Due to be released this spring is Sony’s latest smartphone creation; the Sony Xperia S. Having removed Ericsson from their name, this marks a fresh start for the Japanese juggernauts. Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, we delve deep into the details of why this smartphone promises to be one of the top handset highlights for 2012. The flagship phone for Sony in 2012, it will directly take on the new Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3.

Hardcore Hardware

If smartphones were judged entirely by their figures and numbers, the Sony Xperia S would confidently challenge the top trumps of the mobile industry. The 1.5GHz dual core processor is 25% faster than the iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy S2. Its LED-backlit 4.3 inch display towers above Apple’s smartphone range and is complimented by the transparent LED illuminated strip that shows off the necessary navigation buttons. Armed with NFC technology, the Sony Xperia S is ready for the increased reliability smartphones will have in card transactions and augmented reality.

Ice Cream Sandwich OS

Nothing tastes sweeter than the ability to optimise your smartphones performance. Android’s latest OS, Ice Cream Sandwich, will help you get the most out of the meaty hardware encased within the Sony Xperia S.

PlayStation Certified

Being manufactured by Sony can only be a good thing when you consider they own one of the greatest games console franchises of all time. It’s great to see they’ve branded the Xperia S as a PlayStation Certified smartphone, giving you access to a whole library of PS1 classics tailored for smartphones.

In addition to the PlayStation Certified range, the Android Market provides over 300,000 apps at your disposal, including the PlayStation Classic, Grand Theft Auto III. Wherever you download your games, the Sony Xperia S will charge through their exhaustive demands without losing breath, thanks to its already praised 1.5GHz dual core processor.

Capture it all – Camera Specs

Worries in photo quality between camera smartphone and camera are phasing out for the casual happy snapper. Capturing 12 megapixel photos, the Sony Xperia S offers a resolution that’s competitive against standalone cameras. The inclusion of an Exmor R mobile CMOS sensor maximises light availability in your picture to help prevent dark and gloomy snaps. With a 1080p high definition rear facing camera, your video memories are sure to look crisp and detailed. There’s even a front facing camera perfect for video calls that captures it all in 720p high definition. To help achieve that perfect photo, the camera hardware is provided all the trimmings; touch focus, face detection, image stabilisation, geo-tagging, LED flash and 3D sweep panorama, making the Sony Xperia S a truly sensational camera smartphone.

Sony Xperia S UK release date

Not long to wait until the release day as the Sony Xperia S will be available in the UK at the start of March. For a full product spec and all the info on the Sony Xperia S, visit our coming soon page.

So there’s our run down on another hotly tipped smartphone for 2012. Does the Sony Xperia S excite you? Let us know on our Facebook page.

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There is not a great deal of details available at this time regarding the device and it is rumoured unlikely to reach the UK, however it still represents another landmark in the mobile handset market. Information that has been obtained states that under the hood it is likely to be running with the A9 quad core processor, boast 32 GB of internal storage, a 4.3 inch screen and hopefully a few more surprises. It is rumoured to be running on google’ android operating system and I am sure a lot more information will become available when the device finally gets into customers hands. We will as always keep you posted for further updates and if mobiles.co.uk receives any stock.

The new XE sports a red trim compared to the original HTC Sensation and a beats audio badge on the reverse. The android smartphone is powered by a 1.5Ghz dual core processor and has the same size screen as the original Sensation with a 4.3″ display touchscreen however the battery is larger (1750mAh) to accommodate the audio capabilities. The custom beats audio  headphones allow you to shuffle through music tracks with the remote, HTC have also integrated a sound profile which comes to life when these special head phones are plugged into the mobile.

Current HTC Sensation users wont be chucking their mobiles in the bin for the new XE unless they are from the west coast or just hardcore dr dre fans but HTC have caught another gap in the market signing with beats audio which makes you question whether you would rather chuck your cheap ipod in the bin instead and experience “sensational” sound from your new smartphone.

The Xperia Arc S has a 2d to 3d converter which lets you take photos and use ” 3d sweep panorama” application to display 2d photos in 3d if you plug it into a 3d tv or any other 3d display using a hdmi port. Sony Ericsson have maintained the reliable operating software for the Arc S which runs on Android OS gingerbread 2.3 and sustains all the hardware features the original Arc did including ultra thinness at 8.7mm.  The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is available in an array of colours :  pure white, gloss black, misty silver, sakura pink and midnight blue.

So what does this mean for current sony ericsson xperia arc ?

Cheaper deals? yes ! you can now get the sony ericsson xperia arc free on a 12 month contract, (yes they still exist and are growing fast) for £30 a month plus 6 months free line rental by redemption. If you are weary of free line rental deals then take a good read of our new cashback page which actually has a cashback calculator where you can find out everything you need to know about claiming back without having the make any phone calls or send any emails to verify details.

If you want the Xperia Arc now then take a look at the cheap deals available on o2, orange, vodafone, talkmobile, 3 and Tmobile here alternatively check back and find the Arc S very soon

The BlackBerry 9860, available to pre-order from today is available on the Vodafone network initially. Free at just £31 per month you will see BlackBerry’s first all touch device (since the Storm series) come partnered with 300 anytime minutes, unlimited texts and a whopping 500MB of BlackBerry data, you get Vodafone passport too. It doesn’t stop there, to make the deal even sweeter we have thrown in £30 automatic Cashback, effectively making your first month just £1.

If free gifts are your thing and with Christmas just around the corner why not increase your monthly spend by just £5 and reap the rewards? You can receive a free BlackBerry 9860, 600 anytime minutes, unlimited texts, 500MB BlackBerry data, Vodafone passport and a free Archos 7 tablet PC!

If you still need convincing and these amazing deals aren’t enough on their own then you’ll need to check out the amazing 3.7 inch touch screen display. This feature makes the BlackBerry 9860 the largest in the Blackberry range so far. With a screen even larger than that of iPhone 4, the 9860 will undoubtedly have Apple quaking in their boots – at least until the iPhone 5 stock lands.

So there you have it, the BlackBerry 9860 is expected to arrive in-stock from next week. It will be released on a first come first served basis so don’t miss out and make sure you pre-order your BlackBerry 9860 today.

Sony Ericsson txt

No surprises that this handset is going after the text messaging addicts out there. In fact Sony Ericsson are actually trying to port some of the more popular uses of it’s Xperia range onto it’s more basic products. The txt incorporates a “friends” application which enables users to pick up to 5 accounts from facebook or twitter and displays them on the handset. The phone isn’t able to directly interact with facebook or twitter without using the handsets mobile browser but it does allow you to keep up to date with what your friends are up to. The txt comes Equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard which will appeal to the heavy texters and wifi which will keep down and mobile data use due to the social media integration. A respectable 3.2 megapixel camera covers all of the basics for the Sony Ericsson txt and depending on the price could be a winner for Sony Ericsson. The phone measures 106 x 60 x 14.5mm, weight 95 grams, has an inbuilt FM Radio, YouTube integration, 2.6 inch display, 100 MB of internal memory with MicroSD memory card support up to 32GB. The txt is due Q3 so we’d expect an October launch.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active

The Xperia Active is an Android based handset that can take a beating, the phone is both dust and water resistant, water resistant meaning it can be submerged for 30 minutes at a depth of one meter. Sony Ericsson have really added appeal to the handset by incorporating some sports apps that can keep a track of your workout and training routine and can even keep an eye on your heart rate with compatible ANT+ devices. With the emphasis on fitness the phone still provides for the masses as the compact design still incorporates a 5mp camera, 3″ touch screen 1 GHZ processor and runs android 2.3 gingerbread. Although the phone is aimed at the fitness market we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s robust features don’t draw in the tradesman looking for a handset that can survive on a building site. The vital statistics are as follows, size: 55 x 92x 16.5mm and 110.8 grams. 5MP camera with 8x digital zoom, autofocus and 720p Video recording. A 3″ Capacitive touch screen (That works with wet fingers, Reality Display with Mobiles BRAVIVA engine display 320 x 480 pixels. 320MB of internal memory and microSD support up to 32GB. This addition to Sony Ericsson’s portfolio will come as a welcomed surprise for many fitness enthusiasts and we can’t think of a phone that currently competes in this area. Expect the Active to be hitting stores Q3 this year.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray

The Xperia ray hardware wise is very similar to their current flagship handset the Xperia Arc, both have the 1 GHZ processor, run gingerbread 2.3, 8MP cameras and use the Sony BRAVIA engine for the graphics. The ray is however considerably more compact, at only 111 x 53 x 9.4mm the newest powerhouse form Sony Ericsson is a good 20mm smaller overall and may appeal to a wider market. The size of the display is reduced as a result at 3.3″ but is still very competitive when pitched against other android handsets on the shelves. For those of you who are after a powerful mobile with a small form this could be the handset for you. The Xperia ray uses Facebook inside Xperia software to integrate your friends status updates and gives you a richer experience. The ray is bundled with an 8.1mp camera, 1GHz processor, 2.3 Gingerbread, Wisepilot navigation, capacitive touch screen, 300 MB of internal memory with a 4GB bundles microSD card and 720p HD video recording. This too is expected in Q3 but we’ll keep you informed as soon as we know more details about all three handsets releases.

All three Sony Ericsson phones should be available through mobiles.co.uk when they are released and you’ll be able to register for updates by the end of the week.

HTC

Apart from a Trio of Tablets which are expected soon, HTC will continue to stick to what they do best, which is delivering awesome handsets. Even though we don’t know much about these handsets we can imagine that they will be cutting edge combined with simplistic reliability. You can expect Dual Core processors and screens with exceptional resolution and colour management.

Nokia

The N8 has unfortunately for Nokia been hindered with bugs due to the ever aging Symbian OS. Maybe the N9 will be given a new OS to play with. (Not very likely to be honest). As you can see the N9 comes with a sliding keyboard and will most likely ship with the same amazing 12mp camera. The N8 in it’s own right was an amazing media phone and it looks as though Nokia are only looking to add to this.

Sony Ericsson

There’s been lots of talk around a PSP phone for some time now, but images of the handset are coming thick and fast now and we have the name Xperia Play. We expect to have full details come February but what we know for sure is that the handset runs on the Android operating system and will have a 1GHz Snapdragon Qualcomm processor and 512MB of RAM. We don’t know how users might use their back catalogue of games but we hope Sony Ericsson don’t miss a trick here and require users to own a phone specific version of their games.

Blackberry

The Apollo (Codename for their newest curve), will be a natural progression for Blackberry. The handset’s design is largely the same as the current (and previous) versions of the curve. With exception  NFC the handset most likely won’t ship with any new killer features but is expected to be aggressively priced so may be a winner for the pay as you go and budget market.

This is only a quick round up of what we think will be some of the biggest handsets and we expect much more to be confirmed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. We’ll update you on more handsets we can expect to see later this week so keep checking the blog and get ready for some big announcements in the very near future.

The Playbook runs on BlackBerry Tablet OS and is powered with a 1GHz  dual-core processor. Together the processing power and sophisticated OS enable the BlackBerry PlayBook to give users true multitasking and a highly responsive touch screen experience for apps and services. The Blackberry Tablet OS also supports Adobe Flash 10.1, webkit, java, open GL, and Adobe Air. The PlayBook will be capable of 1080p HD video and web surfers will get a browser that supports HTML5 with hardware- accelerated video.

This beautifully designed and powerful tablet is ultra portable, ultra thin and very convenient for both work and play. The new RIM PlayBook has a 7-inch capacitive display which makes it smaller than the 9.5 inch Apple Ipad and bigger than the 4.7-inch Dell Streak making it the ideal size to carry around with you without being too small to affect your viewing experience.

BlackBerry PlayBook

The interface of the PlayBook is incredibly clean. Underneath the open applications there are five icons running along the bottom: All, Internet, Media, Blackberry and Games. Open applications appear in a carousel in the centre of the screen which are live and update automatically. Using the PlayBook is incredibly easy and controlled all by the ‘flick of a finger’, Flick up to close applications and swipe left to swap between them. Giving the user instant access to what they need.

Features of the PlayBook include:

• 7-inch capacitive display with 1024×600 WSVGA resolution
• Blackberry Tablet OS
• 1 GHz dual- core processor
• 1 GB RAM memory
• MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback
• Dual cameras
• 5MP at rear
• 3MP at front for video calling
• WI-FI connectivity
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support
• HDMI out
• Internal storage – 16, 32 and 64GB models

Clearly designed to be used in conjunction with your BlackBerry Smartphone, the PlayBook connects via Bluetooth so you can access, calender, tasks, email, contacts and even BlackBerry messenger allowing you to multitask at ease and stay connected.

In all the BlackBerry PlayBook is designed to give users what they want, including uncompromised web browsing, multitasking and high performance multimedia while also providing advanced security features. Currently about 80 percent of the total share of the tablet market is controlled by Apple Ipad but with the introduction of the PlayBook this may be set to change, watch this space!

If you are interested in getting your hands on a BlackBerry PlayBook keep an eye on the blog and register your interest here and we will keep you up to date making you one of the first to know when it becomes available.

LG Optimus Black

LG has unveiled its latest Android handset – the LG Optimus Black. The standout feature of the Optimus Black is its NOVA display, LG claims that this display is designed to be the “brightest, clearest and most readable” mobile screen.

NOVA also reduces power consumption by 50 percent compared to traditional LCD screens meaning more battery life to play with all the new apps the Optimus has to offer. The Optimus Black also features a 2 megapixel front facing camera for video calls – a world first!

Motorola Atrix

The Motorola Atrix has the Worlds first qHD pentile display for a smartphone, offering high resolution, 24 bit colour and has 1GB of memory. The Atrix also offers a front and rear HD camera and up to 48GB of storage. The Atrix will allow the user to dock their phone enabling them to have an enhanced and more interactive computer-like experience with their devices by providing users with a larger screen and use of keyboard.

According to the cheif marketing office, Motorola Mobility, Inc, Bill Ogle, “Motorola Atrix 4G ushers in a new era of mobile computing. Atrix comes loaded with the Motorola webtop application and when used with one of our exclusive docks, enables consumers to extend the capabilities of their smartphones.”

Motorola’s webtop application runs a full Mozilla Firefox 3.6 browser and supports Adobe Flash Player to play animations and video on the web. The Atrix is designed to become a user’s primary digital hub to create, edit and interact with documents and media.