Sony Xperia X1a Out June 9th

May 27 2009, 10:05am CDT | by Robert Evans

It's no secret that Sony Ericsson is going through some tough times. They're hemorrhaging money at a fierce pace, and the once-mighty cell phone giant has now taken a backseat to Apple, Nokia, and BlackBerry. If Ericsson wants to survive this next phase of mobile phone evolution, they're going to have to turn things around fast. Enter the Xperia X1A, Sony Ericsson's new smartphone, and best hope for the future.

The Xperia X1a was originally scheduled for release last winter, but a variety of issues lead to it being pushed back several months. Its current full roll-out is set for June 30, 2009. If you just can't wait that long, however, Rogers has approved a limited release for June 9th. This preliminary release will only include stores known to cater to a high data plan using population.

The Xperia X1a is definitely a gorgeous looking smartphone. It's got a big touch screen, a sliding QWERTY keyboard, and a neat curved design which should make it more comfortable for lengthy texting or browsing. In terms of cost, the X1a undercuts the iPhone just a little bit. With a 3 year plan, you're looking to shell out around $250. The phone itself will cost between $650 and $750.

Will the new Xperia pull Sony Ericsson out of its slump? I doubt it. The Xperia is a high end smartphone, but it doesn't have the buzz or the interest behind it to knock the iPhone or the Pre out of the running. BlackBerry has the corporate market nailed down tight, and I just don't see the Xperia taking off in the private market.

where to buy

Buy from Amazon

What Others Say about This

MRI Reveals Mysteries Inside Batteries for Gadgets and Electric Cars

The ability to make batteries lighter, cheaper and longer lasting is crucial to the development and adoption of next-generation electronics—from mobile phones and tablets to electric cars. Advances in lithium ion batteries have helped slim down smart pho ...
Full article at: Scientific American More like this 47 minutes ago

Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Lands in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore on March 1

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a successful release in North America and Europe, BioWare™, a Label of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) announced today that the fastest growing subscription MMO ever, Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, will be officially launching ...
Full article at: Business Wire More like this 54 minutes ago

Damn it, where’s our NBN scandal?

In a simmering scandal that’s showing every sign of completely failing to fester as a good scandal should, it has emerged that NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley’s legal bills associated with the “Alcatel affair” amounted to almost nothing. And so another Senate es ...
Full article at: The Register More like this 1 hour ago

Don't miss ...

Mobile Phones

4 Million iPhone 4S sold in First Weekend

Robert Evans
The excitement about new smartphones, tablets and anything mobile drive Robert to unearth the latest rumors and developments in this fast moving space. He adopted 4G as soon as it become available and knows where the mobile market is going.
Robert can be contacted directly at robert@i4u.com.