Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro hands-on photos reveal Android slider

We reckon the HTC Desire Z is the current ruler of the Android-Qwerty keyboard roost, but not for long -- not if Sony Ericsson has its wicked way, anyhow. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro is an Android 2.3 mobile with a full slide-out Qwerty keyboard, for hammering out emails and texts.

We've already submitted the Xperia Pro to our ruthless preview treatment, but it's an interesting-looking phone, so we figured we'd throw a photo gallery your way -- click through the photos above to check out our hands-on snaps with the Pro.

The Pro is much like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo (another Android phone unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona) except it has that pull-out keyboard loitering around its midriff. But you'll get a 3.7-inch display, an 8-megapixel snapper with flash round the back, and of course Android 2.3 Gingerbread snuggled within.

We had a quick play with the Pro at Sony Ericsson's press conference, and we were impressed by the design and the slide-out keyboard, which has a generous gap between each individual key to cut down on mistakes while typing. Fingers crossed that keyboard stays comfortable after months of hardcore typing action, and doesn't cause your poor thumbs to explode in a shower of lactic acid.

Sony Ericsson has also stuck a few neat software twists into the Pro. For instance, there's a dual-pane email application, which shows your mail in two columns -- one devoted to seeing all your mail in a row, and the other half of the screen giving you a preview of your email. We found this feature -- and the whole interface in general -- ran very smoothly, largely thanks to a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

It could be a great mobile for avid texters, or for business types firing off dozens of emails every hour. Don't forget to read our in-depth preview, and stay tuned for a full review.