Xperia ARC closed-up

Pros:
+ Gingerbread
+ HSDPA capable
+ Bravia display
+ Noise Suppression microphone
Cons:
- Power hog
- Little onboard memory

This is one of the ancient Gingerbread (Android 2.3 Operating System) devices, and the fizz wasn't as acute as during the appearance of the Froyo (Android 2.2 Operating System) devices. This was apparently because abundant ado was fabricated about the circumstantial barrage of the Honeycomb (Android 3.0 Operating System) for book or slate-like devices.

In the box:

-Transceiver unit
-1 standard battery
-Charger set
-Headset
-Manuals

Exterior, Controls and Screen

The Sony Ericsson Arc comes beyond as a actual ample and collapsed accessory at aboriginal glance. The advanced of the accessory is bedeviled about absolutely by the almost behemothic 4.2-inch screen. Thankfully, there are three concrete card buttons at the basal of the screen, although the buttons did not consistently do what we accepted of Android buttons.

The ability button is at the top of the device, but on the larboard ancillary which is acceptable account for lefties but a disappointment for right-handed bodies acclimated to accepting the button on the appropriate side. I kept acute the awning for the HDMI anchorage by mistake.

A headset jack is on the left of the device and the USB cum charger

port is on the right together with a toggle button used mainly for controlling the volume.

The awning is so acceptable that you accept to see it to accept it. Apparently, Sony Ericsson is application Bravia technology from the TV range, so the accessory is absolutely acceptable and looks like a mini TV. The awning is rated at 480 x 854 pixels and the analysis videos on the accessories showed up so bright and aciculate that everybody we showed it to said wow!

The botheration is, in all my years of autograph for adaptable phones I accept never apparent such a ability hog. Maybe it is the video larboard paused in the background. Maybe this is alone a ancestor unit. But it abiding does cesspool the abstract in a big hurry. The one affair you do not demand to use this buzz for is as an anxiety clock. You will be backward for assignment if it ran out of abstract about during the night and bootless to arena at the appointed time.

Software, Applications and Games

The key affairs point of this accessory is that it runs the latest adaptation of the Android OS, which is adaptation 2.3 additionally accepted as Gingerbread. We will analytic accept that this is upgradeable in due course, aloof like about all added Android devices.

There are some applications on the phone. The usual PIM services of Clock, Notes and Calendar supplement an Office Suite that tried to go to some website and download something. Being a Google phone, Youtube, Facebook and Gmail shortcuts were all there. So is a GPS application.

There is a game called "Let's Golf!" and it does show off the sharp display of the phone by displaying a 3D golf course that the user can play around on. It was pretty easy to learn to play, and very similar to the arcade games of the 80s.

Camera, Video and Audio

The main camera on the Sony Ericsson Arc is 8.1-megapixels and surprisingly, there isn’t a secondary camera for video calling, although the device does support video calling. This sounds like a good one for all those with overbearing busybody spouses. The camera is quite good, it tracks smiles and even tried to pick up the face from a cartoon character in a running video on a computer screen. That is pretty impressive.

Much of what we need to say about the video function has already been said in the first section of this article. The display is really brilliant and shows of the videos to full effect.

The one thing I did not like is that for all this Android hype, why doesn't it plug and play into a computer? Almost every Android device wants me to install some suite program or some silly application to transfer files from my PC. I miss the days of Nokia's plug, transfer loads of stuff in USB mode where the phone behaves like a USB drive, and then play. Admittedly, not everything would get along with the Nokia OS but MP3s and clips would play immediately if they were in the right format.

Internet Connectivity

This is a HSDPA 7.2 Mbps device. It also supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, dual-band UMTS / 3G and quad-band GSM. Bluetooth 2.1 is supported and the microUSB plugs into a computer and auto-syncs your data if you want it to, just like any other Google Android device.

Editor's Opinion

The Sony Ericsson Arc is truly a desirable device. The display is simply fantastic but the battery life simply leaves a lot to be desired. We are hoping that this is simply a prototype issue that will be ironed out by the time the retail units arrive in stores.

The fantastic phone with the great display and solid camera is of little use if you can't turn it on. Be sure to get extra batteries when you buy. You would probably need it.

Oh, we forgot to mention the curved battery cover that gives the phone its name. The Sony Ericsson Arc jiggles when placed on a flat surface because of the arched battery cover. Frankly though, I can’t see many people being bothered about how the rear of a phone looks as long as it is not too uncomfortable to hold.

Conclusion: Probably the best display on a current phone, but let down by poor battery life.