Sony Ericsson Xperia Play to Be Released on March 31st in the UK

Well UK fans, wonder no more. Sony Ericsson has announced that on  March 31st, the Xperia Play, previously dubbed as the PlayStation will be released to the legion of smartphone fans who want some gaming love on the go. Sony had originally aimed for a late March release and I guess they were spot on. For those unfamiliar, previously we covered the specs and games that make the Xperia Play.  One thing that will be different during this Android based smartphones launch then the previous offerings from Sony Ericsson is a large media campaign; in fact the biggest for Sony Ericsson.

“We are currently still in commercial conversation, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t see Xperia Play appear in other channels,” Sony Ericsson marketing director for UK and Ireland David Hilton

The Xperia Play is set to be available from every single mobile retailers and operators in the UK. With games like Bruce Lee Dragon Warriors, Tetris, Star Battalion, Crash Bandicoot, FIFA 10 and The Sims 3, plus thousands of other Android games, Sony is hoping to gain the attention of gamers and none gamers a like with the first smartphone centered around gaming.

[Via MCV]

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Announced; We Have Specs

Though not the PlayStation Phone, Sony Ericsson did have a new phone to show off during CES, the Xperia Arc. This 4.2-inch phone packs some of the latest from both Sony and Google by being one of the thinnest Android phones out there with a thickness just under 8.7mm and running Android 2.3 as the OS backbone. With the latest OS comes great power and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor should please the multitasker and ADHD kid inside of you, while the phones 8.3 mexapixel Sony Exmor R camera with LED flash should give the photo camps something to smile about also. Other little tidbits about the phone include a 802.11n wireless card and HDMI out. Another first for Sony is the collaboration between the Sony Ericcsson and Bravia division to produce what Sony calls “Reality Display” with a Mobile BRAVIA Engine. This new screen is meant to fight off the Super AMOLED display from Samsung and the Retina Display from Apple with Bravia engineers optimizing the engine, insuring optimal brightness and color with special focus on deep blacks when it comes to video and game playback. As I mentioned, this also marks a first for Sony as two completely separate divisions are collaborating on a singular device to draw from the strength of Ericssons phone design and the Bravia teams know how of displays. Hopefully we will continue to see further collaboration between Sony’s many different devisions as they have a vast array of products and offerings that can complement and build off of each other, while helping to reduce cost and the need to go to 3rd party venders for parts and licensing. Once released, the phone will be available in two colors, Midnight Blue and Misty Silver.

Hit the jump for another shot of the Xperia Arc and full press release from Sony.

Xperia 10 Dominates In Japan

Did you know that the Xperia 10 is dominating in Japan and taking out the iPhone as being the best selling handset? The Xperia, as you know by now, is running Android and will be getting Android 2.1 in the near future. Google CEO, Eric Schmidt reminded him that “Google doesn’t dominate,” (This is Google’s way of pretending they are not set out to destory every company out there), but Stringer responded with “When you beat Apple, you’re dominating.”

It’s of course no surprise that Sony used to be what Apple is today: the cool, hip, and modern brand. Where Sony used to have the Walkman and Sony Ericsson brands, now there is the iPod and iPhone. In my mind though, Sony has all the tools it needs to stand up with the likes of Apple and use Google’s own open software like Android to battle back brands like Samsung and Microsoft. I just hope they see all of their own assets and bring their many departments together.

[Pic Via Gizmodo]