xperia

It's game time. At Mobile World Congress, CNET got a thumbs-and-eyeballs-on look at the much-anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the official name of the long-rumored "PlayStation phone."

Unlike the unsettling Frankenstein-esque nightmare of a Super Bowl ad, the Xperia Play's Android 2.3 Gingerbread-plus-PlayStation duo is much cooler in the non-mutilated flesh. See for yourself in our gallery.

Update, 10:21 a.m. PT: After this story was posted, Wirefly updated its Web site to show that the Xperia Play's carrier is "to be determined," and all mentions of Verizon Wireless have been removed.

Will the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play--a combination smartphone/game player and one of the worst-kept secrets in tech circles--be coming to Verizon Wireless when it launches later this year?

Wirefly, a mobile phone and service retailer, recently posted a detailed comparison of the Xperia Play and iPhone 4 on its site. Although Wirefly didn't provide a launch date, the retailer … Read more

Sony Ericsson is busting out all over in the run up to Mobile World Congress. First, the company teased us with a peek at the long-awaited Xperia Play, and now we catch a glimpse of another handset called the Xperia Neo.

Android Community posted photos today of a candy bar smartphone that looks not unlike the new Xperia Arc. Like the Arc, the Neo should run Android 2.3 Gingerbread, though on a slightly smaller 4-inch touch screen. On the outside it also promises Mini-HDMI and Micro-USB ports.

According to Android Central, other features should include a 1Ghz Qualcomm processor, … Read more

Other links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

AOL buys The Huffington Post

Sony uses Super Bowl ad to officially announce the Xperia Play

Motorola Xoom pricing

The NASDAQ hacked

New Canon dSLRs

Over the years, the commercials played during the Super Bowl have become just as entertaining and scrutinized as the game itself, and this year was no different. Among the myriad car commercials that dominated the big game this year, there was one ad that probably caught the eye of many a mobile tech fan.

Airing during the second quarter, Sony Ericsson confirmed all the rumors and leaks by officially showing off the Xperia Play aka PlayStation phone in the TV promo shown above. Much of the commercial is shrouded in mystery until the end where a Franken-Android of sorts is … Read more

After two years of lightly treading in the Android waters, AT&T is finally ready to start swimming for the deep end of the pool. And almost as if it were pure coincidence, the carrier's broader ambitions come into light as it prepares to lose exclusivity of the iPhone.

Looking ahead, AT&T has plenty of Android on the roadmap for 2011, confirmed by a recently leaked internal document. The details uncovered by Phandroid indicate that the carrier plans to offer at least 12 new devices in the coming year, including a pair of exclusive smartphones.

Looking at AT&T's current lineup of Android phones, it's hard to get very excited. Sure, the Captivate is a great device, but it doesn't stand out from the other Galaxy S models of its time. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is fantastic hardware, but it's hindered by the outdated software. The rest of the roster is a lesson in smartphone mediocrity with assorted handsets from HTC and Motorola.

The near future looks to take sharp turn for the positive, however, with three new phones deserving of your attention.… Read more

Last night's Tokyo announcement of the PSP2, now known as the Sony Next Generation Portable, revealed details that had been previously mentioned in a variety of rumors. To a large extent, those rumors proved correct: no UMD drive, but a 5-inch high-resolution OLED screen, 3G capabilities, front and rear touch capabilities, and--yes--dual analog sticks are all part of the NGP's design.

However, much as with the first announcement of the Nintendo 3DS, a lot of key details are still undefined.

Battery life This takes the forefront, considering the disappointing life of the PSP and PSP Go. The Nintendo … Read more

Sales of its Android phones and internal cost-cutting helped Sony Ericsson returned to profitability in its fourth quarter. But overall sales were down, and results missed analysts' expectations.

For the quarter ended December 31, the Swedish mobile phone maker saw its net income hit 8 million euros ($10.8 million), a healthy swing from 2009's final quarter, which was hit by a loss of 167 million euros. Results were similar for all of 2010 as net earnings reached 90 million euros following a loss of 836 million euros in fiscal 2009.

Seeing 2010 as a turnaround year, the company … Read more

Like many of you, I've watched the rumors of a PlayStation Phone spread across the Internet over the last few weeks. After a so-so 2010 for Sony Ericsson, this is exactly the type of device that could cement Sony Ericsson as a top Android contender. That is, if they get it right. Ask any Android enthusiast about last year's Xperia X10 and you'll likely hear gripes about how badly the company missed the boat.

Once expected to be one of the premier Android phones on the market, the Xperia X10 arrived with muted fanfare. Though eventually it was successful at a couple of carriers around the world, it never took off in the United States, even though it landed at AT&T.

What was the primary reason for this missed opportunity? Outdated software, of course. Even with its 1GHz processor, 4-inch screen, and 8.1-megapixel camera, the phone was hampered by Android 1.6. That inability to run many of today's better applications turned many potential consumers away. And even now, as some Android handsets are getting 2.2 or even 2.3, Sony Ericsson is just pushing Android 2.1 out to various regions. Thankfully, however, the future looks much brighter.

As of right now, the PlayStation should come branded under the Xperia umbrella, possibly carrying the Xperia Play moniker. Although branding it specifically as the PlayStation Phone could be a better move, it will be easier for the company to fold it into the Sony Ericsson portfolio. What's more, listing it with the Xperia name ties it to its other efforts, notably the new Xperia Arc. … Read more