Video playback is enhanced by the Bravia Engine picture processing tech pinched from Sony’s TV range. How this does what it does is no doubt devilishly complicated but the end results are obvious - enhanced colour saturation, sharper images and less noise.
The 8.1Mp camera also has 3D imaging tricks on-board
Pictures taken with the 8.1MP camera don’t let the side down either with the low-noise Exmor-R CMOS sensor yielding superb results. Taking pics is further enhanced by the presence of a physical shutter button.
Video can only be recorded at 720p/30fs but I suspect that will suffice for most. Yet the absence of a front-facing camera is a bit of a let down, when both the cheaper Xperia Ray and Play have one.
Timescape and AnTutu benchmarks
Turning from the hard to the soft, the Arc S runs Android 2.3.4 and has Sony Ericsson’s own rather attractive overlay. The interface abounds with clever little animations which, while serving no real use, are a delight to watch. The widget selection isn’t bad either.
Sony Ericsson’s Timescape is not quite the all-encompassing a way of tying your contacts, Facebook and Twitter feeds together as HTC’s Sense but it benefits from a growing list of third party plug-ins, including ones that link to the K9 e-mail client, Foursquare and London Underground’s service updates.
Dialler and Sony's Video Unlimited portal
While on the subject of built-in apps, mention must be made of the fine music player which looks good, sounds superb and features SE’s infinity button. Touch this and the player offers to take you to artist-related Wikipedia, YouTube and Google content.
COMMENTS
maybe...
Arc S £340
SGSII £530
(El Reg review prices)
would have something to do with it?
So far I haven't managed to slow my 1Ghz SE phone, so, can't imagine why you think this 1.4Ghz version would be so much of a slouch?
Samsung 1170
At the other end of the scale, I bought a Samsung 1170 for £20 after El Reg gave it a good review. Bought it 19 days ago, charged it the same day. It still has 3 power bars out of 5.
Smartphones should have a "noddy phone" built into them. At the touch of a button, your smartphone becomes a crap phone, which can only do calls and nothing else. Won't even alert you to emails. But the power draw is as above. Press another button and it boots fully into super phone / pocket computer mode.
Where's the Apple lawsuit?
As usual, its digesting how these non-Apple cowboys rip off the Apple design.
Given this phone utilises 'APPLE WHITE" can we expect Apple to launch a lawsuit to protect its intellectual colour patent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At last
Nice to see Sony getting their act together and producing a top notch blower. It also looks absolutely fantastic and they haven't had to copy any one.
Flame on!
wow
if it is true then 36-42 hours being used for a 4.2 screen is simply amazing (from a 1500mAh battery) . My HD gets less than a day and the office s2 about a day.
