Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo preview: First look

Introduction

Sony Ericsson is keen to start 2011 in style with strong additions to the XPERIA lineup to please every taste. The Arc is the one true flagship, the Pro is the business messenger and the Play is the gaming smartphone. What’s in there for the Neo then?

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo has the appearance of a Vivaz and an Android heart. Is this what the original Vivaz should have been? A conclusion would be premature at this point but consider the advantages. Android instead of the rough-around-the-edges Symbian, bigger and better display, multi-touch support and greater processing power. We guess we shouldn’t be looking at the past though. The XPERIA Neo is stopping in for a quick preview and we want to make the best of the short time we have with it before it’s released.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo

Having met with the Arc already, it feels right to put things into perspective. There are fine differences between the two smartphones and screen size alone won’t be enough to tip the scales. The Neo will have to show some respect but it’s not a simple flagship - patrol boat hierarchy.

The price tags will ultimately make the biggest difference and – the way things look – the Neo will make a lot of sense as the more affordable phone, which offers relevant features like continuous autofocus and video light.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo will be marketed as a cameraphone. An 8 megapixel camera and HD video capture are a strong mix and we’re more than eager to see them in action.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 5.76Mbps HSUPA
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
• Dimensions: 116 x 57 x 13 mm, 126 g
• Display: 3.7" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen, 854 x 480 pixels, Sony Mobile Bravia engine, multi-touch input, scratch-resistant surface
• CPU: Qualcomm MSM8255 1 GHz Snapdragon platform
• OS: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Memory: 320MB storage, 512MB RAM(380 user available), microSD card slot, 8GB card included in the retail box
• Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, face detection and touch focus; 720p video recording at 30fps with continuous autofocus
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, microHDMI port
• Misc: Sony Ericsson Timescape UI, built-in accelerometer, proximity sensor, digital compass, secondary VGA video-call camera

The XPERIA Neo is an all-round smartphone and a capable cameraphone. If the actual performance lives up to the expectations, Sony Ericsson might just have a another winner on their hands (after the Vivaz).

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo live shots

You’re welcome to follow us as we explore the Neo – we’ve got plenty of action coming up after the break.