Is HTC losing its magic touch?

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Android had an inauspicious start in life but, when Google’s open source OS began to gather steam, HTC was first onto the bandwagon with a series of superb phones.

Handsets like the Magic and the Hero – which was my first smartphone – were followed up by phones like the Desire and the Legend, with the former providing the slickest Android experience we’d yet seen and the latter boasting some of HTC’s most experimental design.

However, HTC’s firm grip on the Android scene has been shaken by an influx of eager competitors as Android itself has risen to prominence. Samsung has led the charge with its Galaxy S and Galaxy S II handsets, but other manufacturers have also made waves: we’re fans of Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Arc and Play, and the LG Optimus 2X. Motorola’s Atrix is also garnering plenty of attention.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia arc review: first-look review

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

It takes something pretty special to make a phone stand out these days, but the Sony Ericsson arc – due for release in the first quarter of this year – achieves this with some aplomb. The main reason is its design: a ridiculous 8.3mm at its thinnest point, its top and bottom gently gain girth to produce the arc of its name.

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Xperia Pureness: beautifully shallow

Friday, September 4th, 2009

It’s lovely watching a company go completely mad. Case in point, Sony Ericsson which has just revealed the world’s first smartphone with a transparent screen.

Dubbed the Xperia Pureness, it’s certainly a good looking handset though quite whether it justifies the following piece of PR fluff is a matter of debate.

“The Xperia Pureness approaches the mobile phone as a work of art rather than technology. The company’s designers aimed to sculpt an object of design that reflected the purity of water and a sense of calmness when not in use.”

Eh? What’s utterly brilliant is that it’s quite literally all style and no substance, with Sony Ericsson unleashing a barrage of stylish press shots backed by absolutely no technical details whatsoever.

The company is promising to reveal more details closer to the November 2009 release date. Until then, I suggest you peruse the following pictures and bask in the phone’s reflected glory, following the secret story contained within.

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