By Cristina Porter
10th January 2012.
03:57

Presenting the new Xperia S

The Sony press conference has just finished and Sir Howard Stringer and Kaz Hirai of Sony have shared with us not only the new gadgets Sony is presenting at the 2012 International CES, but also announced the new Xperia™  S, the first  smartphone from the new Xperia™  NXT series- the next generation smartphones from Sony*.

The new Xperia™  S is an Android smartphone that combines an impressive viewing experience through the high resolution 4.3 inch display with Mobile BRAVIA engine, a 12 MP camera that takes pictures in just 1.5 seconds from standby, and an amazing Sony HD experience. Xperia™  S also has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor for a faster performance. Watching HD clips and movies is really a great experience on this phone. And I can’t wait to try out HD games on it! Xperia™  S also enables an easy connectivity experience with multiple screens, so that you can access, share and enjoy content on the screen that suits the situation: TV, smartphone, laptop or tablet.  We have talked about the increased connectivity between different screens before, and with Xperia™  S we will see more about the possibilities of sharing and accessing content easily, including NFC (near field communication), as Xperia™  S is NFC enabled.

Also, Xperia™  S will be able to access easily to the entertainment content from Sony Entertainment Network, such as Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited (in the countries where the services are available).  You can check if your country already has the services here.

Here is an overview of the key features for Xperia™  S:

• 4.3 inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine with HD resolution screen (1280 x 720), as well as front (720p) and back (1080p) cameras for HD recording.
• 1.5GHz dual-core processor for fast browsing and content download, which can be stored on the internal 32GB flash storage.
• 12MP back camera with Sony Exmor R™ for mobile along with Fastest Capture to take shots in just 1.5 seconds directly from standby mode.  Front-facing camera with 1.3 MP.
• NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled to access growing range of NFC applications and services as well as Xperia SmartTags.
• With HD sharing through DLNA, HDMI and using BRAVIA Sync for controlling your Xperia S with your TV remote control when connected to the TV, Xperia™  S delivers a full HD experience on TV.
• PlayStation™ Certified, that guarantees a high quality smartphone gaming experience and access to the PlayStation® Store.

Also, the first things that I really liked about the Xperia™  S (apart from the great features we have already presented), from a first view, are the new design and the UI. Xperia™  S is the first smartphone that showcases a new design approach referred as “Iconic Identity”. You will be able to see this new design throughout the Xperia™  NXT series, and it creates a simple look that is instantly recognizable.

One of the main elements of the new design is the transparent element at the base of the phone. It creates an iconic silhouette, emphasizing the display, and also provides illumination effects and integrates the antenna components.

I have always loved the User Interface from our phones. And for the Xperia™  NXT series, I think I will keep on liking it!  The user Interface has been redesigned to match the minimalistic design of the hardware. The home screen has a new colorful flow background making full usage of HD Reality Display and dual-core processing power.

Xperia™  S will be available to consumers globally from the first quarter 2012. Launching on Android platform 2.3 (Gingerbread) Xperia™  S will be upgraded to Android platform 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) during the second quarter 2012.

If you want more information about Xperia™  S, check out the press release here.  And don’t miss more information about this launch, and all what is happening in the 2012 International CES this week on this blog! We have great things in store!

*For illustrative purposes only.  Not for commercial use or re-sale.  Use of “Sony” brand subject to regulatory approval.