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Showing posts with label Sony Ericsson Xperia arc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sony Ericsson Xperia arc. Show all posts
Sony Ericsson France will be giving away a limited edition Xperia arc
S, inspired by renowned designed Karim Rashid. The model is identical
to the Xperia arc S in all ways apart from the black and white patterned
back cover design. It is not the first time Karim Rashid has dabbled in
tech design, Asus launched a limited edition Karim Rashid netbooka couple of years back.
You will not find this handset in the shops though. Sony Ericsson
France will be giving a number of these limited edition handsets away in
a Facebook Christmas competition running from 19 to 23 December 2011.
For those in France, keep an eye on their Facebook page for details.
With its 2011 Xperia lineup, Sony Ericsson is looking to retain its position as one of the major players in the Android ecosystem. While last year’s (depending on your locale) Xperia X8 and X10 sold well, they were criticized by some for shipping with an outdated version of Android, as well as a variety of software issues.
The Xperia Arc is Sony Ericsson’s new flagship phone, representing the manufacturer’s next step in its quest for Android dominance. It’s a faster, sleeker, lighter device that’s running the latest version of Android out of the box (well, give or take a minor point release). And some interesting multimedia inclusions from Sony give it strong entertainment credentials.
But has Sony Ericsson done enough to compete with recent offerings from the likes of Samsung and HTC? Read on to find out, as we take a closer look at the Xperia Arc.
Hardware
The Xperia Arc is a pretty striking little device. Its front is dominated by a large 4.2-inch screen, beneath which sit three narrow physical buttons for back, home and menu. The chassis itself is mostly black plastic, which makes it a shiny, eye-catching phone, albeit one that’s prone to picking up smudges and fingerprints. It feels a little plasticy in the hand, although the fact that it’s constructed mostly of plastic means that it’s extremely light, weighing in at just 116 grams (4.09 oz). It’s also one of the thinnest smartphones available, which is accentuated by its stylized, curved back panel.
So when you’re using the Arc, you’ll often forget you’re carrying a 4.2-inch smartphone. There’s not the sense of lugging around an enormous slab of technology that you sometimes get with thicker, heavier devices like the HTC Desire HD.
The Arc’s display is an 854x480 Super LCD panel that’s fitted with Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine. If you’ve owned a Sony TV, you’ll know about the big-screen equivalent of this technology -- it’s designed to help out with tasks like contrast enhancement, image sharpening and noise reduction in videos. This isn’t something that’s apparent all the time, and even when it is noticeable, the Bravia Engine’s effects are quite subtle.
This makes it a little difficult to demonstrate. Hopefully, though, you'll be able to make out the differences in contrast and clarity in the test image above, which shows the same streaming video running on the Arc and the Desire HD. In person, side-by-side with another device, the difference is far more striking.
The Arc has a variety of small, fairly low-profile buttons positioned around its chassis. The first thing you’ll notice if you’ve used a few different Android phones is the lack of a dedicated “search” button, something the Arc has in common with its predecessor, the X10. Personally, I found this wasn’t a huge problem, though I’m aware it’ll probably be a deal-breaker for some. Yes, it is something that’ll bug you from time to time, but in my experience, not quite as often as you’d expect. Other niggles included the size of the Arc’s power button, which can be difficult to consistently find and press down on your first try.
We welcome the inclusion of a physical camera button on the Arc, though, since the 8-megapixel camera is a major selling point. And it’s also nice to see that the camera lens doesn’t protrude at all from the back of the device, as it does on many other phones.
The Arc’s notification light is located on its right side, next to the micro-USB port, and many users will be happy to hear that it’s set up to blink when notifications are pending, even if it’s plugged in and charging. This is possible on many devices if you’re willing to root, but it’s nice to see it offered right out of the box on the Xperia Arc.
On the top of the phone lies its microHDMI port, which is protected by a plastic cover. Sony Ericsson has provided a HDMI cable in the box, allowing you to connect the phone to your HDTV. Like many of the Arc’s multimedia features, we found that this just worked with the minimum of hassle. Once the phone is hooked up to a TV, it locks apps in landscape mode, and mirrors everything that appears on its screen, at 720p resolution.
Inside the Xperia Arc you’ll find a 1GHz second-generation Snapdragon CPU and 512MB of RAM -- nothing mind-blowing, but certainly fast enough. However, the fact that the dual-core Samsung Galaxy S II is now matching the Arc’s £400 price point may force Sony to reconsider the its pricing in the future. Further into 2011, this amount of money is going to look increasingly steep for a single-core phone with 512MB of RAM, regardless of features.
You’re limited to 512MB of internal storage too, which is a little disappointing, and our only major beef with the Arc’s hardware. Many similarly specced phones are shipping with 1GB or more of internal flash memory, so the Arc looks a little anaemic by comparison. However, a generous 380MB is set aside for apps, and there’s always the option to transfer larger stuff to the SD card if storage space becomes an issue.
Software
The Xperia Arc ships with Android 2.3.2 -- not quite the latest version of Android, but still Gingerbread. Sony Ericsson has promised timely OS updates for its 2011 Xperia phones, so we can expect a boost to version 2.3.4 and beyond in the future.
Running on top of Android is Sony Ericsson’s custom UI, which is looking a lot faster and more streamlined since we last saw it on the X10. In particular, the phone’s launcher is completely lag-free, even with its five homescreens packed full of widgets. And when it comes to widgets, you’ll have the usual Android stuff to choose from, alongside some custom widgets from Sony Ericsson. These include TimeScape for viewing text messages, missed calls and social network updates, a scrolling 3D gallery widget, and various on/off controls for things like Wifi and cellular data.
On the whole, the look and feel of the UI matches the aesthetics of the Arc’s physical design. Most of it is either black or “midnight” blue, and there are some nice smooth transition animations present throughout the software.
Many of the Arc’s apps are simply stock Android offerings, re-skinned to match the rest of the UI. The browser, calendar, clock and messaging app aren’t all that different from stock, aside from a few visual changes. This isn’t a bad thing though, as these stock apps offer great functionality to begin with. The X10’s MediaScape app has thankfully been culled, replaced with the standard Android gallery app, and a slightly-tweaked Music app from Sony Ericsson.
Even the Arc’s on-screen keyboard is pretty similar to the stock Gingerbread keyboard, although the keys are slightly larger, and the option to hold down on the top row of keys to type numbers is no longer present.
It’s not all reskinned stock Android, though. There are some bundled Sony Ericsson apps which add new functionality, and one of these is the DLNA-powered Media Server app, which, like the Arc’s HDMI connectivity, “just works.” Turn the Media Server on, give your DLNA-supporting TV, console or PC permission to stream from it and you’re good to go. Any photos, videos or music that the device can play natively will stream without a hitch.
Similarly, Sony has included its PlayNow store on the Arc, introducing an alternative to the Android Market for app and game downloads, while allowing music downloads directly to the device. Purchases made through PlayNow use carrier billing, meaning they’ll appear on your next phone bill, so you don’t need to bust out the credit card to make purchases when you’re out and about.
You’ll also find OfficeSuite and TrackID on the Arc, providing document viewing and music lookup functionality. This isn’t anything out of the ordinary -- most Android smartphones include similar apps as standard. Nevertheless, we found that both programs worked well.
Sony Ericsson has taken a bit of a departure from the Android norm with the way media syncing and USB connections work on the Xperia Arc. Like other SE handsets, the Arc uses the Sony Ericsson PC Companion software, and while this isn’t required, it does offer users an nonthreatening, friendly way to sync contacts, transfer media from the phone, and apply firmware updates. The companion software is also installed directly from a special partition on the phone’s flash storage, so there’s no need to fumble around with optical media.
Another useful feature added by Sony Ericsson is the option to connect the Arc as a USB portable media player, which allows photos, videos and music to be transferred to and from the phone while still using apps and other content stored on the SD card. This is a great ability, and something we hope other manufacturers will take note of.
Finally, we had no issues using the actual phone functionality offered by the Arc. The native messaging and dialer apps are very similar to stock, as we mentioned, and call quality was consistently clear thanks to the noise-cancelling microphone on the back of the device.
Hackability
Sony Ericsson is courting the Android developer community by allowing SIM-free Xperia Arcs not purchased through a carrier to have their bootloaders unlocked. If you’re technically-minded, the process is relatively straightforward, and certainly simpler than channeling whatever black magic might eventually be involved in cracking the bootloader of a SIM-locked Arc. So if you’re interesting in fooling around with rooting or custom firmware, you should probably make sure you buy a SIM-free model that’s not locked to any particular network. With the ability to unlock the bootloader so easily, it’s likely that more and more custom ROMs for the Xperia Arc will start to appear in the months ahead, as additional stock becomes available and more units make their way out to consumers.
So, if you’re buying the Arc at retail, you can unlock it. If you get it from a network at a subsidized price, things are a little murkier. Still, Sony Ericsson deserves credit for allowing power users, who are prepared to pay the full retail price for an expensive piece of hardware, to be able to take full advantage of it and run whatever software they please. This is definitely something we want to see more of from manufacturers like HTC, which is actively locking down all its new hardware with signed bootloaders.
Battery Life
We found battery life on the Xperia Arc to be on par with other, similar devices, with normal usage patterns. That means you shouldn’t have any trouble getting a day’s use out of a single battery charge as long as you’re not doing anything too crazy.
As ever, some exceptions apply. As you might expect, the camera can be a major battery sink. The only time the Arc’s battery life became a concern was after using it to take over 100 8-megapixel photos and around 45 minutes of HD video at the recent HTC Roadshow. Even then, the device soldiered on at 35-40% charge until the end of the day.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Xperia Arc handles screen brightness a little differently to other Android phones. Instead of choosing between automatic brightness and a single pre-set brightness level, the brightness slider is used to set a “base” level, which the phone then adjusts based on ambient light levels. Basically, there’s no option for automatic brightness because it’s enabled at all times. We found this was a great way to have the screen slightly brighter than normal indoors, while still allowing it to crank all the way up to full brightness outside.
Camera
The Xperia Arc boasts one of the best cameras on any smartphone. Both still shots and video recordings look great, and the camera app offers features of use to newbies and more experienced users alike. Image stabilization is a particularly welcome addition, eliminating that shaky-cam effect from videos recorded on the phone, and also helping to prevent wasted, blurred still shots.
The Arc takes stills at up to 8 megapixels in 4:3 orientation, or 6 megapixels in 16:9 orientation. It’ll record video at up to 720p too, and at that resolution you’ll get a flawless 30 frames per second, even in low light thanks to Sony’s Exmor R camera technology. As we mentioned, there's a dedicated physical camera button on the side of the phone. There’s also the option to take pictures by tapping the screen, though this can be turned off to prevent accidental snapping.
After playing around with the Arc’s camera, we were confident enough in its abilities that we used it to capture all of our photo and video content at the HTC Roadshow. We also took a selection of test shots and videos, which you can find below.
Wrapping things up ...
With the Xperia Arc, Sony Ericsson has itself a strong contender, and a phone that we’d have no trouble recommending to anyone in the market for a mid-to-high-end Android device. It combines a great physical design with a sleek software experience, good entertainment features and one of the best smartphone cameras available. And it’s open to developers, so it’s likely to have a long life ahead of it, even without Sony Ericsson’s promised OS updates.
App storage space is a little on the small side, but a reasonably-sized SD card should alleviate any storage issues -- our review unit shipped with an 8GB card.
The biggest barrier to buying an Xperia Arc is probably the price, which remains around £400 SIM-free in the UK, and €500 in the eurozone. With dual-core devices launching at or around this price point, we’re hoping Sony Ericsson will adjust the Arc’s price in the future in order to tempt consumers away from the dual-core competition.
In terms of the actual product, though, Sony Ericsson has done an excellent job with the Xperia Arc. The hardware and software are both spot-on, even if the price is a little steep for our liking. Regardless, this is a device that’s definitely worth your consideration.
Sony Ericsson has created a dilemma for many people in the upcoming launches of the Xperia arc and Xperia Neo. Judging by our recent poll, 70 percent of you are looking forward to the Xperia arc versus only 11 percent wanting the Xperia Neo (the balance was split between the Xperia Play and Xperia Pro). However, having gone hands-on with both phones recently, we are beginning to think that many people will be swayed by the Neo once they can see it in the flesh.
Yes, the Xperia Neo is chunkier than the arc, but the anodised metallic look combined with the extra weight gives it a more premium feel. Plus, it also comes with a crucial extra – a front-facing camera. This omission from the Xperia arc even left some of the Sony Ericsson reps we spoke to slightly bemused.
Combine this with the fact that the Xperia Neo is cheaper than the Xperia arc, yet offers most of the arc’s headline features (1GHz processor, 8.1MP Exmor R camera, HDMI and Bravia Engine) then it seems that the Neo could be a potential best-seller for Sony Ericsson. On the flip side, there is no denying that the Xperia arc is a more beautiful phone. The general trend towards larger displays, also means many people will naturally gravitate to the arc.
So which handset should you choose? There is no doubt in our mind that the Xperia Neo offers the better value for money. You get most of the same features plus the bonus of the front-facing camera (for those that need it). However, comparing the two side-by-side, there is no denying that the arc is more desirable. Whether this and an extra 0.5-inch in display real estate warrants the extra money will come down to your disposable budget.
Similarities
1GHz Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset
8.1MP Exmor 'R' Mobile CMOS Sensor
Reality Bravia Engine display
HDMI support
HD Video Recording (720p)
Xperia arc advantages
Larger 4.2-inch screen (Xperia neo has a 3.7-inch screen)
TechRadar recently updated its list of the “20 best mobile phones in the world today”, a list that has been dominated by the HTC Desire since it launched. However, the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc has gone straight to the number one position in its latest roundup.
TechRadar said it earned its place through “sheer quality” and that the handset shouldn’t be overshadowed by dual-core phones whose power wouldn’t be exploited right now. It also praised the Xperia arc for its “stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance”. The only other Sony Ericsson representation in the list was the X10 mini and X10 mini pro, which came in at 15th place.
1. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
When we talk about a Phoenix Phone, it will forever be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. A company that was making phones like the Xperia X10 on outdated software just a year ago has brought out one of the world's thinnest and most attractive handsets that sits atop our 20 best list.
And it's earned it place on our list through sheer quality - the things we're impressed with on the Xperia Arc are almost too many to list. From the beautiful Reality Display with Bravia Engine to the powerful-yet-simple 8.1MP camera with Exmor technology, this is one of the phones that people actually want to hold and play with when you show it off.
The new Sony Ericsson overlay has cool features like an 'exploded widgets' view, and the integration of YouTube searching for videos of songs currently playing is super cool too.
OK, it's not dual-core powered, but until we start seeing some applications that really start to challenge these smartphones, we're happy to recommend a phone that is slick under the finger, slim in the pocket, satisfying in the hand and kinder than many on the wallet to boot.
Quick verdict
The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all.
As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc's minor flaws thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display.
Having seen some of the different colours available for the Sony Ericsson Xperia acr, we were feeling a bit envious that they weren’t seen on the Xperia arc. Black and white should be standard colours and whilst the Midnight Blue arc is close enough to black, there’s no white alternative. Luckily it looks like Sony Ericsson may have a white Xperia arc round the corner. The images below were snapped by an insider who says it is an original white Xperia arc rather than just a change in casing. This looks like it would be a nice addition to the Xperia arc family, especially for those who treasured their white X10’s.
See where your friends are - and share your own location with them.
Synchronisation via Sony Ericsson Sync
Synchronise your phone contacts, calendar, tasks, bookmarks and notes* via the Sony Ericsson website. Sony Ericsson Sync is based on SyncML. * Synchronisation items may differ depending on the device.
Synchronisation via Facebook™
Match your Facebook™ friends with your phone contacts.
Synchronisation via Google Sync
Use your Google account to synchronise the contacts in your phone.
Synchronisation - Exchange ActiveSync®
Stay seamlessly synchronised with your Microsoft® Exchange email server.
Micro USB support
Connect to your PC and other devices.
WiFi™
Utilise high-speed Internet at Wi-Fi™ hotspots at airports and other facilities.
USB support
PC to phone USB cable support
USB mass storage
Connect and move items between computer and phone.
TV out
Go for a bigger screen – connect the phone to a TV, projector or other device.
Modem
GSM internet dial-up support
HDMI support
Share pictures and videos on your TV using your TV remote control.
Bluetooth™ technology
Connect wirelessly to other Bluetooth™ devices.
aGPS
Use GPS-powered location-based services.
3.5 mm audio jack
Share your music via the extra jack. Use any headphones with a standard-sized 3.5 mm connector.
Animated wallpaper – moving background pictures. In standby, your display wallpaper has a pleasing graphic pattern with smooth movement and colour blending.
Touchscreen
Intuitive navigation – just touch the screen.
Reality display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine
Crystal-clear colours and crisp images.
Picture wallpaper
Background picture on-screen when the phone is in standby mode
Auto rotate
Switch from vertical to horizontal mode by rotating the phone. Whatever you're viewing will rotate to suit.
Xperia™ arc – Design and Home Screen
Monday, January 10th, 2011
As I said in the initial post I have been using the Xperia™ arc for a week or so now and just thought I would share some of my thoughts of the design in a video. I also included some of what the Home Screen look like with the changes we’ve done to the media interface etc.
I will post more videos with more details as we go along so feel free to request what you want to see more of in the comments section.
Please also remember that the software I have in my samples is still at a very early stage so there will be changes made before launch.
I will also take the opportunity to clear out some questions on Xperia™ arc from the comments section of the earlier post.
* The CPU and GPU specs are: MSM8255 at 1 GHz with Adreno 205.
* The music player does have an equalizer, my current software has 10 different genre based presets.
* It does not have a front facing camera.
* Mediascape is removed in its earlier form and has changed into a customizable widget based “media pane” (as shown briefly in the video)
* It’s too early to officially give detailed comments around specific later Android versions for Xperia™ arc during its lifecycle but the changes we have made to our way of working with Android puts us in a good position to make sure that Xperia™ arc will get later versions in a timely manner.
* I’ve seen articles around higher numbers than 2.3 being seen in the display of Xperia arc phones – As I have been informed that is due to a misconfiguration in some samples and nothing to get too excited about really, sorry.
* It does have two microphones which will be used for noise suppression during phone calls.
* The camera LED flash is possible to put in four different modes; Auto, Fill-flash, Red-eye Reduction & Off.
* It does have full multi touch support, I just tried a similar multi touch test app as I did in the video on the X10 and at least in that app it accepts 4 simultaneous touch points without any issues with X- and Y-axis or such things. I will try to get confirmation on final specs in regards to multi touch.
* It does support wi-fi up to the 802.11n mode.
Xperia™ arc – Camera Improvements
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
The new Xperia™ arc really is something when it comes to the imaging capabilities.
From a user interface perspective parts of the camera UI is new and brings new settings and even further refined ease-of-use.
It’s also already now a lot faster compared to our earlier products, especially when comparing the time needed in between shots when trying to shoot action scenes. We have set very aggressive targets for that time between shots and it will be optimized even further in the work ongoing up until launch.
The main addition compared to earlier models though are the improvements in light sensitivity in the sensor itself. The camera sensor is a new type of sensor from Sony called Exmor R™ for mobile which relies on back-illuminated sensor technology. What’s new is that the actual light sensors are moved to the front, in front of the “wiring” connecting the individual photo diodes together which makes it a lot more sensitive for light. More information can be found here.
Another thing when it comes to light sensitivity is that the lens of the Xperia™ arc has an aperture value of f/2.4. In short what this means is that the opening letting the light in is bigger than before which also makes more light hit the sensor.
These two things together makes the Xperia™ arc shoot pictures in low-light situations such as indoors or at night in a completely new way for a mobile phone. At least I who also use a lot of cameras have always been very aware of this limitation with mobile cameras where indoor pics often come out blurry due to subject or hand movement. With increased sensitivity in both the lens and the sensor the shutter time can be decreased and therefore minimize blur.
The main improvements in the reworked user interface are quicker access to lots of settings and also more control over e.g. the flash which is something I personally have been asking for in our products for a while. I recorded this short video to show the user interface a bit.
This video was also recorded with another Xperia™ arc to give you an idea of the result of its HD video recording capabilities.
Please remember also that this is pre-release software on prototype hardware so there will most likely be some minor changes made and performance will be further optimized before launch.
Sony Ericsson introduces Xperia™ arc - The Ultimate Smartphone with Super Slim Design and state-of-the-art Sony Technology.
Xperia™ arc combines stunning design with Sony technology on Android™ platform version 2.3
Newest addition to theXperia™ range delivers visual brilliance and the ultimate multimedia experience
Sony Ericssontoday unveils the newXperia™ arcsmartphone with cutting edgeSony technologyand an exceptional multimedia experience on the latest version of theAndroid™platform - 2.3.Xperia™arcis the first of a new generation ofXperia smartphones to be announced in 2011.
Bert Nordberg, President, Sony Ericsson said, “We’re starting strong in 2011 by introducing our most excitingXperia™product yet.Xperia™arccombines state-of-the-artSony technologywith breathtaking design to entertain and wow consumers. All on the latestAndroid™release.” Xperia™ arctakes the stunning design language thatSony Ericssonhas become known for to a new level.Super slimandlight,Xperia™ arcis just8.7mmat its thinnest part and has a extra wide4.2” multi-touch screen. Created from premium materials and with a stunning arc body, this smartphone issleek,strongand designed to fit perfectly in the user’s hand. The best of Sony technology is insideXperia™ arc. The Reality Display withMobile BRAVIA® Enginedelivers exceptional visual brilliance and a crystal clear image which enhances the overall entertainment experience. Furthermore,Sony’saward-winningExmor R™for mobile sensor with the f/2.4 lens enables the capture of high quality, bright pictures andHDvideos even in low light. All pictures and videos can be shared inHDon your living room TV via the built inHDMI-connector. Xperia™ arcwill launch on the latest version of theAndroid™platform providing access to Google Mobile Services and the myriad of applications available on theAndroid market. Xperia™smartphones add best in class entertainment on top of smartphone fundamentals such as apps, maps, email and fast Internet to create the most entertaining smartphone experience.
Most desirable Android phone of 2011 so far poll
Fancy the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc? Waiting for the PlayStation Phone? Or does the idea of the next Samsung Galaxy S set your heart a-flutter? Which Android phone of 2011 do you desire the most?
As the year’s early tech shows, including CES 2011 and Mobile World Congress 2011, kick off, we’re starting to discover what phones will get us opening our wallets this year. Most of the biggest mobile players have revealed their upcoming phone, at some extent at least, already.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc can claim to be the slimmest of the lot, but there’s a battle between the Motorola Atrix and LG Optimus 2X for the title of “most powerful” of the lot. Our rogue pick is the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone, also known as the Xperia Play. Does its gaming potential draw your attention, or is it set to become the biggest smartphone flop of 2011?
