Sony Ericsson’s Canadian Store Hacked, 2,000+ Account Data Taken

We hate to be right on the subject matter but it is indeed another day and another Sony website has been hacked. This time, it’s Sony Ericsson’s Canadian store that has seen intruders illegally break in and steal customer information. More than  2,000 Canadian Eshop customers data were taken this but again, just like the previous attack, there is good news. Sony has stated that customer passwords were all encrypted, thus making them useless to the culprits and no credit card data was accessed. As Naked Security put it in our last article:

when this is over, Sony may end up being one of the most secure web assets on the net.

I think it’s important to note with all these hackings is that Sony is not the party to blame and instead, the real anger should be towards those who are stealing your information. As I wrote an extensive piece on this before, no matter how you view the company, it’s in their best interest to have events like this not occur but at the end of the day, the criminals are the hackers.

[Via BBC]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Acro Announced. We Have Specs

Before anybody gets overly excited about this, we have to point that this phone is intended for Japan only and you can probably blame that on the lack of infrastructure offered in your country. The Xperia Acro, not to be confused with the Xperia Arc which will have a global launch, is Sony Ericssons new flagship phone for the Land of the Rising Sun. This Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) smartphone will carry a 4.2-inch touch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine to offer some of the most crisp and vidid viewing experience to be found on a handheld device. This is partially due to the entertainment value that the Acro will carry, seeing how the phone has built in Mobile TV functionality, enabling live TV viewing on the device, which is different from video streaming off of a 3G network. The Acro will also come equipped with a 8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R sensor which also allows for 720p video recording. Both recording modes are optimized to offer low-noise and function under low light quality which is a welcome feature for most cellphone owners. For those of you who are looking to share you content, no need to worry as this 1GHz CPU, Adreno 205 GPU will also come with HDMI out. Besides the TV tuner functionality, another reason why we won’t see the Acro make it to the West is due to the built in mobile wallet (NFC) which allows your Xperia Acro to function as a credit card. With no standard and support system in the United States and Europe, these two features would mean a higher priced phone with a locked out functionality which of course does not make sense. Seeing how easy it is to purchase Starbucks with my iPhone app, this is a feature that I cannot wait for to make its way to the West. This would make running into the store and being out, that much more convenient while requiring me to have one less thing on me. No price point has been announced for the Acro at this point but look for the unit in Black and White by the end of Summer.

Hit the jump for the official press release from Sony Ericsson. While you are there, what do you think about the Acro? How about NFC technology? Is that something you would like to see implemented in your country?

Sony Announces New Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

Sony really wasn’t kidding when they said that they wanted to get in on the Android smartphone action and become one of the top Android handset makers. Though that dream might not happen this year, especially due to the delays from Sony Ericsson, because of the tragic events that unfolded in Japan nearly two months ago, the company has a bright future ahead with the slew of phones that they are releasing this year. In addition to the Xperia Play, Arc, Neo, Walkman W8 and rumored Acro, the company today unveiled two new Android 2.3 Gingerbread based smartphones.

The Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro which are slated for a global Q3, 2011 launch are meant to fill in Sony Ericssons gap of lowered end Android phones. Still, don’t automatically think to yourself that lower end means lower quality. Instead, both phones offer some unique features which might just be perfect for a lot of users out there, especially those who might not need a large phone or if media consumption isn’t there thing. You see, both the Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro come with a 3-inch, multitouch, scratch-resistant display which powered by Sony’s exclusive Bravia Engine for smartphones. Both units will also give you a 1GHz processor, 720p HD video recording camera and 5 megapixel photo camera and of course, have access to the Android Market, seeing as they run Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the latest from Google.

If you want to know the difference between these two models, there isn’t a whole lot is the simple answer. The obvious one is that the Xperia Mini Pro (pictured above) also features a slide out keyboard while the Xperia Mini relies on touchscreen input. The second and only other difference is that the Xperia Mini Pro also has a front facing camera for taking photos and videos of yourself and for the of course, video chatting usage.  So what do you guys think about these two new phones? They are still a few months away but they should fit nicely into Sony Ericsson’s portfolio. Would you get one or know somebody who would?

As always, hit the jump for an official press release and for a shot of the Xperia Mini.

Sony S1 and S2 Tablet Size Comparison

With two new Sony Tablets headed towards us for a Summer release, we all natural want to know about them, like specs and offerings. Though we have some information in regards to the S1 and S2 tablet, there still hasn’t been a whole lot of details released. However, one detail that we can indeed show you is the size of these devices. Many times, just saying that the S1 comes with a 9.4-inch screen or that the S2 will come with a hybrid, dual 5.5 inch display might be meaningless unless you actually saw it in use and not in just a press release shot. The above photo is of the S1 while after the break, you will find a picture of the more interestingly designed S2, which should give you a good idea about their size and form factor. What do you guys think about the new designs? Is the hybrid dual 5.5-inch screen interesting to you?

Meet the Sony Freestyle Hybrid Touchscreen PC/Tablet and the Ultimate Mobile PC

If you thought last nights Sony Tablet surprises were the only thing out of the Japanese electronic giant, then you haven’t heard the whole story. After the tablet presentation was done, Sony also showed off two new concept VAIO computers that are going to be coming to the market sooner then later. Though spec are still unknown, what we do know is this. The first which is called the The Freestyle Hybrid PC is more a PC Tablet like device. With a full touchscreen display and Windows OS (though we are not sure which), this seems to be the answer for those who want to work on the go with a Tablet. The other is called the Ultimate Mobile PC that comes with a 13.3-inch screen and follows in a more traditional laptop design. Both units are believed to be utilizing Intels Atom Processors. If those details seem scarce, that’s because they are. There isn’t really a whole lot of information to go off of, beyond what we have just reported. More to come as Sony releases more information.

[Via ITMedia]

Sony Announces Two New Android 3.0 Honeycomb Tablets, The S1 and S2. We Have Pictures, a Video and Specs

After much speculation, Sony during a press event in Tokyo announced two new Android 3.0 (Honeycomb, the build that Google actually deems ready for tablets) for a Summer release. Previously under the codename of S1 and S2 which they still hold until an official name is given, both tablets will be rocking the expected Wifi but will also come with a 3G and 4G variant. A front and rear facing camera is also standard on both models. These new media based tablets are going to be primarily powered by Sony’s services such as Qriocity for unlimited music and video streaming, as well as the PlayStation Suit which will bring PSone classics to the tablet and finally, Sony’s Reader platform which currently powers the companies eBook readers.

 “‘Sony Tablet’ delivers an entertainment experience where users can enjoy cloud-based services on-the-go at any time. We’re aiming to create a new lifestyle by integrating consumer hardware, including ‘Sony Tablet’ with content and network,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, Corporate Executive, SVP, and Deputy President of Consumer Products & Services Group.

As mentioned, Sony will be releasing two units. The S1 which is the more typical tablet design will come with a 9.4-inch screen while the S2, which is the more clamshell design will be sporting two 5.5-inch displays which can be used together as one large screen to “browse websites and more”. This dual screen will also allow users to multitask like never before be using one screen to watch a video, while typing on another or while reading an email while the bottom screen turns into a keyboard. Another interesting feature will be that both tablets will have infered ports, allowing you to control home A/V equipment, like a Sony Bravia television. Through DLNA, Sony’s tablets will allow users to stream music to wireless speakers and video to their television set. There’s currently no mentions of other specs and prices though we can expect that to change very quickly.

 “Android 3.0 is a new version of the Android platform with a new holographic user interface that is designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, particularly tablets. I’m excited about “Sony Tablet” as it will further spur the development of applications and network offerings which users are looking for.” said Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President, Mobile, Google Inc.

Hit the jump for one more picture and a teaser video of the device.

Sony Ericssons new Android Phone, the Walkman W8

In order to survive in today’s market, you cannot simply target high end smartphone users who need the latest and greatest. Sony Ericsson, traditionally a company who offered a wide range of Symbian based phones has seen its bottom line take a hit as of recent, due to the fact that with their transition towards Android, they haven’t had a phone offering for those who wish for a little less. Now the company is looking to change that by releasing the Walkman W8. If the phone looks surprisingly familiar to you, that’s because the phone was previously released under the name of Xperia X8. Now with the company moving forward with much higher end phones like the Xperia Play and Arc, the company hopes that the fleet of Xperia X8’s that the company once produced can help it capture a different market share. The Walkman W8 which comes in many new fun colors has the following specs:

• Android 2.1
• 3-inch, 320 x 480 touchscreen
• 600MHz processor
• 168MB of RAM
• 3G and Wifi
• 3.2 Megapixel camera

The new Walkman phone is currently announced on Sony Ericssons German page though we assume that the phone will make its way to the states as well. No price has been announced though you can hit the jump for some additional pictures. What do you guys think though? Great phone for those need something a little simpler, yet still want access to the Android market?

[Via Sony Ericsson]

Sony Ericsson Posts Small First Quarter Profit

Of all the different handset makers out there, Sony Ericsson seems to be one the most interesting ones to follow when it comes to the companies financial side. The company which has previously seen huge losses was able to post a €21 million net income during the prior quarter, mainly thanks to tax benefits. With no tax benifits to aid the companies bottom line, the joint venture between Japan’s Sony Electronic and Sweeden’s Ericsson was able to bring in €
11 million ($15.7 million) for their first 2011 quarter which ended on March 31st. The companies operating income was €19 million which faired much better then a forecasted operating loss of €15 million.

With the number of handsets shipped dropping to 8.1 million from 10.5 million of prior quarter, sales fell 19% year-on-year to €1.15 billion. Still, Sony Ericsson was able to pull out a 33% gross margin profit on each unit, versus the 31% from the year prior. With Sony Ericsson fully embracing the Android platform and releasing muliple smartphones, the average selling price of handsets sold rose to €141, up 5% year-on-year.

“On profitability, the results are better than we expected, but that’s because they sold fewer of the more basic feature phones. That explains the volume drop and the ASP increase,” said Hakan Wranne, an analyst at Swedbank.

Sony Ericsson Gains its Own Channel in Android Market

Those of you who own a Sony Ericsson phone will as of today notice a change when you access the Android Market. Traditionally when opened, you would be greeted to Apps, Games and My apps category. Now, you will notice that My apps category is gone, instead replaced by a Sony Ericsson channel. First, no need to fear, those of you who liked the My apps category can still access it by simply pushing the menu button. So what is this new channel? Sony Ericsson has taken the first inititative among Android handset makers, though we believe many are/will follow shortly and created it’s own channel, only visible to those who own Sony Ericsson handsets. Within the channel, you will find special apps that are designed and catered to Sony Ericsson phones. As Sony put it:

– Provide recommendations to help you find the best games & apps that enhance your Sony Ericsson ‘most entertaining’ experience.
– Provide a way to easily find original apps from Sony Ericsson such as Timescape plugins etc.
– From time to time offer exclusive games & apps only available in this channel.
– Help our developer partners promote their apps & games giving them a highlighted market space to our consumers.

Those who own are looking forward to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will probably see a lot of action here, seeing how the phone is gaining some exclusive games like Backstab from Gameloft and will have access to the PlayStation One library, long before other Android phones do.

[Via Sony Ericsson Blog]

Another Ad for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Mixing Kittens and Crossbows

Have you seen the previous ad for the Xperia Play? If not, your missing out on “stuff” blowing up. Now, here is another followup at, highlighting what makes the Xperia Play, with it’s exclusive games different from the rest of the Android gang.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Acro Leaked. We Have Details

In both the Android and Sony Ericsson community, there has been a debate brewing if Sony is planning on introducing more phones this year, beyond the Xperia Play, Arc, Neo and Mini Pro. If no new phones are released this year, does that make the Xperia Arc, Sony’s flagship phone? If there will be more phones coming, will they rank up with the Xperia Arc and be flagship based models? Now, with the leaked images and partial specs of the Xperia Acro, we might have the answer to that. Much like the Xperia Arc, the Acro will be coming with Gingerbread, Android 2.3.3 and will sport the same 4.2-inch touchscreen display. What seems to have changed is the inclusion of a TV Tuner, infrared and mobile wallet (NFC).

Beyond these few tidbit, we don’t know much about this phone and those could very well be all the changes that will be going into this phone. If true, this could indeed be a phone only destined for Europe and Japan where NFC systems and Mobile TV have actual presence. Of course if all these are true and welcomed features, I wouldn’t deem them a Flagship based model as it likely won’t be coming to the US, nor a model that everybody would want. If everything holds together, look for a Summer European or Japan release though with recent events in Japan, we have seen delays from Sony Ericsson. Are the additional features something that interest you or if the Arc enough of a phone for you?

[Via AndroidGuys]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Delayed Till Q3

The unfortunate tragedies that have recently struck Japan have not been limited to just the people of the country. As more damages begin to get assessed, many of Japan’s largest companies like Sony and Toyota are finding out that their facilities were more damaged then they previously thought which is leading to product delays and slow rollouts. On top of that, even if a companies own facilities were not harmed by the earthquake and tsunami, but a partnering supply companies was, this will still lead to product delays as companies are finding it harder and harder to get their hands on key components like batteries. Because of these “supply chain disruptions”, Sony Ericsson has announced that their Gingerbread based, Xperia Neo is receiving the bump and will instead now be launching in July as the company tried to find a consistent supply chain in order to have a proper product launch.

As Sony Ericsson continues to assess the impact of the situation in Japan on its business, we have communicated to our operator customers and distributors that some volume of Xperia arc, Xperia PLAY and Xperia neo phones has been affected. Xperia neo has already been introduced to the marketplace in limited quantities. However, due to supply chain disruptions resulting from the situation in Japan, we have shifted the timing of Xperianeo’s broader launch and it is now planned for early Q3.

We will address this topic at the time of our Q1 financial results announcement call that is scheduled for April 19, 2011.

[Via Sony Ericsson Italy Facebook]

Next Generation of Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro Spotted

I guess Sony was being serious when they stated that they wanted to become a top Android handset manufacture. We already know that the company is going to be releasing the Xperia Play, Arc, and Neo this year to name a few. Now, we have leaked images of the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro successor which happens to be rocking some Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Outside of that, we don’t have anything else to report like specs or video, though we’re sure in true Sony Ericsson fashion, we will know everything about the phone, months before it’s released.

[Via IT168]

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 on Sale at Best Buy for $1

Thanks to a report from Engadget, Best Buy is selling the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for just $1. As the guys over there point out, they cannot find the deal online so this mean be an indication that Best Buy is looking to clear their inventory out and might be just an in store deal. As we reported last week, Sony has now changed it’s mind and will be pushing out Android 2.3 to all Xperia X10 user, making this deal, that much more tantalizing. Have you seen the Xperia X10 on sale at your local Best Buy?

[Via Engadget]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Ad Helps You Blow Up Stuff

Do you like having a smartphone with email, calendar, thousands of apps, and camera/camcorder with geotagging access? Do you like to watch lots of YouTube videos but have an itch to blow $h*t up more often than not? May we present you the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 to Get Android 2.3 After All

Wow, call us shocked, surprised, and happy for Sony Ericsson owners but before we get into the details, lets back up a little bit to see how all of this unfolded and why this news is actually a big deal. Sony like many other handset makers was left in turmoil after the introduction of the iPhone with no particular plan of action to counter Apple. Like many others, Android seemed the sure way to fight off Apple and with Google continuously updating and expanding Android, Sony Ericsson like others could instead focus on making their build personal and their phone unique. During 2010, Sony released quite a few of different Android phones, ranging from the Xperia X8, to the Xperia X10 Xperia X10 Mini and Pro. Though fine phones on their own, compared to the slew of handsets in the market, the Sony Ericsson phones all shipped with out dated Android builds. In fact, when Sony shipped the Xperia X10 in late 2010 with Android 1.6, most other developers has already been shipping with Android 2.1 and were transition to Android 2.2, seeing how Android 1.6 had been out for almost a year. This left Sony’s handsets at a disadvantage, with an older, more problematic build, compared to other devices. Sony did however promise to deliver a new Android build and during the last few days of 2010, they did manage to give the Xperia X10 series a bump to Android 2.1 which again was already outdated. Soon, Sony announced that they had no plans to release any further updates for their 2010 phones. Irony would of course set in only a few weeks later when Sony released their Reader App for the Android Market which required Android 2.2 or higher, leaving out Sony’s entire lineup of phones.

That was 2010 and since then, Sony has recognized that they have made mistakes during that period and have stated that 2011 will be different. With the current batch of new phones that are set to arrive, we have every intension to believe Sony’s claims, and now, we are more confident then ever that though they might not become the top Android maker quite yet, there is some form of strategy being put together behind the scenes.  You see, Sony has realized that it’s in their best intentions to give their older phones a bump of new life and that is exactly what they are doing. Sony Ericsson has announced that the Xperia X10 will be jumping from Android 2.1 to Android 2.3, specially, the Android 2.3.3 (the latest) build in late Q2, early Q3 of 2011.

We plan to bring an upgrade to Android Gingerbread for the XperiaTM X10 to generic trade kits end Q2 / early Q3 this year.

[Via Sony Ericsson Blog]

Sony Ericssons Xperia Play Grabs Gameloft’s BackStab as Exclusive

Sony has a lot riding and a lot to prove with the upcoming Xperia Play which was previously believed to be the PlayStation Phone. With a focus on gaming, the Xperia Play is designed to feed the hunger of those who want a smartphone and like to game while on the go. Now that we have an understanding of the pricing scheme that will set on games, Sony Ericsson has announced Gameloft’s BackStab will be exclusive on their device for 30 days when it launches in Q2 of 2011. If you look at the pictures of the jump, what should be immediately apparent is that this is not your average smartphone game. Set in colonial times, there are luscious 3D environments with a gameplay that is designed for fights with multiple enemies at once. That’s all that we have on the game currently but will report back, once more information is released.

As always, hit the jump for the full press release and for additional pictures of BackStab.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Games to Range from $1.50 to $16

As we continue to learn more and more as we get closer to the North American launch of Sony Ericssons gaming focused, Android Smartphone, the Xperia Play. By now, it’s apparent that even though this new phone will feature all the staples of a modern Android phone with the latest Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread, the real focus of the Xperia Play is gamers out there. Not only will the Xperia Play have access to nearly all Android based game with its 4-inch, 854 x 480 multi-touch LCD screen, but also exclusive games, designed for certified PlayStation Suit Android phones which have the capability of playing PlayStation One games. With the Xperia Play being the first of the PlayStation Suit certified phones to hit the market, all eyes were on the pricing scheme that would follow and as we have now learned, it’s really nothing to write home about. As in, prices are expected to be between $1.50 and a high of $16 which is fairly normal on both the Android Market and iOS Appstore. Of course, at the end of the day, it’s really in the hand of developers to set the price for their game but going off these numbers, it seems that Xperia Play users will not be hit with some form of premium pricing, just because they have a gaming enabled smartphone.

[Via MCVUK]

Those Sony Ericsson Windows Phone 7 are ‘old prototype’

Before Sony Ericsson put the company’s full resources behind the Android platform, many wondered if Sony would expand into different platforms and back the new and upcoming OS from Microsoft, Windows Phone 7. Sony Ericsson France CEO Pierre Perron went on record with a simple note likely, pointing to the fact that there would too many limitations and the company would “run the risk of standardizing [their] smartphones.” Still, many wondered what a Windows Phone 7 would look like from Sony and now thanks to images, we have a clue. Though these pictures are from an old prototype, you can see that Sony was keeping a design structure similar to some of their upcoming Android devices, which feature a slide-out keyboard with the home button and back button at the bottom. We remind you though that these are indeed old and it is very doubtful that Sony will get behind the Windows Phone 7 platform.

[Via Slashgear]

Sony Ericsson Supplies to be Affected by Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster

There isn’t a whole lot of details about this but Sony Ericsson has issued a statement, indicating that the companies supply chain will be affected by the recent natural disasters that have struck the people of Japan. Sony has also shut down another 6 plants in Japan, due to damage. We don’t know how immediate of an disruption this will have on the companies new set of Android handsets that will be launching in the Spring.

“Although the full impact of the current situation on our business will take additional time to assess, Sony Ericsson anticipates disruption to its supply chain operations,” the company, owned by Ericsson and Sony Corp., said in a statement. “As part of our business continuity plan, we are in contact with all our key suppliers in the region and we are identifying the possible relocation of certain component manufacturing, and looking at secondary sources of supply.”

[Via Reuters]

Full Sony Ericsson Xperia Play ‘The Donor’ Commercial

Remember that Sony Ericsson commercial during the Super Bowl? The creepy one with the Android robot getting a human thumb so it could play better games? Well, there is more to it than that. We can now bring you the full commercial which will put a little more context to the entire premise. Still, we hope Sony will go with something less gritty when the product launches, though this does beckon your attention. Then again, if anybody remembers the crying baby commercials during the PS3 launch year…yea, that didn’t go over too well.