Omio News Blog

Sony XPERIA P Release Date and Price Revealed, Contract Deals Available Soon

The Sony XPERIA P will be released in the UK on May 7th 2012, initially sim-free via Clove for £330, and Expansys for £339.  Contract deals are available on Omio’s deals page now via buymobiles.net.  More deals will show up as the release date closes.

The Android handset is looking pretty shiny with a precision crafted aluminium unibody, and a 4” touchscreen that utilises Sony’s ultra-bright, ultra-crisp ‘Whitemagic’ technology.

Sony have also been pushing a novel yet practical use for the built in Near Field Communications, the same technology used in transport swipe ticketing, such as London’s Oyster cards.  Sony have developed Smart Tags, dongle like devices that you can hang in your car, home or office, that enable you to quickly change custom settings as you move from one area to another, which will no doubt kill those annoying scrambles to switch on bluetooth & GPS every time you get in the car.

The relatively slim 1GHz dual core processor won’t break any speed records, but may give some allowance for battery life.  The 8MP camera with Exmor R image processing should make all your snaps look gorgeous, and you’ve got a respectable 16GB of storage for pics video’s and music.

DLNA built-in will mean you can wirelessly beam video and images to compatible screens effortlessly. Full specs are available here. The handset will ship with the relatively antiquated ‘Gingerbread’ flavour Android 2.3, although Sony are promising a hop, skip and a jump of an upgrade to Android 4 ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ in Q2 (so around the summer).

The XPERIA P sits in the mid-range of Sony’s NXT series of handsets, just below the more powerful Xperia S which is available now. The payoff with the XPERIA P is that you can get a great looking handset without breaking the bank!

You can bag yourself an off contract pre-order today, via Clove and Expansys. If you’re after an on-contract deal, keep an eye on the Omio deals page.

Orange Brings ‘Quick Tap’ Payment Service To Android Devices

With Near Field Communication technology on the cusp of being The Next Big Thing in mobile, Orange’s ‘Quick Tap’ service has led the charge in letting us pay for stuff with just a wave of our mobile.

The fruity network has announced they are to take the contactless payment service beyond their lean selection of devices at present, with an aim to bring it to Android smartphones harbouring NFC in the coming weeks.

Currently live on phones like the BlackBerry Bold 9790 and spearheaded by a souped-up Samsung Tocco, getting more handsets on board could be key to broadening the appeal of the Barclaycard-powered system.

With over 70,000 high street locations – including Pret a Manger and Wilkinson – already supporting Quick Tap transactions of up to £15 (with a raise to £20 come June), showcasing popular handsets like the Sony XPERIA S as sporting NFC technology could serve as a real hardware differentiator in a contentious market.

Jason Rees, director of mobile payments and ticketing for Orange UK, said: “When combined with the ability to use it with credit or debit cards from all the major UK banks, then even more people will be able to experience the simplicity and convenience of shopping with their phone.”

Source: Mobile Entertainment

Sony XPERIA ‘Night Of Imagination’ Launch Boasts Labrinth, Body Rocking Light Show

Not content with making the cutest advert ever – a Wes Anderson-directed, child-fuelled fever dream of what happens inside an XPERIA S – Sony took to creating a visual feast to commemorate the launch of their new range of devices.

Coinciding with the album launch of Electric Earth – the debut album of R&B/dance artist Labrinth – Sony’s ‘Night of Imagination’ event saw the XPERIA series of phones kick off in inimitable style.

Held in a Grade I listed building in Central London, the launch saw a concert from the Simon Cowell managed hitmaker, followed by a one-off XPERIA-themed dance routine performed by iLuminate – finalists of last year’s America’s Got Talent.

Unfamiliar with their work? Check out the fantastic finals performance by the dance troupe here…then have a look at the highlight of the night below.

With the Sony XPERIA S placing in the Top 5 most popular phones according to uSwitch’s Mobile Tracker for March, it looks like the Ericsson-free handset might be worthy of the hype…

Sony Ericsson Launches TXT Pro And Mix Walkman Handsets

Sony Ericsson chose today to embrace the world of social networking, taking to their burgeoning online community to reveal 2 new handsets, the Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman and the Sony Ericsson txt pro.

The announcement came through their Facebook page where they have been running a competition for four super-fans to review the phones before they were announced to a global audience.

Lesser fans can now vote on their favourite review (lives here but beware, you have to 'like' it to proceed!), and the reviewer with the highest number of votes will be granted their life’s desires (ten Sony Ericsson phones, of course!)

The devices themselves are both feature phones that seem to run on a proprietary operating system. Neither of the handsets are 3G enabled, so users will have to rely on Wi-Fi or the good old EDGE network for accessing the web.

Fans of the XPERIA mini range will notice that both of the phones have inherited the quartet of active areas in the touch-driven user interface, allowing users to put apps in each of the corner of the display for easy access.

The Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman is, as the name suggests, a phone aimed squarely at music lovers with comes with 100MB of internal memory, as well as the ability to add a microSD card (up to 32GB in size) for storing all your Bon Jovi and Duran Duran classics on.

The feature on this phone that has got us worried is the karaoke function, you would definitely understand if you’d been at the office Christmas party.

With one small click on the microphone key you can mute the dulcet tones of Lady Gaga and then sing along to the words on the screen to create your very own version of 'Poker Face'.

While this may not be our cup of tea in Omio Towers, it is sure to appeal to all those bedroom superstars singing into their hairbrushes (other pretend microphones are available). The phone also comes with two interchangeable bands that festoon the edge of the phone, that Sony Ericsson says users can use to “adapt the colour of your phone to your mood”...although we aren’t quite sure what mood a green hen is intended to reflect.

The txt pro (yes they really have spelt it 'txt,' just like cool kids) has a slide out QWERTY keyboard and has a pretty nifty feature that pulls together tweets, Facebook updates and SMS messages from up to five friends and displays them in a single stream...can you say 'social networking savvy'?

Both the Sony Ericsson Mix Walkman and txt pro will be released in Q3 of this year, but unfortunately no pricing has yet been released.

Sign up to express your interest, or check out literally tons of other mobile phone deals here on Omio!

MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Booth Tour – Press Start To (XPERIA) Play

Sony Ericsson were smaller in presence but far larger in vision at this year’s Mobile World Congress, prepping only four phones with one clear goal – to leverage the Sony brand and push the XPERIA name even further. With a profitable 2010 and over 9 million Android-powered XPERIAs sold, Sony Ericsson certainly look to be on the comeback trail.

What’s in store for 2011? Well, from Playstation to BRAVIA, Sony Ericsson seems eager to elevate themselves and be mentioned in the same breath as their Japanese parent. Will these new handsets do the trick? Let’s find out.

Read more…

MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play – Full Specs Revealed

Sony Ericsson’s earlier press conference was rather thin on the ground with the specifications of its new ‘Playstation Certified’ XPERIA Play gaming handset, but we can now reveal the full official feature list straight from the horse’s mouth…

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play

Available in Black or White

Specifications:

• Operating system: Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Processor: 1 GHz Scorpion ARMv7
• 4″ capacitive touchscreen 480 x 854 pixels (FWVGA capable of 16,777,216 colours)

• Size: 119 x 62 x 16 mm
• Weight: 175 grams

• Phone memory: 400 MB
• Memory card support: microSD, up to 32 GB
• Memory card included: 8GB microSD
• 3.5 mm audio jack, aGPS, Bluetooth, DLNA streaming, Micro USB Connector
• Synchronisation via Facebook, Google Sync, Exchange ActiveSync, Sony Ericsson Sync
• 5.1 megapixel camera with Auto Focus, LED Flash, Geo tagging and Image Stabiliser, Touch focus, Video recording and Video light.
• Sony Ericsson Music player, Stereo Speakers, Bluetooth stereo (A2DP)

Talk time/Standby Time

• Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 8 hrs 25 min
• Standby time GSM/GPRS: Up to 425 hrs

• Talk time UMTS: Up to 6 hrs 25 min
• Standby time UMTS: Up to 413 hrs

• Talk time CDMA2000®: Up to 7 hrs 40 min
• Standby time CDMA2000®: Up to 405 hrs

• Game play time: Up to 5 hrs 35 min
• MP3 playback: Up to 30 hrs 35 min

The handset is due to be released in March, so check out Omio’s deals page as we get more details closer to launch.

Sony Ericsson Cedar Review

The latest in a range of eco-conscious phones under the ‘GreenHeart’ moniker, the Cedar is an affordable, yet feature packed handset that maintains its planet friendly reputation with a host of concepts that is refreshing to find in the age of disposable technologies.

Sony Ericsson’s green approach is initially apparent by the lack of paper manual and sparse recycled packaging. It doesn’t stop there though, as their environmental ethos has been carried through into the design of the handset itself.

The Cedar is constructed of recycled plastics, utilising water borne paints and utilises a low voltage adaptor to help minimise your impact on our ecosystem. Who said functional and green needed to look frumpy? The smooth curves, bright screen with vibrant colours and animated wallpapers add a touch of sparkle to an old tried and tested form factor.

The Cedar handset is lightweight, with just enough weight to feel secure in your grasp, whilst the smooth curved underside of the phone complements the shape of your hand, providing ergonomic relief for even the most avid thumb typist.

The large four-way navigation pad is suitably raised and has a satisfying click to it. In addition, the keys are angled inwards, rising along the bottom edge, thus resolving the small keys/big thumbs conundrum.

Whilst WIFI is absent, the snappy 7.2Mb/s HDSPA connection means that you are never far away from an update via the included Facebook, Myspace and Twitter widgets. The 2MP camera is included as a formality, but integration with the social media functions means that neither you nor your friends will miss that vital photo opportunity.

Internet access is available via the built in browser, and whilst it is somewhat cramped on the smallish screen, remains functional in the event of a Google emergency. Those wishing for a fuller internet experience can always plug into their laptop and use the Cedar as a fast 3G modem.

Entertainment features include the reliable media player functions and solid build quality synonymous with the Sony Ericsson brand. Storage comes via Micro SDHC card, allowing up to 16GB of removable storage, and thankfully this time you can use your favourite headphones via the welcome addition of a 3.5mm jack.

‘TrackID’ can identify any music that you hear, avoiding embarrassing encounters with stroppy DJ’s, whilst the ‘Playnow’ portal gives you access to a plethora of new music, ringtones games and applications.

The Youtube application provides on-demand entertainment on the go, whilst the FM radio rounds off the fun features with a touch of the old school, just plug in some headphones and let auto-tune find your favourite stations for you.

Despite all this under the hood, the battery still manages to pull an impressive 2 days or more of moderate use, which will be a relief when you’re caught away from the mains. And whilst the Cedar has a definite playful side, it’s not work shy either.

Push email is provided to the relief of business users, and the built in calendar, note functions and files are easily synced via Bluetooth, and the convenient inclusion of a micro-usb port that doubles as the charger socket.

Those traveling or working abroad will also be happy to hear that the phone is quad-band GSM and therefore usable worldwide, although don’t forget to offset your carbon footprint before you buy that long distance plane-ticket!

To sum up, the Cedar provides an impressive balance of work and entertainment features especially considering its size and price point. This would be an ideal phone for businesses or individuals who want fuss-free communications, whilst maintaining their green credentials.

Its generous battery life will be an eye opener for users moving from more flashy handsets who still need to keep tabs on their digital social lives, whilst its bevy of social communication features provide a perfect entry level phone for those wishing to take their first steps in the world of mobile connectivity without breaking the bank.

Sony Ericsson Partners With ESPN For Goals App, XPERIA Range Goes Footy Mad

Football fans can get closer to the weekend’s action than ever before, thanks to a partnership between Sony Ericsson and ESPN to bring all the goals, triumph and heartbreak to XPERIA devices.

Anyone who buys either a Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, X10 Mini or X10 Mini Pro between now and the 26th of November will be eligible for three months of free access to the ESPN Goals Android application.

The ESPN Goals app sends the latest transfer news, highlights and videos of goals from the Premier League to mobile phones, usually at a cost of £3.99 per month. The basic service without video content is free, however.

Robin Ashton,  the commercial director of ESPN Digital EMEA, said, “There has been a dramatic growth in mobile content in recent years. The Sony Ericsson collaboration offers another way we can deliver fans the Premier League anytime, anywhere, all season long.”

In addition, Sony Ericsson will be holding a competition in collaboration with talkSPORT Radio, offering XPERIA owners the chance to win a footballer’s salary.

Get in!

Sony Ericsson To Shack Up With Sony On Future Phones, Android Is ‘Core Platform’

Sony Ericsson is to work more closely with their Japanese parent, and will still be making handsets powered by Symbian despite a focus on Android, Microsoft’s Windows and their proprietary OS, according to UK MD Nathan Vautier in an interview with Mobile.

Refusing to be drawn on the existence of the oft-rumoured ‘Playstation Phone,’ Vautier (pictured left) reinforced the renewed synergy between of Sony Ericsson with the technology giant, with a view to sharing content, branding and even connectivity in future:

“I can say that our relationship with Sony will continue to get closer and stronger. There is a huge amount of excitement at the possibilities. It is about how we can use each other in the right way.”

Still with a strong direction towards developing multitasking smartphones, Vautier aims to leverage Sony’s position as a distributor of music, movies and media, integrating functionality into future devices:

“[We want to make our phones] the most entertaining. To do that we need to use content in the right way, and one thing we have within our family is the wealth of content that Sony has.”

Sony’s eStore – supporting their eReader with thousands of the latest books in digital format as well as over 1 million public domain titles – is another resource that Sony Ericsson aims to tap into on future handsets.

Regarding the current winter line-up, the XPERIA X8 is still on the way for a Q4 release, as is the Sony Ericsson Yendo – a touch driven Walkman device.

Both of these handsets underline the Sony Ericsson MD’s insistence that Android is the manufacturer’s primary focus moving forward, developing both flagship and mid-range devices powered by Google’s mobile operating system.

“Android is where we feel we can drive and bring a lot of exciting products to market, so it is the core platform for us.”

An interesting perspective, as Android has successfully taken the XPERIA brand from high-end ‘designer’ label to Sony Ericsson’s driving device range across a number of price points, and a continued investment on the platform may mean all that time and energy developing the extensive TimeScape and Mediascape customisation may really pay off in future devices…

Sony XPERIA X10 Mini/Mini Pro Go Pink And Gold, X10 Gets Cases Of Many Colours

The cutesy stylings of Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro go a huge step closer to ending up in ladies purses today, with word from SEMC Blog that they will soon receive a couple of eye-catching new colourways.

The X10 Mini is soon to get fetching gold accents across both the front and rear of the device, whilst the QWERTY-capable X10 Mini Pro is due a hot pink makeover.

Both are tipped for release in ‘selected markets’ from September, and will be dangling from equally garish Hello Kitty lanyards soon after.

Whilst the original Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 is being left out of the official fashion parade, tech manufacturer Elecom is set to fix all that by releasing no less than eight different coloured protective cases for the bulky Android offering. Available in the usual colours as well as British racing green, a fairly austere brown as well as a frightening gold leaf affair, each set comes with a screen protector and rear case shell to keep your X10 safe and swanky. Check them all out here.

Only available in Japan at the moment, expect to see them span the globe in the near future.

Source: SEMC Blog / Akihabara News