It runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It boasts of 8.1 megapixel camera and here comes the real twist; it features the Exmor R CMOS sensor. The Xperia Arc would be the first phone to feature this in its model as only compact cameras had recently started to add this feature. It would be a feature packed phone with 8 GB memory expandable up to 32 GB, HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth 2.1, micro USB slot and HDMI slot, IM services, Google maps, integrated social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Xperia Arc is set to be released in the first quarter of the year in UK but there has been no mention about its price. It could be expected to be on the higher side. Though the version of Android has been updated when compared to its previous models, but still its outdated when compared to phones of other leading companies which are running on Android 3.0. Latest announcements of phones like Motorola Atrix and LG Optimus 2x have dual core processor chip where as Xperia Arc has single core processor. However, its 2 distinct features of Bravia Engine and Exmor R CMOS sensor gives a new dimension to phones aimed at entertainment.

All About Looks

What immediately captures the eye with the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8 is definitely its gradient back cover. Aside from the device being primarily coloured white, its behind is also equally appealing as it comes in different gradient colours including aqua blue, pink, silver, and dark blue.

This Sony Ericsson Smartphone is also very well proportioned with dimensions of 99 x 54 x 15 mm. It only weighs 104 grams which makes this XPERIA device very compact. It’s considerably smaller than most Smartphones in the market today and fits perfectly in your hands.

And Features Too

As with other XPERIA Smartphones (and most Sony Ericsson mobiles, for that matter), there is no shortage in features on the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8. Both 3G HSDPA and WLAN are on board the device and it also supports EDGE and GPRS. Alongside its Android mobile OS is a 600 MHz processor that is able to get the job done. The device also sports a functional 3.15-Megapixel snapper that features geo-tagging as well.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8 has a sizable 3” TFT capacitive touch screen display that has a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. Another aspect that makes this Smartphone unique is the four on-screen shortcut buttons which are located on each corner of the display. You’ll have quick access to your messages, applications, phonebook, and multimedia using these conveniently positioned shortcut keys.

For most handsets packing the same hardware specifications as the X8 smart phone, the ideal release date would have been much earlier this year, right before the first wave of high end smart phones had come out. Also, the launch of the X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro have already rounded up plenty of sales in the mid range market. The two products might possibly cannibalize each other’s sales.

For Android smart phone fans, having more choices is always better, and the X8 offers one interesting alternative for those who want to own an Android smart phone. The design is, without a doubt, the signature XPERIA smart phone look that the X10 has. It stands out with its heavy lines and use of subtle curves. At the same time, the looks are quite classic, able to deliver the intensity of a serious smart phone. This diverse style and appearance makes XPERIA handsets fitting for both casual and formal occasions.

Unique to the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8 is its’ simplistic features. The form may be similar to the other SE Android devices, but the X8 has to be the most standard of them all. The 3 inch TFT capacitive touch screen, 3.2 mega pixel camera, a 600 MHz CPU; these are mid range specs that would go well for any phone –Sony is giving buyers an option to purchase a unique looking handset with very familiar and comfortable features.

The SE Yendo smart phone first appeared in leaks and rumors as the W150 TeaCake before it was later given its final name. While we certainly find the older TeaCake name a lot more interesting (given that you can mistake it for an Android name), but at least Sony has not changed any of the phone’s specifications at all.

It comes with a 2.6 inch TFT touch screen display. For a basic 2G handset, that is already pretty big, so expect to be able to watch videos without any scaling problems on the Yendo (the resolution is 240 x 320 pixels). The response time is decent, but finger tracking is not as accurate as the X10 Mini –mostly due to the resistive touch screen display, which also means that the phone will not be able to handle multi touch features.

As one might expect, the big feature here is the music playback feature. The Walkman software is pretty impressive in its features, such as playlist editing and TrackID. But of course, the best part is the music quality during playback.

With its 2 mega pixel camera, users can expect to be able to shoot decent quality images that are perfect for uploading online. It can also shoot videos at a low quality rate. For storing videos, images as well as music, users will want to rely on a microSD card (up to 16GB) as the handset only comes with 5 MB of free space.

We already knew that the X10 Mini Pro would be launching soon and it is about time that Sony finally confirmed that the handset is indeed heading to UK stores. If the initial estimates are correct, fans of the Android OS should expect to see the handset come out in the next few days –which means that network operators will also be adding the device to their tariff plans as well.

The big bonus of the X10 Mini Pro over the original X10 Mini is the addition of the slide out QWERTY keyboard. While the additional feature may not mean much for some smart phone users, it actually makes the handset much more suited to texting, writing long emails and other text heavy applications.

Users with big stubby fingers will appreciate the layout of Sony Ericsson’s physical keys; the buttons are evenly and widely spaced –which means that accidentally clicking the wrong buttons will not be so common. The responsive buttons also make the handset much more suitable for high speed typing.

As impressive as the keyboard may be, the OS is still quite lacking. While the Android 1.6 Donut is considered to be one of the best Android versions available, the newer 2.1 Éclair is already out, not to mention the fact that the Froyo is finally downloadable for many users with some devices awaiting special versions of the update to be available.

With the Éclair already set as a new standard and the Froyo version being released for many handsets, the X10 Mini Pro (as well as the XPERIA X10 and the X10 Mini) will be left behind in terms of OS performance.

The move is considered by many as a natural direction for Sony Ericsson to take as the XPERIA X10 is a very high end Android smart phone. The device sports a high speed 1GHz CPU, a large 4 inch touch screen, an 8 mega pixel camera and of course, a very expensive price tag. The addition of the X8 to the XPERIA series gives users a slightly cheaper alternative to the X10 but without having to compromise so many features as they would with the X10 Mini handset.

It is believed that the X8 would have a capacitive touch screen that is about 3.3 inches diagonally, a 700-800MHz CPU and a 5 to 8 mega pixel camera. These specs would place the X8 right between the X10 and the X10 Mini, which fits the general assumption regarding the phone’s position as the missing link between the two X10 devices. In the meanwhile, fans are still waiting for an XPERIA X10 Pro which will add a QWERTY keyboard to the Android device (much like the X10 Mini Pro).

Speaking of physical QWERTY keyboards, it is reported that Sony Ericsson has two keyboard toting handsets coming out later this year. The first is an unmanned Android device that is reportedly going to have a 5.5 inch touch screen display and the other is the Sony Ericsson Julie –which is assumed to be a Windows Phone 7 handset. There have also been hints that the two devices may actually be one and the same.

According to initial rumors and speculative reports about the handset, the device is going to bring together the Sony Walkman technology with Google’s Android operating system (not that the Android does not have its own media/music playback capabilities, but having the Walkman technology certainly helps.

As exciting as that initial news may be, it seems that Android fans are in for a bit of a disappointment as new screens of the TeaCake’s user interface reveals little to no signs of the Android operating system. Not exactly the kind of news you would want to hear if the previous announcements have made you excite for the handset –but there it is. Of course, one cannot help but think, and hope that the Android mobile platform would still be used in the handset.

After all, the TeaCake is already featuring a phone form factor that closely resembles the X10 Mini and many even thought that the W150 is simply a Walkman-based version of the Mini itself. Should Sony Ericsson suddenly decide to come out and reveal the full details on this device and announce that it would indeed be running Google’s OS, they would be making plenty of fans happy.

While the TeaCake is currently off the ‘sure’ list of Android handsets, Sony Ericsson still has a couple of other devices that will be using the OS –the XPERIA Shakira is a definite shoo-in for the open source OS. The device is virtually the missing link between the XPERIA X10 and the X10 Mini. The X10 Mini Pro is due to be released soon –this handset is pretty much like the X10 Mini with a slide out QWERTY keyboard.

In fact, for those who are not too picky about their hardware –and are on a budget, the X10 Mini is the perfect solution to many smart phone needs.

In terms of hardware, the X10 Mini is a practical handset. The 2.5 inch capacitive touch screen is not as small as it may sound (compared to the significantly larger screen on the original device), and at close look, the display delivers a pretty solid Android experience for users. Even the phone’s interface comes with a stripped down version of the Timescape tool on the original XPERIA X10.

For now, the X10 Mini will be using the older Android 1.6 Donut operating system –just like the original handset. This probably means that when the larger handset gets an update, so might the mini version, and the original X10 is due to get an update on September (so anyone hoping for an update to the latest version might want to settle for another handset).

The device comes with a very small 128 MB of internal storage so users will certainly want to make use of the microSD card support –it will support up to 16GB cards and according to initial reports, a 2GB card will come packed with the handset.

A 5 mega pixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging and 30FPS VGA video recording will be replacing the larger 8MP camera on the original X10.

This is why companies and groups such as HP, Dell, Acer, ChemSec, the European Environmental Bureau and the Clean Production Association have rallied behind Sony Ericsson in their call to ban the use of brominated flame retardants (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substances. Their target date for full implementation is 2015, but many electronic manufactures owe it to the entirety of the human race to actually start doing something as early as now.

Of course, Sony Ericsson’s green initiative is most easily seen with their SE Greenheart mobile phone lineup. These mobile phones have been made with over 50% recycled plastics, water soluble paint and no hazardous chemicals were used at any point in the production process. The packaging is also minimal and the manual has been turned into a digital format that is installed in the mobile phone.

Beyond the product line, Sony Ericsson’s commitment goes far deeper. Their production facilities are running on the most streamlined set-up to ensure minimal waste of energy and of course, all their raw materials and substances used are eco-friendly. They are one of the few companies in the world that has actually been meeting the requirement that they have set for the reduction of carbon emissions and thanks to Sony Ericsson, it has been proved to the entire mobile phone industry that it is possible to make a great mobile phone without sacrificing earth friendly design.

According to reports, a new update will be bringing over Windows Mobile 6.5.2 to the smart phone as well as the addition of new features of the XPERIA OS. The Panels system will be updated, as well as the rotating graphic user interface. The Dialer has also been updated to make navigating the device’s contacts list a lot easier. The last part of the add-on includes some interesting new features such as an FM radio, video calling, auto lock and a more efficient GPS lock.

Folks hoping to get the newer Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Maldives update will have to wait for May.

If importing the XPERIA X2 is not something that you are inclined to do, you might prefer to get the XPERIA X10. It is an Android device, but many would prefer that operating system over the WinMo OS. According to reports, an update to version 2.0 of the Android will be made available soon –quite important considering that the X10 only comes with version 1.6 Donut.

The X10 has an 8 mega pixel snapper, a 4 inch capacitive touch screen display and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The device made its debut last February at the Mobile World Congress and is now available on various contracts on Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile.

For those looking for a slightly cheaper SE device, the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro smart phones are going to be in stock in the UK by sometime this May. Both devices share similar specifications with the Mini Pro having an extra feature: a slide out QWERTY keyboard.

Find out more about the XPERIA X2 update for the Windows Mobile OS and more at GSM Arena.