I got to play with one of the upcoming Android phone from Sony Ericsson, their Xperia Neo which is completely overshadowed by the sexy Xperia Arc.
The Xperia Neo looks ordinary compared to the Arc but it has still one nice-looking phone following the design of the Vivaz but made more curvy. It’s not as thin as the Arc but the Neo’s form feels just right to handle. It also has a matte finish to discourage fingerprints and metallic chrome sidings. Didn’t like the small buttons though.
It may be overshadowed by the Arc but the Neo also has the same powerful 1GHz processor and GPU of the Arc. UI navigation was very snappy! It also comes with an updated Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS and is supposed to be layered by SE’s Timescape UI. However, I didn’t notice it maybe because they tamed it down, or Timescape UI is not yet ready for 2.3 or I just literally missed it. Anyway, the UI looks like stock Android to me which is not really a bad thing.
It has a smaller 3.7-inch display as compared to the Arc’s 4.2-inch but the Xperia Neo also has the Sony Mobile Bravia engine and it really shows in the display. The display is so vivid, sharp and crisp that I definitely enjoyed playing games and watching videos on it. There’s also an HDMI port where you can connect it to your TV to watch HD videos or use it to play games on a bigger screen provided you have to stand close to your screen, hehehe.
The Xperia Neo also comes with an 8-megapixel camera with Sony’s Exmor R sensor for decent low-light shooting. Photos taken didn’t really look that impressive for me but I only took shots around the room with different colored lighting. You can also use the front-facing camera to take photos although in VGA quality.
Overall, I like the design, the power and the strikingly clear display of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. I would even choose it over the anorexic Arc because I just like my phone with a little bit of heft. My only glaring problem with it is the 320MB internal memory since not all apps can be installed on the microSD yet.
No word yet on the pricing but the guys at the SE booth told me it’s going to be in the range of Php24k to Php26k which is just right for something this powerful. The Xperia Neo also comes in three colors and the blue and red looks really good. It will probably be available this April along with the Xperia Arc.
If you want to see this baby, head to the 3-day Sony Summer Hotspot at Megatrade Hall 1 in SM Megamall where you can also sign up to pre-order.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Specs: |
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Qualcomm MSM8250 Snapdragon 1 GHz CPU; Adreno 205 GPU |
3.7″³ capacitive display @ 480×854 pixels |
Sony Mobile Bravia Engine |
320MB internal memory; 8GB microSD included |
HSDPA, HSUPA |
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA |
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP |
8MP autofocus camera w/ LED flash; Exmor R sensor |
720p HD video recording |
HDMI output |
GPS w/ aGPS support |
Li-Po 1500mAh battery |
Android 2.3 Gingerbread |
126 g |