14 DAY TRIAL // Along with Xperia PLAY, Sony Ericsson officially launched at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona two other new Android-based smartphones, namely the Xperia neo and Xperia pro, which run under Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, and which offer features and capabilities similar to those packed inside Xperia arc.
The Xperia neo was already spotted into the wild before, as it got reviewed before even being official, and sports a design unique to Sony Ericsson, with an ergonomic shape that would fit perfectly in the user’s hand,
Xperia pro adds an ergonomically crafted slide-out keyboard into the mix, with the subtle but fast Type & Send functionality, integrated messaging functions, and more.
The Xperia pro is meant to prove a great option for all business users who are Android fans, as it includes email, calendar and contacts syncing, as well as pre-loaded Office Suite Pro, so that one can easily view and edit documents on the go.
Both new phones come to the market with the Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine for a great visual experience on the 3.7 inch touchscreen boasting a 854 x 480pixels resolution.
The specifications list of these handsets also includes Sony’s award-winning Exmor R for mobile sensor, with HD video recording capabilities, not to mention the built-in HDMI-connector for viewing photos and videos on an HD TV.
Steve Walker, Head of Marketing, Sony Ericsson said, “We want to be a leader in Android and with Xperia neo and Xperia pro, we are now offering excellent, innovative Android choices for consumers.”
“These latest devices combine stunning design with state-of-the-art Sony technology and a new faster messaging experience on the Xperia pro, creating an entertaining smartphone experience.”
The two smartphones would arrive on the market with a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 CPU, 320 MB of internal memory, microSD memory card slot (up to 32GB supported, 8GB included), 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5 mm audio jack, DLNA, and the usual Google Mobile services.
Xperia neo is expected to arrive on the market starting with the end of the first quarter in Blue Gradient, Red and Silver. Xperia pro will be released before Q2's end in Black, Red and Silver.
Note: Fellow editors Cosmin Vasile and Alex Vochin are on the floor at the 2011 Mobile World Congress and are keeping us posted with pictures and live reports on the latest product previews and launches.
