There are a few phone companies that unfortunately only put a few phones out a year, and Sony Ericsson was previously one of them. At least in the US, anyhow. Now Sony has taken full control of the Ericsson brand, that isn’t necessarily likely to change, but Sony did reveal at CES two new handsets, the Xperia S and Xperia Ion. Both are very similar in specs, but the S is the bigger (or rather, slimmer) model to look at.

A 1.5GHz dual core CPU powers both phones, along with 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 720p display utilizing Sony’s “Bravia Engine”. They also have not one, but two f/2.2 lenses (front and back), which isn’t the fastest in the industry but on par with the best that you can get on high-end smartphones today. The rear shooter is a 12.1MP beast, and on the Xperia S it’ll be the first 12.1MP camera available on a smartphone, the highest resolution available (at least until the HTC Titan II releases very shortly after).

What makes the Xperia S interesting is the design. It’s a 4.3″ display with, from what I’ve seen in my brief hands-on, a stunning display, but more importantly a very sleek, chic design. It’s almost like a mix between the iPhone 4, the Nokia Lumia 900, and the more rounded Samsung Galaxy S II phones, but not quite like any of them at the same time. The touch-sensitive buttons are clearly highlighted by a thin layer of clear, light-shaded plastic. It looks very, very slick. Just look at the image above.

The only difference between the S and Ion is that the Ion is exclusive to AT&T and will release in June, while the S is not exclusive to any company (nor does it have any contracts planned, though it will be a GSM only phone), and will release in March or early April. The screen size is also slightly different; the Ion is 4.5″, while the S is 4.3″, so the S can stand for smaller.

Or perhaps sadly. Like, sadly, both phones will release with Android 2.3.7 installed, and will “eventually” be upgraded to Android 4.0. I spoke with several Sony representatives about the devices, and there are two intrinsically important differentiators about both devices, both of which have to do with the camera. In typical Sony fashion, of course.

The first is how fast the cameras shoot. Shot-to-shot timing is 0.9 seconds. That means you can take a shot, press to take another, and in less than a second the phone will take another picture. In phone photography, that’s the fastest on any phone. What I don’t know, and am looking into, is whether or not bumping up to Android 4.0 will actually speed that up (because Android 4.0 seriously speeds up the camera on the software side). The second is going from standby to shooting, which is an incredible 1.5 seconds. It may not sound important, but as we all know, when there’s something to take a picture of, the moment is now. There’s no time to wait and fiddle about. With these new Xperias, hold down the shutter release and 1.5 seconds later it’ll take the shot. No other phone in the world offers anything quite like that. Some, like WP7 phones, can activate to the camera, but they’ll need to be pressed again to actually take the shot. So it’s very impressive.

Xperia models (excluding the Xperia Play) have in the past been very solid devices, so I’m looking forward to both, though specifically the Xperia S. Both will also be Playstation Certified, so the Play won’t be the only phone capable of playing PS1 games.

News on the Sony Ericsson Smart Watch (which will probably just be the Sony SmartWatch) has been released.  The Android-based watch keeps you discreetly updated on your social life, while also keeping your hands free. Everything is based on your wrist, as the watch allows you to catch up on emails, texts, tweets and more. It has the capability to store up to 255 widgets, most of which will interact with your Android 2.1+ Sony smartphone (they’ve listed the Xperia arc S and Experia S as two compatible phones) via Bluetooth.

Featuring a scratch and splash-proof multi-touch display, users can easily customize their SmartWatch with any 20mm wristband or even use it as a clip. It has an ultra-sleek, ultra-slim and ultra-responsive touch display where you simply tap, swipe or press to access your favorite apps from the Android Market. Price is said to be $149, but no launch date has been revealed yet.

With Google’s announcement of Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), users are now chomping at the bit to update to the latest OS. And while Google did say that that most if not all phones with Gingerbread would see an upgrade to Android 4.0, it’s not a given. So, here is our concise “How-To” on getting you a scoop of Ice Cream.

1. Have the right phone

The rule of thumb here is that the newer your phone, the more likely you’ll get it – and you should definitely be running vs. 2.3 (Gingerbread). Here is the list of phones that should, however, be upgraded: HTC Amaze 4G, HTC Droid Incredible (maybe), HTC Droid Incredible 2, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Shift 4G, HTC G2, HTC Inspire 4G (maybe), HTC Sensation 4G, HTC ThunderBolt, LG G2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Atrix 2, Motorola Droid 3, Motorola Droid Bionic, Motorola Droid RAZR, Motorola Droid X2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus (out of the box), Samsung Galaxy S II – (Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch), Samsung Infuse 4G, Samsung Nexus S (Nexus S 4G), and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

Now, of course, this largely depends no your air carrier and if your phone has an overlay like Motoblur or TouchWiz. Usually, this causes delays in rolling out these updates and as such, it could be later than sooner that your phone gets upgraded. And if your phone isn’t on the list because it’s too old, then it becomes less likely you’ll get Ice Cream Sandwich if you haven’t been given Gingerbread yet. So now may be the time to look for a new phone if your contract is up.

2. Do nothing, be patient

But the good news is, that if your phone is on the list above, sooner or later you’ll get an over the air update to Android 4. That’s because Android phones have the benefit of having their updates done automatically. You wake up one morning and you find that your carrier stocked your phone’s freezer with Ice Cream Sandwich while you were sleeping. And that’s cool. All you will need to do it confirm the installation and let it go. Once installed, you can confirm by going to your phone’s device information screen to see that the latest version of Android is now on the phone.  BTW – it’s always a good idea to back up your phone first, just in case, and to plug in your phone via USB or AC adapter during the upgrade.  The last thing anyone wants is for their update to go bad because the phone battery died.

3. Do it the hard way

If you’re impatient and want to know if your phone’s update is available, you can manually check for Android updates. Do this by pressing the “Home” key, then the “Menu” button and go to the “Settings” option. In settings, you’ll see the option “About phone” near the bottom. From there, select“System updates” and your phone will look for any new Android updates to download and install. To streamline this process, download the app ANYCUT and you can create a shortcut on your main screen which will do all that with a quick tap.  Another way to find out when updates are available is to follow your handset manufacturer and wireless carrier on Twitter.  They will usually announce dates so you can be on the lookout.

4. Getting to the root of the matter

Finally, if your phone is too old, or your carrier doesn’t think you should get Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, or if you’re just too impatient to get it, you can always “root” your phone and download a custom ROM of Android 4 once it becomes available. Rooting means you get administrator access to your phone and can customize it’s functions. There is a very active community of Android fans who are constantly working on versions of Android – called ROMS – which make a new version or Android available to phones that don’t get them, or that streamline the OS – taking out overlays like Motoblur or TouchWiz. A good place to learn more are the XDA Developer Forums. There you can get custom ROMs, Boot Managers, and there’s a very helpful community who are happy to answer any questions and help you troubleshoot should a root and rom go dreadfully wrong.

Today, Sony Ericsson unveiled the “Live with Walkman,” their last Android smartphone.  If your experiencing a sense of Deja Vu don’t be surprised, because the handset resembles every other Sony Ericsson phone to hit the market in the last few years.  But even though it looks like a bit of a dinosaur on the outside, they’ve managed to upgrade the internals to today’s tech.

The 3.2-inch 480×320 touchscreen device will ship with Android 2.3 and runs on top of a 1Ghz processor.  The front of the device is outfitted with a low rez camera for video chatting, while the rear has a 5 megapixel sensor that can capture 720p video.  Sony has included their Sony’s xLOUD tech, which is said to enhance the audio output, but color us skeptical as to its actual effectiveness.  A media discovery app is designed to help you find tunes on your own and with the help of your Facebook friends – like we haven’t heard that pitch before.  It also works with Sony’s unlimited streaming service Qriocity, and a dedicated button called the ‘Infinite button’ hooks up the deets on your favorite artists including music videos, lyrics and more.

Other specs include a 115g weight, 8x digital zoom, auto focus, face detection, photo flash, geo tagging, image stabilizer, 3.5mm headphone jack, aGPS, Bluetooth, microUSB port, WiFi, 320mb built-in memory (expandable to 32GB via microSD card slot) and a 14 hour talk time.

The Sony Ericsson “Live with Walkman” – this might be the worst product name ever – will launch Q4 in select markets; which in our opinion is just another way of saying “not here in the USA.”  It will be available in black or white.

Press release below

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman delivers unique social music experience for smartphones

22 August 2011

Smartphone with Walkman™ on the latest Android platform (Gingerbread 2.3)
Unique Facebook™ integration enables instant music and media sharing
Content services from Sony provide access to the latest music and video titles
22 August 2011, London, UK – Sony Ericsson today announced Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman™, an Android smartphone that delivers a unique social music experience. A dedicated Walkman™ hardware button provides instant access to the music player and consumers can also like, share and discover content through a deep Facebook™ integration. The infinite button lets the consumer explore even more and the *Qriocity service from Sony provides music and video content for the consumer to enjoy.

With attractive curved design, a glossy finish and a mineral glass display, the phone has a 3.2” screen and a powerful 1Ghz processor. A front facing camera is enabled for Skype video calling, while a 5MP AF camera can capture 720p HD video recording. *Sony’s xLOUD™ enhances audio output, while the latest Android platform for smartphones (Gingerbread 2.3) provides access to over 250,000 applications on the Android Market™.

Nikolaus Scheurer, Head of Product Marketing, Sony Ericsson said: “Consumers want smartphones to deliver a rich and social entertainment experience. Rather than a one dimensional music experience, they want instant and seamless access to new content, combined with the ability to share and connect with their friends. The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman™ provides exactly this, in a powerful package with great style.”

A perfect combination of social networking and music entertainment:

Deep Facebook™ integration: Allows users to instantly access Facebook through the most used areas of the phone such as the picture gallery, music player, phonebook and calendar.
Media Discovery Application: A dynamic application placing the world of music and videos at consumer’s fingertips including Facebook™ recommendations from their friends.
Infinite button: Tapping it within the media player enables consumers to have instant access to new content about their favourite artist, such as music videos, artist information and lyrics search.
Qriocity music and video content services from Sony: Consumers can access millions of songs from all major labels and watch thousands of movies from all major studios. Only Sony Ericsson Android smartphones provide consumers with unique access to the entertainment services from *Sony.
*Sony’s xLOUD™ technology: Enhances audio output of the inbuilt speakers at high levels.
TrackID™: Identifies the music track you are listening to within the FM radio and music player. The track can then instantly be shared or downloaded.
Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman™ will be available globally in selected markets from Q4 2011.
For full details all products news, please visit the press room and the product blog:

http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/corporate/press/pressreleases/latestnews

http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products/

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman™ at a glance.
*Please note that all services mentioned may not be available in every market.

Wirefly has a preorder discount available on this Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY for Verizon Wireless w/ $25 Android Market Card for only $149.99 + Free Shipping = $149.99!

If you’re looking for the ultimate gaming experience from a smartphone then definitely check out the Xperia Play! The Play is the first ever Smartphone which is certified by PlayStation and it definitely shows with Slide-Out gaming controls and powerful array of components which include a 4.0-Inch display, Accelerated 2D+3D graphical capabilities and 1Ghz Snapdragon II Processor. It’s also powered by the brand new Android 2.3 Honeycomb system, utilizes the 3G network and supports wireless-N WiFi networking as well as Bluetooth connectivity to other devices. For a limited time you can also get $25 of free credit for the Android Market!

Probably fair to say that Sony Ericsson has a few paces behind other smartphone manufacturers when it comes to producing Android handsets.  But their latest handsets, the Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro, might just help the company make up some significant ground.

The Xperia Mini is touted as the the world’s smallest Android smartphone with HD video recording, and to be clear that means 720p.  Cool, but probably not the best or only reason to buy the handset.  It sports a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 3-inch 320×480 touchscreen, Bluetooth, aGPS, WiFi, 5-megapixel camera and a slight spin on the Android 2.3 platform.    The Mini Pro stands apart from its smaller brother by including a slide out QWERTY keyboard, but includes the same aforementioned specs.  Both include a 2GB microSD card slot and 1200mAh battery, though the Mini Pro somehow achieves an hour longer talk time over a GSM/GPRS connection.

Sony Ericsson is looking to fires these into the market Q3 of this year, just in time for the holidays.

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Call us a theory conspiracists, but it looks like Sony Ericsson is trying to bank off the yet to be produced White iPhone that has garned an endless array of hype.  And we say rightfully so since Apple shouldn’t be the only one to enjoy the fruits of their, well, not labor.

Exclusive to O2, Sony Ericsson will launch an all white Xperia Play.  Specs will of course remain the same.

• 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7 backed by a built-in Andreno 205 GP
• Up to 32GB of storage with a microSD
• Android 2.3
• 175G
• 119 x 62 x 16 mm

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Licensing the Android platform was single handledly the best thing Sony Ericsson could have done for their mobile phone business.  The Xperia Arc might be the next best.

As alluded to it’s an Android phone.  That screen, it measures 4.2-inches, is multitouch and boasts a resolution of 854×480 pixels.  The body of the Arc measures 8.7mm at its slimmest point.  Storage comes by way of a microSD card slot and under the hood is a 1Ghz processor.  In terms of optics there is an 8.1 megapixel sensor that can capture HD video (HDMI output for TVs) and has a f/2.4 for low light situations.  

The Arc will ship with Android 2.3 sometime in late Q1 or early Q2 of this year in most markets.

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We thought 12 megapixels for a camera phone was bananas, but apparently the monkeys at Sony Ericsson disagree.  (We hope you got the monkey/bananas reference).

Soon Japanese carrier KDDI will offer a 16 megapixel shooter inside SE’s latest S006 smartphone.  Under the hood is a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, an Sony Ericsson OS, WiFi, FM tuner, GPS, Bluetooth and a 3.3-inch (probably touchscren) display.

Akihabara News says the camera phone maxes out at 12,800 ISO, which doesn’t sound quite right, but don’t shoot the messenger.

If book readers have gone physical and tablets have become a product of their own, why not the ubiquitous widget? Sony Ericsson saw it coming and decided to be at the forefront with Sony Live View, which is a wireless, multimedia enabled black square with a 128 x 128 pixel OLED screen, two buttons and 4 way touch sensor navigation.

That about describes it physically, but its given uses are limitless, as it is like a physical programmable desktop widget for your Android phone. It’s meant to sit on your wrist or some other easily accessible place and keep you in touch with selected parts of the information stream coming into your phone.

The given uses that are demonstrated by Ericsson are notification of Facebook status updates, messages, RSS feeds and other common instances. Where this widget shines is in the possibilities of pairing it up with the growing sea of Android apps, some of which might evolve once the possibilities of physical widgets open up.

LiveView will be stold as a stand alone device and it will appear once Sony Ericsson’s X10 products receive their update to Android 2.2.

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Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X10 Mini Pro is now officially available.  Where we don’t know, but some where in Europe.  They say it’s the world’s smallest Android handset with a full QWERTY keyboard.  Other features include a 240×320 touchscreen, microSD card slot, 3G connectivity and Android 2.1.

Hit the video after the ‘leap’ for a quick product run down.

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What’s this, not a smartphone?  You bet your left butt cheek it’s not.  The Sony Ericsson Cedar is an almost dumbphone, but has an aesthetic, and price tag, that will appeal to a wide audience.  It’s available in two colors (Black/Silver and Black/Red), and uses recycled plastics, a lower power charger, e-manual, waterborne paint and compact packaging; all part of SE’s GreenHeart initiative.

Feature wise were looking at a 2.2-inch screen, Bluetooth, FM radio, 3.5mm headphone jack, media player, 2 megapixel camera, Facebook/Twitter/etc access, 3G connectivity, a Web browser and up to 420 hours of standby time.

Price and launch? We don’t know, but we’re hearing it’s affordable.

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Today, Sony Ericsson introduced the XPERIA X8.  They’re billing it as “the best from Xperia X10 and the mini products” with a price tag under 200 Euros.  They’re mum on a release date, but expect it to arrive with Android 2.1 installed or Android 1.6 with an upgrade a few weeks later.  Features include a HVGA touchscreen, microSD card slot, 3.2 megapixel camera, media player, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, aGPS, WiFi, FM radio and more.

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Fancy yourself a Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro?  Good news, because they’ve begun to ship the handset worldwide, though they didn’t get specific about locales.  Specs wise it supports up to a 32GB SDHC card, has a 5.1 megapixel camera, 3G connectivity (different connectivity options per country), a 3.2-inch 640×360 touchscreen, Symbian OS, slide out QWERTY keyboard, FM radio, aGPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, DLNA certified, WiFi and HD movie mode.

There’s no mention of a price, but it will come in black or white.

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Yesterday, Sony Ericsson officially announced the Aspen (only if it had ‘extreme’ in the name – great movie).  The Aspen marks the latest phone to be part of the GreenHeart portfolio.  It’s one of the first to run Windows Mobile 6.5.3 and sports a 2.4-inch (240×320) touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard.  Other features include a 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD card slot (4GB included), Bluetooth with A2Dp, FM radio with RDS, 3.5mm headphone jack, aGPS, WiFi, 10 hour talk time and will be available in iconic black or white silver.  Expect the Aspen to arrive Q2 of this year.

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Amazon has the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 Unlocked Phone for $399.99 + free shipping = $399.99 shipped! That’s an unlocked phone folks, which means no carrier contract.  It has a 3G connectivity, 3.2mp camera, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, microSD card slot and a 20 day standby time.

Note: you might have to look under more buying choices to get this deal

We’re still waiting for word to drop on an actual launch day, but until then we’ll take some pleasure in knowing that Sony Ericsson’s first Android phone, the Xperia X10, will launch sometime in February of next year.

In case you forgot this phone has an 8 megapixel camera, a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1GB of built-in storage, 4 inch touchscreen, WiFi, GPS. 3.5mm headphone jack and more.

If you’re interested, there is some sample video after the ‘leap’ that was shot with the X10.

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