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Dear Sony Ericsson,

Though we've known each other for some time, this is the first time that I've written. For the most part, our relationship has been a good one. Back when AT&T was still AT&T Wireless, the Sony Ericsson T68i was one of the very first phones I ever owned (it's so old that I can't even find the CNET review). At the time, I was the envy of my friends since I had a nifty new feature called Bluetooth. What's more, I was the very first person that I knew to have multimedia messaging.

Sony Ericsson T68

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Though I had to ditch the T68i by the time that I arrived at CNET almost exactly six years ago (happy anniversary to me!), I continued to use your phones periodically as my personal device. And in my official role at CNET, I've reviewed no fewer than 33 of your handsets. On the whole I've enjoyed what I've seen. You've given us brilliant displays, your Walkman and Cyber-shot phones can offer fantastic multimedia quality, and you regularly introduce conversation piece models like the Xperia X1.

But after reviewing T-Mobile's recent Sony Ericsson Equinox, I no longer can overlook one of my frequent complaints. And no, I'm not referring to your unfortunate tendency to over-design your keyboards and controls at the expense of usability. Instead, I'm talking about Sony's proprietary ports and memory cards.

Now I know that you've pledged to adopt the Micro-USB charger standard, but the rest of the cell phone world is rapidly leaving you behind. Even Samsung, a company that put a different charger port on almost every phone, has largely moved in that direction already. In comparison, you're beginning to look dated and frankly, a little stubborn. So please, drop that pesky proprietary port without further delay.

On the upside, I was pleased to hear last summer that you'll be dropping the Memory Stick Micro format in favor of microSD cards. With the exception of the X1, you've stuck firmly to the costly Memory Stick Micro cards until just recently (the Equinox requires them). I'm pleased, however, that newer models like the Yari, the Satio, the Aino, the Jalou, and the Xperia X10 all use microSD. Not only will that save your customers money, but also they'll be able to transfer data onto their phones from other devices.

The W995's lovely 3.5mm headset jack.

(Credit: Kent German/CNET)

Lastly, I have to ask that you stop using your proprietary headset connection and adopt a standard 3.5mm jack. I know you're capable of doing this, but I need to see more effort. One of the best features on the W995 was its 3.5mm jack. I was very pleased that I could use my own headset while listening to tunes without having to fumble with the awkward adapter. Even better, I could use more than one peripheral at a time.

You already offer great phones, but these changes will make them even better. Plus, you'll be showing your customers that you want to offer them the most choice possible. That's a small price to pay for a lot of user goodwill.

Regards,
Kent German

P.S. I'd also like to see more of your phones come to U.S. carriers--I fear that we'll never see the Google Android-powered X10--but I'll save that for another column.

The Android onslaught continues with the announcement of Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 and the rumors of Verizon's HTC Droid Eris. Though we will get to see the Droid Eris in our hot little hands--and for the bargain price of $99--the X10 may never see life in North America. We're not thrilled that the Moto Droid skimped on the finger-pinching multitouch. Also in the podcast, Nicole talks rips on the Twitter Peek.

Xperia X10

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Editor's note: As of this writing, Sony Ericsson has not announced North American availability for the X10.

Sony Ericsson's announcement yesterday gave Google Android fans a preview of what we can expect from new handsets in 2010. And as we gear up for the inevitable battle, the lines are being drawn with devices like the new Xperia X10.

On the hardware front, the Xperia X10 boasts specifications not found in today's Android handsets. For starters, the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is considerably faster than the 528MHz chip that we've seen so far. It's also faster than the iPhone 3GS' 600Mhz processor. What's more, the scratch-resistant 4-inch screen even tops the recently announced Motorola Droid , which currently holds court with a 3.7-inch screen.

The 8.1 mega-pixel camera offers the same features and functionality found in many consumer-grade digital cameras. Aside from the 16X digital zoom, the X10 comes with auto-focus, image stabilization, smile detection, and touch focus. Intelligent software can recognize up to five faces in any photo and automatically match them with contacts in the phonebook.

The Xperia X10's user experience is called "UX," but on paper, it might sound similar to HTC Sense or MotoBlur. For example, the Timescape application manages communication with contacts by integrating all conversations in one place using the "infinite button." Text messages, MMS, and e-mails are found in the same location as updates from Facebook, Twitter, and more. Mediascape, another Sony Ericsson app exclusive, handles music, videos, and photos in comparable fashion. Content is accessed and organized from a number of sources including the phone's memory, YouTube, and PlayNow.

Even though the handset is based around Android 1.6, it shows just how flexible the platform can be. So far, nearly every Android handset manufacturer has added its own signature software experience. Sony Ericsson is doing that as well. And with plenty of time left between now and the first-quarter 2010 launch, we're hoping Sony Ericsson is able to find a way to integrate Android 2.0 into the Xperia X10.

Xperia X10

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Sony Ericsson has released details and a video of its upcoming Xperia X10 smartphone based on Google's Android operating system.

The X10, which had been code-named Rachel, has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, which should make this one of the fastest Android phones yet. The phone will sport version 1.6 of Android--aka Donut--and it will run applications from the Android Market and Sony Ericsson's PlayNow arena. The device will also feature an 8-megapixel camera, with autofocus and an LED photo light.

Expect to see the Xperia X10 in stores in the first quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, here's a video that Sony Ericsson posted Monday.

Read more of "Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 hands-on photos: Hello, Rachel" at Crave UK.

Sony Ericsson Aino

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Just a few months after it was first announced, Sony Ericsson has officially launched the Aino in the U.S.

This unlocked GSM beauty boasts a crisp, 3-inch, 432x240, touch-screen display, plus a slide-out keypad, a 8.1-megapixel camera, compatibility with the PlayStation 3 console (plus support for Remote Play, Media Home, and Media Go features), tri-band HSPA, and even Wi-Fi.

It will cost you $600 upfront, but Sony Ericsson is throwing in a pair of stereo Bluetooth headphones, a charging base, and an 8GB microSD memory card to sweeten the deal. The Aino is currently available in Sony stores nationwide and from SonyStyle.com.

Until we get our own hands on it, read CNET Asia's full review of the Sony Ericsson Aino.

We've read about the upcoming Android-based Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 too many times to count. There was a video of its interface, images published by Expansys, even leaked specifications. Well, those speculations may soon come to an end if the latest teaser from the Japanese-Swedish company is anything to go by. If you visit www.sonyericsson.com/whatsnext, the November 3 date is prominently displayed with a few lines of text under it.

Sometimes there's a thin line between extraordinary and the magical. Did we cross it?

With a bold statement like that, it'd better be something worthy of the hype. We'll be monitoring this like a hawk, so check back for the full story come November 3.

(Source: Crave Asia via Unwired View)

The Equinox lands at T-Mobile

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

First it gave you new service plans, and now T-Mobile offers a new cell phone. We first saw a variant of the Sony Ericsson Equinox, aka the T717, at the CTIA show last April. Like its T707 sibling the Equinox has a thin design with a glossy skin, a hidden external display, and a circle design on its front face. Though the T707 comes in several colors--the green hue is the most unique--T-Mobile only has a black version of the Equinox.

The midrange feature set includes a 3.2-megapixel camera, a music player, stereo Bluetooth, an FM radio, a personal organizer, USB mass storage, PC syncing, a voice recorder, and a speakerphone. It also supports T-Mobile's 3G network and Sony Ericsson's gesture control feature, which allows you to control some calling functions and the alarm clock by waving your hand across a sensor.

The quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900) Equinox will be available October 28 for $50 with service.

(Credit: Sony Ericcson)

The rumor mill chalks up another point for getting it right.

Sony Ericsson has just announced, via a Webcast event, what it claims are the world first motion-activated headphones. Plugging in the pair of earbuds starts music playback automatically, while removing one of them will pause the track. For example, if you are listening to Nobody by Korean all-girl group Wonder Girls and someone interrupts you, removing an earbud will temporarily stop music playback so you don't need to press the pause button on the headset or phone.

While this is far from revolutionary, the MH907 headphones do provide some convenience. So this may turn out to be very intuitive (we'll have to find out more when we get our hands on a unit). Sony Ericsson apparently achieves this via capacitive sensing technology; i.e. it makes use of your skin (ears in this case) as an electrical conduit. Aside from music playback, you can perform the same actions for answering and ending calls.

The MH907 works with most Sony Ericsson handsets with a Fast Port connector and comes in Yellow/White and Titan Chrome shades. No word yet on when it will hit the markets.

(Source: Crave Asia)

Remember how Sony Ericsson was going to make it so "the way you listen to music changes forever"? Well, apparently it's doing so with a fancy headset. Really, guys?

The rumor, via DailyMobile, is that it'll be a headset that automatically starts the music when you put it on. Interesting, we guess, but not mind-blowing. We'll reserve judgment until the official announcement on September 21 (which will be Webcast), but it seems like SE should cut down on the hyperbole a little bit.

This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.