typical dumbphone platform, owing largely to the fact that the display's just grayscale; you've got an FM radio (with a headset attached) and a basic music player and browser, but if you're in North America, don't expect any 3G. That said, seriously, look at that shot we took up there: the display is insane. We can't quite get over it -- it's the ultimate conversation piece. Motorola Aura owners looking for a fresh way to draw a crowd might look at this as their next purchase, but if you're looking to do anything but talk (and occasionally browse an eerily translucent version of Engadget), make no mistake, this isn't your phone. Did we mention we want one really, really badly? %Gallery-81161%
Xperia Pureness available now - includes concierge service, avarice
Great news for the disposable income crowd: The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness is finally available online through Saks Fifth Avenue -- and it can be yours for a mere $990. According to some seriously high-minded PR, the sleek and feature-poor handset "represents an alternative approach to life in the complex, digital age by refining the mobile phone to its most essentials functions." You see, this bad boy "is not simply about a phone; it is about opening a debate about people's relationship with technology in a complex world." Got that? In case you're still not sold, did we mention that the purchase price includes a concierge service? Although we don't know for sure, it's probably not a leap to assume that this "concierge" is a help desk employee somewhere who could feed his village for a month with the grand you dropped on a cell phone. PR after the break.
Sony Ericsson already working on second version of Xperia Pureness, possibly Xperia Pureness 2?
Electric Pig is reporting that Sony Ericsson's already working on a followup to the Xperia Pureness. The designer of the original handset, Daniel Mauritzson, says that the second version of the Pureness will pack even fewer "features" than its predecessor, to hone in even further on the contrast between the handset and available smartphones. There's also been some murmuring of removing the buttons, apparently -- which makes us wonder if the next Pureness might not just be a four-inch long piece of black plastic we'll only be able to pretend to make calls on. Regardless, it sounds like the next Pureness is only in the very earliest stages of design, so don't get too excited yet -- it'll be a while.
Sony Ericsson Pureness hands-on: Pacman edition
We've seen it out and about, but at last we got a chance to actually play with Sony Ericsson's tribute to impractical style: the Pureness. As it turns out, using the device is just about as pointless as it seems. You can always just barely make out what's happening on the semi-translucent monochrome screen, and we found ourselves constantly shifting our angle and backdrop to improve readability. The capabilities of the phone should come as no surprise to anyone who's used a Sony Ericsson Java-happy dumbphone in the past, and the handset also has that wild variety of face buttons that are typical on a SE handset. Up top, with the d-pad flush on the face, things start to get crowded, but overall the phone is pretty usable tactile-wise. The meaty numeric pad should be a boon to a T9 afficianado, and we even managed to play a game of Pacman on the handset. Overall the materials used are nice and XPERIA-ey, but the most overt luxury item here is the block of glass that serves as the screen. In the US the phone will be sold unlocked at the Saks online store -- obviously courting the fashion-conscious consumer it's built for -- but there's still no word on a US pricetag. Check out some video after the break.
Xperia Pureness unboxed, performs for the camera (video)
As you are no doubt well aware, the launch date for the Xperia Pureness is looming. If you've been dying for a closer look, you're in luck: the fashion icons over at MobileBurn have got their hands on one and have been kind enough to make us a short film of the reveal. At first blush, the phone doesn't look any less impressive than it did in the shots and video we've seen before. There doesn't appear to be any hint of a keypad before the thing when shut off, although that obviously changes once it's powered on. As far as that transparent glass display goes, we can tell from here that it's not likely to be visible in direct (or even some indirect) sunlight -- but since you're a jet-setting nightclub habitue' who hasn't been outside in the daylight in four years that probably shouldn't bother you much. The UI is pretty much standard for an SE feature phone, and the battery is not removable. The price? Looks like it will run you a healthy £530 (about $875). Still interested? Peep the video in action after the break.
Sony Ericsson's wild Xperia Pureness gets FCC approval
So the bad news is that we're not seeing a lick of North American 3G listed in the FCC filing for Sony Ericsson's upcoming Xperia Pureness, that totally crazy candybar with the transparent display. The good news, however, is that we have absolutely no idea what you'd need 3G for, considering that a see-through screen doesn't really lend itself to hours upon hours of rich streaming media or web browsing; yes, sure, you could tether, but would you seriously subject a work of art to the shame of being cabled to a far less visually stunning laptop? Nah, we know you wouldn't -- and that Aura of yours doesn't have 3G, either, so it's pretty much par for the course. We're encouraged by FCC certification, but let's hope the Pureness actually makes it all the way to Sony Style's online store as an unlocked piece -- and furthermore, let's hope it undercuts the Aura by hundreds (nay, thousands) of dollars.
Sony Ericsson's £530 Pureness is 'iconic' not ironic
There's nothing typical about Sony Ericsson's Pureness handset so why should details about its launch differ? Brand Republic, a magazine focused on advertising, quotes Sony Ericsson's director of marketing, Cathy Davies, saying that the low-spec'd (said to lack GPS, camera, WiFi, and gasp, a touchscreen) candybar with translucent display will go on sale in November for £530 at Selfridges and "design museum shops." And if it wasn't already clear (get it?), SE says that it's positioning the device as "an iconic niche product, not mass-market." In other words, Harrods shoppers need not apply.[Via Techradar and Pocket-lint]
Video: Sony Ericsson's Pureness haunts the breathless wilds of Translutania
True, you can barely read the transparent display when viewed against a white background. But Sony Ericsson's XPERIA Pureness is quite possibly the most coveted handset on Earth. Impractical? Yes. Awesome? Most definitely. Proof that phones don't have to be touchscreen slates or even integrate a camera, GPS, or WiFi to be worthy of consumer lust.
Sony Ericsson Pureness caught in the wild
Gorgeous, ain't she? AreaMobile's got more pics, hit up the read link to see for yourself![Thanks, Toby]
Video: Xperia Pureness (codename Kiki) announced
Xperia Pureness -- the phone formerly known as Kiki -- reared its head today, mostly in the form of press shots of stylish people who demand stylish handsets. Don't have any tech details yet, but we do know that it's a fine example of Sony Ericsson's new "brand direction," which -- as we heard yesterday -- can be summed up succinctly (and a bit nauseously) as "make.believe." Right. What we do know, however, is that it will be officially launched in November 2009 "through selected retail distribution channels in key cities around the world," that the company wants us to approach this as "a work of art rather than technology," and that the company hoped to "sculpt an object of design that reflected the purity of water and a sense of calmness when not in use." Just what we needed! We're sure Frank Lloyd Wright would approve -- you know, if only he hadn't died fifty years ago. See for yourself in the video after the break. [Via Mobile Bulgaria, thanks Reggie]
