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- MWC 2011: Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review
- Orange reveals Android homescreen upgrades
- MWC 2011: Flash 10.2 coming to mobile, better battery life
- Early View: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs TouchPad vs iPad vs Xoom vs PlayBook
- MWC 2011: Acer Iconia Smart - anonymous Acer handset revealed
- MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy S2: In pictures
- MWC 2011: In pictures: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro: official pictures
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro: official pictures
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play: in pictures
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo: in pictures
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Arc and Neo T-Mobile bound
- MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: In pictures
- MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 confirmed: specs revealed
- MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets Vodafone exclusivity
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo coming to Orange in the UK
- MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy S II coming to Three in the UK
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro unveiled
- MWC 2011: Elop calls Nokia 'dependent' on Microsoft
- MWC 2011: First Nokia Windows Phone handsets to get 2011 release
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play - first PlayStation certified device
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play - first PlayStation certified device
- MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo announced
| MWC 2011: Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:05 AM PST  Samsung's assault on the tablet market has swelled to a stupefying two devices now, with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The new tablet, which is rocking Android 3.0 and like its rival, the Motorola Xoom, features no Android overlay, comes with a range of top-end tech to help bring the Google fight squarely to the door of Apple. The larger size of screen is designed to take on Jobs' lot at their own game, with an increase from the first Galaxy Tab, which only enjoyed middling critical success thanks to a high price tag and poor performance during some tests.
Samsung is hoping it can do something about the latter issue, although it seems pretty nailed on that consumers thinking about purchasing a new Galaxy Tab 10.1 will have to start saving their pennies now - and perhaps selling an old Ford Fiesta too.
The design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is relatively unique - it feels quite heavy and is hard to hold in one hand comfortably. The rear also feels a bit different, thanks to a honeycomb-style mesh covering (oh, we see what Samsung did there) that helps grip a little bit better - the back is also grooved to offer better holding (although only with two hands), and the Samsung logo in the centre looks pretty snazzy as well.
Devoid of any kind of kickstand, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a very thin device, coming in at less than a centimetre and a half at places while still packing in a high end WXGA (1280x600) resolution display. An 8MP camera is certainly welcome - whether such a high-end snapper is the right fit a tablet, we're not sure, but at least there's an enhanced tablet-friendly tablet UI to help you photograph your friends with the world's largest camera.
As we've mentioned before, we're quite excited about the prospect of owning an Android-powered tablet, especially if it performs as well in testing as the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The home screen simply zipped along under the finger, with no hint of slowdown, and as you can see it's not even final software yet - so there may be even better speed enhancements yet to land.
The rest of the interface is fairly bog-standard Android 3.0, but given that it's so nascent we couldn't resist the chance to have another peek at it before it goes live to the market. The first thing to note, and this is improved by the large, high-res dimensions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, is that the screen feels a lot more expansive than it used to - and this isn't just because, well, there IS more screen - it's about the fact that Google has worked to create new and more useful widgets, such as a proper preview of your book library or video collection, rather than just a bland link.
Things like being able to see your running tasks in thumbnail view rather than just a bunch of icons makes much more sense as well - why would you want to know that you opened the settings menu a long time ago, surely you'd rather be reminded what you were up to? We'd still like to see some kind of inbuilt task manager in there in the future too - there's a reason they're so popular on the Android Market, and Google should sit up and take notice.
Another nice little tweak is the intelligent clock in the corner of the screen - tap it and you get offered the chance to fiddle with Wi-Fi, see the time and date more clearly and check out your battery life. Despite all that, Google is staying fairly close to its principles when it comes to the Android design ethic - things like the apps menu still look very similar to how they do on smartphones, and while there's a lot that needed changing, we're still fans of this kind of simplicity.
The range of fundamental change that's been brought in with Android 3.0 is very impressive indeed, with the dual-pane view coming along with a real use of the extended screen area. Google Mail is a lot more impressive than it used to be, now you can see what's being said at the same time as checking your correspondence. The Book application was pretty cool, and showed that Samsung is definitely keen to push its own hubs alongside Google's own - after all, that's a prime way to make money for the brand when it's pretty much only got the hardware to play with at this point. Video on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 looked good without being mesmeric, and while the colours were well-produced and the contrast ratios fairly impressive for a simple LCD, the overall effect was miles behind the dazzling performance of the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Other things we liked on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 include the fact that the browser was capable of browsing at lightning-quick speeds over Wi-Fi, and allows the user to zoom in closely on the text thanks to a (mostly unnecessary) text reflow system. The keyboard is nice and large as well, meaning it's very easy to press the right section of the screen, and we constantly found oursleves not having to glance down to see what our digits were up, which is a rare occasion.
Overall, we're averagely impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - we say average as we were a little bit excited about the original Galaxy Tab, and we can't say that gadget is ever going to be on our gadget wish list any time soon. The weight and heft might have some users running for the hills at the thought of such a behemoth in the pocket, but overall there's definitely an interest in an expensive and high-spec device, and the new brand behind the Android 3.0 revolution can only be a good thing for the movement. 
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| Orange reveals Android homescreen upgrades Posted: 14 Feb 2011 01:00 AM PST  Orange has unveiled an upgrade to its Android Homescreen which includes Live Wallpapers and gesture controls at Mobile World Congress. Sounds a bit old hat, we know, but the Live Wallpapers are actually quite cool; the images not only move as you swipe through homescreens but also reflect device functions. Useful wallpaper The first wallpaper, candles, is linked to battery life. When the battery is fully charged, a full candle appears on screen and it burns down as battery life depletes. Orange says it wanted to give customers a more accurate, at-a-glance view of battery life because the Android icon is none-too reliable. Five more live wallpapers will launch in the coming months, each linked to a different aspect of the handset. Gesture control Gestures, meanwhile, can be programmed to launch various applications and shortcuts, thus saving room on the homescreen. There's a dazzling array of gestures available – 27 designs, in fact – and they can be employed on any of the multiple homescreens. The new features will be available on all Orange Android handsets from Q2, aside from HTC handsets which use the Sense environment rather than Orange homescreens. Kevin Stagg, Product Manager, Signature Discovery and Experience, Orange Group Devices at Orange, told us,"Android is a really competitive environment but these new additions prove our dedication to the platform, while our in-house development really sets Orange apart." 
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| MWC 2011: Flash 10.2 coming to mobile, better battery life Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:41 PM PST  Flash Player 10.2 has only been available for Windows and Mac for a few days but it will be coming to Android very quickly. Adobe's Anup Murarka told TechRadar: "We have released source code to all our tier one partners and you will see Flash 10.2 begin to show up for mobile devices in the next few weeks". One client he couldn't give us a date for is Flash on Windows Phone 7; "not at this time but it is still something both companies are working on". He was positive about announcement that Nokia and Microsoft will work together on Windows Phone 7. "I think it's good for us; it hopefully simplifies and broadens the reach of platforms we expect to have supported as soon as possible." Better CPU usage, less power On the desktop, Flash 10.2 brings what he calls "pretty dramatic savings" in CPU use for playing video because of Stage Video, full hardware acceleration for H.264 video. "When you have the right version of the operating system, we're seeing HD full screen flash video playback getting to often to below 15% of CPU utilisation. Often when we do everything in software today, we are above 60% and up to even 100% CPU. And that also translates into battery savings and improvement in overall responsiveness. We don't think you'll see quite as dramatic improvement on mobile because we already use some of that [technology], but you will see improvements in battery life." Stage Video support will also be available for Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and BlackBerry Tablet OS, and he noted that they will also both support the new Content Viewer for digital magazines that Adobe is announcing this week, which means titles like National Geographic and Reader's Digest will be on sale when tablets ship. What about AIR? Websites need to update their software players to support Stage Video, but they don't need to re-encode H.264 video and Murarka says YouTube, Video and Brightcove are already starting to use the new technology. Flash and AIR are a success on mobile devices, Murarka claims. There are more than 1,500 Android apps based on AIR and in the six months that Flash 101 was available for smartphones last year Murarka says it was installed on over 20 million devices, and the 35 devices that are certified for Flash added up to 12% of all the smartphones shipped last year. More than 40 smartphones that can run Flash Player 10.2 will ship in the first half of 2011, he told us "and we're astonished to see that we're already tracking more than 50 tablets that will ship this year". He predicts that adds up to more 200 million devices that will be capable of running Flash and AIR by the end of the year, and that Flash will be on 130 million of them. A lot of that is driven by an increasing demand for video; "We've had over 100% year on year growth in the amount of video streamed over Flash. We finished last year with over 120 petabytes of content streamed using Flash each month". (That's on PCs, Macs and mobile devices combined.) Preparing for dual-core Smartphones with dual-core Tegra and Snapdragon processors will run Flash video particularly well, he notes. "It is definitely noticeable; we're seeing higher frame rates, we're seeing more responsiveness in terms of graphics. We're going to see this really rapid development of mobile capabilities. With a dual-core Snapdragon processor, we're able to decode 1080p video on a mobile device. And even though the Snapdragon processor is scaling the 1080p video, we're actually still seeing 30 frames per second playback. These are the things we can do with the iteration of hardware, with the iteration of GPUs and with high hardware speeds." 
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| Early View: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs TouchPad vs iPad vs Xoom vs PlayBook Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:17 PM PST  When the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 joins the HP TouchPad joins the Motorola Xoom and BlackBerry PlayBook in hitting the market, we'll have four really serious challengers to the iPad. And, perhaps most interestingly, the five tabs are running four different operating systems. So let's compare how the three newcomers stack up against the hottest tablet yet released. In terms of releases, Motorola won't say anything about the Xoom's UK release date, though it is pencilled in for the first quarter of 2011 in the US. However, it depends on when Google is planning on getting Honeycomb out the door. Likewise we should be seeing the PlayBook arrive in the Spring or early Summer Likewise, it shouldn't be too long before the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 appears. But HP has been a little more coy and we could even see the HP TouchPad arrive in the autumn. And, of course, we're also expecting iPad 2, so we'll be updating this piece when we know more about that new device. OS This is the biggest difference between the five tablets. The iPad runs Apple's own iOS, the Moto Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 both pack Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the BlackBerry PlayBook runs RIM's own Tablet OS and likewise the new HP TouchPad also has a bespoke OS. The Touchpad will run Palm's webOS, first developed by Palm - who HP then bought. The tablet will run webOS 3.0.
WEBOS: HP bought Palm and is now taking full advantage of its webOS platform The Motorola Xoom was the main unit used to demo Android 3.0 Honeycomb at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, though we only saw videos of OS features running on the new device. We're expecting to see a whole lot more of Honeycomb at this week's Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona.
GALAXY TAB 10.1:Named after its screen, it also runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb There will also be no Motorola MotoBlur interface overlaying Android 3.0 – this could be part of a bigger move by Google to stop having so many variants of Android. We got hands on with the BlackBerry PlayBook at CES a few weeks ago and it's a serious threat to the iPad's dominance of the sector. TechRadar's Reviews Editor James Rivington says the PlayBook "could well be the tablet that changes the game. In a word, it's a triumph."
ANDROID 3.0: This Xoom was just running a video, but the real Honeycomb looks special Processor All five units use ARM-based silicon. The iPad runs Apple's own A4 processor clocked at 1GHz (it's less in the iPhone 4), while the Xoom is plumps for a dual-core Nvida Tegra 2 processor, capable of 720p video or sending 1080p full HD to your TV via HDMI. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 also goes for a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2. The PlayBook is also running a dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9-based processor, though there are no more details on who has manufactured it. It's probably an Nvidia Tegra 2. The HP TouchPad has the best processor yet announced though - a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 dual-core running at 1.2GHz. Touchcreen The Motorola Xoom has a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display. That makes it the largest of the tablets. Like the iPad, the HP TouchPad has a 9.7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 768. Like the Xoom, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is sporting a 10.1-inch, 1,280 x 800-pixel display - the screen size gives the name. The PlayBook is only a 7-inch tablet and to us it can feel small. The touch on the PlayBook does extend right across the bezel though, which is a nice touch and pretty important for navigating around the OS. The screens on both the PlayBook and Xoom look pretty spectacular even under the bright show lights where we checked them out. The PlayBook's size gives it an advantage though, as we said in our Playbook hands on: "The PlayBook's 1024 x 600 resolution isn't far off the 9.7-inch 1024 x 768 iPad, but because of the Playbook's 7-inch display, the increased pixel density makes all the difference. It's sharp and crisp, and 1080p HD video looks fabulous."
CRISP: The PlayBook's screen is quite pixel dense - largely because it's only a 7-inch tablet Storage and memory The Xoom has a Micro SD slot, but Android 3.0 doesn't yet support it (apparently). However, Moto says that as soon as the OS permits it, you'll be able to use up to 32GB of removable storage. As you'll know, the iPad doesn't have any kind of slot – though it has 16 or 32GB on board flash storage of course. Once again, the HP mimics the iPad's approach - no slot, but 16 or 32GB of on-board flash. The Samsung also goes for 16 or 32GB options. RAM The PlayBook has 1GB of RAM, as does the Xoom. Remarkably, the iPad lags behind in this department, though you'd scarcely notice it. It has 256MB of system memory. There are no details on the RAM inside the HP TouchPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as yet, although we expect they have 1GB. Camera While the iPad doesn't have a camera, the iPad 2 will change this. The Xoom has two cameras front (2MP) and a 720p capturing back 5MP camera with a dual LED flash. The Playbook packs two cameras – a 3MP front-facing camera and a 5MP rear-facing one. Unusually, the HP TouchPad doesn't have a rear camera, only a front-facing 1.3 megapixel one. However, the trump card belongs to Samsung - there is also an 8MP rear-facing camera. But this is coupled with a poor 2-megapixel front-facing offering.If you want ot shoot video, then this will be done at 1080p Full HD video, 24fps.
FRONT CAM: But HP's TouchPad has no rear camera Connectivity All five are designed for use with 3G networks. However, we may well get a Wi-Fi version of the PlayBook before we see a 3G-enabled variant – obviously this is speculation currently. This also looks likely with the HP TouchPad. The base iPad is also Wi-Fi only of course. It looks like there will also be two versions of the Motorola Xoom. Another version will work on 4G networks in the US, though we'll only get 3G here of course. All have 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. HP has also promised a 4G version of the TouchPad in due course. The Samsung Galaxy Tab boasts HSPA+ HSPA+ and Bluetooth 3.0. The Xoom and PlayBook also support HDMI output to a TV – the iPad supports AirPlay for wireless streaming via Apple TV. All have Bluetooth 2.1 plus GPS support. The Xoom and PlayBook also have Micro USB while the iPad sticks with the trusted Apple dock connector. All five tablets have 3.5mm headphone jacks. The PlayBook can be paired with a BlackBerry phone via Bluetooth for full interaction with its Email, Calendar, Docs and BBM. Location and sensors All five have an accelerometer (three axis in the Apple and Motorola) and compass plus Assisted GPS in their 3G variants. The Xoom also features a gyroscope as well as a barometer for measuring the atmospheric pressure while the HP PalmPad has a gyro. Details seem sketchy on whether the PlayBook will have a gyroscope, so we're keeping an open mind.
GYRO: Will the PlayBook have a gyroscope like the Xoom? Cost Rumours abound that the Motorola Xoom price is £720 and we shouldn't expect to pay much less: the firm's VP of international marketing, Andrew Moreley, says "the Motorola Xoom is clearly a premium device with premium prices inside. This will show in the cost." All of which makes the iPad look like a steal. The Wi-Fi version was £429 at launch of course, but the VAT rise has seen this increase to £439. There are no details from HP on pricing, while the PlayBook also doesn't look like it will be as cheap as the iPad. There are as yet no pricing details on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, though it will be available on subscription from Vodafone. Bulk The 7-inch PlayBook is 9.7mm thick and weighs just over 400g, which beats the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at 10.9mm and 599g.. The weight of the 10.1-inch Xoom has been reported to be around 730g, with a 13mm thickness. The HP is similar - 14mm thick and weighing in at 740g. That's roughly the same weight as the Wi-Fi + 3G iPad, which is 13.4mm thick. Compatibility As most of the world's population knows, the iPad doesn't support Flash. Android 3.0 does though, as does RIM's Tablet OS, with full Flash 10.1 and Adobe Air. WebOS also has Flash 10.1 All have HTML 5 compatibility. Will Android 3.0 and RIM's new OS really lay down the gauntlet for iOS and the iPad? Only time will tell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
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| MWC 2011: Acer Iconia Smart - anonymous Acer handset revealed Posted: 13 Feb 2011 04:01 PM PST  Remember the enormous yet anonymous Acer handset that was launched in November last year? Acer has finally decided to give it a name, outing it as the Iconia Smart at Mobile World Congress. It seems the handset will ship with Android 2.3, Google's latest iteration of the smartphone OS which only the Google Nexus S currently runs. Impressive spec action The handset comes with some impressive specs, including a ludicrously large 4.8-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio. The Acer Iconia Smart also has an HDMI port and DLNA technology so you can stream media from your PC. Camerawise, there's an 8MP camera with single LED flash and a 2MP front camera for video calling. There's no word yet on a UK release date nor UK pricing, but with specs like these we'd expect it to be at the deep end of the pricing pool. 
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| MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy S2: In pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 03:13 PM PST  The new Samsung Galaxy S2 might not have been the biggest surprise, but that hasn't stopped the Korean firm setting a new bar when it comes to screen quality. The Galaxy S 2 features the new Super AMOLED+ offering from Samsung, and with an 80% power reduction, 2.1mm depth and 0.01ms response time, it's certainly got the credentials to prove it. We were blown away by the quality of the first Samsung Galaxy S, but this is leaps ahead again; plus we're also treated to a dual-core 1GHz processor and a 1630mAh battery for our troubles. But it's that screen that we keep coming back for, so check out our gallery before we bring you our hands on Samsung Galaxy S2 review:
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| MWC 2011: In pictures: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro Posted: 13 Feb 2011 02:45 PM PST  It's all about the Xperia range for Sony Ericsson this MWC and although the freshly announced Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro might not be the top of the range, it's certainly the easiest to type on. That's all thanks to the slide-out physical QWERTY, which gives it plenty in common with the HTC Desire Z and the Motorola Milestone range. The edge that the Xperia Pro has, though, is that it's running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the latest version of Android which only the Google Nexus S currently offers. Alongside this, there's a 3.7-inch screen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor and the Sony Bravia imaging engine that's also present on the Xperia Play and Xperia Neo. We'll be bringing you a full hands on Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro review imminently - in the meantime, here are some choice shots to tide you over.
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro: official pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 02:22 PM PST  Sony Ericsson announced a slew of devices at Mobile World Congress 2011, but while the Neo and the Play were already known in an unofficial capacity, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro was something of an unknown. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro has a foldout design with a complete QWERTY keyboard, so it is snapping at the heals of the HTC Desire Z. The Pro has a 3.7-inch screen, weighs 140 grams and has 120 x 57 x 13.5mm dimensions. There will be around six hours' talk time on the device.
Sony Ericsson says that the device includes: slide-out keyboard, Sony Mobile Bravia Engine and Exmor for mobile.
There's also HDMI so you can connect to an HD TV or a projector, and all of this is rounded off with Android 2.3.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro will be available in the following colours: Black, Red, Silver.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro UK release date is April. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro: official pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 02:22 PM PST Sony Ericsson announced a slew of devices at Mobile World Congress 2011, but while the Neo and the Play were already known in an unofficial capacity, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro was something of an unknown. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro has a foldout design with a complete QWERTY keyboard, so it is snapping at the heals of the HTC Desire Z. The Pro has a 3.7-inch screen, weighs 140 grams and has 120 x 57 x 13.5mm dimensions. There will be around six hours' talk time on the device.
Sony Ericsson says that the device includes: slide-out keyboard, Sony Mobile Bravia Engine and Exmor for mobile.
There's also HDMI so you can connect to an HD TV or a projector, and all of this is rounded off with Android 2.3.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro will be available in the following colours: Black, Red, Silver.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro UK release date is April. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play: in pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 02:18 PM PST  The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play was officially announced at Mobile World Congress 2011, even though it has felt like the handset has been with us for a long time. TechRadar managed to get his hands on with device earlier in the month but now Sony has come out with some lovely images of the smartphone. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is officially the world's first PlayStation certified device. This essentially means that a number of PlayStation games will be ported on to the smartphone.
Because of this, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play has been designed to look more than a little like a PSP – hence why the Play was originally known as the PSP Phone. This means that it uses a slide out gaming control which reveals a digital D pad, two analogue touch pads, two shoulder buttons and the four PlayStation icons: circle, cross, square and triangle.
This is all powere by Qualcomm's optimised Snapdragon processor with a 1Ghz CPU and embedded Adreno GPU graphics processor delivers 60fps playback 3D mobile gaming and web browsing The Xperia play also boasts long hours of battery life and game time.
Xperia Play runs on Gingerbread Android 2.3, has a 4-inch screen and will be available in both black and white. There will be around 10 games available when the smartphone launches. These games include SIMS 3, Fifa 10, Guitar Hero, Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play UK release date is April, with the handset coming to all major networks in the UK. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo: in pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 01:22 PM PST  Sony Ericsson showed off three new devices at Mobile World Congress 2011, with Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo being a little photographic marvel. The Neo has similar specs to its bedfellow, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro but it forgoes a QWERTY keyboard in favour of some touchscreen action On board is a 3.7-inch display with 854x480-pixel resolution, a 3.5mm headset jack, a MicroSD card slot, and Micro-USB ports line the sides.
There is also a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor inside the Sony Ericsson Xperia Nero ad it has also been given the Sony Bravia graphics engine, and will have 320MB of internal memory. There are also the usual features on board. These include messaging, email, an FM radio and personal organiser.
Sony Ericsson has also decided to chuck in its Timescape interface, which is a light layer on top of Android 2.3 Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB syncing.
There is also a music player, an 8MP camera with LED flash and HD video recording, and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video calling.
The camera is probably the most exciting aspect of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo – given that it has features within it that you would expect to see on a Sony Cybershot camera. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo UK release date is April, with Orange and T-Mobile on board to stock the handset. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Arc and Neo T-Mobile bound Posted: 13 Feb 2011 12:43 PM PST  Not only has Orange announced that it will be getting two of the latest trio of Sony Ericsson handsets announced at this year's Mobile World Congress 2011, but T-Mobile has also confirmed to TechRadar that it will be stocking the Sony Xperia Play and the Sony Ericsson Neo. T-Mobile said about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play: "It's perfect for gamers, the handset is certified by PlayStation and features a slide out game controller with the well-known Sony PSP layout." While it believes the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is "i deal for multimedia users, runs on Android 2.3 technology, and comes with an extra wide 4.2-inch multi-touch screen and in-built Mobile Bravia Engine to give users the ultimate entertainment experience." Photogenic Finally it noted that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo "has been built with the photographer in mind. Like the Arc, it comes with an 8.1 mega pixel camera and HD video facility, for taking memorable photos and video clips whilst on the go. "The handset also comes pre-loaded with Sony Exmor RTM best in class imaging, so users can capture digital camera-quality pictures in any setting with its f/2.4 lens, and share them with friends via MMS or upload directly to social networking sites." The UK release date for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is April. Check out TechRadar's Sony Ericsson Xperia Play hands on and Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo hands on for more details 
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| MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: In pictures Posted: 13 Feb 2011 12:05 PM PST -200-200.jpg) Samsung's plans to announce a new tablet may have hardly been secret, but the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android 3.0 device certainly turned heads at today's unveiling at Mobile World Congress 2011. TechRadar was one of the first to eagerly get our grubby mitts on the new device, and we're bringing you all the photos ahead of our forthcoming hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review. The new device is sleek with a ridged metallic back, and comes complete with an unskinned version of Honeycomb atop the dual-core heart. With a 10.1 inch WXGA screen (if you couldn't have guessed) it looks sumptous... could it really be even better than the Motorola Xoom? Check out our picture gallery and see if the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has your salivating ahead of its imminent launch:
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| MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 confirmed: specs revealed Posted: 13 Feb 2011 11:51 AM PST The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 sees Samsung setting itself up as a serious contender for the iPad. Announced just before the Samsung's official Mobile World Congress 2011 press announcement, the Samsung Galaxy Tab II has a number of upgraded specifications from its predecessor. The top-line specifications include a bigger screen. This time the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is sporting a 10.1-inch, 1,280x800-pixel display - hence the name. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 802.11n Wi-Fi and HSPA+ HSPA+ and Bluetooth 3.0. You'll be glad to hear that is seems that Samsung hasn't actually done any customisation to Android 3.0, so we should see the OS come in its purest form. Coming to Vodafone Vodafone has confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be coming to its network, with other specs for the tab including that it will be a very thin 10.9mm and will weigh just 599g. There is also Flash 10.1 support and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 also has dual surround-sound speakers so it is packed with audio goodness. There is also an 8MP rear-facing camera with and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for things like video calling. When it comes to video the Tab will support MPEG4/H263/H264 and you will be able to play 1080p Full HD video on it a 30fps. If you want ot shoot video, then this will be done at 1080p Full HD video, 24fps. There's no Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 UK release date as of yet, but TechRadar will let you know as soon as we are given word. 
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| MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets Vodafone exclusivity Posted: 13 Feb 2011 11:51 AM PST  Vodafone has announced that it has the exclusive rights to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.l in the UK. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.l was unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2011 and is an update to previous Tab devices. TechRadar has already got an in pictures with the device, prior to our Hand on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.l review, and are impressed with its specs sheet. Picking up the Tab This time around the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is sporting a 10.1-inch, 1,280×800-pixel display – hence the name. There's a1GHz dual-core processor, 802.11n Wi-Fi, HSPA+ and Bluetooth 3.0 on board and it is also sporting Android 3.0. You'll be glad to hear that is seems that Samsung hasn't actually done any customisation to Android 3.0, so we should see the OS come in its purest form. There is also an 8MP rear-facing camera with and a 2MP front-facing camera for video calling. When it comes to video the Tab will support MPEG4/H263/H264 and you will be able to play 1080p Full HD video on it a 30fps. If you want to shoot video, then this will be done at 1080p Full HD video, 24fps. Vodafone hasn't announced a UK release date for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but we are badgering them already to find out. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo coming to Orange in the UK Posted: 13 Feb 2011 11:48 AM PST  Sony Ericsson officially unveiled the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo at Mobile World Congress 2011 today and Orange has taken no time at all letting everyone know that it will be stocking it in the UK. Orange has also announced that it will be exclusively stocking a black version of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. Orangewent on to confirm that it will be bringing the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play to the UK, but this is something we knew about earlier in the month. Slick touchscreen Orange said about the smartphone: "The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo features a powerful 8.1 mega-pixel camera, a VGA front facing camera and HD video recording capability. "Furthermore, Sony's award-winning Exmor R for mobile sensor with the f/2.4 lens enables the capture of high quality, bright pictures and HD videos even in low light. "The slick touchscreen handset is equipped with a 3.7-inch display, and all pictures and videos taken on it can be shared in HD on your living room TV via the built in HDMI-connector." Orange has said it will be stocking all three handsets in the second quarter of the year, which points to a Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo UK release date of April. 
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| MWC 2011: Samsung Galaxy S II coming to Three in the UK Posted: 13 Feb 2011 11:31 AM PST  Samsung may have only just revealed the Samsung Galaxy S II at Mobile World Congress 2011, but TechRadar has already had word that the smart(er)phone will be arriving on the Three network in the UK. There's still no Samsung Galaxy S II UK release date but we do know that when it arrives, those who are on one of Three's tariffs will have dibs on the device. The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the most powerful smartphones around. It has been given a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch (4.27-inch) Super AMOLED WVGA display, is just 8.49mm thin and weighs in at just 116g. It comes with HSPA+ Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0 + HS (High Speed) connectivity and there is a deluge of Samsung apps on board, including a Reader Hub, Social Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub (which is the front end to the 7digital store). There's also access to Android Market if you prefer to get your own apps on to the device. Specs appeal The Samsung Galaxy S II comes with Flash 10.1 support and will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It also has the ability to show 1080p HD at 30fps and also has an 8MP camera on board. Three doesn't have exclusivity of the Samsung Galaxy S II but it is the first that we know of to announce its availability. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro unveiled Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:52 AM PST  Sony Ericsson has used Mobile World Congress 2011 to show off a bevy of new Android devices, one of which we haven't yet heard about is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro. This is a QWERTY Android 2.3 device that looks to take on the likes of the HTC Desire Z. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro has similar specs to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. These include a 3.7-inch touch screen with 854x480-pixel resolution, a 3.5mm headset jack, a MicroSD card slot, and Micro-USB ports line the sides. Xperia Pro specs The Xperia Pro has a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, has been given the Sony Bravia graphics engine, and will have 320MB of internal memory. There's also the usual gubbins on board, including messaging, email, an FM radio and personal organiser. Sony Ericsson has also added its Timescape interface, while connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB syncing. Finally there is a music player, an 8MP camera with LED flash and HD video recording, and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video calling. There's no Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro UK release date but we will do some digging. 
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| MWC 2011: Elop calls Nokia 'dependent' on Microsoft Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:45 AM PST  Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has clarified a number of details surrounding last week's news that Nokia is partnering with Microsoft and producing Windows Phone handsets. After explaining at length that the company did consider Android as an option, Elop made it quite clear that the deal with Microsoft puts them firmly against Google's OS. "Our number one priority is to compete with Android," Elop told journalists at a press conference today. Fighting talk Firmly stating that both companies have taken 'big bets' on the other, Elop was keen to make it clear that the partnership is mutually beneficial. "We are contributing the swing factor; the fact that we have created a challenger in Windows Phone opposed to Android and iOS. "The question therefore is what is the contribution from Microsoft in the other direction? "They too are contributing services - Bing, Xbox and so on. But they also are contributing a dependency; we are clearly dependent on WP as we go forwards, but they are placing a very significant bet on Nokia for location based services. "The thing to recognise here overall is that Nokia has placed a very important strategic bet on Microsoft and Microsoft has placed a very important strategic bet on Nokia. And that's why we will both succeed together." 
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| MWC 2011: First Nokia Windows Phone handsets to get 2011 release Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:31 AM PST  After the bombshell dropped by Nokia on Friday announcing that it will partner with Microsoft to make Windows Phone handsets, you'd be forgiven for wondering why they'd bother having a press conference at Mobile World Congress this week. After all, the big news has been broken, so what more is there to say? The most exciting thing addressed by CEO Stephen Elop and head of smart devices, Jo Harlow, at Nokia's pre-Mobile World Congress press conference was when we can expect to see the first fruits of the partnership. Ten months to get a phone out Harlow explained, "While we can't show you a physical product today, our goal is to be able to do that very soon. With our innovation in design and hardware, we are going to make great products; and we've already started. Our technical teams are working with Microsoft right now to solidify timing of the first Nokia Windows Phone product. "So I can't tell you when; but my boss has told me he would be much happier if that time was in 2011." The boss is, of course, Stephen Elop – and put aside that slightly sinister undertone of what will happen to Harlow and her team if that first handset isn't out in 2011, it sounds very likely that we'll see a Nokia Windows Phone this year. After the leak of some concept drawings of Nokia/Windows handsets, the company also showed off another, claiming that it shows off how 'fun' the partnership can be. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play - first PlayStation certified device Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:24 AM PST  Sony Ericsson has made no secret about releasing a gaming-intensive smartphone, but the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play hasn't been made official until now, at Mobile World Congress 2011. TechRadar has known for sometime about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. We have even had a hands on with a prototype of the device, which looks to bring PlayStation style gaming to smartphones. It is also confirmed that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is also coming to all the major networks in the UK this April, including Vodafone, Three, Orange and O2. World's first Sony says about the Xperia Play that it is the "World's first-ever PlayStation certified device... the perfect combination of communication and entertainment." The device will be coming with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play UK release date is April. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play - first PlayStation certified device Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:24 AM PST Sony Ericsson has made no secret about releasing a gaming-intensive smartphone, but the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play hasn't been made official until now, at Mobile World Congress 2011. TechRadar has known for sometime about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. We have even had a hands on with a prototype of the device, which looks to bring PlayStation style gaming to smartphones. It is also confirmed that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is also coming to all the major networks in the UK this April, including Vodafone, Three, Orange and O2. World's first Sony says about the Xperia Play that it is the "World's first-ever PlayStation certified device... the perfect combination of communication and entertainment." The device will be coming with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play UK release date is April. 
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| MWC 2011: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo announced Posted: 13 Feb 2011 10:11 AM PST  Sony Ericsson has announced the arrival of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. TechRadar exclusively revealed the name of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo back in January, but now the handset has been made official at Mobile World Congress 2011. Originally the handset was called the Hallon but it seems that Neo is the preferred name by SE. Sony Ericsson Neo specifications The Xperia Neo is a similar form factor to the Sony Ericsson Vivaz, and it comes with an 8.1MP camera (with LED flash) and EXMOR technology to spruce up your phone's photographic skills. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo runs Android 2.3 and has a TimeScape overlay. The Xperia Neo has also been given a Bravia engine, so video and the like will look decent on the phone's 854x480 resolution screen. So far there is no Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo UK release date, but TechRadar is working hard to give you this information. TechRadar managed to get a Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo earlier in February. 
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