If Google ever hopes to lead the mass exodus away from credit card transactions with Google Wallet, a lot more NFC-packing handsets will need to hit the market. Thus far Sony Ericsson hasn’t exactly led the near-field charge, aside Japan’s Xperia Acro, but it looks like that may soon change, thanks to a deal struck between the phone maker and semiconductor producer, NXP, which will bring the company’s PN65 to future Android-based Xperia models.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play didn’t had much games fitted for its handheld style controls during the launch, but there will be more optimized ones, soon. Headline acts include Minecraft (a port we’ve already seen in action) as well as Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard and Battlefield Bad Company 2, both of which have both been accruing headshots on iOS devices for a while now. Pricing and availability will be announced at E3 this week, when the Xperia Play will have to compete for attention against the Sony NGP (which we still don’t know when it’ll arrive).

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All these while, Xperia Play fans that wanted to play their ported PSP games on the Android ‘mobile console’ couldn’t have a white one to show off to their Apple-fan friends, but now they can. The white color Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has finally and officially landed on Europe after some hiccups. Of course, it’s still exclusive for O2 at the moment.

Earlier this month, the UK carrier had promised to deliver the Play in June due to some issues on Android compatibility, but evidently things have gone better than expected, as we now see “in stock” signage next to both the black and white models of Sony Ericsson’s gaming phone. Pricing is identical for both color variants, starting at “free” when attached to the rather pricey “£34 per month” two-year contracts and peaking at £430 ($702) on pre-pay deals. That shouldn’t be a problem if you’re earning pounds.

Well, probably to compensate the delay, O2 also throws in a matching multimedia dock plus three bonus games to sweeten the deal. Damn, how I wish there’s one over here.

SOURCE via O2 UK

Minecraft has been gaining momentum lately and becoming quite popular, but not as popular as the raging birdies which are available in almost any platform. But if you want to be the first among your peer to look cool and playing Minecraft, then you’ll have to get yourself a Sony Ericson Xperia Play.

The block-building game where cubed avatars hide from creepers and create virtual CPUs will land on the so-called PlayStation Phone before coming to other Android devices and iOS later this year.

The Play version will have customized controls that take advantage of the gamepad and button layout found on the Sony Ericsson handheld (too bad other Android phones, no point hacking), though when exactly it will launch or how much it will cost is still unknown.

There are very little details about Minecraft invading the mobile platform, but rest assure more information will be made known, as the developer Mojang will be holding an event at E3 to announce this.

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Looks like Sony Ericsson has kept to their promise. The just launched Xperia smartphones that are running Android 2.3 will be getting a brief update from the company, well according to Recombu at least.

It’s said that the Xperia Play and Xperia Arc will received an update to Android 2.3.4 next week. If this is true, then this makes the Xperia lineup the first non-Nexus to get such update. This update will also include the “Facebook inside Xperia” update, which is Sony Ericsson’s style of making Facebook integration.

Tis update promises to more deeply integrate your phone (including your calendar, contacts, and even music) with the social network. The company’s also confirmed that the Facebook integration will be included on all future Xperia phones, and it will be headed to all Xperia models released so far this year.

SOURCE via Recombu

Hate that Google has announced Gingerbread for months now, and you’re still stuck with Éclair? That’s the best part about Android smartphones, fragmentation at its best. There’s not much that Google could do about it, but they’re at least taking note of this issue and is stepping up the game to help out, as the developer of Android. Google has just announced at their Google I/O a coalition of manufacturers and carriers committed to making sure their Android devices receive the very latest updates. All four major US carriers (and Vodafone) as well as HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG and Motorola are on board, and all will guarantee you timely upgrades to the latest version of Android for eighteen months after release, provided the hardware’s capable. Hopefully this will speed up things, though I think 18 months is still quite ridiculous. Google should’ve pushed it into 12 months. Yiha!

SOURCE via Engadget

Sony Ericsson seemed to be in a roll. After launching a handful of Xperia smartphones, there’s one more that they have under their sleeves. This is a pair of new compact Xperia smartphones, but don’t be taken for granted just because they’re small. These are quite powerful smartphones nonetheless.

It’s the new Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro. The new Xperia Mini will run Android Gingerbread (2.3) on a 3-inch, multitouch, scratch-resistant display, which comes with Sony’s proprietary Bravia Engine with Reality Display. There’s a 1GHz processor inside, access to Android Market, and home screen customization with custom shortcuts available in the four corners of the screen. A 30 percent improvement in battery life is also touted, courtesy of a larger cell. SE is also pretty jolly about having the world’s smallest smartphone capable of recording video in 720p HD. You’ll have four colors to choose from when it launch in August.

The new Xperia Mini Pro features the same 1GHz processor, 3-inch display, and 1200mAh battery, but it also adds a front-facing camera and that sliding QWERTY keyboard that made the original X10 Mini Pro such a favourite. The new model is coming at some point in the third quarter of this year.

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Take the tiny little Xperia X8 with Éclair; add some new funky colors, the traditional Walkman logo that embraced a fleet of Sony Ericsson with music-focused features, and well you’re now looking at the very first Walkman phone running Android. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the W8. As expected, the W8 will have a low-end spec similar to the one that it wants to imitate. A 3-inch, 320 x 480 touchscreen, a 600MHz processor, 168MB of RAM and Android 2.1. It’s not listed in the US site, yet, but it’s already up in the Germany’s page.

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It seemed that most news from Japan these days are considered bad news, and here’s another one today. Sony Ericsson had their Xperia Android phones lineup for April launch, and though it’s already available in limited quantities, the Japanese company has pushed its Xperia Neo handset launch to at least July. The cause of this is non-other than supply shortage for parts due to the Japanese quake disaster. Additionally, the Xperia Arc and Play devices, two other members of the company’s new Android Gingerbread family, will be available in smaller volume than expected, at least for the near term. This should well explain why the Xperia Play failed to reach some UK carriers in time for its April 1st launch date.

As Sony Ericsson continues to assess the impact of the situation in Japan on its business, we have communicated to our operator customers and distributors that some volume of Xperia arc, Xperia PLAY and Xperia neo phones has been affected. Xperia neo has already been introduced to the marketplace in limited quantities. However, due to supply chain disruptions resulting from the situation in Japan, we have shifted the timing of Xperianeo’s broader launch and it is now planned for early Q3.

We will address this topic at the time of our Q1 financial results announcement call that is scheduled for April 19, 2011.

SOURCE via Sony Ericsson (Facebook)

Three months after it was announced at CES 2011, the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc has finally and officially landed in Malaysia courtesy of Maxis. Not very competitive with today’s smartphone market that’s conquered by dual-core phones, but it’s among the smartphones that’s coming with Gingerbread.

As we’ve known, this Gingerbread Android smartphone is equipped with the Mobile Bravia Engine hardware accelerator for its 4.2-inch multi-touch display, together with Exmor R sensor for its 8.1-megapixel camera that also boost excellent performance in low light conditions through its f/2.4 aperture lens. Internally, it comes with a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor that is paired with 512MB RAM and 320MB of internal storage space.

Maxis is pricing the Xperia Arc at RM 1,499 (USD 499) with a 24-month marriage, or RM 1,599 (USD 529) for an 18-month relationship, or RM1,749 (USD 577) for a 12-month contract, but for those who prefer those no-string-attached relationship, it’s yours for RM 2,099 (USD 695). The device also comes standard with a set of accessories worth RM 429 that include a HDMI cable, in-car charger, 8GB memory card, screen protector and Sony Ericsson MW600 Hi-Fi with FM Radio Bluetooth Headset.

The new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is available right now from all Maxis Centre and Sony Ericsson Exclusive Stores nationwide, as well as at selected Maxis Exclusive Partners and Sony Style stores. Alternatively, consumers can also check out the device at the Xperia Arc roadshow that is taking place right now up till 10th April at Mid Valley Megamall. For further information, head on to Sony Ericsson’s official website at www.sonyericsson.com or Maxis at www.maxis.com.my.

SOURCE via Lowyat.NET