Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Review

Introduction:

After the relative disappointment that the Xperia X10 was, Sony Ericsson really needed a new product that could put the company up there when it comes to high-end smartphones. Officially introduced at CES 2011, the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc represents the next big thing in the manufacturer's line-up.

Sony Ericsson seems to be learning from its mistakes, as the handset comes not only with breathtaking design and hardware, but finally with the latest version of Android – 2.3 Gingerbread – right out of the box. As a matter of fact, the handset has a unique shape, thanks to the world's slimmest smartphone mid-section, hence the “arc” moniker. Will those perks be enough to mend the broken heart of Sony Ericsson fans worldwide? Read on our preview to find out...

Design:

Did we mention this thing is slim? We did, and we can't take out eyes away from the exterior of the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc. It is just 0.34” (8.7mm) thin in the middle, which gradually becomes 0.39” (10mm) at both ends. The overarching ambition (pun intended) has been to arm the company with “the thinnest” punch line, and the result is beautiful.

Everyone we showed the handset to loved how slick it is, and even we seasoned veterans couldn't help but agree that this is the way to go with big screen handsets. The size of the huge 4.2” display is barely uncomfortable at 0.34” thickness, and the arched profile makes it more comfortable to hold and handle.

Specifications:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 5.76Mbps HSUPA
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
• Dimensions: 125 x 63 x 8.7-10 mm, 117 g
• Display: 4.2" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen, 854 x 480 pixels
• CPU: Qualcomm MSM8255 1 GHz Snapdragon platform
• OS: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Memory: 287MB storage, 512MB RAM, 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
• 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, Sony Mobile Bravia engine, multi-touch input, scratch-resistant surface