If you are looking to upgrade your handset or just want a top of the range mobile phone, why not take a look at the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S? The recently upgraded version of Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Arc, this new model has a great camera, fast 1.4 GHz processor and Android 2.3. Best of all, it’s available for free on pay monthly deals starting from £15.50.
Design
The Xperia Arc S is one of the more attractive mobiles on the market. Unlike the masses of black plastic phones, it comes in a crisp white finish. There are few buttons on the actual phone – just navigation and power. Connections for HDMI, USB, audio and the MicroSD slot are on the top and sides. It’s also incredibly light at 117g and measures only 63x125x8.7 mm.
Screen
The phone’s fantastic 4.2 inch screen is one of its main selling points. Displaying text and images with a 480×854-pixel resolution brings out rich colours and sharp text. It has a higher density of pixels per inch (233) than rivals such as the Galaxy S2 (217), for instance, making it ideal for keen photographers and anyone who wants to show off their snaps to friends. Whilst it’s not as bright as Samsung’s Super AMOLED efforts, it still works well in low light and does a great job.
Power
Unlike the original Xperia Arc, which boasted a 1 GHz processor, the Xperia Arc S is now powered by a 1.4 GHz processor. Unlike some of its high-end rivals, it’s not a dual-core processor, but still has enough grunt to make light work of browsing the web and watching video. The phone only slows down when you have a lot of applications/tasks running simultaneously.
Interface and Software
Like its predecessor, the phone is a joy to use. Sony Ericsson has made some improvements to make it even easier to make the most of its features. A trace-to-type option has been added to its keyboard, and you can take screen grabs quickly by holding down the power button and selecting the ‘Take Screenshot’ option from the menu. The xLOUD technology, which increases the volume of the phone’s external speaker, is included.
If you use Facebook a lot, you’ll enjoy being able to connect with your friends faster and easier. Fans of music and movies will appreciate the instant access to Sony Ericsson’s Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited online stores to download their favourite songs and films.
Android 2.3 powers the phone and there’s a fast web browser with Flash support included, along with a music and video player, productivity and social networking apps.
Camera
The 8.1 megapixel camera makes the phone ideal for budding photographers. The Xperia Arc S takes stunning photographs even in low light, thanks to built in Exmor R for Mobile technology. The dedicated camera button means no fiddling about and the 400 MB of built-in space should provide plenty of room for snaps. An 8GB MicroSD card is also bundled should you run out.
You can record video in high definition, too. Another neat feature is the ability to turn photos into 3D images with its 3D Sweep Panorama mode. You can view these if you have a 3D TV.
Battery Life and Connectivity
The Xperia Arc S, like most smartphones, has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity. There’s also a HDMI port to connect it to your TV and watch HD films you’ve recorded. You’ll need to buy a cable, as one isn’t included. The battery should last a day of average use.
Conclusion
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is a great phone if you want all the bells and whistles at an affordable price. Its fantastic screen, camera and features make for a compelling package.
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