Windows Phone accounts for 30% of HTC sales

According to HTC employee Melvin Chua who spoke in Singapore during the launch of Windows Phone in that country, he noted that Windows currently makes up 30% of HTC’s overall sales.

Numbers aside, Chua spoke very highly of the Windows Phone operating system on behalf of HTC. He said that HTC believes Windows Phone will eventually be a lot better than other mobile operating systems and will even give Google’s Android platform a run for its money.

Considering that Windows Phone already accounts for 30% of HTC’s sales merely a year after Microsoft launched their fully revamped operating system, it should be no surprise that they expect those numbers to improve greatly. With the launch of high-end devices such as the HTC Titan in the near future expectations are high. What are your expectations for Windows Phone devices from HTC in the future?

Windows Phone accounts for 30% of HTC sales

According to HTC employee Melvin Chua who spoke in Singapore during the launch of Windows Phone in that country, he noted that Windows currently makes up 30% of HTC’s overall sales.

Numbers aside, Chua spoke very highly of the Windows Phone operating system on behalf of HTC. He said that HTC believes Windows Phone will eventually be a lot better than other mobile operating systems and will even give Google’s Android platform a run for its money.

Considering that Windows Phone already accounts for 30% of HTC’s sales merely a year after Microsoft launched their fully revamped operating system, it should be no surprise that they expect those numbers to improve greatly. With the launch of high-end devices such as the HTC Titan in the near future expectations are high. What are your expectations for Windows Phone devices from HTC in the future?

Microsoft estimated to get $444 million from Android patent deals

Microsoft is expected to get $444 million in Android royalties over the course of this fiscal year starting from July 1, 2011, and ending on June 30, 2012, according to an estimate by Goldman Sachs’s analyst team. For that estimate, the analysts have assumed that Redmond gets somewhere between $3 and $6 for every Android device it sells.

Microsoft recently sealed its biggest patent agreement with Samsung, which means that now one of the largest Android phone makers will pay the company for every handset it makes. Microsoft reportedly has also struck deals with HTC, Acer and plenty of other minor OEMs.

Now, what’s interesting is that Microsoft is said to be actually making more money from Android than from its home baked Windows Phone platform, at least for the second quarter of 2011. With the massive Mango release, things are expected to change, but even if they don’t Redmond seems to have a great source of revenue from its rival alone.

Microsoft estimated to get $444 million from Android patent deals

Microsoft is expected to get $444 million in Android royalties over the course of this fiscal year starting from July 1, 2011, and ending on June 30, 2012, according to an estimate by Goldman Sachs’s analyst team. For that estimate, the analysts have assumed that Redmond gets somewhere between $3 and $6 for every Android device it sells.

Microsoft recently sealed its biggest patent agreement with Samsung, which means that now one of the largest Android phone makers will pay the company for every handset it makes. Microsoft reportedly has also struck deals with HTC, Acer and plenty of other minor OEMs.

Now, what’s interesting is that Microsoft is said to be actually making more money from Android than from its home baked Windows Phone platform, at least for the second quarter of 2011. With the massive Mango release, things are expected to change, but even if they don’t Redmond seems to have a great source of revenue from its rival alone.

Leaked Nexus Prime app list shows no bloat but FaceLock

Any new information on the upcoming Nexus Prime is always interesting, and this new batch of info is especially fun to think about. Someone over at MyDroidWorld posted a list of apps installed on the Nexus Prime, or in this case what is likely the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, because the list does include a couple Verizon specific apps. What the list doesn't contain is bloatware, which is a huge relief. And, there are some other very interesting listings installed. 

The most interesting is probably an app labeled FaceLock.apk. Google mentioned a long time ago that Ice Cream Sandwich would feature facial recognition, but we didn't know exactly how it would be used. This seems to point to one use as a way to protect your phone by using your face rather than a password or gesture to lock your device. 

Another interesting listing is that the Books app is actually labeled BooksTablet.apk, which would lead us to believe that the Honeycomb version of Books is going to become the default for ICS devices. There is also a ChromeBookmarksSyncAdapter.apk, which seems fairly self-explanatory. There is also a mysterious PlusOne.apk, which could be part of the +1 integration with the Android Market, or could point to an expansion of +1 features throughout the Android system. 

For the full list, just jump over to MyDroidWorld, and let us know if we missed anything interesting.

Leaked Nexus Prime app list shows no bloat but FaceLock

Any new information on the upcoming Nexus Prime is always interesting, and this new batch of info is especially fun to think about. Someone over at MyDroidWorld posted a list of apps installed on the Nexus Prime, or in this case what is likely the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, because the list does include a couple Verizon specific apps. What the list doesn't contain is bloatware, which is a huge relief. And, there are some other very interesting listings installed. 

The most interesting is probably an app labeled FaceLock.apk. Google mentioned a long time ago that Ice Cream Sandwich would feature facial recognition, but we didn't know exactly how it would be used. This seems to point to one use as a way to protect your phone by using your face rather than a password or gesture to lock your device. 

Another interesting listing is that the Books app is actually labeled BooksTablet.apk, which would lead us to believe that the Honeycomb version of Books is going to become the default for ICS devices. There is also a ChromeBookmarksSyncAdapter.apk, which seems fairly self-explanatory. There is also a mysterious PlusOne.apk, which could be part of the +1 integration with the Android Market, or could point to an expansion of +1 features throughout the Android system. 

For the full list, just jump over to MyDroidWorld, and let us know if we missed anything interesting.

Introducing Nokia N9 - The Simplicity of a Swipe

Introducing Nokia N9 A beautifully simple all-screen smartphone.

Nokia N9, a bold, all-screen phone that's incredibly fast and simple to use. All it takes is a swipe. The swipe has made our best features even better and easier to use, so you can get straight to the important things. We wanted to design a better way to use a phone, and it comes down to one simple gesture -- a swipe.

Introducing Nokia N9 - The Simplicity of a Swipe

Introducing Nokia N9 A beautifully simple all-screen smartphone.

Nokia N9, a bold, all-screen phone that's incredibly fast and simple to use. All it takes is a swipe. The swipe has made our best features even better and easier to use, so you can get straight to the important things. We wanted to design a better way to use a phone, and it comes down to one simple gesture -- a swipe.

New Assistant software to make iPhone 5 a hands-off affair...

New Assistant software to make iPhone 5 a hands-off affair...


As the world prepares for the next-gen iPhone, rumoured to be as close as October 4th, the talk's turning to what Appley goodness it's going to come loaded with.

The likelihood is that a few hardware tweaks such as an upgraded 1GB of RAM and a dual-core A5 processor will facilitate the headline feature - iOS Assistant. Using the speech-to-text software built into iOS 5, Assistant will be listening out for your every command to organise your life according to code obtained by website 9to5Mac. Whether it's making calls, finding contacts or appointments, you'll be able to do it all without even touching your precious new handset.

Seamless integration with apps means you won't even need to open Maps to find directions. It's also rumoured to incorporate Wolfram Alpha technology - think Ask Jeeves on steroids - so finding information is literally going to be a spoken question away.

While Assistant is software based, don't expect to see it rolled back onto existing hardware - they haven't got the necessary processing power. We can't promise there'll be none of that shouting "call Steve!" while Assistant accustoms itself to your strong provincial brogue. But like the rest of the world, we can't wait to try it.

New Assistant software to make iPhone 5 a hands-off affair...

New Assistant software to make iPhone 5 a hands-off affair...


As the world prepares for the next-gen iPhone, rumoured to be as close as October 4th, the talk's turning to what Appley goodness it's going to come loaded with.

The likelihood is that a few hardware tweaks such as an upgraded 1GB of RAM and a dual-core A5 processor will facilitate the headline feature - iOS Assistant. Using the speech-to-text software built into iOS 5, Assistant will be listening out for your every command to organise your life according to code obtained by website 9to5Mac. Whether it's making calls, finding contacts or appointments, you'll be able to do it all without even touching your precious new handset.

Seamless integration with apps means you won't even need to open Maps to find directions. It's also rumoured to incorporate Wolfram Alpha technology - think Ask Jeeves on steroids - so finding information is literally going to be a spoken question away.

While Assistant is software based, don't expect to see it rolled back onto existing hardware - they haven't got the necessary processing power. We can't promise there'll be none of that shouting "call Steve!" while Assistant accustoms itself to your strong provincial brogue. But like the rest of the world, we can't wait to try it.

Samsung launches Galaxy HD handset

New LTE Sammy packs more muscle and power than a tank


Only last month, Samsung unveiled the LTE version of the Galaxy S II, with its faster chip and bigger display. Now they've gone and done it again by wheeling out the Galaxy S II HD LTE. It may have a name like a people carrier, but Samsung have increased the screen size yet again to add HD resolution to the display. It's now packing 4.65-inches to give host to a 1290 x 720 pixel display, which if you want to do the maths is 316 pixels per inch - iPhone Retina quality.

The dual-core processor's been beefed up from 1.2 to 1.5GHz and Samsung has introduced 4G LTE and HSPA connectivity. The bigger display and extra features have increased the chassis size and weight, but it's still comparable with other handsets in this bracket.

Now the bad news - you can't get your hands on one of these beauties unless you're prepared to travel. There are currently no plans to release the S II HD LTE outside of the Korean domestic market right now, but hopefully the tech will find its way over here before too long. Samsung needs to launch something new to fend off the iPhone 5 - so fingers crossed...

Samsung launches Galaxy HD handset

New LTE Sammy packs more muscle and power than a tank


Only last month, Samsung unveiled the LTE version of the Galaxy S II, with its faster chip and bigger display. Now they've gone and done it again by wheeling out the Galaxy S II HD LTE. It may have a name like a people carrier, but Samsung have increased the screen size yet again to add HD resolution to the display. It's now packing 4.65-inches to give host to a 1290 x 720 pixel display, which if you want to do the maths is 316 pixels per inch - iPhone Retina quality.

The dual-core processor's been beefed up from 1.2 to 1.5GHz and Samsung has introduced 4G LTE and HSPA connectivity. The bigger display and extra features have increased the chassis size and weight, but it's still comparable with other handsets in this bracket.

Now the bad news - you can't get your hands on one of these beauties unless you're prepared to travel. There are currently no plans to release the S II HD LTE outside of the Korean domestic market right now, but hopefully the tech will find its way over here before too long. Samsung needs to launch something new to fend off the iPhone 5 - so fingers crossed...

HTC Sensation’s processor gets a bump to 1.5GHz, according to FCC filings

It looks like HTC’s Sensation, aka Pyramid, will soon be getting a slight bump in its processor speed. According to a Class II Permissive Change notice approved by the FCC today, the Sensation’s CPU frequency will be upgraded to 1.5GHz from its current 1.2GHz speed. That will make the Sensation one of the few dual-core 1.5GHz phones available today.


The Sensation will also get a larger battery. According to HTC’s Change Notice, the Sensation will be upgraded to a 1930mAh BG86100 battery – that’s quite a big improvement over the Sensation’s current 1520mAh battery. It’s likely that the new battery will help to preserve the Sensation’s battery life with its processor now bumped up to 1.5GHz.

HTC Sensation’s processor gets a bump to 1.5GHz, according to FCC filings

It looks like HTC’s Sensation, aka Pyramid, will soon be getting a slight bump in its processor speed. According to a Class II Permissive Change notice approved by the FCC today, the Sensation’s CPU frequency will be upgraded to 1.5GHz from its current 1.2GHz speed. That will make the Sensation one of the few dual-core 1.5GHz phones available today.


The Sensation will also get a larger battery. According to HTC’s Change Notice, the Sensation will be upgraded to a 1930mAh BG86100 battery – that’s quite a big improvement over the Sensation’s current 1520mAh battery. It’s likely that the new battery will help to preserve the Sensation’s battery life with its processor now bumped up to 1.5GHz.

HTC EVO Design 4G: First Press Shot

There's really not much mystery left to the HTC EVO Design 4G, as we've seen it rendered as the Kingdom, pictured for US Cellular as the Hero S, and completely spec'ed out thanks to a leaked ROM. Really, the only missing pieces to the puzzle are a price and release date, and with press shots now beginning to appear, we can't imagine than an official Sprint launch is too far away.


According to the build.prop file in that ROM, Design is a Gingerbread 2.3.3-powered handset running a 1.2GHz single-core chip and 768MB of RAM underneath a four-inch qHD display. While the front webcam has a 1.3-megapixel sensor, the main shooter is supposedly just five megapixels, with 720p video capture. Now since these specs are over four months old, it's completely possible that changes have been made in the interim -- it would not be the first time HTC has altered a configuration before release.

HTC EVO Design 4G: First Press Shot

There's really not much mystery left to the HTC EVO Design 4G, as we've seen it rendered as the Kingdom, pictured for US Cellular as the Hero S, and completely spec'ed out thanks to a leaked ROM. Really, the only missing pieces to the puzzle are a price and release date, and with press shots now beginning to appear, we can't imagine than an official Sprint launch is too far away.


According to the build.prop file in that ROM, Design is a Gingerbread 2.3.3-powered handset running a 1.2GHz single-core chip and 768MB of RAM underneath a four-inch qHD display. While the front webcam has a 1.3-megapixel sensor, the main shooter is supposedly just five megapixels, with 720p video capture. Now since these specs are over four months old, it's completely possible that changes have been made in the interim -- it would not be the first time HTC has altered a configuration before release.

Huawei Discovery D51, resistant to strong emotions

In collaboration with the Discovery Huawei introduced the Discovery D51, which bears strong emotions. Comes with 2-inch color screen resolution 320 × 240 pixels and Gorilla Glass, GPS, Radio FM, 2 Megapixel camera and battery 1000 mAh. It is waterproof to a depth of 1 meter withstands drops and dust.

Huawei Discovery D51, resistant to strong emotions

In collaboration with the Discovery Huawei introduced the Discovery D51, which bears strong emotions. Comes with 2-inch color screen resolution 320 × 240 pixels and Gorilla Glass, GPS, Radio FM, 2 Megapixel camera and battery 1000 mAh. It is waterproof to a depth of 1 meter withstands drops and dust.

MiPow Maca Air Color iPhone 4 Battery Case

We can use iPhone 4 battery case to charge our iPhone 4 on the go, while some of battery cases can also color our device such as MiPow’s Maca Air Color iPhone 4 battery case.

Maca Air Color is a slim designed iPhone 4 case that measures 127 x 61.6 x 13.3mm and weights 105g. The protective case features a transparent frame with clear detachable top cover in order to protect the iPhone 4 from bumps and scratches. And the iPhone 4 case comes with built-in 1200mAh backup battery to provide you 180 hours of standby time, while the Mac Power button styled indicator shows you the status of the backup battery. Apart from that, the battery case also ships with an iPhone dock.

MiPow Maca Air Color iPhone 4 battery case is available in 8 anodized metallic backings in different colors, including light blue, gray, gold, green, navy blue, purple, black and red, each one is priced at $69 USD. If you’re interested, jump to MiPow official site or Amazon for more details.

MiPow Maca Air Color iPhone 4 Battery Case

We can use iPhone 4 battery case to charge our iPhone 4 on the go, while some of battery cases can also color our device such as MiPow’s Maca Air Color iPhone 4 battery case.

Maca Air Color is a slim designed iPhone 4 case that measures 127 x 61.6 x 13.3mm and weights 105g. The protective case features a transparent frame with clear detachable top cover in order to protect the iPhone 4 from bumps and scratches. And the iPhone 4 case comes with built-in 1200mAh backup battery to provide you 180 hours of standby time, while the Mac Power button styled indicator shows you the status of the backup battery. Apart from that, the battery case also ships with an iPhone dock.

MiPow Maca Air Color iPhone 4 battery case is available in 8 anodized metallic backings in different colors, including light blue, gray, gold, green, navy blue, purple, black and red, each one is priced at $69 USD. If you’re interested, jump to MiPow official site or Amazon for more details.

Samsung opens the door to the high speed, high resolution 4G era by unveiling new LTE smartphone line up in Korea

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced the launch of ‘GALAXY S II LTE’ and ‘GALAXY S II HD LTE’ in Korean market.

On September 26th, Samsung Electronics holds a Media Day event in Seoul, hosted by JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. At the event, Samsung Electronics set to launch GALAXY S II LTE, its first LTE smartphone in Korean market.

“Using the advanced technologies it has as the leader of the domestic smartphone market, Samsung Electronics will enable consumers to enjoy a truly smart life with the LTE smartphone. The company will continue to release innovative LTE smart devices in the domestic market, thereby leading the LTE market”, said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business.

GALAXY S II LTE

The GALAXY S II LTE is Samsung Electronics’ first LTE smartphone launched in Korean market, showcasing LTE communication technology on top of the cutting-edge smartphone features offered by GALAXY S II, the company’s global hit model.

The portability has been enhanced with a slim design (9.5mm), while offering powerful smartphone performance, including Android 2.3, the latest version of the Android platform, 4.5-inch WVGA (800×480) SuperAMOLED Plus, and 1.5GHz dual core AP.

The GALAXY S II LTE supports LTE with transmission five times faster than 3G, allowing the user to download 138 music files (4MB), 110 eBooks (5MB), and six HD games (90MB) in a minute.

Multimedia functions have also been substantially improved including the 8 megapixel camera, 1080p-level full HD video, and TV-OUT function based on the MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) adapter.

The phone also supports other cutting-edge smartphone functions. They include embedded 16GB memory, large battery capacity of 1850mAh, NFC (Near Field Communication), WiFi a/b/g/n support, and Bluetooth 3.0＋HS.

GALAXY S II HD LTE

Samsung Electronics declared the launch of the Mobile HD era by unveiling the world’s first LTE smartphone with the HD Super AMOLED GALAXY S II HD LTE.

With HD (1280X720) resolution, the HD Super AMOLED is the first AMOLED display to feature 316 pixels per inch (ppi), higher than the standard 300ppi, resulting in substantial improvements in screen sharpness and readability.

A wide variety of high-resolution content services that are provided via the LTE communication network, such as high-resolution video telephony, real-time VOD services, and network games, can be enjoyed more vividly thanks to the HD SuperAMOLED.
The GALAXY S II HD LTE will serve as an ‘HD theater in hand’ by offering an optimal environment for watching films, including the large 4.65-inch screen, screen ratio of 16:9, 110％ natural color reproduction, and 180-degree viewing angle that ensures a clear image from far left or right.

The phone supports multiple modes including LTE, HSPA＋ (for SKT and KT) and Rev.A (for LGU＋), and WCDMA/GSM (roaming), enabling a domestic user to seamlessly access the fastest high speed wireless Internet.

Substantial improvements were made to the design as well. The narrow bezel technology was employed for the front to make the frame of the 4.65-inch AMOLED display as thin as possible. Emphasis was thus placed on a slim, refined design. The slim feature (9.5mm) ensures a more comfortable grip.

Other cutting-edge smartphone functions are provided, including a large battery capacity of 1850mAh, NFC (Near Field Communication), flash support, 8 megapixel camera, WiFi a/b/g/n support, and Bluetooth 3.0＋HS.

※ The LTE speed specified above is based on theoretical value (LTE bandwidth of 10MHz each). The actual speed may differ according to the LTE bandwidth, communications standard, and usage environment. Areas where LTE services are provided may differ among operators.


Note to Editors:

GALAXY S II LTE Product Specifications

Size/weight
69.6 × 130.6 × 9.5 mm, 135.5g
Network
LTE & HSPA＋ support
Display
4.5-inch WVGA(800x480) Super AMOLED Plus
Platform
Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Camera
8 megapixel (flash)/2 megapixel on the front
Battery
1850 mAh
Value added features
1.5GHz dual core AP, embedded 16GB memory,
Bluetooth 3.0 HS, WiFi a/b/g/n

GALAXY S II LTE Product Specifications

Size/weight
68.8 × 132.65 × 9.5 mm (thinnest area), 142g
Network
LTE & HSPA＋ /Rev.A(LGU＋) support
Display
4.65-inch HD(1280x720) Super AMOLED
Platform
Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Camera
8 megapixel (flash)/2 megapixel on the front
Battery
1850 mAh
Value added features
1.5GHz dual core AP, embedded 16GB memory,
Bluetooth 3.0 HS, WiFi a/b/g/n


※ Product and service specifications stated above, including functions, performance, design, price, and components refer to specifications as of now. They may differ among different versions of products released in countries and may change without prior notice.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung opens the door to the high speed, high resolution 4G era by unveiling new LTE smartphone line up in Korea

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced the launch of ‘GALAXY S II LTE’ and ‘GALAXY S II HD LTE’ in Korean market.

On September 26th, Samsung Electronics holds a Media Day event in Seoul, hosted by JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business. At the event, Samsung Electronics set to launch GALAXY S II LTE, its first LTE smartphone in Korean market.

“Using the advanced technologies it has as the leader of the domestic smartphone market, Samsung Electronics will enable consumers to enjoy a truly smart life with the LTE smartphone. The company will continue to release innovative LTE smart devices in the domestic market, thereby leading the LTE market”, said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business.

GALAXY S II LTE

The GALAXY S II LTE is Samsung Electronics’ first LTE smartphone launched in Korean market, showcasing LTE communication technology on top of the cutting-edge smartphone features offered by GALAXY S II, the company’s global hit model.

The portability has been enhanced with a slim design (9.5mm), while offering powerful smartphone performance, including Android 2.3, the latest version of the Android platform, 4.5-inch WVGA (800×480) SuperAMOLED Plus, and 1.5GHz dual core AP.

The GALAXY S II LTE supports LTE with transmission five times faster than 3G, allowing the user to download 138 music files (4MB), 110 eBooks (5MB), and six HD games (90MB) in a minute.

Multimedia functions have also been substantially improved including the 8 megapixel camera, 1080p-level full HD video, and TV-OUT function based on the MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) adapter.

The phone also supports other cutting-edge smartphone functions. They include embedded 16GB memory, large battery capacity of 1850mAh, NFC (Near Field Communication), WiFi a/b/g/n support, and Bluetooth 3.0＋HS.

GALAXY S II HD LTE

Samsung Electronics declared the launch of the Mobile HD era by unveiling the world’s first LTE smartphone with the HD Super AMOLED GALAXY S II HD LTE.

With HD (1280X720) resolution, the HD Super AMOLED is the first AMOLED display to feature 316 pixels per inch (ppi), higher than the standard 300ppi, resulting in substantial improvements in screen sharpness and readability.

A wide variety of high-resolution content services that are provided via the LTE communication network, such as high-resolution video telephony, real-time VOD services, and network games, can be enjoyed more vividly thanks to the HD SuperAMOLED.
The GALAXY S II HD LTE will serve as an ‘HD theater in hand’ by offering an optimal environment for watching films, including the large 4.65-inch screen, screen ratio of 16:9, 110％ natural color reproduction, and 180-degree viewing angle that ensures a clear image from far left or right.

The phone supports multiple modes including LTE, HSPA＋ (for SKT and KT) and Rev.A (for LGU＋), and WCDMA/GSM (roaming), enabling a domestic user to seamlessly access the fastest high speed wireless Internet.

Substantial improvements were made to the design as well. The narrow bezel technology was employed for the front to make the frame of the 4.65-inch AMOLED display as thin as possible. Emphasis was thus placed on a slim, refined design. The slim feature (9.5mm) ensures a more comfortable grip.

Other cutting-edge smartphone functions are provided, including a large battery capacity of 1850mAh, NFC (Near Field Communication), flash support, 8 megapixel camera, WiFi a/b/g/n support, and Bluetooth 3.0＋HS.

※ The LTE speed specified above is based on theoretical value (LTE bandwidth of 10MHz each). The actual speed may differ according to the LTE bandwidth, communications standard, and usage environment. Areas where LTE services are provided may differ among operators.


Note to Editors:

GALAXY S II LTE Product Specifications

Size/weight
69.6 × 130.6 × 9.5 mm, 135.5g
Network
LTE & HSPA＋ support
Display
4.5-inch WVGA(800x480) Super AMOLED Plus
Platform
Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Camera
8 megapixel (flash)/2 megapixel on the front
Battery
1850 mAh
Value added features
1.5GHz dual core AP, embedded 16GB memory,
Bluetooth 3.0 HS, WiFi a/b/g/n

GALAXY S II LTE Product Specifications

Size/weight
68.8 × 132.65 × 9.5 mm (thinnest area), 142g
Network
LTE & HSPA＋ /Rev.A(LGU＋) support
Display
4.65-inch HD(1280x720) Super AMOLED
Platform
Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Camera
8 megapixel (flash)/2 megapixel on the front
Battery
1850 mAh
Value added features
1.5GHz dual core AP, embedded 16GB memory,
Bluetooth 3.0 HS, WiFi a/b/g/n


※ Product and service specifications stated above, including functions, performance, design, price, and components refer to specifications as of now. They may differ among different versions of products released in countries and may change without prior notice.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of nine independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

First Official Pictures of the HTC Amaze 4G for T-Mobile USA

As you know T-Mobile will launch a new Android device , the HTC Amaze 4G and we got the first official pictures of the device. The Amaze 4G will be the upgrade of the myTouch 4G ( not slide keyboard this time). As you remember, the specifications were leaked few weeks ago, showing some amazing features like 1.5 Ghz processor and 8MP camera.


T-Mobile will release this phone in a few weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

Full features:

4.3 qHD resolution
8 MP rear camera dual flash
2MP front camera
WiFi b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
HSPA + up to 42 Mbps
1.5 Ghz dual processor dual core
1GB RAM
Android 2.3 with HTC Sense 3.5

First Official Pictures of the HTC Amaze 4G for T-Mobile USA

As you know T-Mobile will launch a new Android device , the HTC Amaze 4G and we got the first official pictures of the device. The Amaze 4G will be the upgrade of the myTouch 4G ( not slide keyboard this time). As you remember, the specifications were leaked few weeks ago, showing some amazing features like 1.5 Ghz processor and 8MP camera.


T-Mobile will release this phone in a few weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

Full features:

4.3 qHD resolution
8 MP rear camera dual flash
2MP front camera
WiFi b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
HSPA + up to 42 Mbps
1.5 Ghz dual processor dual core
1GB RAM
Android 2.3 with HTC Sense 3.5

IPhone 4S release on 21 October?

Greek life Digital Life reports that the smartphone iPhone 4S, which will be announced in early October of this year, will go on sale in major markets on the 21st of that month. Also, referring to the "100% reliable sources", representatives of Digital Life claim that the iPhone 4S will screen the same size, with the same resolution as the iPhone 4, but 8-megapixel camera with video recording capability with 1080p resolution, dual-core processor A5 and an additional antenna to be placed at the top of the unit. Other features will be as close as possible to what can now be found in the iPhone 4. 4S version is simply an improved version of the current model.
Another source reports a very interesting, but slightly incredible information that the iPhone will receive a fifth-generation messaging service BlackBerry Messenger. For the provision of its service company Research in Motion will receive a substantial reward, and the owners of iPhone - a reliable and trusted messaging service.
Difficult to understand just where to go anywhere iMessage, whether it will be used along with the BBM or the project was abandoned in connection with the purchase of service RIM. Interestingly, the confirmation that the iPhone models will be more than one, was represented by Albert Gore (Al Gore), which is not only by the former U.S. vice-president, and member of the board of Apple. Whether or not this will be available approximately October 4, when the place is rumored to announce a new device or devices.

IPhone 4S release on 21 October?

Greek life Digital Life reports that the smartphone iPhone 4S, which will be announced in early October of this year, will go on sale in major markets on the 21st of that month. Also, referring to the "100% reliable sources", representatives of Digital Life claim that the iPhone 4S will screen the same size, with the same resolution as the iPhone 4, but 8-megapixel camera with video recording capability with 1080p resolution, dual-core processor A5 and an additional antenna to be placed at the top of the unit. Other features will be as close as possible to what can now be found in the iPhone 4. 4S version is simply an improved version of the current model.
Another source reports a very interesting, but slightly incredible information that the iPhone will receive a fifth-generation messaging service BlackBerry Messenger. For the provision of its service company Research in Motion will receive a substantial reward, and the owners of iPhone - a reliable and trusted messaging service.
Difficult to understand just where to go anywhere iMessage, whether it will be used along with the BBM or the project was abandoned in connection with the purchase of service RIM. Interestingly, the confirmation that the iPhone models will be more than one, was represented by Albert Gore (Al Gore), which is not only by the former U.S. vice-president, and member of the board of Apple. Whether or not this will be available approximately October 4, when the place is rumored to announce a new device or devices.

ZTE Officially Launches Skate 4.3-inch Smartphone Globally

Company will continue rollout of flagship product across the world in 2011

ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, announced it has completed the first phase of the global rollout of its new flagship smartphone, the Skate, in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong rollout is the first Skate launch in Asia-Pacific.

The competitively priced Skate is a slim 11.35 mm thick, has a large 4.3 inch TFT (thin film transistor) capacitive display with a resolution of 480 x 800 and weighs just 148g. Its design style is inspired by the skateboard and it runs on Android 2.3. The Skate provides a user-friendly interface with practical and powerful multimedia capabilities.

The Skate was first launched Sept. 12 in Brazil in partnership with Brazilian operator Vivo. It was later launched in Spain on Sept. 16, as part of Madrid Fashion week, in association with local operator Telefonica. The global rollout of the Skate will continue this year in European countries including the U.K. and France, in Asian countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and China, and in the United States

"We at ZTE are extremely enthusiastic about the global launch of the Skate smartphone,” said ZTE Executive Vice President and Head of the Terminal Division He Shiyou. “The Skate is a building block upon the success of our Blade model and is an important step forward for ZTE’s entry into the middle-to-high end smartphone market.”

"We are committed to developing smartphone products and will launch a total of 30 smartphone models before the end of 2011,” he added.

ZTE’s strategic move into the smartphone market in 2011 has played a major part in the company achieving the No. 5 position among the world’s handset manufacturers. Smart terminal products sales in the same period were 400 percent up on the first half of 2011, with U.S. sales up 300 percent.

The ZTE Skate is expected to build on the success of the ZTE Blade smartphone, which has been the company’s flagship product for the last 12 months. Over three million Blade handsets have been sold in more than 50 countries worldwide. The Blade has recently become the biggest-selling Android smartphone in China, averaging more than 17,000 units per day.

ZTE Officially Launches Skate 4.3-inch Smartphone Globally

Company will continue rollout of flagship product across the world in 2011

ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, announced it has completed the first phase of the global rollout of its new flagship smartphone, the Skate, in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong rollout is the first Skate launch in Asia-Pacific.

The competitively priced Skate is a slim 11.35 mm thick, has a large 4.3 inch TFT (thin film transistor) capacitive display with a resolution of 480 x 800 and weighs just 148g. Its design style is inspired by the skateboard and it runs on Android 2.3. The Skate provides a user-friendly interface with practical and powerful multimedia capabilities.

The Skate was first launched Sept. 12 in Brazil in partnership with Brazilian operator Vivo. It was later launched in Spain on Sept. 16, as part of Madrid Fashion week, in association with local operator Telefonica. The global rollout of the Skate will continue this year in European countries including the U.K. and France, in Asian countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and China, and in the United States

"We at ZTE are extremely enthusiastic about the global launch of the Skate smartphone,” said ZTE Executive Vice President and Head of the Terminal Division He Shiyou. “The Skate is a building block upon the success of our Blade model and is an important step forward for ZTE’s entry into the middle-to-high end smartphone market.”

"We are committed to developing smartphone products and will launch a total of 30 smartphone models before the end of 2011,” he added.

ZTE’s strategic move into the smartphone market in 2011 has played a major part in the company achieving the No. 5 position among the world’s handset manufacturers. Smart terminal products sales in the same period were 400 percent up on the first half of 2011, with U.S. sales up 300 percent.

The ZTE Skate is expected to build on the success of the ZTE Blade smartphone, which has been the company’s flagship product for the last 12 months. Over three million Blade handsets have been sold in more than 50 countries worldwide. The Blade has recently become the biggest-selling Android smartphone in China, averaging more than 17,000 units per day.

Samsung Galaxy S II global sales surpasses 10m units

Samsung’s power packed Android phone has crossed the iconic sales figure of 10 million units. Samsung confirmed that they’ve sold more than 10 million units of Galaxy S II in about 5 months, making it the fastest selling Samsung device. Previously, the record was held by Samsung’s Star phone (S5230) that crossed the same sales figure in 6 months.

Galaxy S took about 7 months to reach the same milestone.

Region-wise, Samsung has sold 3.6 million Galaxy S IIs in South Korea, 3.4 million in Europe where France, Germany and Russia and other 10 countries contributing to the sales and 2.3 million in Asia.

Samsung Galaxy S II global sales surpasses 10m units

Samsung’s power packed Android phone has crossed the iconic sales figure of 10 million units. Samsung confirmed that they’ve sold more than 10 million units of Galaxy S II in about 5 months, making it the fastest selling Samsung device. Previously, the record was held by Samsung’s Star phone (S5230) that crossed the same sales figure in 6 months.

Galaxy S took about 7 months to reach the same milestone.

Region-wise, Samsung has sold 3.6 million Galaxy S IIs in South Korea, 3.4 million in Europe where France, Germany and Russia and other 10 countries contributing to the sales and 2.3 million in Asia.

Xperia Play finally gets HD video capture

The Xperia Play's incoming Android 2.3.4 update appears to add an extra nugget of functional goodness in the form of high-definition video-recording. What, the Xperia Play didn't do so already? Nope, Sony Ericsson neglected to add that functionality to the phone's five megapixel shooter from the start. Fortunately, the new software update rectifies this, so when you're not blasting those PlayStation hits of yesteryear, you'll be able to chronicle your pet's adventures in crystal clear 720p.

Xperia Play finally gets HD video capture

The Xperia Play's incoming Android 2.3.4 update appears to add an extra nugget of functional goodness in the form of high-definition video-recording. What, the Xperia Play didn't do so already? Nope, Sony Ericsson neglected to add that functionality to the phone's five megapixel shooter from the start. Fortunately, the new software update rectifies this, so when you're not blasting those PlayStation hits of yesteryear, you'll be able to chronicle your pet's adventures in crystal clear 720p.

Android devices from Fusion Garage

Company Fusion Garage has launched a smart phone and tablet series of Grid, which allegedly are running Grid OS. In practice, this customized version of Android, which, although it has significant differences from the original, but not so fundamental, so considered complete separate operating system. The company itself is most known for the Tablet PC project JooJoo, who could not take any significant market share. At this time this group of developers offer just two devices - a tablet Grid 10 and Grid smartphone 4. Smartphone Fusion Garage Grid 4 has a 4-inch touch screen with WVGA resolution and executed on technology TFT. In this smartphone is rather thin - the thickness of 9.6 mm, weight - 137 grams. The basis of his platform laid Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor having a clock frequency of 1 GHz. This processor is claimed to be dual-core, even though exactly the same used in the HTC Incredible S and about any dual-core are not talking. Additionally, you can note the presence of 512 MB ​​of RAM and 16 GB of built-in. Available data support vysokokskorostnoy HSDPA, a 5-megapixel camera with flash and video recording 720p, a frontal VGA-camera, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, GPS and memory card slot standard microSD. Also, the device has a battery capacity of 1300 mAh and uses microSIM. Flatbed Fusion Garage Grid 10 also represents nothing particularly remarkable when we disregard the Grid OS. This device with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, built on the chipset Nvidia Tegra 2 processor having a clock speed of 1.2GHz. Unlike dual-core is not entirely clear in the smartphone Grid 4, here are honest - the platform has two cores. The screen has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels and is designed for technology TFT LCD. The device supports a third-generation network, but uses microSIM. In the arsenal of Fusion Garage Grid 10 also can be found 512 MB ​​RAM, 16 GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a connector for a docking station combines the charge, USB and HDMI. Tablet size are 274.2 x 173.5 x 13.9 mm and weighs 690 grams. In the sale of Fusion Garage Grid 10 must enroll on September 15 and its cost will be $ 499 for the Wi-Fi-version. Support for 3G will cost $ 100 more expensive. Regarding the emergence of the smartphone market Fusion Garage Grid 4, and its value is not reported.

Android devices from Fusion Garage

Company Fusion Garage has launched a smart phone and tablet series of Grid, which allegedly are running Grid OS. In practice, this customized version of Android, which, although it has significant differences from the original, but not so fundamental, so considered complete separate operating system. The company itself is most known for the Tablet PC project JooJoo, who could not take any significant market share. At this time this group of developers offer just two devices - a tablet Grid 10 and Grid smartphone 4. Smartphone Fusion Garage Grid 4 has a 4-inch touch screen with WVGA resolution and executed on technology TFT. In this smartphone is rather thin - the thickness of 9.6 mm, weight - 137 grams. The basis of his platform laid Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor having a clock frequency of 1 GHz. This processor is claimed to be dual-core, even though exactly the same used in the HTC Incredible S and about any dual-core are not talking. Additionally, you can note the presence of 512 MB ​​of RAM and 16 GB of built-in. Available data support vysokokskorostnoy HSDPA, a 5-megapixel camera with flash and video recording 720p, a frontal VGA-camera, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, GPS and memory card slot standard microSD. Also, the device has a battery capacity of 1300 mAh and uses microSIM. Flatbed Fusion Garage Grid 10 also represents nothing particularly remarkable when we disregard the Grid OS. This device with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, built on the chipset Nvidia Tegra 2 processor having a clock speed of 1.2GHz. Unlike dual-core is not entirely clear in the smartphone Grid 4, here are honest - the platform has two cores. The screen has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels and is designed for technology TFT LCD. The device supports a third-generation network, but uses microSIM. In the arsenal of Fusion Garage Grid 10 also can be found 512 MB ​​RAM, 16 GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a connector for a docking station combines the charge, USB and HDMI. Tablet size are 274.2 x 173.5 x 13.9 mm and weighs 690 grams. In the sale of Fusion Garage Grid 10 must enroll on September 15 and its cost will be $ 499 for the Wi-Fi-version. Support for 3G will cost $ 100 more expensive. Regarding the emergence of the smartphone market Fusion Garage Grid 4, and its value is not reported.

HTC Radar: Reveal

The HTC Radar is designed to keep you close to the people, news and entertainment that matter to you most. Loaded with the new People Hub from Windows Phone, the HTC Radar helps keep you up to date with your friends' latest news- showing all of your communication history with each person, and all recent social network updates and photos. Or just stay in touch using text messaging, Facebook chat and Windows Live® Messenger in one conversation, all without having to switch applications or stop the conversation.

DOCOMO and Vodafone Plan to Form Business Partnership Centered on Corporate Sales

NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced it plans to work with Vodafone Group Plc mainly on sales and marketing of corporate services to multinational companies from December 1, 2011.

Together with DOCOMO’s existing partnerships with other Asian telecom operators in the Conexus Mobile Alliance, working with Vodafone would enable DOCOMO to further support the global operations of multinational Japanese companies. This landmark collaboration would allow DOCOMO and Vodafone to serve as a single point of contact to provide consultations and solutions to meet the worldwide mobile communication needs of these companies, including customer care for a wide range of operations centered on mobility.

Vodafone aims to offer Japanese and other multinational companies superior services backed by DOCOMO’s high-quality mobile networks in Japan and strong corporate sales structure. Strategic partnerships with DOCOMO and other members of Conexus would allow Vodafone to expand its reach and business scope throughout a wide area of the Asia-Pacific region.

DOCOMO and Vodafone Plan to Form Business Partnership Centered on Corporate Sales

NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced it plans to work with Vodafone Group Plc mainly on sales and marketing of corporate services to multinational companies from December 1, 2011.

Together with DOCOMO’s existing partnerships with other Asian telecom operators in the Conexus Mobile Alliance, working with Vodafone would enable DOCOMO to further support the global operations of multinational Japanese companies. This landmark collaboration would allow DOCOMO and Vodafone to serve as a single point of contact to provide consultations and solutions to meet the worldwide mobile communication needs of these companies, including customer care for a wide range of operations centered on mobility.

Vodafone aims to offer Japanese and other multinational companies superior services backed by DOCOMO’s high-quality mobile networks in Japan and strong corporate sales structure. Strategic partnerships with DOCOMO and other members of Conexus would allow Vodafone to expand its reach and business scope throughout a wide area of the Asia-Pacific region.

Google launched the commercial operation of mobile payments Google Wallet

In May this year, Google announced a new mobile payment service Google Wallet, which uses wireless technology and the NFC with which you can use mobile phones as a payment for services and goods in the shops.

Until now, the service is running in test mode, and now, all owners of Android smartphones Nexus S 4G North American mobile operator Sprint will be able to use it by running the application «Wallet» (wallet). The program "Wallet" will appear in the phone with another software update to be loaded "on the air» (OTA update).

With Google Wallet owners Nexus S 4G will be able to pay for purchases with your phone, registering in the program their credit cards. In the first phase the service supports bank payment cards Citi MasterCard and virtual - Google Prepaid Card, which can be replenished almost any credit card. When using the latter, Google will add a bonus to the user account has a $ 10.

Google notes that such well-known payment systems like Visa, Discover and American Express have already expressed their desire to support their own card technology NFC: after publication of the final specifications will be added to the list of supported applications

Google launched the commercial operation of mobile payments Google Wallet

In May this year, Google announced a new mobile payment service Google Wallet, which uses wireless technology and the NFC with which you can use mobile phones as a payment for services and goods in the shops.

Until now, the service is running in test mode, and now, all owners of Android smartphones Nexus S 4G North American mobile operator Sprint will be able to use it by running the application «Wallet» (wallet). The program "Wallet" will appear in the phone with another software update to be loaded "on the air» (OTA update).

With Google Wallet owners Nexus S 4G will be able to pay for purchases with your phone, registering in the program their credit cards. In the first phase the service supports bank payment cards Citi MasterCard and virtual - Google Prepaid Card, which can be replenished almost any credit card. When using the latter, Google will add a bonus to the user account has a $ 10.

Google notes that such well-known payment systems like Visa, Discover and American Express have already expressed their desire to support their own card technology NFC: after publication of the final specifications will be added to the list of supported applications

Motorola ELECTRIFY - Android smartphone for US Cellular

North American mobile operator US Cellular and Motorola has unveiled a new model of Android Smartphone - Motorola ELECTRIFY, equipped with a 4.3-inch touch screen display resolution qHD, 8 megapixel camera and a 1 GHz dual-core processor.

The operator promises to start selling ELECTRIFY in the next few weeks at a price of $ 199.99. For that amount, provided use of a special rate plan, the subscriber has at his disposal unit with the following specifications:

Support communications standards: WCDMA / HSPA 850/1900/2100 MHz, CDMA / EV-DO Rev.A 800/1900 MHz, GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Dimensions: 66,9 × 126,9 × 12,2 mm
Weight: 158 gr.
Platform: Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Display: 4.3-inch, qHD, double-layer anti-reflective coatings, glass, Corning Gorilla Glass
Camera: 8 megapixels, HD video support
Built-in FM-radio
Memory: 1 GHB RAM, 16 GB internal slot for microSD memory cards
Communications: Wi-Wi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 HS, HDMI, BOTA, MML, 3.5 mm audio jack, aGPS, sGPS

Motorola ELECTRIFY - Android smartphone for US Cellular

North American mobile operator US Cellular and Motorola has unveiled a new model of Android Smartphone - Motorola ELECTRIFY, equipped with a 4.3-inch touch screen display resolution qHD, 8 megapixel camera and a 1 GHz dual-core processor.

The operator promises to start selling ELECTRIFY in the next few weeks at a price of $ 199.99. For that amount, provided use of a special rate plan, the subscriber has at his disposal unit with the following specifications:

Support communications standards: WCDMA / HSPA 850/1900/2100 MHz, CDMA / EV-DO Rev.A 800/1900 MHz, GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Dimensions: 66,9 × 126,9 × 12,2 mm
Weight: 158 gr.
Platform: Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Display: 4.3-inch, qHD, double-layer anti-reflective coatings, glass, Corning Gorilla Glass
Camera: 8 megapixels, HD video support
Built-in FM-radio
Memory: 1 GHB RAM, 16 GB internal slot for microSD memory cards
Communications: Wi-Wi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 HS, HDMI, BOTA, MML, 3.5 mm audio jack, aGPS, sGPS

LG

LG

Xperia ray Review

Sony Ericsson has released a large number of Android handsets this year under the Xperia brand, eight in total and this doesn’t include the minor variants of the Xperia arc (arc S) and Xperia neo (neo V). We have been testing Sony Ericsson’s newest handset, the Xperia ray and it’s safe to say that it is one of the most attractive both in looks, features and value.
We have been lucky enough to have played with almost all of the Xperia handsets, bar the Xperia pro, which still hasn’t been released in most territories. Our review will cover where the Xperia ray differs from the current Xperia lineup, both positive and negative. We’ll concentrate mainly on the hardware and less on the software as the latter is largely similar across all Xperia handsets and is constantly evolving (as covered by the blog). Click through for our full thoughts on the handset.

DESIGN

When you first hold the Xperia ray in your hands, what is most immediately apparent is the slightly unusual shape. The Xperia ray has a 3.3-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. However, this is packed into a chassis that is 53mm in width (same as the Xperia mini pro) and 111mm tall – this makes it 19mm taller than the mini pro. So whereas the mini pro feels like a more traditional shape for a phone size (albeit smaller), the Xperia ray seems somewhat elongated. Whilst this feels a bit strange at first, you do get used to it pretty quickly.

Left picture (from left to right) - Xperia arc, Xperia X10, Xperia PLAY, Xperia ray, Xperia mini pro
Right picture (from left to right) - Xperia arc, Xperia ray and Xperia mini pro
Apart from the shape, the phone feels very nice in the hand. We have been playing with a black model, which comes with a matte (almost rubbery) back cover that means there is little chance of clouding the handset with fingerprint marks. The aluminium chassis is mostly felt in the sides of the handset and gives it a nice premium feel. The handset is one of the lightest Xperia models coming in at 100g, lighter than even the 3-inch Xperia X8.

A piece of glass covers almost the entire front face of the handset making it a very attractive handset to look at. This combined with the aluminium chassis means that the phone feels very sturdy in the hand, with no noticeable creaking. The front of the handset has just one physical button (for Home) and uses touch sensitive buttons for the back and menu functions. This is much like the Xperia mini pro, however Sony Ericsson did not include backlit keys for the back/menu buttons which is a shame as these do exist on the mini pro.

The Xperia ray has no backlit keys – Xperia ray on left, Xperia mini pro on right
There is also no indicator light, instead the arc around the home button will light up in various colours to give notifications i.e. red when battery low, green when battery full, flashing green when you have missed calls/messages etc.

The only thing you’ll find on the front face of the handset is an all-important front-facing camera, which is non-existent on the Xperia arc. It’s nice to see its inclusion here, especially considering the thin chassis.
Thankfully, the designers of the handset put a much better power button on the top of the Xperia ray, compared to the stiff little button on the Xperia arc. The button protrudes a little and has excellent feedback, which means locking the handset isn’t the challenge it is on the arc. The Xperia ray also wins brownie points for putting a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the handset (both the Xperia arc and Xperia PLAY had the jack inexplicably on the side). The plastic surrounding the headphone jack has also been raised, whereas normally you just find a hole. We speculate that this may have been done to reinforce the plastic to avoid cracking, a problem we have seen on many people’s Xperia arc’s, including our own.

On the right side of the handset, you’ll notice that there is no dedicated camera button. This may be an issue to some, but personally we have no problems using touch capture. The volume on/off keys are quite narrow but feedback is good and we didn’t have any problems hitting the desired key whilst on a call. The left side of the handset has a micro-USB socket.

DISPLAY

Moving on from the design, one of the highlights of the Xperia ray has to be its display. It has the highest PPI of any Xperia handset at 297 PPI and it certainly shows with pin-sharp text rendering. It makes us long even more for a similar pixel density in a larger screen device as it’s somewhat difficult to go back to the Xperia arc once you’ve seen how sharp the screen can be. This is a TFT LCD display, but visibility in sunlight is still reasonably good as with other Xperia handsets. It also comes with the Bravia engine that helps with contrast and saturation when viewing media on the phone.
One disappointing aspect is the screen sensitivity. Now we’re not sure whether we’re alone on this, but we had problems with touchscreen sensitivity on more than one occasion. We found that we needed to tap two or three times to register a command. Sometimes pressing harder on the screen would work, but given that this is a capacitive and not resistive screen, we wonder why this should be the case. We’re not sure exactly what’s behind the issue, but it was enough of a problem to prove frustrating.

BATTERY LIFE

The Xperia ray is probably the company’s first small form-factor handset to come with the same capacity 1500mAh battery of the larger Xperia ‘s (arc, PLAY, neo etc). Normally Sony Ericsson sticks in a 1200mAh battery for the mini line-up along with last year’s Xperia X8.
We have heard of a number of complaints from people about the Xperia ray battery life, but we’ve not experienced this ourselves. The battery life has been broadly similar the other larger Xperia handsets and will most likely last around a day and a half before needing more juice.

CAMERA

Despite having an 8.1MP camera sensor and LED flash the camera is a bit of a disappointment. We are somewhat perplexed why Sony Ericsson did not employ the use of a Flash setting, instead you get a Photo Light On/Off toggle in the settings (much like the Xperia X10). However, whereas the X10 was limited by the Android version at the time, there is absolutely no reason why Sony Ericsson should not have Flash enabled. It seems as if the company doesn’t want to cannibalise sales of its higher end Xperia arc handset, but as this appears to be a software limitation hopefully a workaround will come out soon. Staying with the camera, it’s also a shame that there is no dedicated shutter button. However, we’ve gotten used to using the touch capture function so it’s no big deal to us, although we imagine it will be to others.

Camera settings – Xperia ray uses a Photo light instead of flash In terms of the quality of the photos themselves, we found them to be perfectly acceptable and towards the top tier from an Android phone. However, photo samples did appear softer than those compared to the Xperia arc. [Camera and video samples to follow - this review will be updated shortly]

LOUDSPEAKER/EARPIECE

Ever since the Xperia X10 had very low earpiece volumes, this is something that we always test first, especially since it is critical in using any phone. Luckily, much like most of the 2011 range of Xperia handsets, earpiece volume for the Xperia ray volume is very good. The same can be said of the speaker which packs a punch above its weight and is certainly loud enough for most usage scenarios bar the loudest ambient noise.

SOFTWARE

As mentioned earlier this is not an area we’ll concentrate too much on, but we wanted to mention two things. Firstly, typing on the keyboard is a PITA. Despite having the same resolution as the larger Xperia phones, given the narrow width of the handset, Sony Ericsson uses an alphanumeric keyboard as the default.
This can be changed to a QWERTY one in the options, but this is nigh on unusable in portrait mode given the size of the display. The problem is that when you switch to QWERTY in landscape mode it will often block the text that you are writing. When you compound all of this with the touchscreen sensitivity issues we mentioned above and typing can be a tiresome process.
On a more positive note, we noticed that Sony Ericsson has bundled some new energy saving software with the Xperia ray. The ‘Power save mode’ is an app that allows you to set certain parameters for each feature of your phone (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Brightness, Screen timeout, Animation, Background data traffic, Auto-sync and Notification), so that if you are running out of battery you can enable this mode to automatically switch all unnecessary processes off to save battery. It’s a nifty function that we’re sure will appear on other Xperia handsets soon.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Xperia ray is one of Sony Ericsson’s best offerings in 2011. The main feature it lacks versus its bigger brothers the Xperia arc and Xperia neo is the lack of HDMI. Whilst this is a shame, it would only have increased the cost and this is where Sony Ericsson will try to hit hard to compete against some strong competition. There are a few flaws though, the biggest for us being the touchscreen sensitivity and typing. The latter can be helped by using the Swype input text method (or SE’s own Swipe method in the Android 2.3.4 update), but the screen sensitivity issues do remain. Also, don’t expect the same camera performance as the Xperia arc, pictures come out softer and there is no Flash, just an on/off toggle for the photo light.
If you can work around these issues, we think this is one of the best all rounders that Sony Ericsson has produced in a while. It’s just a shame that all of the marketing has been targeted to prospective female customers as there is no shame in any man owning this phone. It is sleek, good looking and has a good feature set. At a sim-free price of £275 in the UK including the bundled Sony Ericsson Livesound headset (that normally retails for £50 on its own) we think the Xperia ray offers superb value overall.