Announced on the 14th of February in Barcelona with the Xperia X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro, the Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro combines a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard with a 360×640 pixel 16:9 nHD intuitive touch screen capable of displaying over 16.7 million colours to create the perfect environment for messaging and communication entertainment that Sony Ericsson strives for. With the addition of the full QWERTY keyboard as well as an optional on-screen QWERTY keyboard, users can comfortably communicate much more quickly and effectively with their friends and family through text messages, e-mails and updates on preferred social networks. Predictive text input also helps to streamline the user experience, learning from your typing habits and suggesting words to make keeping in touch faster and easier than ever. Sony Ericsson’s Marketing Business Manager, Daniel Sandblom, says the Vivaz Pro “meets the increased consumer demand for QWERTY devices without compromising on any entertainment features.”
Complementing the addition of the full QWERTY keyboard to strengthen communication and messaging capabilities, the Vivaz Pro features full native Facebook and Twitter compatibility to let you update your status and check on your friend’s updates from your phone without a hassle. Additionally, the Vivaz Pro features conversation style text-messaging, a sound recorder and MMS multimedia messaging support, instant messaging utilizing some of your favourite IM clients, and the ability to check multiple e-mail accounts. Corporate users can utilize push Exchange ActiveSync to synchronise their mobile device with their Microsoft Exchange server and actively check business e-mails and documents on the move.
Also featuring the “human curvature” design that has become Sony Ericsson’s philosophy for upcoming releases, the Vivaz Pro is designed with the human form in mind to offer an inviting and precise method of interaction with the device. Powered by the Symbian Platform S60 5th edition, the Vivaz Pro has access to a large number of applications available on the PlayNow store and a 720 MHz process to run things smoothly to maximize user enjoyment.
On the “entertainment” end of the spectrum, the Vivaz Pro has a 5.1-megapixel camera with a number of features. Touch focus lets you touch the screen to indicate where you focus, continuous auto-focus does the work, and the built-in image stabiliser keeps your video and pictures looking crisp. Smile and face detection features let the phone automatically focus on faces and snap a shot when a smile is detected, making it easier than ever to capture your images at the perfect time. Photo flash and video light as well as a 4x digital zoom ensure you get the clearest picture possible. Once you’re happy with your pictures, you can send them straight to your favourite social network or post them on a personal blog without any hassle, and geo tagging lets your friends and family know just where you are in each of your pictures. You can also use the camera to record high-quality 720p HD video with a single press of the dedicated video key, or use it for real-time video calling to let you see whoever you’re talking to in crisp high-definition and add that extra personal touch when you’re on the phone.
The Vivaz Pro also features some incredibly useful audio features, such as the PlayNow store and TrackID. Play your favourite music on the music player, sort by artist, album and track, and create your own playlists to suit your mood—you can even set custom MP3 and AAC music ringtones from your collection for added personalization . Album art creates a colourful, fun environment as you flip through your library of music files, or choose from a huge selection of music from the PlayNow store. Record a few seconds of that song you hear on the radio or in the club and TrackID will retrieve the artist and album information and deliver it to your phone almost immediately. Bluetooth stereo (A2DP) support and a 3.5mm headphone jack allow you to easily listen to music on your favourite headphones and enjoy the crisp, clear sound. Couple these great audio features with some of Sony Ericsson’s best-in-class audio accessories for an awesome music experience. The Vivaz Pro features 70MB of internal memory with support for up to 32GB of extra memory via the microSD expansion slot.
To round off the entertainment aspect of the Vivaz Pro, Sony Ericsson included plenty of media and web support. Access media content easily from one place; 3D games, Java applications, streaming video and FM radio are all available. Stream your favourite videos from YouTube or watch HD video clips all from your mobile device. A TV-out connection allows you to hook up your phone to a bigger screen, such as a TV or projector, and play your video there as well. Web access via Wi-Fi or HSPA/EDGE 3G lets you visit all of your favourite websites with the Webkit browser or find new places with the built-in Google Search.
Web feeds keep you up to date with the latest news, and the phone can even double as a modem to allow your PC to connect to the internet on the go. If you’re on a trip or just looking for something in town, the aGPS-enabled Vivaz Pro can help you find the way with Google Maps, or use the WisePilot turn-by-turn voice navigation system to get real-time directions to your destination. The Vivaz Pro makes keeping track of all of your contacts and important information a breeze as well, providing Bluetooth wireless connections up to 10 yards away and USB connectivity to sync info between your computer and mobile device, as well as DNLA-certified connectivity between your Vivaz Pro and other devices. PictBridge lets you quickly and conveniently transfer images directly from your phone to your printer without the extra steps and time spent putting them onto your computer.
The Vivaz Pro is expected to be available in select markets sometime this month in both Black and White colour schemes; pricing has yet to be announced, but early estimates place it above £300. You will have to wait until the release to find out what Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro deals are on offer or read some more Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro reviews.
Posts Tagged ‘Sony-Ericsson-Vivaz’
The New Vivaz Pro from Sony Ericsson
Monday, May 17th, 2010Sony Ericsson: Back on Track
Monday, April 19th, 2010
It was pretty hard to believe Bert Nordberg, president of Sony Ericsson, when he said that the company was on the right track early this year. It had just been announced that the Sony Ericsson mobile phone manufacturing company ended 2009 in a severe financial loss in the millions –a major setback that many believed may be the beginning of the end for the Japanese-Swedish joint venture.
Now that the figures are finally in fans of Sony Ericsson can rest easy seeing as how the company has grown considerably in the past couple of months. According to reports, the Q1 of 2010 ended with SE making 18 million GBP in profits –a considerable change from the previous year where each quarter ended in a serious loss. Of course, what is important is that the progress does not end there. If SE is to catch up with all their previous losses, then they have to keep up their current game.
Right now, Sony Ericsson devices such as the XPERIA X10, Vivaz and Aspen has been showing the mobile phone community that the SE high end smart phones are truly excellent devices, matching up to the current competition easily.
A recent praise from Greenpeace has also given rise to plenty of support for the company –SE has been ranked as the second greenest electronics company in the world. This has further increased interest in SE’s Greenheart products and their overall commitment to achieving their CO2 emission reduction quota.
It will still be a while before Sony Ericsson catches up with all the times that they have previously been in the red, but with Nordberg leading the way, it seems that they might even take back their position in the top three largest mobile phone manufacturers in the world (SE fell to the 4th position).
Read more about SE’s brighter financial state at Mobile Today UK.
Sony Ericsson Introduces Equalizer for the Satio and Vivaz
Friday, March 19th, 2010
Equalizers are the best way to tweak the sound settings on any device to increase your music listening pleasure. The new app is a standalone feature that actually alters the music playback capability of the phone itself instead of being connected to a device. This means that all audio to be played on the smart phone will be using the equalizer settings. For the Vivaz, which will be getting Spotify, it also means that the EQ settings will affect the playback of music streaming. For users who are not too keen on making their own settings, there are presets that can be used for various preferences.
Sony Ericsson’s Satio has been at the hot seat last year thanks to a major problem with the device’s firmware. The phone was prone to powering down and freezing, which saw the device pulled out of shelve and even suspended from sales on major retailers. A major patch that fixed the problems was made shortly prior to the holidays, placing back the Satio on market. The device comes with a 12 mega pixel camera, an A8 600 MHz processor and a 3.5 inch touch screen display.
The Sony Ericsson Vivaz was originally known as the Kurara before it was renamed last month in when the phone was shown in Barcelona, Spain. This device stands out for its impressive hardware, and in particular, the 8 mega pixel camera with 720p HD video recording. The phone has a 3.2 inch TFT touch screen, a 720MHz CPU and the Symbian Series 60 5th edition operating system. A second version of the Vivaz named the Vivaz Pro is expected to be released later, the device will have an additional slide out keyboard.
Get to know more about the new equalizer application for the SE Vivaz and SE Satio at GSM Arena.
SE Vivaz Spotted with Spotify on 3 Mobile
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
3 Mobile UK is making the most out of tie up with Spotify by offering the service to plenty of their devices. We already saw how nice the deal was when they offered the music streaming service of Spotify Premium along with the HTC Hero, and now, it appears that they will be offering Spotify with the Sony Ericsson Vivaz.
For those unfamiliar with the Vivaz; this smart phone was first seen last year when images of the pre production model were leaked. At that time, the device was named Kurara. Several key specifications had already been named as well, most importantly, the phone’s 8 mega pixel camera which can record videos in 720p HD format. It also uses the Symbian OS. No word yet if the phone will be compatible with a possible update to Symbian^3 when it comes out, though we certainly hope it will.
The Spotify music streaming service is well known for its high quality audio tracks. The streaming content is encoded in 320kbps CD quality format –making Spotify’s tracks some of the highest quality available. Under 3 mobile, the Spotify service is available for just £10 each month (other Symbian devices can get Spotify for a bundled 6 month deal).
3’s basic offers for the Vivaz are pretty well balanced. A two year contract at a monthly £35 tariff will give users 750 minutes of talk time to any network, unlimited texts and internet, access to Skype and Windows Messenger.
The Sony Ericsson Vivaz will be getting a Pro edition that comes with a slide out QWERTY keyboard. In terms of specs, the Vivaz and the Vivaz Pro are almost alike –the only difference is that the Pro will only have a 5 mega pixel camera though it will retain the ability to record in 720p HD quality.
Get to know more about 3’s Spotify on Vivaz deal at Mobile Choice UK.
Sony Ericsson Launches Two More Devices
Monday, March 15th, 2010
For fans of the Google Android mobile platform, the upcoming XPERIA X10 and the X10 Mini/X10 Mini Pro are definitely devices worth looking forward to. Sony Ericsson’s first Android smart phone will be carrying the company’s unique stylish aesthetic and some impressive hardware capabilities.
For those who want something else, Sony Ericsson still has a few more devices to offer.
First up is the Sony Ericsson Vivaz. This smart phone was first leaked in images and was originally named the SE Kurara. The main highlight of the device was announced at the time it was leaked; an 8 mega pixel digital camera that can take videos in 720p HD quality. While HD videos are now becoming a standard, at the time the Vivaz was announced, very few devices could match that quality.
December saw a quick demonstration of images and videos shot with the high definition camera, while some details left much to be desired, it was proof enough that Sony Ericsson was well on its way to provide us with another great first. The device would later appear alongside the SE XPERIA X10 at Sony Ericsson’s spot at the Mobile World Congress last month where it was revealed that the Vivaz would be getting a second edition, the Vivaz Pro which comes with a 5 mega pixel camera, 720p video recording and a slide out physical keyboard.
Sony Ericsson’s Elm is a Greenheart smart phone that was announced sometime last year along with the Greenheart Hazel. The device is made from over 50% recycled plastic and uses no toxic parts –making it one of the most eco friendly devices (a standard for Greenheart devices). So far, no word yet has been given on which operators will be offering these two devices this April.
Get to know more about these two new SE phones at the SEMC Blog.
Sony Ericsson Devices: the Now and Soon
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Things are pretty quiet lately at the Sony Ericsson home front. After all, with all the hoopla with the Apple versus HTC lawsuit, SE will have to thread on thin ice.
Sony Ericsson will be releasing its first Android smart phone next month in the form of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10. The device will be followed later by two more smart phones, the X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro. Should HTC fall in the lawsuit, this could leave Sony Ericsson vulnerable to the same charges that befell HTC –despite the Android OS not being the technology in question in the 20-patent infringement case.
Aside from that concern, Sony Ericsson has a lot riding on their sales for this year. The company ended 2009 with over 800 million in losses; placing the company in pretty dire straits. Despite the impressive mobile phone lineup they have for this year, SE will have to make plenty of sales across the board.
While the company has started the year with some high end devices –and ending Q1 with the release of the XPERIA X10 and the Symbian smart phone, SE Vivaz, SE has a new strategy for the rest of the year: Sony Ericsson Walkman devices.
According to Nathan Vautier, UK and Ireland manager for Sony Ericsson, the company will be including some new Walkman devices to its projected 26-phone lineup for this year.
This means that music lovers will finally have a new phone to choose from that is not an Apple iPhone or a Nokia X-series devices (good phones, but still too pricey for music fans who are not so willing to deal out so much cash for a phone). Expect to see Walkman devices later this 2010.
Read more about SE’s plan to release Walkman phones at Stuff TV.
A Quick Look at SE and Motorola
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Smart phones have been selling pretty well last year. Despite the global economic crisis, people still need to buy mobile phones and while companies such as Motorola and Sony Ericsson have had a tough year, other mobile phone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung and RIM have been doing well.
Sony Ericsson’s terrible sales performance is off the charts. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the Japanese Swedish joint venture has lost over 800 million last year. While that is still not enough to bring the company crumbling down, many believe that unless SE is able to turn the tables around this year, they may face even bigger problems. Well, aside from stating the obvious, there is also a small bit of hope for the company.
Just fresh out of the Mobile World Congress are several impressive SE devices that are not only promising, but are pretty marketable devices. The Symbian Vivaz and the Android X10 are two of the best devices for their respective platforms. One big letdown however, was a statement by Bert Nordberg, CEO of Sony Ericsson. In a magazine interview, 
Nordberg said that they turned down an offer to make the Google phone –an offer that obviously went to HTC. At a time when SE was not doing well financially, many considered this to be a major decisive mistake.
Motorola on the other hand finished 2009 with a last minute success, the Motorola Milestone. The device is an Android smart phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard; it was released as Motorola DROID outside of the UK. While Motorola’s 2010 lineup is still not clear, there is plenty of that the upcoming Motorola Shadow just might be the next Google phone.
To learn more about the sales performance of mobile phone manufacturers last 2009, go to GSM Arena.
2010: Good for Sony Ericsson
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
While some might say that it is far too early for Sony Ericsson to be making such claims, it is not unfounded of the Swedish Japanese joint venture to keep pressing forward despite tough times. Even Bert Nordberg, CEO of the company, has stated that he believes that SE is still on track this year when he was asked to comment about the reported major losses of the company last 2009.
Nathan Vautier of Sony Ericsson also recognizes the fact that 2009 was a tough year. Though as he would put it, it was a “tough transition period”; it is a transition that costs over 800 Million.
2010 is going to be even tougher. As Nathan has already described the year, it will definitely be turbulent. New devices and mobile platforms are coming out, T-Mobile and Orange are merging and there will be major changes in the mobile industry in terms of spectrum reframing as well as the new Digital Bill.
For Sony Ericsson however, 2010 will be a year of promise. They already have a fine lineup so mobile phones that are coming out this year. The XPERIA X10 and the Vivaz feature the Google Android and the Symbian 5th OS. They also have a Greenheart phone that uses the WinMo 6.5.3 OS.
Adding to this already impressive lineup are last year’s Elm and Hazel Greenheart devices as well as three new smart phones: the X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro and the Vivaz Pro. For those unfamiliar, the Pro line of devices comes with slide out QWERTY keyboards. The Minis are bite sized version of the X10 while the Vivaz Pro is a near duplicate of the Vivaz except that it uses a 5 mega pixel camera instead of 8 mega pixels.
Get to know more about Nathan Vautier and Sony Ericsson at Mobile Today UK.
New SE Phone Highlights
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
One of the best things about being able to see the Mobile World Congress is that you get to take a sneak peek at the newest and latest mobile phones that are coming our way.
Sony Ericsson’s 2010 lineup is both varied and well made. Considering the initial limited number of devices that Sony had lined up, it is great to see that new phones have not only been added to the 2010 lineup, but already also going to expand the market range of the Japanese Swedish joint venture.
If you only count the devices Sony Ericsson announced prior to the mobile world congress, you would have three impressive high end smart phones that would certainly never penetrate the mid to low range market due to their price tags. Now, it looks like Sony Ericsson has decided to offer something for that range.
The best solution to lowering the overall cost of a device is to decrease the hardware specs; from what SE has done, it looks like they shrunk the XPERIA X10 in half.
The first new device SE has unveiled is the X10 Mini. It is literally almost half the size of the original device and would certainly have significantly lower specs. At the same time however, the price would be much cheaper. So far, it’s too early to tell whether this is a smart gamble by SE, at the very least, it looks like more people are looking forward to the Mini more than the XPERIA X10.
The Mini itself also got a second variation, this time the device was given a physical QWERTY keyboard. This is the Mini Pro. This is an ideal mobile phone for users who tend to type and chat a lot. Email enthusiasts will enjoy not having to rely on an onscreen keyboard too.
Read more about the X10 Mini at the SEMC Blog.
Sony Ericsson Reveals Three New Phones at MWC
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
The Mobile World Congress at Barcelona, Spain was full of surprises and interesting new mobile phone products. Many already expected to see Sony Ericsson’s new Aspen Greenheart phone as it debuted the new Windows Mobile 6.5.3 operating system. Aside from the Aspen, the joint venture had a few other devices to surprise us with.
First up is the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini. The device has already been announced early on as the XPERIA Robyn and with the device’s specifications, it is not surprising that the phone was later renamed as the X10 Mini. What was surprising is the fact that these phones are already on show at the MWC and that they are slated for a 2nd quarter of 2010 release.
The next surprise entry form Sony Ericsson is the X10 Mini Pro. As one might expect, this new device is a variant of the X10. The Mini Pro comes with all the specs of the Mini (which makes it a watered down version of the X10), but with the addition of a slide out physical QWERTY keyboard. The phone will still be using a 600 MHz processor, a 5 mega pixel camera and a few other goodies.
Last on the list is the Vivaz Pro. Early on, it was announced that the Kurara would be followed up by the Kanna, a sister device that was going to have a full QWERTY keyboard (apparently, in Sony-talk, “Pro” means “with keyboards”). The device would have the similar specs with the original Vivaz except for the digital camera which is only 5 mega pixels in the Pro –in the original version; the phone comes with an 8 mega pixel camera. The Pro still has the 720p HD video recording.
Read more about Sony Ericsson’s new mobile phone offerings from Softpedia.