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Google may alienate allies with Motorola deal

Google and Motorola Mobility will make for awkward dance partners to a room full of jilted companies uncomfortably eyeing the pair.

While Google's move to acquire Motorola for $12.5 billion is largely motivated by the need for more intellectual property, what's been largely left unsaid is how the Internet giant will juggle the duo roles of principal architect of the Android software and now a competitor to its vendor partners.

Google said Motorola will continue to run as a separate unit. Which begs the question: will handset manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics and HTC start viewing Google … Read more

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 gets Gingerbread

Sony Ericsson is now offering some Xperia X10 owners the chance to upgrade their smartphones to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

To update the Xperia X10, which was formerly running Android 2.1 Eclair, users need to connect the device to their computers and employ the company's PC Companion software. Over-the-air updates are so far not available.

According to Sony Ericsson, the availability of Gingerbread for user devices "is dependent on operator and/or country," so it cannot provide an "exact date for when the update will be available for you."

Sony Ericsson released the Xperia … Read more

Verizon drops price of Xperia Play to $99

Verizon Wireless has slashed the price of the Xperia Play in half, now offering the phone to customers for $99.99 with qualified two-year service agreements. The carrier contends that the new price point is part of a "back-to-school" promotion, but I suspect otherwise.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to see anyone in the real world carrying one of these "PlayStation phones." Cutting the price in half only two months after its release tells me that it's not living up to expectations. Besides, I've never seen a gaming-centric smartphone … Read more

Unlocked Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc now on sale, but do we care?

Telling no one but its Web site, Sony Ericsson has begun offering the Xperia arc to U.S. consumers with an unlocked, no-contract $599 price tag.

Listed as having support for AT&T's 3G bands (850MHz/1900MHz/2100MHz), it's very possible that it may arrive later at at the carrier. T-Mobile subscribers can pick up an unlocked Arc as well, though it won't support T-Mobile's 3G network.

Sony Ericsson started off the year with a bang, announcing the Android 2.3-powered Xperia Arc at CES 2011. As one of the first Gingerbread-powered phones after the Nexus S, hopes were high and things looked good. Here was a super thin, gorgeous handset with the latest version of Android.

Hardware was impressive as well, with a 1GHz processor, 4.2-inch display, 1GB internal storage, an 8.1-megapixel camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support.

So at the time, it appeared as if Sony Ericsson had learned from past mistakes and could rise to Android greatness. Six months later, however, I'm not so confident. … Read more

Nokia reportedly cuts smartphone prices

Facing intense competition from the likes of Apple and Android, Nokia has cut the prices of its smartphones in Europe, according to Reuters, which cited information from industry analysts.

One of the analysts pointed to Nokia's N8, C7, and E6 models as hit by the deepest cuts of around 15 percent, while price cuts on other phones were smaller, according to two analysts, Reuters said.

Nokia did not immediately return CNET's request for comment.

A company representative declined Reuters request to comment on specific price cuts but said the "changes were part of its normal business." … Read more

Android Atlas Weekly 54: Stealing stuff with Jaymar Cabebe! (Podcast)

Download.com Associate Editor Jaymar Cabebe stops by to help Antuan Goodwin host today's show. We take a look at CNET's wishlist for the rumored next Nexus phone and, boy, are our expectations great. Leaked photos show that LG is taking aim with a dual-screen gimmick phone at an entry level price. If rumors are to be believed, Antuan will have something to look forward to on his HTC Thunderbolt and so do you Motorola Atrix 4G users. Jaymar helps us figure out what Yahoo is up to with its new Play music app for Android and Antuan … Read more

The newest cell phones from Singapore

Each June, cell phone manufacturers from across Asia journey to Singapore for the annual CommunicAsia show. Though not quite as big as Mobile World Congress, CommunicAsia still offers plenty of wireless sights. And as they've always done, our colleagues at CNET Asia were out in force in their home town to cover the latest and greatest gadgets. Their full package will show you everything you need to know--including their top cell phone picks--but we're happy to offer the highlights here.

Nokia N9

Despite its new focus on Windows Phone 7, Nokia pretty much stole the show in … Read more

Sony Ericsson unveils Xperia Ray, Xperia Active

The Sony Ericsson Xperia family grew by two today with the introduction of the Xperia Ray and Xperia Active.

The two Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphones, which were announced at CommunicAsia 2011 in Singapore, are expected to ship in Q3 to select markets worldwide--specifics, such as pricing and U.S. availability, were not revealed at this time--and offer two different areas of focus.

If you couldn't tell by the name, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is a handset aimed at those with an active lifestyle. It features a dust-proof and water-resistant design with a 3-inch, 320x480-pixel Reality Display that … Read more

Sony Ericsson adds two new feature phones

Sony Ericsson took to Facebook today to announce two new feature phones, the Mix Walkman and Txt pro.

Features phones, if you remember, have become a new class of handsets that aren't quite smartphones, but aren't basic models, either. Indeed, the Mix Walkman and Txt Pro fit right into this category. They do much more than make calls even if they lack the fanciest features available on a mobile device. The handsets also run Sony Ericsson's OS (so no Android here, folks), but they offer elements of the Xperia Mini's interface including the touch controls resting … Read more

Sony Ericsson unwraps Experience Pack for Xperia Play

Sony Ericsson has just taken the wraps off its new Experience Pack, a hardware and software bundle designed specifically for the Xperia Play. The kit features the DK300 multimedia dock; a pair of cables (pocket USB, audio); and up to three games from Gameloft. In addition to charging the Xperia Play, the dock turns the phone into a desktop radio, alarm clock, and more.

The list of Gameloft titles isn't necessarily long, but some of the titles are impressive nonetheless. Each has been optimized to take advantage of the added hardware buttons found on the "PlayStation Phone" and will undoubtedly provide users with some of Android's best gaming controls. I've had a chance to play a couple of the games on other Android phones, so I can imagine that the Xperia Play will offer an even richer, more immersive experience.

Sony Ericsson hasn't listed a price for the Experience Pack, but I wouldn't put it much higher than $44.99 (if not less). Considering the dock retails for 19.99 British pounds, or approximately $32.88, and the games are typically $4.99 a piece, there wouldn't be much value in bundling things together otherwise. … Read more