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  • Xperia Play finally gets HD video capture, catches up with smartphone siblings

    The Xperia Play's incoming Android 2.3.4 update appears to add an extra nugget of functional goodness in the form of high-definition video-recording. What, the Xperia Play didn't do so already? Nope, Sony Ericsson neglected to add that functionality to the phone's five megapixel shooter from the start. Fortunately, the new software update rectifies this, so when you're not blasting those PlayStation hits of yesteryear, you'll be able to chronicle your pet's adventures in crystal clear 720p. Courtesy of XDA Developers, see proof of the Play's new HD recording abilities after the break.

    Mat Smith
    09.22.2011

  • Game on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G ready at AT&T for $50

    Just over four months after the unique device hit Verizon stores, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G has now made it past AT&T's front door and onto shelves nationwide. The unique factor on this particular version of the "PlayStation Phone" is the inclusion of 14.4Mbps HSPA+ -- with enhanced backhaul, naturally -- and will be the first PlayStation-Certified smartphone on AT&T's network. At $50, the pricing is certainly competitive since it ships with Android 2.3.3, a 1GHz single-core CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, 4-inch 854 x 480 display, and seven pre-loaded games. At a full $150 less than Big Red's launch price, the carrier may move a few units. If you're one of those that could be persuaded, head to the source link and get your shopping on.

    Brad Molen
    09.19.2011

  • Minecraft Pocket Edition hits Android Market, only Xperia Play users need apply

    Just a couple months after making its grand debut at this year's E3, Minecraft has finally made its way to the Android Market, much to the delight of cube enthusiasts and time-wasters everywhere. With this new, Pocket Edition app, Mojang is hoping to faithfully recreate the Minecraft experience on mobile platforms, with a special emphasis placed on the game's creative side. In version Alpha 0.1, users will be able to explore randomized worlds, invite friends to play along in their worlds and save multi-player realms directly to their phones -- all while manipulating 36 different kinds of blocks from the comfort of their touchscreens. For now, the game will only be available for Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, though Mojang plans to release it for other Android handsets "in the near future." You can grab it now for $6.99, or swerve past the break for more information, in the full press release.

    Amar Toor
    08.16.2011

  • AT&T launches Sony Ericsson Xperia Play with Gingerbread, blue color option

    Well, looky here. AT&T has very quietly revealed it's going to sell the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. No press release, no splashy press conference backed by a cheesy disco soundtrack. The thing just showed up at the carrier's holiday preview event here in New York City. We're told it runs Gingerbread, which would make it AT&T's second Android 2.3 handset behind the newly launched HTC Status. Alas, AT&T won't say just yet when the Play will be available or how much it will cost on contract, but we do know a couple things for sure. One, it'll run on the carrier's 21MBps-capable HSPA+ network. Two, it'll be available in a "Stealth Blue" color option, in addition to the stock black model we've handled before. Other than that, the specs -- namely, the 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon chip and 4-inch (854 x 480 display) -- remain the same. Hands-on shots with the sparkling navy number below. %Gallery-128226%

    Dana Wollman
    07.12.2011

  • How would you change Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play?

    It came with a bang, but even Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play seems to have already become yesterday's treasure in a world swamped with dual-core superphones. Still, the Play remains the only Android phone on the market with a full-on slide-out gamepad, and while the library's still lacking, there's oodles of promise here. And that, friends, is where you come in. For those that forked over whatever it took to snag one, we're anxious to know how you'd do things differently. We're guessing that SE didn't sink an absurd amount of resources into this thing without a successor in mind, so what are you hoping to see in Revision B? A higher-res display? A few more buttons to mash? Ice Cream Sandwich? Get as crazy as you wanna be in comments below, won't you?

    Darren Murph
    06.26.2011

  • Minecraft Pocket Edition on Xperia Play hands-on (video)

    Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play is clearly all about gaming, so we weren't surprised to see a fair amount of E3 footage dedicated to the PlayStation Phone. Minecraft was among the 20 odd games on display at the booth, and the version we had a chance to play with happens to look remarkably similar to that demo we saw pop up a couple weeks ago. The game will be exclusive to the Play when it hits online stores in Q3, but there's no word on pricing just let -- though here's to hoping it'll be free. In the demo we played, you select your blocks on the touchscreen -- or you can just cycle through them with the circle and square buttons. You won't find Creepers, crafting, or night mode in this version, but we're still a few months away from the launch, so there's a chance we'll see those features when it's fully baked. You'll need to wait a bit longer before playing on your own device, but check out our hands-on video after the break for a taste of Mojang's pocket-sized Minecraft.%Gallery-125689% Tim Stevens contributed to this report.

    Zach Honig
    06.07.2011

  • Sony Ericsson to showcase over 20 new games optimized for Xperia Play

    One thing we criticized in our Xperia Play review was the lack of games specifically adapted to the handheld's controls. So it's only fair to mention that a bevy of new titles is on the horizon -- some old, some new, but all optimized for this specific brand of button-mashing. Headline acts include Minecraft (a port we've already seen in action) as well as Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard and Battlefield Bad Company 2, both of which have both been accruing headshots on iOS devices for a while now. Hit the PR after the break for the full list of titles, but don't expect much in the way of pricing or availability. Those details will be announced at E3 next week, when the Xperia Play will have to compete for attention against the Sony NGP. Guess we'll patiently have to twiddle our thumbs until it's time to twiddle them with vigor.

    Sharif Sakr
    06.03.2011

  • Xperia Play first in line for mobile Minecraft port (video)

    If you want to be the first in your hood to take Minecraft with you wherever you go, you'll have to pick up an Xperia Play. The block-building game where cubed avatars hide from creepers and create virtual CPUs will land on the so-called PlayStation Phone before coming to other Android devices and iOS later this year. The Play version will have customized controls that take advantage of the gamepad and button layout found on the Sony Ericsson handheld, though when exactly it will launch or how much it will cost is still unknown. It's also unclear how long the title will be exclusive to the gamer-centric smartphone, but developer Mojang will be holding an event at E3 where, presumably, we'll be getting more details. Now is the time to wrap up any loose ends in your life before what little free time you have left gets buried beneath a pile of bricks and mobs -- even when your PC isn't handy. Update: If that pic of Minecraft running on the Xperia Play wasn't doing for you, good news, we've got video of the title in action after the break. [Thanks, stagueve]

    Terrence O'Brien
    05.25.2011

  • Sony Ericsson Xperia Play hits Verizon for $200 on-contract, in stores May 26th

    It may not have been the first in the world to get it, but Verizon can now at least claim to be the first US carrier to offer the long fabled, oft-leaked PlayStation Phone, otherwise known as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. It will be available for pre-order on the carrier's website starting May 19th, and be available in stores on May 26th for the usual $199.99 on a two-year contract. That, of course, gets you the first PlayStation Certified handset with console-style controls -- a real D-pad and PlayStation face and shoulder buttons, plus a pair of miniature touchpads for dual-analog gameplay on the go. You'll also get seven games pre-loaded on the device (including Madden NFL 11 and The Sims 3) but, as we saw in our recent hands-on with the Verizon version of the phone, you won't get Sony Ericsson's custom skin -- the carrier has instead opted for a mostly stock UI with only some SE wallpapers and widgets. As Verizon also notes, those opting for the phone will have to sign up for both a Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package as well, the former of which start at $39.99 a month, while an unlimited data plan will run you $29.99. Head on past the break for the full press release.

    Donald Melanson
    05.17.2011

  • MOPS Shadow T800 brings analog joystick, hearts & spades to Android

    Sure, the Xperia Play may have that slick gamepad slider, shoulder buttons, and Sony Playstation's official blessing, but can it hold its own against the Shadow's analog pad? Probably, because despite the new contender's self described status of a "mobile Playstation," its lack of shoulder buttons won't help it play any of those Xperia-exclusive PSone games it can't download. Still, besides being known as the "Phantom of the Opera" phone (thanks, Google Translate), this MOPS Shadow T800 has a lot going for it. This analog Android packs a Froyo-powered 806MHz processor, 512MB of RAM, front and rear 5 megapixel and 0.3 megapixel cameras, respectively, a 3.5 inch 320 x 480 touchscreen, and a whole mess of standard GPS, Bluetooth, and 3G radios. Not enough? Okay, fine; the device also comes pre-loaded with a handful of emulators, as well as a legit copy of Assassin's Creed. Besides, who doesn't want a phone with card-suit face buttons? Bragging rights will set you back 2680 yuan ($410), assuming you're in China when this thing launches later this month.

    Sean Buckley
    05.14.2011

  • CDMA Xperia Play visits FCC, promptly gets dissected

    There are few things we enjoy more than seeing the glittery innards of a device splayed before us in the name of science -- especially when it happens to be the CDMA version of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play. The Verizon bound phone made a cameo at the FCC today where it was subjected to -- and passed -- the usual battery of SAR tests before getting dissected. What's intriguing about the pictures in the FCC report is that the CDMA model features the same combination SIM / microSD card slot as its GSM sibling. While some are theorizing that Verizon's gaming handset might support LTE, we think it's more likely that the Xperia Play uses a dual-mode CDMA / GSM radio and that the SIM slot will either remain empty and disabled in firmware or that the Xperia Play will be one of Verizon's global offerings. Take a look at the gallery below and judge for yourself. %Gallery-120248%

    Myriam Joire
    04.02.2011

  • Rogers' Xperia Arc and Xperia Play launch details leaked

    O Canada, we stand on guard for thee -- in this case "we" being the Xperia Arc imaging flagship and Xperia Play gaming handset. We knew this day was coming, but it now looks like Sony Ericsson's hottest new pair of Android smartphones will be available from Rogers "late April" for $99. Of course, you'll have to commit to one of those insane 3-year contracts with a minimum $45 voice and data plan for the privilege, but the Gingerbread toting Xperia Arc and Xperia Play could be yours as soon as April 19-21, which is when the devices are expected to ship to stores. While there's no indication when pre-orders will be starting, folks who pre-order could win a trip to sunny Florida. Just promise to send us pictures of Shamu taken with your new phone if you win, OK?

    Myriam Joire
    04.01.2011

  • Sony Ericsson Xperia Play review

    The PlayStation Phone. We've had quite the intimate history with this gamepad-equipped slider, learning of its secretive existence way back in August and then handling a prototype unit in January, so you'll forgive us for feeling sentimental and still entertaining our pet name for it. The Sony Ericsson marketing gurus renamed it the Xperia Play when it finally went official at MWC this year, but the PlayStation connection remains as strong as ever. Aside from the D-pad, iconic game keys, and two touchpads, this device comes with a little app named PlayStation Pocket, which will be serving up dollops of classic PlayStation One gaming to all those with a taste for it. Yes, the Sony influence is strong with this one, and the Android Market will be joining the fun with Xperia Play-optimized titles from third-party developers. So all we really need to know now is whether the Android smartphone underpinning this smash-bang fusion of old and new school entertainment happens to be any good. Shall we get Started? %Gallery-119806%

    Vlad Savov
    03.28.2011

  • Vodafone UK posts pre-order page for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

    Sony Ericsson's next great thing, the Xperia Play, has just appeared on Vodafone UK's pages as its newest pre-order treat. Scheduled for a March 31st launch with a price tag of £free if you're willing to pony up £35 or more a month on a two-year contract. Vodafone's Xperia Play will ship with six preloaded games including Crash Bandicoot, Fifa 10, Star Battalion, Tetris, Sims 3, and Bruce Lee on the included 8GB memory card -- and includes some unnamed "desk stand" if pre-ordered before April 1st. We're kinda curious if any of you out there are going to jump on this newest Android 2.3 toy, so feel free to let us know what you think in the comments below. [Thanks, lewis]

    Sean Cooper
    03.22.2011

  • Sony Xperia Play hits the UK on March 31st, thumbsticks coming never

    Readers in the British Empire get ready for Sony Ericsson's biggest UK marketing campaign ever. That's in the lead-up to the release of the Xperia Play, a phone that we've been hearing about for so long that we'd need some pretty shocking commercials to get us all excited again. You may feel differently, though, so mark your calendars for March 31st. That's the end of the month and falls in nicely with the "late March" word we'd heard for elsewhere in the world, though that is awfully late. As to where you can buy it, it's said that "all the mobile operators and retailers" will have it, so you shouldn't have to wander too far. And, with six games pre-installed, you should even be reasonably well equipped to kill the rest of that Thursday.

    Tim Stevens
    03.11.2011

  • Havok physics engine comes to Android 2.3, demoed on Xperia Play (video)

    Great graphics are often a component of great video games, but fancy physics can help too, and last week Havok announced that it was bringing those to Android, along with all of the requisite development tools. That means smartphones with Android 2.3 or up can potentially enjoy the same procedural animations and pretty dresses that we've enjoyed on PC and home console for years, and as the first gamer-centric smartphone with Gingerbread on board, Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Xperia Play got to be the first to demo them. Watch a pickup plow through road hazards, a gorilla get catapulted across a football field, and an Assassin's Creed-esque warrior run, jump and climb with the best of them in the video above. Oh, and just so you know, we got a (very brief) hands-on with all three demos in person at GDC 2011 last week, and each was practically enjoyable enough to be an Android game of its own. The realistically bouncing ball's in your court, developers. Don't let us down.

    Sean Hollister
    03.05.2011

  • Xperia Play goes back to the FCC, this time with GSM (update)

    We're all familiar with this handset by now, but what we weren't suspecting (although we have yet to finish our first cup of coffee) to see a GSM version of the Xperia Play come through the FCC this sunny Tuesday morning. While we know that Verizon won't be the sole carrier of the phone in the states (we heard that from Sony Ericsson CTO Jan Uddenfeldt himself), there is yet to be another carrier confirmed. So maybe this is an indication of another possible future? Or, most likely, this is just one of those "north of the border" jobs -- as you know, the FCC gets its look at all Canada-bound phones, and this particular phone is exclusive to Rogers. Get a closer look after the break. Update: Further examination of the docs reveal that this bad boy has global GSM bands and 900 / 2100MHz 3G, which is primarily used in Europe and Asia.

    Joseph L. Flatley
    03.01.2011

  • Xperia Play shows up in Verizon's inventory

    By now you should be doubt-free that the Xperia Play exists and is coming to Verizon, but if not, let this clear things up. A well-trusted tipster has just sent us the above screen shot of the Sony R800X (the 'x' here indicating CDMA as opposed to the model R800i we've been seeing), better known as the Xperia Play, hanging out in Verizon's system. We're bummed to not have a release date or price, but we're digging for more info. Head past the break for some exclusive product details straight from the depths of Verizon's backend.%Gallery-117125%

    Sam Sheffer
    02.18.2011

  • Sony Ericsson breaks out white Xperia Play, makes it an O2 exclusive in the UK

    We'll confess, we did see Sony Ericsson execs flashing white Xperia Play handsets during the company's MWC 2011 press event, but curiously enough none of those made their way to the demo areas. Now we've finally got ourselves some fully fleshed out press shots, along with the news that O2 will be the sole carrier for this alabaster gaming smartphone in the UK. Other markets have yet to announce availability of the white Xperia Play, but you'll know more just as soon as we do. Skip past the break to see how the front end looks. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

    Vlad Savov
    02.18.2011

  • Xperia Play and Xperia Arc confirmed for Rogers in Canada (update)

    In case you missed the announcement, a recent press release has confirmed what we already knew: Xperia Play is coming to Canada, exclusively to Rogers. Set to hit shelves sometime this spring in late March alongside the Xperia Arc, both of these bad boys will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, with prices to be disclosed at launch. Remember when we used to call Xperia Play the "PlayStation Phone?" That was fun. PR after the break.

    Joseph L. Flatley
    02.15.2011
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