Sony Ericsson has us scratching our heads just one day after we spent some time with its new XPERIA X10 smartphone. During our lunch meet-up, SE told us it was hoping to work with U.S. carriers in getting the X10 into the pockets of Americans on the cheap. We’re still hoping that SE will make this happen, but a new rumor would see the X10 retail for a whopping $879 when it hits the market during the first quarter of 2010. We know that SE is hoping to get back on the relevance map and turn a profit while it’s at it, but a sky-high price tag on a device that failed to knock our socks off probably isn’t going to cut it with consumers.

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Today we hit up Sony Ericsson’s shindig in NYC for some one-on-one time with its XPERIA X10, and so far (it’s a non-retail prototype) it looks like SE has a decent device on its hands. Of course, we all know the X10 is running Android 1.6, but SE has created its own UI, or UX as it prefers to say (short for User Experience), called Nexus. Like other UI overlays for Android, Nexus focuses on social media integration, entertainment and simplifying contact info by aggregating user information. Two very unique applications that SE has integrated into Nexus are Timescape and Mediascape. Timescape is much like viewing your contact information on HTC’s Sense UI and Motorola’s MOTOBLUR: you can view your contact’s email, SMS, Facebook and Twitter updates all in one place. Mediascape allows you to access photos, video and music from your phone as well as YouTube and PlayNow, SE’s music store. The great thing about Timescape and Mediascape is that they recognize connections between your contacts (like facial recognition), music and media and it makes suggestions on how you can communicate or get a guide to new media. Now that we’ve got the software aspect out of the way, hit the jump to see not only what think of the device itself, but quite a few pretty pics and a video overview!

Our initial impression of the XPERIA X10 is mixed. The screen is a vivid and crisp 4″ capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 854 while the device itself is both light and thin. It also packs smartphone basics like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, 3.5mm headset jack and a rather impressive 8.1 megapixel camera. The device feels nice in the hand, although those with small hands might think it’s rather large. Still, it’s not cumbersome by any means. When running through the screens, we did experience a bit of lag even though the X10 is running the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. And while SE has added its own UI over Android 1.6, it still feels like a bare-bones Android device. The UI is very functional and it gets the job done, but it’s not as attractive as HTC’s Sense UI. We’re not quite sure what it is about the XPERIA X10, but we’re just not feeling that “wow” we got with the Droid, for example.

SE says it’s working with U.S. carriers to get the XPERIA X10 subsidized in the States, but in the even that doesn’t happen it could be another expensive device that might be overlooked in the Americas – we’ve got our fingers crossed that AT&T or T-Mobile will pick this up. There’s no word on when this will be released, but with all the press and fanfare we’re thinking it shouldn’t be much longer.

A year ago Sony Ericsson’s prominence was dropping faster than Kirstie Alley could pound back Quarter Pounders, but its most recent offerings have been successful in generating buzz in a way that the Japanese-Swedish phone maker hasn’t experienced in quite some time. Fast forward to today where pictures of the companies second Symbian S60 device have leaked out by way of Russia and again we have some buzz, this time about how its 8.1 megapixel camera might be able to record videos at resolutions up to 720p. It’s codenamed Kurara and is said to have a 3.5″ AMOLED display, but other than that we really don’t know anything about it, other than it’s likely to come sometime within the next 6 months. More pictures are available after the break.

Thanks to everyone that send this in!

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And yet another manufacturer has officially entered the Android game as Sony Ericsson has formally announced the XPERIA X10. Powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and running on Android 1.6 “Donut”, the X10 boasts a 4″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen display, an 8.1 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and two flavors of UMTS/HSPA — one of which supports T-Mobile, the other, AT&T — in addition to quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE. Regrettably there is only 1GB of built in memory, although an 8GB microSD card ships in the box. In terms of UI customization, the X10 comes with the UI overlay UX called Rachael (user experience) which extends into two premier apps: Mediascape — the media player which we’ve already seen twice — and Timescape, which more or less is SE’s answer to a MOTOBLUR type skin. Pricing and countries of availability has yet to be announced, but the XPERIA X10 will be available in Q1 2010 in Sensuous Black and Lustre White (yes, we LOL’d, too). Hit the jump for a promo video and a press release.

03 November 2009

Sony Ericsson XPERIA™ X10 introduces an open and integrated world of social media, communication and entertainment

• XPERIA™ X10 is the flagship phone in a family of phones coming to market during the first half of 2010. The XPERIA™ X10 will be available in Q1 2010
• New UX (user experience) platform lets consumers organise everything and discover more with the most open, human and intuitive user experience yet

London – November 3 2009 – Sony Ericsson today unveils the XPERIA™ X10, the first phone in a family of phones to deliver a consistent user experience where communication truly becomes entertainment. Building on Sony Ericsson’s entertainment heritage and combining rich graphics with intelligence capabilities, the XPERIA™ X10   introduces a new UX platform that will evolve across the product portfolio and expand over time continuously introducing new features and capabilities.

The UX platform builds on top of the Open OS and creates a unique Sony Ericsson user experience by combining best-in-class entertainment features with signature applications, unrivalled integration of social media services and a rich graphical user interface. The XPERIA™ X10 is the first mobile phone to truly humanise the way people interact with their phones.

Bert Nordberg, President, Sony Ericsson said, “The XPERIA™ X10 and the family of phones launching in the first half of 2010 underpin our commitment to an open and multi-platform strategy that maximises choice for the consumer and delivers the best possible consumer experience. The reaction from our global operator partners to the XPERIA X10 has been extremely positive and we will be rolling out across the world including Japan from the first half of 2010.”

Rikko Sakaguchi, EVP and Chief Creation Officer, Sony Ericsson said, “The XPERIA™ X10 is a fantastic example of our make.believe philosophy because we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and demonstrating that anything consumers can imagine, we can make possible. With the X10, we are raising the bar we have set ourselves with entertainment-rich phones like Aino and Satio by making communication more fun and playful, multiplying and enriching opportunities to connect.”

Introducing signature applications like Mediascape and Timescape™, the XPERIA™ X10 lets consumers organise everything in their phone in an intuitive way:

• Sony Ericsson Timescape™ manages all your communication with one person in one place.  Browse through your conversations the bright way to check out your Facebook™, Twitter™, photos, emails, and texts all in one go
• Sony Ericsson Mediascape is the smart way to get all the music, photos and videos you want from your favourite friends and artists. It accesses content from everywhere – your phone, YouTube™, PlayNow™ – and presents everything for you

Intelligence capabilities, integrated into Mediascape and Timescape™, can automatically recognise connections between contacts, content and media. By recommending alternative ways to communicate or guiding to new media experiences, consumers can discover more in a truly open way. For example:

• Pressing the new “infinite button” guides you through the connected world, aggregating all your interactions with one person into one view
• Intelligent face recognition features recognise up to five faces in any picture, automatically connecting them with your social phonebook and all other related communications with that person.

Sony Ericsson’s open approach gives consumers maximum choice and with the XPERIA™ X10, users can download any application that they want direct from a wide variety of stores including PlayNow™ and the Android Market™, co-creating an experience that is entirely unique to them.

Sony Ericsson is also introducing the new Wireless Stereo Headset with FM Radio – MW600. Featuring advanced Bluetooth™ technology and a built-in FM radio, MW600 lets you stream music to your headset in high fidelity through sound-enhancing ear-buds. With a crystal clear OLED display, easy access controls and RDS radio station information, you don’t even need to take your phone with you to tune in to your favourite radio station.

The XPERIA™ X10 supports GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100 and UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100

The XPERIA™ X10 will be available in selected markets from Q1 in the colours Sensuous Black and Luster White.

Log on to The Sony Ericsson Product Blog for more information: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA™ X10 at a glance

Camera

• 8.1 megapixel camera
• Up to 16x digital zoom
• Auto focus
• Intelligent face recognition features
• Geo tagging
• Image and video stabilizer
• Photo and video light
• Send to web (photo and video upload)
• Smile detection
• Touch focus
• Video recording
• Recent shot tray

Music

• Album art
• Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
• Media player
• Music tones (MP3/AAC)
• PlayNow™
• TrackID™

Web

• Bookmarks
• Google™ search (from standby)
• Web feeds
• WebKit web browser

Communication

• Sony Ericsson Timescape™
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating alert

Messaging

• Conversations
• Email
• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
• Picture messaging (MMS)
• Predictive text input
• Text messaging (SMS)

Design

• Auto rotate
• Gesture control
• Picture wallpaper
• Touchscreen

Entertainment

• 3D games
• Media browser
• Infinite button
• Video streaming
• Video viewing
• YouTube™

Organiser

• Alarm clock
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Flight mode
• Infinite button
• Office suite
• Phone book with dialer
• World clock

Location-based services

• A-GPS
• Google Maps™
• Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation* (free trial version)

• *The service may not be available in every market. For more information, go to www.sonyericsson.wisepilot.com

Connectivity

• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth™ technology
• Micro USB connector
• Synchronisation
• USB support
• Wi-Fi™

Preloaded applications

• Sony Ericsson Timescape™
• Sony Ericsson Mediascape
• Sony Ericsson Home with clock widget
• Sony Ericsson Sync
• Android Market™ Client
• Gmail™
• Google Calendar™
• Google Maps™ with Street View
• Google Media Uploader
• Google phone-top search
• Google search widget
• Google Talk™
• Google Voice Search™
• Network Location Provider
• Set-up Wizard
• YouTube™

Screen

• 262,144 colour TFT touchscreen
• 4.0 inches
• 480 x 854 pixels (WVGA)
• Scratch-resistant

Accessories
In-Box:

• XPERIA™ X10
• Battery
• Stereo portable handsfree
• 8 GB microSD™ card
• Micro USB cable for charging, synchronisation and file transfer
• User documentation

Optional:

• Hi-Fi Wireless Headset with FM Radio MW600
• Car Charger AN300
• Screen Protector ET902

Facts 1)2)

• Size: 119 x 63 x 13 mm
• Weight: 135 grams

• Phone memory: Up to 1 GB

• Memory card support: microSD™

• Memory card included: 8 GB

• Operating system: Google™ Android Donut, version 1.6
• Processor: 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ QSD8250

Availability and versions

• Networks

• UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

• UMTS HSPA 800/1900/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

• Available in selected markets in Q1 2010

Colour

• Sensuous Black
• Luster White

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Back in July we fought back drool while watching a leaked video of the custom UI overlay Sony Ericsson has prepared for the soon to be official XPERIA X3. Today, we’re repeating the process all over again as yet another UI video has surfaced, this time dealing specifically with the media player. Looking wonderfully polished, well thought out and seemingly liberally borrowing styling cues from Microsoft’s Zune HD, the overall hotness cannot be denied. Yes, indeed, we cannot wait to get some hands on time with the XPERIA X3 so we can pit it against Motorola’s DROID. Hit the jump to check out the video.

Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

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Windows Mobile fans take note — 30 new handsets powered by your mobile OS of choice will supposedly be debuting before you again sing a drunken version of Auld Lang Syne. Benjamin Tan, senior director of the GCR Mobile Team Unit at Microsoft China, let loose the rumor that an avalanche of new Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets from HTC, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Acer, Toshiba, HP and more will be released in the waning months of 2009. Carriers who have jumped on board this Window Mobile bonanza include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, NTT DoCoMO, Softbank Mobile,  SKT, Telstra and Telus. Bottom line: no matter where you are located or what you prefer in a smartphone, there will apparently be a Windows Phone to suit your needs in 2009.

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September 15th: Sony Ericsson claims, “the way you listen to music changes forever” on September 21st. September 21st: Sony Ericsson announces the MH907 motion-controlled headphones and 99.999999999999% of the world will continue listening to music the same old way. Don’t get us wrong — the new “SensMe” technology SE introduced today is kind of nifty. Basically, it allows you to control music playback and call handling by removing and replacing one of your ear buds. Ok that’s cool we suppose, but it begs the question: Is removing and replacing an ear bud to control your headset more or less convenient than simply tapping a button? We’re going to go with less. The novelty factor is certainly there though, so if you have a Sony Ericsson phone — yes, this headset will only work with SE phones — at least you have something interesting to look forward to. No pricing or release information has been made available.

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Not interested in Windows Mobile-powered XPERIA X2 that should lift off in January? How does the simultaneous January launch of the Android-powered XPERIA X3 sound? Don’t bet on it actually happening, but rumor has it the X3 may launch in January, side-by-side with its Microsoft-powered cousin. Odd that Sony would announce the X2, keep quiet on the X3, and then launch them both at the same time. Appropriately, we’re extremely skeptical at best. Of course we would love nothing more than to see the X3 hit the streets as soon as possible though, so we’ll go ahead and cross out fingers just in case. Two high-profile Sony Ericsson smartphone releases in the same month would be a hell of a way to kick off 2010, that’s for sure.

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In what would certainly be an interesting move on Sony Ericsson’s part, Brand Republic is reporting that the upcoming Xperia Pureness will launch at £530 through various non-carrier retailers around the UK. We already knew that SE was targeting November for the Pureness launch but the price point, which is equivalent to $874 USD if accurate, had been unknown. Also unknown was the launch strategy, which supposedly puts the Pureness in the hands of consumers via retailers like Selfridges (high end department store, also sells the Moto Aura) and various Design Museum Shop (artsy specialty shop) locations. A bold move we suppose, but SE views the handset as ‘an iconic niche product’ not geared toward the mass market. This will be the first time Sony Ericsson has launched a phone in the UK without carrier support so it will be interesting to see how much product the company can move — though we don’t imagine expectations are incredibly high. As unique as the Pureness is, it’s still a £530 feature phone with the least impressive feature set we’ve seen in ages.

Thanks, Jeb!

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It’s always annoying when products get over-hyped by marketing agencies, but we suppose they wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they didn’t go overboard. Case in point: Sony Ericsson’s upcoming ‘Put your ears in control’ event. Peculiar sentence structure aside, a new SE microsite invites us all to “Come back here on the 21st of September to see how the way you listen to music changes forever.” Fair enough. The webcast registration page refers to a “ground-breaking new product” that will be demoed live, meaning it looks like this is a product-based announcement as opposed to some new service the JV has cooked up. So is Sony Ericsson going to change the way we listen to music forever on Monday? We highly, highly doubt that. Sony Ericsson has always done a bang up job where music is concerned though, so at the very least we hope the company announces something interesting and unique. Of note, the seldom-wrong Eldar Murtazin says “SE Headset for Sept, 21 isnt so great, turn on music/radio when you wear it, nice but so niche. Could put review now, but let them announce.”

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The leaky online retailer eXpansys UK has potentially outed yet another release date for an upcoming handset. This time around it is the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2. According to the product page, the X2 is expected to arrive on January 11th, 2010 — a tad bit later than its announced Q4 2009 release. Pricing, well, is a ridiculous £604.99 ($1,010 USD) for an unlocked version from eXpansys. Expect the price to fall prior to launch of course, as a price that high would effectively kill any chance of success for this Windows Mobile handset. Sony Ericsson may be on a downward slide lately but it can’t be that self-destructive. Even with a price drop, is anyone excited by this phone or is it just another offering in a long line of Windows Mobile phones, soon to be overshadowed by the Android-powered XPERIA X3?

[Via Pocketnow]

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While neither handset is quite as lust-worthy as the eventual XPERIA X3, the Sony Ericsson Aino and Satio are both expected to launch next month across the pond. Sony Ericsson has reportedly issued a save the date invite for a press event to be held in the UK. According to reports, the event will take place on October 7th and will “celebrate the retail launch of Sony Ericsson’s hotly anticipated Satio and Aino handsets.” As such, it stands to reason that both handsets can be expected on or shortly after that date. As you’ll recall, the Aino is a portrait slider featuring quad-band GSM/EDGE and tri-band WCDMA, a 0-9 keypad, 3-inch 240×432 pixel touchscreen, 8.1 megapixel camera with an LED flash and 16x digital zoom, aGPS, Bluetooth, social networking integration, microSDHC and PS3 integration. The slightly more desirable Satio is a full touchscreen handset with a 3.5-inch 640 x 360 display (16:9 aspect ratio), 12.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus, xenon flash and 12x digital zoom, 128 MB internal memory, microSDHC support, FM radio with RDS, aGPS with turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and the Symbian S60 5th edition OS. Hopefully once the UK launch is out of the way, Sony Ericsson can start thinking about making these puppies a reality here in the US, or maybe even getting a move on with the XPERIA X3.

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Remember that extremely weird Sony Ericsson handset codenamed “Kiki” that you didn’t care about because you were too busy ogling the X3 aka “Rachael”? Well as it turns out, our favorite wireless JV managed to announce it with a name even more ridiculous than Kiki. Behold: The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness. After unveiling a new “make.believe” slogan this morning, we knew some pretty weird things would follow. As it turns out, we didn’t have to wait long at all. Though few details were provided, SE took the wraps off the Xperia Pureness at a London event today and no specs have been released. All we know for now is that it’s a feature phone, it has a crazy transparent display visible from both sides of the handset and it will be available in November from “selected retail distribution channels in key cities around the world”. Consider us oddly intrigued. Hit the jump for a quick video and a few marketing shots.

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Sure it’s not quite as exciting as the Satio that the FCC poked and prodded last month, but we’re happy to see another sexy Sony Ericsson phone pass through the halls of the FCC all the same. We’re even happier considering this little guy is sporting AT&T and Rogers’ brand of 3G. Sure we’ve known the Aino would rock WCDMA 850/1900/2100 MHz since it was announced back in May but seeing it slide past the FCC means it could launch any time now. For a quick refresher, the Aino features a portrait sliding form factor, quad-band GSM/EDGE and tri-band WCDMA, a 0-9 keypad, 3-inch 240 × 432 pixel touchscreen, 8.1 megapixel camera with an LED flash and 16x digital zoom, aGPS, Bluetooth, social networking integration, microSDHC and PS3 integration. Hit the jump for some more pics of SE’s sweet upcoming slider posing seductively next to every phone addict’s favorite LYRA ruler.

Thanks, Danica Hatrick!

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Will it ever stop today? Sony Ericsson has apparently decided to join in the fun — and by that we mean attempt to steal Nokia’s thunder. Everyone’s favorite stumbling handset maker has just made the somewhat anticipated XPERIA X2 official. We would much rather see the XPERIA X3 become a reality but as they say, you can’t win ‘em all. As far as specs go, leaks have already encompassed just about everything worth mentioning: Windows Mobile 6.5, 8.1 megapixel camera with auto focus, touch focus and 16x digital zoom, 3.5-inch WVGA OLED display, aGPS, DLNA, 512MB RAM, 3.5 mm headphone jack and an accelerometer. No pricing has been announced but it will launch in select markets some time in Q4 and there will be a version with WCDMA 850/1900/2100 MHz. Hit the jump for a pair of videos along with the complete spec list.

Thanks, Evan!

Camera

• 8.1 megapixel camera
• Up to 16x digital zoom
• Auto focus
• Geo tagging
• Image stabilizer
• Send to web
• Touch focus
• Video light
• Video recording

Music

• Album art
• Bluetooth^TM stereo (A2DP)
• Equalizer
• Sony Ericsson media player
• Music tones (MP3/AAC)
• Equalizer
• Sony Ericsson media player
• Music tones (MP3/AAC)
• PlayNow^TM arena*
• Stereo speakers
• Windows Media® Player

Web

• Bookmarks
• Google^TM search
• Internet Explorer®
• Pan & Zoom
• Web feeds

Communication

• Call list
• Conference calls
• Polyphonic ringtones
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating alert

Messaging

• Email
• Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync®
• Handwriting recognition
• Instant messaging
• Picture messaging (MMS)
• Predictive text input
• Text messaging (SMS)

Design

• Auto rotate
• Media
• Picture wallpaper
• Touchscreen
• Wallpaper animation
• Windows Mobile® 6.5

Entertainment

• 3D games
• Java^TM
• Motion gaming
• Tracker
• Video streaming
• Video viewing
• YouTube^TM application

Connectivity

• A-GPS

Bluetooth^TM technology

• DNLA Certified^TM
• Google Maps^TM
• Modem
• Synchronisation
• TV out
• USB mass storage
• USB support
• Wi-Fi^TM

Organizer

• Adobe® PDF Reader
• Alarm clock
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Flight mode
• Microsoft® Office Mobile
• Notes
• Phone book
• Stopwatch
• Tasks
• Timer

Accessories
In-Box:

• XPERIA^TM X2
• Battery
• Battery Charger
• Stereo Portable Handsfree MH500
• USB cable
• TV out cable
• 4GB SanDisk microSD^TM memory card
• User guide

Optional accessories:

• Bluetooth^TM Headset PV740
• Car charger AN300
• Video Viewing Stand IM920

Facts and Figures 1)2)

• Size: 110 x 54 x 16 mm

• Weight: 115 grams

• Colours: Elegant Black, Modern Silver

• Main screen: 65,536 colour TFT
• Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels (WVGA)
• Size: 3.2 inches

• Phone memory: Up to110MB
• Memory card support: SanDisk microSD^TM and microSDHC^TM, up to 16GB

• Talk time GSM: Up to 10 hrs
• Standby time GSM: Up to 500 hrs

• Talk time UMTS: Up to 6hrs
• Standby time UMTS: Up to 640hrs

• Music listening time: Up to 20hrs

Availability and versions
Networks:

• XPERIA^TM X2
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS/HSPA 850/1900/2100

• GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS/HSPA 900/1900/2100

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Steve Richter! Our friends at AT&T pinged us earlier this month to see if we wanted to give away a new Sony Ericsson W518a to celebrate the launch of its AT&T Share Facebook app. We wouldn’t dream of depriving our readers of the chance to win a shiny new handset of course, so we were happy to oblige. Steve’s comment was randomly chosen as the winner earlier this week and he will be receiving his new Sony Ericsson W518a some time next week. Woo hoo! There you have it boys and girls; if you haven’t already checked out the AT&T Share Facebook app, we definitely recommend that you do so. After all, there are plenty more prizes to be had — why should Steve have all the fun?

Rumor has it that the Sony Ericsson Xperia 2 will be made official next week at a yet-to-be announced Sony Ericsson press event. The QWERTY side slider is expected to debut with Windows Mobile 6.5 under its hood along with an 8.1 megapixel camera with auto focus, 3.5-inch WVGA OLED display, aGPS, 512MB RAM, 3.5 mm headphone jack and an accelerometer. With the HTC Touch Pro2 making the rounds, the Samsung Omnia II arriving soon and now the Xperia X2 likely getting official, it looks like Windows Mobile fans will have a smorgasbord of phones to lust after in the weeks and months to come.

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Mmmmmmm, Satio. If Symbian is your thing, it pretty much doesn’t get any better than this forthcoming beast from Sony Ericsson. Hell, even if Symbian isn’t your thing, you still have to respect this monster of a handset. While the ever-mysterious Xperia X3 (aka Rachael) still sits at the top of our list of Sony Ericsson kit we need ASAP, the Satio comes in at a close second. Why? If you weren’t paying attention back in May when SE announced it, allow us to refresh your memory: S60 5th Edition OS, 3.5-inch 640 x 360 pixel 16:9 touchscreen display, 12.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus, xenon flash and 12x digital zoom, 128 MB internal memory, microSDHC support, FM radio with RDS, aGPS with turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and plenty more. Yeah, that’s why. The first iteration of the Satio just cleared the FCC’s initial round of testing so we’re crossing our fingers extra tight with the hope that it materializes soon. Hit the jump for some gratuitous phone pr0n.

Thanks, Jon Dohnson!

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What’s better than scoring a shiny new phone? Scoring a shiny new phone for free, of course… AT&T is hitting Facebook hot and heavy these days and why wouldn’t it? After all, Facebook is where all the cool kids hang out, or so we hear, and they spend plenty of time there. Here’s a thought: Why not take a break from stalking your ex-girlfriend from high school — dude, it’s not going to happen — and actually use Facebook for something productive? You know, like winning free stuff for example. Hit the jump to learn about AT&T’s new Facebook app and for your chance to win a free Sony Ericsson W518a from your pals here at BGR.

AT&T’s new Facebook app, dubbed AT&T Share gives AT&T fans chances to win a bunch of cool stuff. Here’s how it works — simply install the AT&T Share Facebook app to gain access to the campaign. You will then embark on a series of “missions”, if you participate that is. Fulfilling them will earn you reward points toward cool stuff and chances to win a variety of prizes including phones, gadgets, VIP tickets to this year’s Warped Tour, tickets to sporting events, service credits and more. To give you an idea of what kind of missions we’re talking about here, the first one is running now through next week and simply requires you to film a video of yourself explaining what you like most about AT&T apps, games and music. Upload the video, link it in the AT&T Share Facebook app and boom, you’ve got a chance to have your video featured on AT&T’s new App Center website as a well as a chance to win an AT&T gift card or a Sony Ericsson phone.

Sure that’s simple enough, but it’s a well known and scientifically proven fact that BGR readers are better than other people. Since AT&T is well aware of this, it was more than happy to throw in a little something extra for you guys. Of course you should still hit the AT&T Share app for chances to win a bunch of great stuff but we’re giving away a shiny new Sony Ericsson W518a of our own and only BGR readers can win. Here’s how it works:

• Head over to Facebook and check out the AT&T Share app.
• Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. That’s it! Just leave a comment and you’re entered for a chance to win.
  
• If you don’t use Facebook, don’t worry — you still have a chance to win the W518a. Just leave a comment below explaining why you still haven’t signed up for Facebook and you’re in.
• Please enter once and only once. Leave more than one comment and you’ll be disqualified.
  
• The contest is open in the US only to everyone age 18 and older.
• We’ll run the contest until next Friday, August 21st at 11:59PM ET.
  

Well what are you waiting for, people? Go check out the Facebook app — or tell us why you avoid Facebook like the plague — and get to commenting for your chance to score a Sony Ericsson W518a courtesy of AT&T and your good friends here at BGR. Good luck!

What comes in Sparkling Rose, 24k gold plate and is “shorter than your favorite lipstick”? The Sony Ericsson Jalou by Dolce&Gabbana, hello. Introduced today as a limited edition piece, the designer-branded clamshell offers a “host of features to keep you entertained and looking fabulous” such as a 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, aGPS, monoband UMTS/HSPA (2100MHz), a monochrome exterior display that doubles as a mirror for the vain and a bunch of exclusive pictures and videos from the Dolce&Gabbana women’s Autumn/Winter 2010 runway show. Just in case special edition phones aren’t your thing but you still want to make a fashion-y statement, you can always pick up the Jalou in Deep Amethyst, Aquamarine Blue or Onyx Black sans Dolce branding sometime in Q4.

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Postpaid handsets:

• Samsung T239 (red)
• Sony Ericsson TM506 (amber)
• Samsung Gravity 2
• Samsung Comeback (red)
• BlackBerry Curve 8900
• Samsung Behold
• HTC myTouch 3G (black & white)

Prepaid handsets:

• Nokia 1661
• Samsung T239 (gray)
• Nokia 2760
• Samsung T349

Sure we already know plenty about each and every handset mentioned above, but you know you still want to hit the jump and check them out.

Gotta love Expansys. The shameless online retailer known for posting pre-order availability of handsets well before any official announcement has struck again. This time around, Expansys has revealed that the oh-so-sexy Android-rocking Sony Ericsson Rachael will apparently be launched under the Xperia brand as the Xperia X3. Xperia X2? What Xperia X2? Hit the jump for the full specs as listed by Expansys:

• Display:
  • 4-inches, 800 x 400 pixels
  • Touch Sensitive
• Network:
  • 2G 850/900/1800/1900 (Quad-Band)
  • 3G: 900/2100 (Dual-Band)
  • HSDPA (10Mbps)
  • HSUPA (2Mbps)
• Camera:
  • 8.1 megapixels (auto-focus)
  • 8 x Digital Zoom
  • LED Flash
  • Image Stabilization
  • Smile Shutter
  • Face Detection
• Video:
  • VGA Video Recording
• Music:
  • Supported formats: MP3, AAC, eAAC+
• Ringtones:
  • Monophonic
  • Polyphonic (64)
  • MP3
  • AAC
• Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS (with video)
  • E-mail (POP3, SMTP, IMAP4, MS Exchange)
• Memory:
  • Phone Book
  • Dialled Calls
  • Missed Calls
  • Received Calls
  • microSDHC (external)
• Call Features:
  • Hands Free
  • Caller ID
  • Voice Dialing
• Connectivity:
  • miniUSB
  • 3.5mm AV connector
  • Bluetooth (2.1)
  • Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11g)
• Navigation:
  • AGPS

All we have to say is this, Sony Ericsson: If you don’t drop a version with US 3G along side this Euro version, you’re officially dead to us. Officially.

[Via All About Phones]

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Historically speaking, an increased frequency in live shots generally indicates that an official announcement isn’t far off. Sony Ericsson fans can only hope that’s the case as a new round of pics bubble up to show off the forthcoming Xperia X2 aka Vulcan lounging around with its underachieving little brother, the Xperia X1. Sure we’ve seen it before, a few times, but we haven’t yet grown tired of eying this sexy little SE number. Spec refresher:

• 8.1 megapixel auto-focus, VGA video capture @ 30fps (MP4 HQ)
• 3.5-inch WVGA OLED
• GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Accelerometer
• Faster processor
• 512 RAM
• Custom Windows Mobile 6.5
• XPERIA Panels are modified with plenty of innovative features (PS3 remote play being one of them)
• Upgradable to Windows Mobile 7

Still no word on pricing but hopefully the disaster that was the Xperia X1 will motivate SE to price this little guy a bit lower right out the gate. Hit the jump for more shots.

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Following a rough morning for our friends in Finland, things are looking even worse just to the west. Sony Ericsson’s Q2 2009 was, in short, a disaster. To start, it shipped just over half the handsets it did a year ago — 13.8 million compared to 24.4 million in Q2 2008. That figure is also down from 14.5 in Q1 2009. Sales were down to €1.7 billion from €2.8 billion a year ago and where income is concerned, SE lost €213 million in the quarter. Sheesh. The silver lining on this incredibly dark cloud is that Q1 saw the company lose €293 million so at least the bleeding has slowed a bit. Dick Komiyama, President of Sony Ericsson, had this to say:

As expected, the second quarter was challenging and we still believe the remainder of the year will be difficult for Sony Ericsson. Our focus remains on bringing the company back to profitability and growth as quickly as possible, and our performance is starting to improve due to our cost reduction activities. The new product portfolio that integrates communications, entertainment and social media applications should contribute to healthier topline development when shipments start later this year. We remain confident that the actions we are taking will further improve our financial situation and strengthen Sony Ericsson’s competitiveness.

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Well it looks like Sony Ericsson’s upcoming C905a is just as anxious to see AT&T-subscribed mobile photogs as they are to see it. In fact, it couldn’t even wait until the 19th for its official release to pop out of its retail packaging and say hi to the camera. One of our ninjas just hit us to show off one of many units currently making their way across the country just waiting to be snatched up this Sunday. A quick recap of the spec highlights:

• 8.1 megapixel camera with a xenon flash, auto-focus and video capture
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band HSDPA
• On-device image editing
• Scratch-resistant mineral glass display
• GPS
• FM Radio
• Bluetooth
• Memory Stick Micro (M2) support up to 16GB

In less exciting news, we’re hearing AT&T has apparently crippled the handset a bit more than most would have liked — namely, it will be lacking Wi-Fi and Exchange support out of the box. For seasoned SE fans this shouldn’t pose much of a roadblock but less experienced users looking to bring the handset back to its fully functional state have some debranding research to do. Hit the jump for more shots of the phone and retail packaging.

Sony’s Ericsson’s day in the sun continues with the announcement of the AT&T-bound W518a. Slim and sleek, this clamshell Walkman phone packs as much music-centric functionality as it can into a tight little package. Highlights include “Shake Control” technology that allows users to shuffle, skip and control volume by shaking the handset, and “Gesture Control”, which lets users ignore incoming calls or snooze alarms by waving a hand over the camera lens. Pretty sweet. Beyond that, the W518a touts a host of social networking features — just like every other handset in the world these days — and of course the beloved Walkman music player. Pricing is set at a very reasonable $49.99 after rebates on a 2-year contract and like the C905a, this little guy will hit store shelves this Sunday, July 19th, Hit the jump for more angles.

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Well boys and girls, call this one confirmed. We scooped it last week and now Sony Ericsson has made AT&T’s C905a official. July 19th is indeed the date you can get your mitts on the 8.1 megapixel beast and as far as pricing goes, you’re looking at 179.99 after rebate on a 2-year contract. A quick recap of the spec highlights:

• 8.1 megapixel camera with a xenon flash, auto-focus and video capture
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band HSDPA
• On-device image editing
• Scratch-resistant mineral glass display
• GPS
• FM Radio
• Bluetooth
• Memory Stick Micro (M2) support up to 16GB

Ok photogs, stop drooling on your keyboards. It’s definitely no “Rachael” but its also a hell of a lot more exciting than the W205/W205a SE (re)announced this morning. Anyone planning to check this puppy out this Sunday? Hit the jump for more shots.

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If you had always been itching for some of that Sony Ericsson Walkman goodness but were hoping for something wrapped in a slightly more attainable package, this is your bag. Sony Ericsson has just announced the W205 and W205a Walkman phones, a pair Sony Ericsson promises to be the most affordable handsets to ever grace its Walkman line. Highlights:

• Enjoy your music with the high quality Walkman experience
• FM radio – catch up with the latest news and views
• TrackID – name that tune at a press of a button
• 1.3 megapixel camera – take great shots and share the fun instantly
• Video recording – capture your favorite moments on film
• Bluetooth™ – share your favorite songs, pictures and video clips, or connect to a wireless headset
• Multiple phonebook – keep your contacts in order and share your mobile phone with your family
• Memory Stick Micro (M2) support up to 2GB

While the press release throws the word “affordable” around willy nilly, no pricing information has been provided at this point. There’s also no word on exactly when the W205 or W205a will be released — SE says they’re both expected to launch within three months — though we do notice that USA is missing from the W205a’s local availability list despite the presence of GSM 850/1900. This either means a carrier deal is still in the works or SE is skipping the US — and we doubt many BGR readers will miss it. Besides, we’ve already seen plenty of new tween phones this week. Hit the jump for two more shots.

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We just got a heads up from one of our AT&T ninjas and it appears as if an AT&T-branded version of Sony Ericsson’s C905 could be hitting AT&T just a few weeks from now. This, if we’re not mistaken, would be AT&T’s first 8 megapixel cameraphone trailing behind T-Mobile. While the photo we have received shows the front-facing video camera intact, we have our doubts whether that will make it on the final shipping AT&T version. The actual release we’re told is July 19th but you guys know by now that could be as solid as gelatin. Specs look to be unchanged from the standard SE version and here’s a loose recap:

• 8 megapixel auto focus camera with Xenon flash, 30fps QVGA video recording
• 240×320 resolution LCD
• GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA
• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi b,g
• AGPS

All in all a pretty solid camera-first-phone, but that price whatever it ends up being will obviously be the real determining factor.

Heads up SE fans! A tipster just dropped us a lead on some new shots (and a video) of the mouth watering Sony Ericsson Rachael and the plant watering Sony Ericsson Kiki — which means were dropping them on you. We last heard about these two handsets late last week and since then we have to be honest… The Rachael has been on our minds non stop. Android, Snapdragon, 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and 3D graphics capabilities? Yeah we need it. As for the Kiki, mmm, it’s unique. Hit the jump for the new renderings along with a video supposedly depicting SE’s own UI sitting atop the Android-powered Rachael. We’re not going to lie — it’s pretty sexy.

Thanks, Funky!

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