If you are looking for an impressive and versatile smartphone for less than $250, Sony Ericsson’s newly released Xperia X8 could be the phone for you. It is modeled after the more expensive X10, but is much more straightforward and less costly. Weighing in at only 104 grams, the 3″ Android touchscreen device comes to life with 320 x 480 pixel resolution. WiFi, 3.5G support, GPS, and FM radio are welcomed features. To get started with multimedia capabilities, Sony Ericsson even includes a separate 2 GB card for its expandable microSD memory slot.
The buttons on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 are in the familiar Android phone places with the home and back keys where one would expect to find them. To the right are the camera and volume keys, and up top you can find the power/lock key, the microUSB port, and a 3.5mm connector port. While the body might feel a little cheap because of the type of plastic on the back, this device is still one of the best looking smartphones on the market today.
The battery life of the X8 is pretty respectable. You will be able to talk on a 3G network for up to 5 hours and 40 minutes. If you are using advanced apps, you will find that there is plenty of processor speed available, thanks to the 600MHz processor and 128MB of RAM. This should be enough firepower to tackle almost any request, though it does not match the blazing speed of the best Android phones.
Though it lacks a flash or auto-focus, the 3.2 megapixel camera is impressive for the price range. It is very easy to use and navigate around the menus, with the capability to record video as well. Users will not be disappointed with the quality even when uploaded to a full size computer screen. The quality is definitely above average.
Current X8 models have the Android 1.6 operating system installed, though you will be able to upgrade to 2.1 very soon. Sony plans to ship X8′s with 2.1 already installed later this year. Because this is an Android phone, you will be able to take advantage of the Android Market, adding all your favorite apps with just a few clicks.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 has a very modern, stylish look that manages to be small yet remain fully functional. For the right market demographic, it provides all the services you could want. So who is the right market demographic? The phone is clearly designed to be affordable, and unfortunately, it seems Sony met this goal by going with reduced internet browsing ability. If you want a reliable phone at a good price and do not plan on doing much internet browsing, then this is a good choice.
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