In addition to outlining its plans in Dutch on Facebook, Sony Ericsson has clarified its stance on bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to the Xperia-toting masses on its blog today. As if you haven’t been obsessively reading up on the update already, I’ll go ahead and mention a few new features including flexible widgets, Roboto font, the ability to take screen shots, revamped notifications and facial unlock. Luckily, if your phone came out in 2011 and it has “Xperia” in the name, Ice Cream Sandwich is headed your way.

Here’s the official statement:

There have been a few questions here on the blog and in our support forums regarding our upgrade plans beyond Gingerbread. We can today confirm that we plan to upgrade the entire 2011 Xperia portfolio* to the next version of Android known as Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich. We are working on merging our current Xperia™ experience with the new features in Android 4.0. More detailed information regarding this upgrade, timing and global availability will be communicated in due course here on the blog.

* “2011 Xperia™ Portfolio” refers to the following products: Xperia arc and arc S, Xperia PLAY, Xperia neo and neo V, Xperia mini and mini pro, Xperia pro, Xperia active, Xperia ray as well as Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman.

SE had originally posted vague upgrade plans through its Dutch Facebook page, but failed to clarify what it meant by “2011 Xperia portfolio” like it did this time. Unfortunately, the phone maker offered no timeline for update availability. As soon as we know, so will you.

Sony Ericsson has joined HTC in offering up a general plan for pushing the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates to existing handsets. In a message on its Dutch Facebook page, the company has said it will roll out Ice Cream Sandwich to all 2011 Xperia handsets. Phones that should receive the update include the Xperia Play, Xperia neo and neo V, Mini Pro, Xperia Ray, and the Xperia arc.

Much like HTC, Sony Ericsson has given no firm timeline, but did say that the roll out will begin once all 2011 Xperia phones get the update for 2.3.4 Gingerbread. Here’s the official statement given to Engadget:

Sony Ericsson is currently rolling out the upgrade to Gingerbread 2.3.4 across its entire 2011 Xperia smartphone portfolio. This software upgrade will be available through a phased roll out in select markets. Beyond Gingerbread 2.3.4, we plan to upgrade our 2011 Xperia smartphone portfolio to the next Android platform made available to us.

According to Dutch blog AllAboutPhones, Sony Ericsson will release Ice Cream Sandwich update in 2012. This jives well with earlier statements made by Google executives, who mentioned that most Gingerbread phones should “theoretically” get Android 4.0 in 2012.

A day after Google announced that 190 million Android devices have been manufactured to date, Sony Ericsson this morning revealed that 22 million of those that were sold were its Android-powered Xperia smartphones.

In fact, 80 percent of the company’s sales now comes from higher-end mobile devices, which is why Sony Ericsson will be shifting its entire product portfolio to smartphones during 2012, the company said.

Sony Ericsson estimates that its share of the global Android-based smartphone market during Q3 was approximately 12 percent in volume.

As the company’s President and CEO Bert Nordberg put it recently: they probably should have taken the iPhone more seriously when it was introduced.

The company broke even – albeit barely – during Q3, after making a €49 million (~$67.6 million) profit in the third quarter last year, and reported a tiny year-on-year drop in revenue. Revenue for the third quarter of this year was about €1.59 billion (~$2.19 billion), compared to €1.6 billion a year earlier.

The company blamed the drop in net income on higher taxes and lower margins.

Units shipped during the quarter were 9.5 million, a 9 percent decrease year-on-year due to a decline in ‘feature phone’ shipments.

The earnings come a week after the WSJ reported that Sony may soon buy Ericsson out of the partnership. The company declined to comment on said report during the Q3 earnings call.

There’s just something about Kristen Schaal’s quirkiness I find cute. They got her to compare gaming on the Xperia Play to the iPhone in a sort of Apple-esque manner (solid colored background, three point lighting, two people standing on screen comparing something). Either way, the Xperia offers some pretty good gameplay. Check it out.

[via Gizmodo]

I’m totally down with Sony Ericsson trying almost anything to stay relevant in non-niche markets, so the Xperia Arc looks actually exciting and/or good. Sadly, as handsome as it is I doubt there are many who who really want to watch an eleven minute video describing every nuance. However, if you’re that kind of guy, here you are.

via HDBlog.It

When the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 was announced in November, my major concern was whether it was coming to the U.S., when it was coming and if it would be subsidized by a carrier. The good news is that it looks like the X10 will be hitting AT&T’s shores this Spring.

The Boy Genius, whom I trust, has it on very good authority that the device will definitely be carried by AT&T, and that it will arrive some time in April or May. As far as pricing, it looks like $199 or less is what BGR is hearing and that sounds reasonable if Sony Ericsson wants a fighting chance against devices like the iPhone.

More Android handsets are on the way from Sony Ericsson as the handset manufacturer just announced smaller versions of the Xperia X10: the X10 mini and X10 mini pro. Clever names, right? These handsets are quite sexy, if I say so myself, and the pro version has the nice addition of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Like the bigger X10, these feature SE’s custom UX platform over Android, which includes Timescape for aggregating all your content to one place.  But enough about me yapping over these handsets; I’ll step aside and let you experience them for yourself. Hit the break for the full release and some videos.

February 14, 2010 – Barcelona – Today sees the announcement of Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro, compact versions of Xperia™ X10, which will deliver powerful and application packed mobile phones into the industry. By introducing mobile phones that are both compact and clever, Sony Ericsson is challenging the norm and defining a brand new offering that combines high specification features with a version of Sony Ericsson’s powerful UX platform specifically designed for smaller devices.

Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro with slide out QWERTY keyboard offer an open and intuitive communication entertainment experience and build on the human curvature design philosophy debuted by the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X10. Combining the Android platform with signature applications and a customisable UX platform, communication truly becomes entertainment with these new mobile phones. To enhance the experience, pick and choose from a multitude of applications at Android Market™ and co-create a mobile phone experience that is entirely unique. Users can go one step further and customise the home screen’s four corners and widgets to access the most needed applications for limitless possibilities.

The two sister mobile phones incorporate the signature application Sony Ericsson Timescape™ which brings all communication together in one place so users can see at a glance text messages, missed calls, and Facebook™ and Twitter updates, without having to open lots of different applications.  The interactive music player also uses the “infinite button” to pull together all music content from the music store and YouTube™ – a smart way to search for new tracks from a favourite artist.

“There has been an enormous buzz around Xperia™ X10 so it is really exciting to be already unveiling compact versions of this powerful proposition.” Said Rikko Sakaguchi, EVP and Chief Creation Officer, Sony Ericsson. “With the X10 mini and X10 mini pro we have pushed the boundaries of what is possible with smaller devices and are giving consumers exactly what they want; two high performance mobile phones with a fully customisable user experience platform and a stunning ultra-compact design.”

Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro

• Sony Ericsson Timescape™ -  brings together all communication in one place
• Four corner control – applications, calls, web, the consumer decides. Four customisable icons for ultimate control
• 5 megapixel camera and video – share creations via the web
• Music player links to music stores and YouTube™ – access the world of music
• Android platform  – with Google™ services and Android Market™
• QWERTY keyboard – slide and text for quick and easy messaging (Xperia™ X10 mini pro only)

X10 mini and X10 mini pro supports HSPA 900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA 850/1900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900.

The X10 mini will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red and Silver

The X10 mini pro will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Black and Red.

Sony Ericsson is also introducing the Portable Stereo Speakers MS450, to deliver rich on-the-go sound and the Hi-Fi Headset MH810 with remote with superior audio and remote media and call handling.

Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro

Camera

• 5 megapixel camera
• Auto focus
• Geo tagging
• Photo and video light
• Sony Ericsson Album application
• Video recording

Music

• Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
• Music player
• PlayNow™
• TrackID™

Web

• Bookmarks
• Pan and zoom
• WebKit web browser

Communication

• Sony Ericsson Timescape™ with…
• Facebook™ status updates, friend’s photo,   inbox messages and friend requests
• tweets, replies and direct messages from   people you follow on Twitter™
• incoming text and picture messages
• missed calls

Messaging

• Email
• Instant messaging
• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®
• Picture messaging (MMS)
• Predictive text input
• Text messaging (SMS)

Design

• Auto rotate
• Full slide out keyboard (X10 mini pro only)
• Picture wallpaper
• Touchscreen

Entertainment

• Infinite button
• Quadrapop game
• Sony Ericsson FM radio
• Video player
• Video streaming

Organiser

• Calendar
• Flight mode
• Phone book with dialer
• Sony Ericsson Home with widget
• Tasks

Location-based services

• A-GPS
• Google Maps™
• Wisepilot™ turn-by-turn navigation* (free trial version)

Connectivity

• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth™ technology
• Micro USB connector
• NeoReader® barcode scanning app
• Sony Ericsson Sync
• USB mass storage support
• USB support
• Wi-Fi™

Google™ Services

• Android Market™
• Gmail™
• Google Maps™ with Street View
• Google Search Widget
• Google Talk™
• Google Voice Search™**
• YouTube™
• ** The Google Voice Search service is not available in all markets

Screen

• 16,777,216 colour TFT touchscreen
• 2.55 inches
• 240 x 320 pixels (QVGA)
• Scratch-resistant

Accessories

• In-Box:
• Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X10 mini/ Xperia™ X10 mini pro with battery
• Micro USB cable for charging, synchronisation and file transfer
• Stereo portable handsfree
• 2GB microSD™ memory card
• User documentation

• Optional:
• Portable Stereo Speakers MS450
• Hi-Fi Headset with Remote MH810

Facts 1)2)

• Xperia™ X10 mini:

• Size: 83 x 50 x 16 mm
• Weight: 88 grams

• Phone memory: Up to 128MB

• Memory card support: SanDisk microSD™, up to 16 GB
• Memory card included: 2GB

• Operating system: Google™ Android 1.6
• Processor: 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227

• Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 4 hours
• Standby time: GSM/GPRS: Up to 285hrs

• Talk time UMTS: Up to 3.5 hours
• Standby time: UMTS: Up to 360 hrs

• Xperia™ X10 mini pro:

• Size: 90 x 52 x 17 mm
• Weight: 120 grams

• Phone memory: Up to 128MB

• Memory card support: SanDisk microSD™, up to 16 GB
• Memory card included: 2GB

• Operating system: Google™ Android 1.6
• Processor: 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227

• Talk time GSM/GPRS: Up to 4 hours
• Standby time: GSM/GPRS: Up to 285hrs

• Talk time UMTS: Up to 3.5 hours
• Standby time: UMTS: Up to 360 hrs

Availability and versions

• Networks

• UMTS HSPA 900/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

• UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100
• GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

• Available in selected markets in Q2 2010

Colour

• Xperia™ X10 mini:
• Black
• Pearl White
• Lime
• Pink
• Red
• Silver
• Xperia™ X10 mini pro:
• Black
• Red

Legal
1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant. 2) Operational times are affected by network
preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. playing games. Kit contents and colour options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.

Their new UX UI looks pretty amazing – you basically drag cards all over the screen with your finger, which is quite interesting and it’s made all the better by having some lady and two dudes show you how everything works.

My worry? That the Experia X10, which look really pretty right now, will actually turn out to run like garbage. I’ve seen too many innovative interfaces in my day to trust these sexy videos to show me the truth.

I also wonder what program they use to make simulate the hand and fingers? Also, I love Italian tech blogs. They make crappy handsets so romantic and exciting! It’s like riding a Vespa!

via Android.HDBlog.IT

One by one, handsets are getting the upgrade treatment – at least, the high-end ones are. Toshiba just announced that the TG01 would be getting 6.5′d, and now it looks like the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 will be following suite. A ROM hacker over at XDA-devs recently got their hands on a “REAL OFFICIAL” 6.5 ROM for the X1, and it’s looking pretty sharp. All we really have are some screen shots, but we’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

[via WMPowerUser]

A group of tinkers have been hard at work getting the Panels interface from the Sony Xperia working on the HTC Touch HD. Progress is being made at a decent rate, as evidenced by a few YouTube videos that have been released.

Why do such a thing? Well, as one of the guys says, “I like the look of this front end alot better than the TF3D.” So, rather than complain about the user interface, they adapt their own. Good on them.

Head over to MobiltyToday as they examine, in gory detail, what they’re calling “The ultimate Windows Mobile phone anyone can ask for… ” My only question is this: what if I never asked for a WinMo phone from Sony Ericsson? What if I asked for the charm and power of a UIQ-powered P800, my first and favorite smartphone? What if asked for a logical addition to the S-E family instead of some weird HTC-designed monstrosity? What if I asked for some S-E phones on these shores? I’m happy they’re trying, but this ain’t the direction they should be taking if they want to hit the big time.

I was talking to some mobile guys in Stockholm and one mentioned that S-E was always doing well and now moved to WinMo while Motorola is betting on Android, which, in my opinion, is a smart move for low-end smartphone manufacturers. S-E, take a tip from Motorola: nobody ever got fired for choosing Microsoft but they did falter for being behind the times.

At long last, Sony Ericsson has announced U.S availability of the Xperia X1. Because it’s definitely the best day to send people to the mall, they’ll be launching the handset on Black Friday (November 28th).

With a Black Friday launch date, at least it’ll come in at a bargain price, right? Try $800 bucks. As of right now, the X1 is only planned to be up for sale as an unlocked handset through Sony Style stores and authorized Sony retailers, with preorders beginning November 13th. Sorry, Sony Ericsson – the X1 is a gorgeous piece that I’ve been gushing about for months, but I think I’ll skip this one so I can, you know, afford food.

[Via Phonescoop]

It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 might almost be here. BGR has some shots of Best Buy’s internal stock showing a December 7th in-stock date and an unlocked selling price of $799. That’s a lot of coin, so we can only assume that it’ll be the greatest phone in the history of cellular telephony, right?

Just a few days ago, the above shot of a supposed XPERIA concept device started floating around. Though its authenticity can’t be confirmed, we certainly hope it’s fake – or, at most, a concept never intended to leave the labs.

Besides being a damned nice looking piece of hardware, much of the XPERIA X1‘s appeal stems from its full, landscape QWERTY keyboard. In this concept, the keyboard slides out vertically, keeping the phone in portrait mode. No thanks. As a portrait slider requires just about the same amount of hardware and sliding mechanics as a landscape slider, it’s not as if it makes the phone any less bulky. What it does do, however, is take a nice, roomy keyboard and cramp it down, removing a big chunk of what made the X1 worthwhile.

Now that the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 has stormed European shores, eager owners are rushing to share the unboxing process with the rest of the world. The best we’ve spotted so far is that of Sweden’s Fosfor magazine – for the most part, the rest of them have been “Here’s the box.. HERE’S THE PHONE!”, skipping the oh-so-crucial step-by-step undressing.

Just a bit of good ol’ fashion gadget porn for your Friday afternoon. After playing with the X1 a few times during its development phase, I remain wary of its UI – that said, I’ve yet to play with a final build, and man, isn’t that some lovely lookin’ hardware?

Check out a few more shots after the jump, or check out Fosfor’s full gallery.

Anytime there is discussion about Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1, you can almost guarantee that someone will chime in with “Yeah, too bad it’s running Windows Mobile.”

While there isn’t much hope at this point for anyone dying for an X1 powered by anything but Microsoft’s platform, that might not be the case for future Xperia handsets. According to Magnus Andersson, product manager for the X1 and winner of MobileCrunch’s Coolest-friggin’-name-ever award, the Xperia ” brand is not tied into any specific technical platform.” While he didn’t add which platform future Xperia offerings might run, there aren’t too many viable options to pick from.

[Via Reuters via Phonescoop]

Johnny X is about a young man with amnesia desperately piecing together his identity. The webisodic thriller comprises of nine episodes, created to demonstrate the rich, immersive and experiential elements of the Xperia™ X1.

The storyline follows Johnny X on his mission to rediscover his identity. As he finds out more about his lost life in a race against time, he updates his Xperia™ X1 with new content to piece together his personality and identity, reflecting how the phone can be personalized to suit users’ individual lifestyle and needs. Will Johnny X find out who he really is before it’s too late?

“Producing the Johnny X thriller has given us an engaging platform to demonstrate all the capabilities and features a user can experience with the Xperia™ X1 phone,” said Lennard Hoornik, Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “The panel interface is a perfect way to reflect your personality and can be tailored and changed to suit your exact needs at any given time. No two Xperia™ X1 will ever have the same combination of panels on the phone; we are all individuals and deserve to have a phone that reflects that. ”

Over a three week period, one new episode of Johnny X will be posted online at www.sonyericsson.com/Johnnyx every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting on Monday, September 22. Check out the trailer for the series at www.whoisjohnny-x.com

Oh, that’s unfortunate. I’ve been eyeing this device since it was announced and have always thought the keyboard looked phenomenal. BGR is reporting, however, that the keyboard on the XPERIA X1 device is a “major flaw” – that’d definitely be a deal-breaker for more than a few people, myself included.

Not to say that this keyboard is absolutely terrible, but it’s one of the worst. Think Sony UX computer, for those of you that have one or have used one. The sliding mechanism comes right on top of the keys, and thus, the keys don’t travel a lot when pressed. They give little to no feedback despite having a cool triangular design.

Aside from the keyboard, everything else appears to be pretty delightful. The 800×480 screen would make surfing the web and watching movies on this thing much more palatable. The device that BGR got ahold of is only a pre-production unit, so “the software runs a little slow,” but the XPERIA still seems to perform admirably and should only improve with the final version. I don’t suppose that Sony-Ericsson is going to revamp the keyboard before the rumored September launch, though.

WARNING: Do not ingest self-tanner.

I haven’t seen a BengalBoy post in almost a year and for a minute I had all but forgotten about our soft-core brother from another Best Buy who gets brand new, unreleased phones and then makes strange women hold them in bikinis. Lucky for us, BB got himself the Sony Ericsson X1, the phone we call “Lipstick on a Pig” for it’s melding of high fashion styling and cool form factor with Windows Mobile 6.

What does BB have to say?

Ummmm, I’m finally realizing my dream…..(no,,,, not the dream your thinking…… ) from over 5 years ago when I first got the Sony Ericsson P800 and then out-grew the kindergarden capable Symbian Operating System for my first Windows Pocket PC Operating System device, the iMate Pocket PC phone. What if I could have it all??? The all metal construction of my beloved Nokia 8890 cell phone, the bluetooth and construction quality of my Sony Ericsson P800/900 device, the hardware, processor, and memory of the iMate, coupled with the power of its Windows Mobile operating system??? Well, fuck, its been a long god-damn time……. …… but today….. it finally arrived!!

It has been a long god-damn time, son. Looking forward to seeing more of your signature crazy with a little jubbly thrown in… because it’s there.