A Preview of the Sony Xperia Sola
The Sony Xperia Sola is the latest in Sony's own-brand line-up, and the first to feature the company's futuristic screen tech.
This technology, dubbed 'Floating Touch', enables you to navigate the handset's 3.7-inch screen without even touching it. No, this isn't some kind of witchcraft, it's simply an impressive piece of kit that lets consumers navigate the web, for example, by hovering their finger above the screen so it acts like a moving curser.
Leaked as the Xperia Pepper, the phone isn't just about fancy screen innovations. It's 3.7-inch Reality Display comes paired with a nippy 1GHz dual-core processor, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. Not to worry, Sony has promised that an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich will begin rolling-out to the Sola in summer 2012.
The Xperia Sola also features the NFC SmartTags that made their debut on the Xperia S. These tags let you set a profile for your phone which can be activated by hovering your phone over it. For example, out of the box one Sony SmartTag comes set for the bedroom, turning on your alarm and switching your phone into silent mode.
On the media-front, Sony's latest handset features a decent 5 megapixel camera on the back, complete with autofocus, flash, face-recognition, 2D and 3D panorama modes and 720p HD video functionality. There's also xLOUD and 3D surround sound audio technology onboard, access to Sony's Entertainment network and 8GB of included storage - expandable to 32GB via microSD.
The Sony Xperia Sola will see a UK release in Q2 2012, and will launch in three different flavours (black, red, white).
A full review will be published here once the phone has been released.
Sony Xperia Sola News
Sony Xperia Sola priced at £400, arriving in April
Sony‘s newly-announced Xperia Sola has been priced at £400 here in the UK, with a release date set for April. SIM free retailer The Order has popped the handset up for pre-order, slapping it with a £399.99 upfront price-tag. It’s also promising to ship the handset to keen buyers next month, although an exact release […]
Sony Xperia Pepper press shot emerges
A press shot of the mooted Sony Xperia Pepper has emerged online, alongside the handset’s full specifications. The smartphone, officially dubbed the MT27i Pepper, is expected to launch as the sequel to the Xperia Neo V. However, as we can see from the leaked image (right), the phone will sport a similar design to Sony’s […]
Sony Xperia Nypon specs leak ahead of MWC reveal
Specifications for the long-rumoured Sony Xperia Nypon have surfaced online, ahead of the phone’s imminent MWC unveiling. The spec-sheet, obtained by IT168, reveals that the so-called Nypon’s 4-inch qHD screen will arrive equipped with Sony‘s all new ‘WhiteMagic’ display technology. This, if rumour is to be believed, will offer-up an eye-popping 1000+ nits of brightness, […]
Sony Xperia Nypon landing in April for £310, leaked roadmap reveals
The mooted Sony Xperia Nypon will be landing in April for £310, a leaked Sony roadmap has prematurely revealed. The roadmap, obtained by the guys at GSMArena, supposedly reveals pricing and availability details for Sony‘s entire 2012 line-up, including the heavily leaked Xperia Nypon (pictured). If legit, this will be landing on shelves in April […]
Sony MWC invites posted, more new smartphones incoming
Not 100 percent sold on the Xperia S? Not to fear, as Sony has already revealed that more new smartphones will be coming at next month’s MWC. Although the newly-renamed manufacturer gives us no clues as to what we can expect, we’re putting our money on the Xperia Nypon and Xperia Pepper, which have both […]
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V sequel spotted ahead of CES unveiling
The purported sequel to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V has been spotted online, ahead of its rumoured unveiling at today’s CES. Dubbed the Sony Ericsson MT27i Pepper, the phone sports similar styling to the leaked Xperia HD, opting against the curved plastic chassis of its 2011 sibling. According to the guys at Xperia Blog, […]
Sony Xperia Sola Specifications
Size
116mm x 59mm x 9.9mm
Weight
107 grams
Display
Full capacitive touch screen
Type: TFT LCD
Floating touch
Size: 3.7 inches
Resolution: 480 x 854
Input
Keyboard: On-screen
Operating System
Android 2.3
NFC
Integrated NFC Chip

Storage
Internal: 8GB
External: microSD up to 32GB
Miscellaneous
CPU: 1GHz Dual core
A-GPS with maps

Internet
Data Protocols
3G, HSDPA
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Connectivity
Audio: 3.5mm stereo jack
Data: Standard microUSB
Quad Band
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

Bluetooth
Bluetooth Connectivity
A2DP for wireless stereo headsets

Camera
5.0 megapixel camera
Auto Focus and Flash
720p Video Recording
At 30 fps
Face Detection

Power
Battery Capacity: 1320 mAh
Talk Time: 360 minutes
Standby Time: 475 hours

Multimedia
Radio: FM with RDS
Audio supported formats
Playback: MP3, WAV, eAAC+
Recording: Supported
Video supported formats
Playback: MP4, H.263, H.264
Recording: Supported
Social
Social Networking Features
Twitter and Facebook Widgets
Email Access