RIM launches Blackberry Torch 9810, Torch 9860 and Bold 9900, we go hands-on!

Here they are folks. Months after we first got our hands on pre-release Torch and Bold Touch handsets, RIM is finally ready to show off its latest hardware. They're all powered by a 1.2GHz processor, have 768MB of onboard RAM and -- most importantly -- run the latest operating system BB OS7.

RIM claims its new OS is 40 percent faster at browsing compared to OS6-based smartphones, and 100 percent faster than OS5 handsets. It also supports RIM's Liquid Graphics technology, which uses a dedicated graphics processor for smoother scrolling, zooming and panning.

Hands-on impressions and video follow after the break.

Blackberry Torch 9810 hands-on

Blackberry Torch 9860 hands-on

Blackberry Bold 9900 hands-on

BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860, 9810 press shots

The Torch 9810, aka the Torch 2, is perhaps the most exciting of the trio, thanks largely to its hybrid form factor. The basics are familiar from our previous hands-on with a pre-release handset. The 3.2-inch touchscreen slides up to reveal a keyboard that is mercifully bigger than the old Torch, but still nothing like the size of the chunky monster on the 9900. We were typing away in no time -- our fingers proving quick to remember our good old days with the Bold 9700, which felt very similar. Browsing was a mixed-bag: the BBC News site rendered okay, but Engadget and some others didn't. There was a tiny lag each time we zoomed in, with annoying and illegible place-holder text occupying the screen until it was ready to display things properly -- which you'll see in the video shortly. No such lags were present when navigating the main OS, however, with home screens, emails and contacts all panning and scrolling with perfect fluidity. The 5MP camera loaded quickly and seemed efficient -- though we'll reserve judgement until we can see actual photos at full size. While we don't have official pricing for availability for any of these handsets, we still await shipping date release for South Africa

We also got a quick play with the Torch 9860 (aka 9850 in some regions), with its large touchscreen-only form factor. This one's for the media consumers out there, who'll appreciate the relatively large and bright 3.7-inch screen. The new OS 7 is perfectly at home on this form factor, although the middle part of the main screen does look a bit strange when there's so much empty real estate: basically, the middle section is just space for the pull-up apps screen or pull-down notifications screen to appear when you need them. We were desperate to pin some favorites or, dare we say it, widgets to that unused area, but it's not possible.

We already know a lot about the 9900, which we've had plenty of hands-on time with, so a quick review of the basics should suffice. Aside from the common characteristics listed above, it boasts a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen with the highest DPI of the trio, HSPA+, NFC (embedded in the battery cover), a 2.8-inch a large QWERTY keyboard with reassuringly clunky keys. This one is aimed at the heavy typists, and we think they'll fare fine with it.

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Windows 8 Wishlist

Filed Under: Builds, News

Windows 8: Wish List of Features

[10] April 19, 2011 | George

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With wild anticipation, let’s say that after the success of Windows 7, why would so many people expect more from Windows 8? Any why should Windows 8 come out so soon after Windows 7. After all, many companies, believe it or not, have not moved to Windows 7. They are either stuck on Vista, or on XP. It may come as a shock, but a lot of companies are not with the cutting edge of technology. They don’t have the money to upgrade the software and or hardware, or the money to upgrade the skills of their IT staff. So they are stuck behind an ancient Operating System, which makes do.
But we’ve been hearing rumors about Windows 8 coming out in 2012. Maybe, maybe not. But what do people want from such a new Operating system. Well, here is a Windows 8 wish list.

A New Beginning

New Welcome screen

A new User Interface similar to the Windows phone 7 has been seen in the latest builds of Windows 8; this would mark a distinct introduction to the computer’s use.

‘Modern’ Task Manager

A colleague wrote about this yesterday. So let me just add, with new screen features and statistics about usage, it should be a different utility vehicle.
Portable Workspaces
You may be able to put Windows 8 OS on a USB stick. This would be a portable development.
Aero auto-colorization
A new feature that reacts to the most prominent color of the Windows wallpaper.

Hybrid Booting

Core operating system files are ‘put to sleep’ which enables the startup time to be significantly reduced.

Simple system ‘reset’

When needed, you can reset the OS to it’s default settings.
Ribbons in Windows Explorer
Ribbons which are prominent in Office 2010, will change the interface look
ARM processor ‘tablet support’
ARM is a a low-power processor which allows devices to run longer on batteries and it will be available on Win8.

Genuine center
You will now be able to organize  your Windows licences with this center.

Cloud-based roaming profiles

With cloud operations becoming more frequent, it would only stand to reason that they would be available in the Windows 8.

Push notifications

This is similar to or is expected to be similar to the Windows Phone 7 push notification.
Improved disk cleanup
Cleaning your disk or Operating system by removing junk files will be easier and automatic.
‘Modern Reader’ PDF support
PDF files will have a new reader, and perhaps editor functionality.

Internet Explorer 10

Continue to enhance IE with a new version that competes easier with Chrome, and Firefox.

Internet Explorer ‘Immersive’

A slimmed down version of the browser will feel and look like the phone version.
SmartScreen file filter
SmartScreen filters out spam or bad links based on community responses.

Windows App Store

Get files, updates, and Apps from the Windows App Store.

History Vault

This will replace the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 7

Step-by-step install

The install wizard will be made easier to use for novices to work with.

ISO mounting

Users will be able to use ISO images and burn them as needed.

Native wake on LAN

Even if your PC is hibernating or turned off, a network push through will be able to turn it back on.

Webcam application

Users will be able to use their web cam with the new User Interface. They will be able start and stop videos, capture images immediately or after a short delay.
Summary
Windows 8 comes at a time when there is a lot of push for implementing many new technologies into an old system. Operating Systems still control the computer and interface with the CPU. But with the advent of apps, and how they changed the mobile technology, the impact is now felt on PC’s and OS’s to break from the past and enter a new era of PC and user interaction. One thing is for sure, the next generation of Operating Systems will not look like the last generation.

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2011 Hottest Latest Mobile Phones Reviewed

Check out our list of the latest mobile phones around

In the ever-changing mobile market, it can be hard to keep pace with the latest mobile phones. That's why we've put together this hub for our latest mobile phone reviews: to give you the ideal jumping-on point for choosing the best handset for you out of the most current models around.

We cover a plethora of brands, including Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm and Blackberry, and operating systems, such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, so you should find something that piques your interest here.

In short, if you're seeking a mobile phone, this is a great place to start.

HTC Wildfire S

The first Wildfire from HTC spread almost like its moniker, so popular did its blend of HTC Sense, durable form factor and affordable pricing prove. Now that it's burnt out, however, it needs a successor to carry the torch. Rising from the ashes is the Wildfire S.

The handset carries on the legacy well enough, with an impressively solid chassis, great social features and responsive touchscreen. The market's changed since the first Wildfire blazed its trail into history, though. With dual-core 'superphones' to contend with, it's hard to consider a 600Mhz processor hot stuff.

And while HTC's Sense interface proves as compelling as ever, the lack of grunt means missing out on Flash support for iPlayer and the like.

All that wouldn't matter if the Wildfire S only required liberating a token sum from your account, but you'll need a fair few sheets burning a hole in your pocket (around £220 SIM-free, or £15 a month) to lay claim to this little fella.

In the highly competitive market of 2011, that makes the Wildfire S a tricky proposition. Beginners will be well-served by the Wildfire S's rounded package, but you can certainly get a lot more for not much extra cash.

HTC Wildfire S review • HTC Wildfire S deals

Samsung Galaxy S2

It's rare that a direct sequel to something awesome – be it film, game or hardware – is anything other than a disappointment.

Rarer still is when the second instalment surpasses the original. We can think of just a scant handful of cases off the top of our heads: The Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2 and Left 4 Dead 2.

Well, add the Galaxy S2 to that list, because this phone is awesome.

Thin, light and with an amazingly clear 4.3-inch Super AMOLED plus screen behind its toughened Gorilla Glass front panel, this is one handset you won't be pocketing in shame when your mates pass by.

In fact, we suspect you'll be evangelising about it to anyone who'll listen. That's because the dual-core processor within its tiny shell isn't just a marketing bullet point, but rather powers an experience that we're nothing short of effervescent about. For instance, web browsing is blisteringly fast and the Galaxy S2's Flash support is second to none.

We're thrilled to say that the plus points are just too numerous to do justice of here. Check out the full review to find out why this is one of the best smartphones we're likely to see in 2011.

Samsung Galaxy S2 review • Samsung Galaxy S2 deals

LG Optimus Black

The LG Optimus Black has some great things going for it – a sleek, lightweight chassis and lush 4-inch NOVA display in all its colourful glory. It might not have much more than that but it's a slick, capable handset that does well in the core smartphone media categories.

If you like gimmicks, you'll probably love the Gesture UI, though we thought many of the options – such as tapping to skip music tracks – were a little pointless when you really got down to it.

Overall though, and despite running Android 2.2 (with an upgrade promised at some point), we'd say the LG Optimus Black's worth the money if you're looking for an efficient, easy to use device that's easy on the eye and light on the pocket coming in at a very palatable £20-£25 per month.

LG Optimus Black review • LG Optimus Black deals

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

PlayStation. Phone. The jury's still out on whether the two will go together quite as well as such classic double acts as Chas and Dave - but, at least in this iteration, it's turned out to be a damper squib than the time we believed Back to the Future would turn out to be real by the time 2011 rolled around. It features a four-inch screen, slide-out gaming controls and the PlayStation Suite.

With the PSOne-era games that are on offer, we were hoping for a little bit more raw power considering the 1GHz processor chugging away under the hood. While Final Fantasy VII might be a bit much to delve into on the bus, we can only imagine games like the original Rayman keeping people going for a few minutes.

Much of what ails the Xperia Play could be fixed with time and care. As it stands, however, we reckon you could do better for your money.

The Xperia Play is too pricey for casual gaming, while we'd suggest serious gamers would be better served by picking up a full-on mobile console. Sony fans have the NGP to look forward too, and we'd seriously recommend the 3DS as an alternative.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play review • Sony Xperia Play deals

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Could Sony Ericsson finally be about to deliver on the promise of, well, every smartphone it's ever made that wasn't quite good enough? Maybe it was stupid to hope, but we did anyway.

An attractive design with a curved back that's just 8.7mm thick in the middle? Check. Impressive new Exmor camera technology? Check. Good spec list, including HDMI output? Check. Superb video player? Check.

The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all, although busy, dynamic websites will cause the phone to chug a little.

As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc's few minor flaws (small buttons, odd text entry) thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc review • Sony Xperia Arc deals

HTC Desire S

Though the HTC Desire's technology is now being surpassed, it's aged beautifully thanks to some timely price drops. However, all things must come to an end (or at least be supplanted by something new). The HTC Desire S has arrived to take over from its predecessor in the Android race.

In many ways, it's quite similar. We'll still be looking at a 3.7-inch 480 x 800 screen, Android overlaid with HTC's Sense UI and a 1GHz processor. However, HTC hasn't totally rested on its laurels.

The design and build of the handset is excellent, save for a slight Wi-Fi cutting-out issue. The camera is good quality, producing serviceable still and HD video that would be quite good if it weren't for a small stuttering issue.

Call quality was excellent, with voices coming through crisp and clear, and it's a shame how little we get to say that about handsets these days.

The browsing experience was generally strong, with the speed that web pages load still impressing us, and Flash is taking yet more steps forward in its 10.2 guise. It was still finicky at times, but when it did work, it was fairly smooth, which is more than we could say for many Flash 10.1 single-core phones.

However, the reason the Desire has kept up with everything that's come after is because it was so far ahead in the first place. The Desire S isn't. It's a great phone, and one we would wholeheartedly recommend in a vacuum.

The HTC Desire led the revolution, but the Desire S could be just another member of the rabble.

HTC Desire S review • HTC Desire S deals

INQ Cloud Touch

The Facebook phone. Well, no, it isn't. Nothing is really, but it is the new mobile phone to try to take the title.

It's an Android 2.2 phone with an overlay created in conjunction with the social network. We found that it certainly felt like a budget phone – but it's supposed to, and it wears the moniker with pride.

Those looking for one of those new and fandangled 'Facebook Phones' should definitely take a good, hard look at the Cloud Touch - while technically it's nowhere near as gifted as some of the competition, the overlay and thought process gone into INQ's customisation is something we're already big fans of, and it's only going to get better.

INQ Cloud Touch review • INQ Cloud Touch prices

HTC Sensation

The HTC Sensation is meant to be the new alpha smartphone from the Taiwanese firm, and it certainly lives up to expectations.

With a 1.2GHz dual core processor from Qualcomm and a whopping 4.3-inch high-res qHD screen, this is the phone with best specs yet from HTC, plus it's the first smartphone with the new HTC Watch movie download service.

Is it better than the Samsung Galaxy S2? We think it's just a shade behind thanks to a slightly larger chassis and less advanced screen technology, but that's going to be a debate that rumbles on and on.

HTC Sensation review • HTC Sensation deals

HTC Incredible S

Incredible by name and only slightly less so by nature, this phone is HTC's entry into the underpopulated 4-inch touchscreen arena. In fact, it's among the first UK handsets to fill that niche, but more are on the horizon.

It's blessed with HTC's slick Sense UI and a high-quality screen, but is this latest mobile phone's foibles enough to warrant waiting for its incoming competitors, or the HTC Desire S?

HTC Incredible S review • HTC Incredible S prices

Samsung Galaxy Ace

With a middle-of-the-range spec, 800MHz processor and iPhone-aping looks, it may be hard to see why it's worth buying into the new Galaxy Ace. However, its Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS makes a considerable difference and is, in fact, this phone's ace (yes! We said it) in the hole.

It won't cost you the Earth either, so look deeper and you may find just what you were looking for.

Samsung Galaxy Ace review • Samsung Galaxy Ace prices

Motorola Atrix

Smartphones have long been encroaching on the computing market, but the Atrix is annexing new turf. How? By including a built-in desktop OS and the ability to turn your phone into a so-called webtop computer.

What's more, the dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM that come stuffed into the Atrix should mean a blisteringly fast smartphone experience too. Follow the link to find out more about the Atrix's brand of magic.

Motorola Atrix review • Motorola Atrix prices

LG Optimus 2X

A dual-core Tegra 2 processor, Android 2.2 and 1080p video recording from an eight-megapixel camera should all combine to make the LG Optimus 2X a potential powerhouse, especially for video.

But how does this 4-inch WVGA-screened monolith really perform, and can it invalidate all that's come before? Our early review with the pre-release software might still have some questions unanswered, but early signs show this dual-core wonder might lack the grunt we were all hoping for.

LG Optimus 2X review • LG Optimus 2X prices

Samsung Galaxy Mini

Samsung loves a budget phone, and more to the point, it loves spewing out loads of them on Android. Not content with the Galaxy Ace, it's also brought the Galaxy Mini, Fit and Gio to the party, complete with budget stylings.

The Galaxy Mini suffers slightly from a low-grade processor - it may be only a smidge over £100 on PAYG, but the juddering might irritiate a few, and the screen is a low-res affair to boot.

However it's small and pocketable and a great starting point for a first tome smartphone buyer that wants to learn the Android system before moving up to something with a little higher-spec - plus it's running the latest version of the Google OS too.

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Google's Eric Schmidt says competitors are 'responding with lawsuits' instead of innovation

Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt may have primarily been at Google's Mobile Revolution conference in Tokyo to talk about the company's ambitious goals for Asia, but it turns out he was also quite ready to discuss the myriad of patent lawsuits swirling around the mobile industry these days -- or "legal fun," as Schmidt put it. While not directly referring to any company by name, Schmidt said that because of Google's success with Android, "competitors are responding with lawsuits as they cannot respond through innovations," although he added that he's "not too worried about this." Schmidt did specifically comment on HTC's current situation, though, and said that "we will make sure they don't lose" in response to a question about whether Google would help foot HTC's legal bills if it lost its case before ITC.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review

Not every smartphone needs to be a Samsung Galaxy S II. There's plenty of room in the market for a reliable workhorse that delivers smooth productivity and media without maxing out your credit limit. The Xperia Neo aspires to precisely this grounded ambition, selling for £320 ($515) off-contract in the UK (or free on contract from £20 per month), versus £400 ($650) for its bigger-screened sibling, the Xperia Arc. For the money, you'll get a Gingerbread handset with a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 8 megapixel camera, and a 3.7-inch (854x480) display. The Neo rides a not-so-fine line -- it can be a trusty companion at best, or a cause of daily teeth-grinding at worst. Let's find out why.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review

Hardware

There are plenty of well-built plastic smartphones on the market, but the Neo feels slightly more chintzy than most. This is partly due to the degree of flex in the back and sides, which can cause audible creaks when you grip the handset with any force. This was an issue at first, but the general adequateness of the build quality overcame our qualms after a couple of days of use.

The handset has a relatively flabby 13mm (0.5-inch) waistline, and we suspect this is one of the more serious comprises Sony Ericsson felt it had to make in order to hit its desired price point. By comparison, the Xperia Arc (compared in the photo below) is vastly thinner and more beautiful. On the other hand, the Neo's chubbiness is largely offset by the pleasant 126g (4.44oz) weight and the narrowness of the device -- it's just 57mm (2.3-inches) wide and fits nicely in the hand and in the pocket (although, as we'll explain in a moment, this narrowness can also be annoying). It's also worth pointing out that we didn't feel compelled to wrap the Neo up in a protective case -- something which can't be said of many slimmer phones that have to be bulked out with an extra layer.

If the Neo had a motto, it might be the tried-and-tested "under-promise, over-deliver." People just love to be pleasantly surprised, and that is exactly how we felt playing with the Neo's tactile buttons. These include back, home and menu buttons on the front (no search button, but we didn't miss it a great deal), and power/lock button, camera launcher and volume rocker on the side. The slightly excessive plastic-posing-as-chrome finish of the buttons initially called to mind a KIRF portable DVD player we used to own, and though we can't necessarily vouch for their longevity after just a week's use, they nevertheless felt solid, with virtually no wobble, looseness or obstinacy. Also, there's a couple of tiny lights between the front buttons, which serve no apparent function, but do help to mitigate the sense of cheapness.

If there's one area where the build quality will let you down, it's on the back side. Peeling off the rear cover exposes a MicroSD slot so poorly thought-out that the only way to remove the card is to loosen it from its slot and then turn the phone upside down and literally shake it out into your hand. This is not a fun thing to do when you're on the move and in a hurry. Likewise, the neighboring SIM card holder is just a plastic slot with no metal grips, and twice we had to jam our SIM in further and restart the phone to get it to register. Sony Ericsson knows how to make proper slots -- the Arc has them -- but they haven't managed to do that here. Fortunately though, SE has been generous enough to supply an 8GB Micro SD card (expandable to 32GB), to complement the 512MB of system RAM and 320MB ROM.

The Neo has all the 2G and 3G bands needed to work around the world, including HSDPA 850, 900, 1900 and 2100. Reception in London was generally reliable on Three. The network has plenty of dead spots, particularly indoors, but the Neo's reception bars give you an accurate reflection of this, and it's possible to make decent calls on just a single bar.

Performance

The Neo shares its 1GHz processor with the Xperia Arc, which we've already reviewed in depth. There's no need for another detailed examination here, so suffice it to say that the engine will handle everyday tasks, apps and multitasking with aplomb. You'll sometimes notice a slight pause when switching between home screens or pressing the home button in certain apps, but it doesn't grate much. For the most part, you'll be able to video chat on Skype, take photo notes in Evernote and scroll Spotify playlists without issue. Likewise, the browser rendered pages quickly and smoothly. YouTube and Flash videos give us nothing to complain about, and the media player renders playlists and album covers quickly too. For the most part, the battery let us do all these things all day without dying -- but we rarely had more than a few drops of power to spare at the end of the day.

There is one big exception to the Neo's all-round efficiency. A cold boot often took 80-120 seconds, with the majority of those seconds spent on the lifeless first logo screen with no evidence of progress. Each tick of the clock makes you wonder if it's crashed, and every muttered "Mississippi" recalls other phones you've owned that booted in a quarter of the time. In fact, 80 seconds is plenty long enough for us to undergo complete ideological shifts; to evolve from liberal to conservative and vice versa on a broad range of current issues, so that by the time we finally arrive at the unlock screen we are a completely different person from when we initially pressed the power button.

Keyboard and display

Sony Ericsson makes a big deal about its Bravia Engine, which is meant to automatically adjust colors, contrast, noise reduction and sharpness to improve the quality of still photos and videos on the LED-backlit LCD. A lot of this may just be marketing babble, but that doesn't stop the 854x480 screen from being colorful and vivid, especially when playing videos. There are some things we don't like about the sreen, but we could dock many other phones for the same flaws: the maximum brightness isn't quite high enough, viewing angles are about average, and the screen isn't great outdoors compared to, say, Super AMOLED Plus.

The only major downside of the screen is the size, which may make typing in portrait mode harder for some people. The screen is 3.7-inches along the diagonal with a 16:9 aspect ratio, resulting in a edge-to-edge width of slightly under 1.8-inches. Even after a solid week of use we continued to make numerous errors on the long, thin keys in portrait mode, largely because they're even longer and thinner than they need to be. Too much space is allocated to other buttons like shift and backspace, which simply don't require it.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo sample shots

Camera

First off, the camera is extremely responsive. The dedicated camera button only needs to be held for a second to quickly load up the app and be ready to shoot in a couple of seconds. Press the shutter and it finds its focus, adjusts exposure and activates the flash (if necessary) in around a second. The phone is also blazingly quick to begin video recording.

Our 720p shots looked delicious on the phone's screen, and also when watched within a small-ish window on a PC: vivid colors, plenty of detail and no evidence of ghosting. However, things weren't so sparkly when we plugged the phone into our 32-inch TV using the supplied HDMI cable. At that size we really noticed the absence of image stabilization, as well as the high level of compression and an over-saturation of colors.

The Xperia's camera also has smart auto-exposure. We found it to be consistently correct in its decisions about which subject needed to be properly exposed, and it often found the right type of compromise in high contrast scenes. For the sake of comparison, shots that seem slightly underexposed on the iPhone 4 tended to come out bright and vibrant on the Neo -- at least when viewed on the phone's LCD.

Regrettably, there is a serious flip side to all this. Once you've taken a picture, it just doesn't look as natural and rich as an iPhone 4 photo. We're using the iPhone 4 for comparison here not because it's the best camera on the market (the Galaxy S II and Nokia's recent handsets are arguably better), but because it achieves a lot with a relatively low 5MP resolution. In contrast, the Neo has the same 8MP Exmor R sensor that impressed us on the Arc, but it's severely let down by the image processing. The Neo compresses all photos down to a measly 1MB (usually somewhere between 900KB and 1.3MB). Meanwhile, the iPhone stores images with much less compression, with a file size of around 1.7MB, so pictures look a heck of a lot better even though they are lower-res.

The native Android camera app, as seen on the Nexus S for example, allows you to adjust the degree of compression, but that option is simply missing on the Neo's camera app. Also, when you want to share a photo by email, the iPhone gives you four different size options, whereas the Neo always emails out at 1MB. High compression may be forgivable with video, but less so with stills, so this is a serious flaw. Sony Ericsson could fix this over the air -- and we'll certainly update this review if they do.

A quick disclaimer when looking at the Neo/ iPhone 4 comparison: there are a lot of variables at play here. For a start, focus might have been better on the iPhone 4 by pure chance, and you also have to factor in that all images have been re-processed when uploading to this site. There's also the argument that the iPhone 4 sometimes over-saturates in order to make images artificially more pleasing -- which is what might be happening with the billiard table above. And, of course, we're largely looking at the effects of compression here, rather than just the respective quality of each lens or sensor. The camera hardware in the Neo is extremely promising -- it's just the software that is at fault. We're quietly harboring the hypothesis that Sony Ericsson deliberately hobbled the camera in this way in order to push the more expensive Arc. If that's the case, then it's despicable -- and Sony Ericsson really ought to put out a fix.

Software

Aside from the camera app, Sony Ericsson hasn't fiddled around a great deal with Android 2.3.3 on the Neo. That's no bad thing, as it's a zippy and uncomplicated OS. But one area where Sony has decided to add their own twist is social networking, in the form of Facebook contacts integration and the TimeScape widget, which aggregates your incoming SMS messages, Tweets and Facebook updates.

When you link your Facebook account, the phone populates your contacts with Facebook contacts, allowing you to see their picture, email, photos and likes. However, unless a FB contact exactly matches an existing contact, they won't be merged, and there's no option to merge them later, which seems like an oversight.

The TimeScape widget collects social networking messages into a vertically scrolling central column, which you can set to update manually or automatically (at the expense of battery life and data usage). Each message is marked with the original sender's name, as well as his or her profile picture. You also get an indication of how old the event is, plus a couple of buttons -- one to reply using the appropriate platform, and one to filter other communications from that person. Serious social networkers might find the widget limiting, but they can also junk it and use dedicated apps.

Wrap-up

So, how worthy is the Xperia Neo? That all depends on how you plan to use it. If you look to a smartphone as a relatively basic, all-in-one communication tool, and you do a lot of old-fashioned stuff with it (like phoning people) then you'll find a lot to like about the Neo. The price is attractive, as is the fact that you don't have to worry too much about scratching the plastic case or bulking it out with military-grade sleeves. The hobbled camera won't be too much of an issue for you either, because you'll mostly create and consume all your media on the device itself, rather than use the phone to replace your point-and-shoot camera. On the other hand, you'll have to contend with a ridiculously slow boot-up time, and a keyboard that will often hinder your ability to bash out decently spelled messages on the fly (although there are admittedly ppl out there who wont care.) If you can look past those flaws, then you and the Neo could make a happy couple. You have our blessing.

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