Not long after a new image of the Sony MT27i Pepper leaked out, the handset has been made official as the Sony Xperia sola. Many of the Xperia sola's rumored specs have held true, meaning you're looking at a 3.7-inch 854x480 Reality Display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel camera, 720p video capture, NFC, 8GB storage and 512MB RAM. Android 2.3 Gingerbread will come preloaded onto the Xperia sola when it launches globally in Q2 2012 in black, white and red, but Sony says that an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is planned for Q2.
One of the unique features of the Xperia sola is its "floating touch" navigation. Sony explains the tech by saying that it allows a user to navigate the Internet by hovering his or her finger above the display like a moving cursor. If there's a link to be clicked on, it can be highlighted using the floating touch cursor and then accessed by tapping on the screen like normal.
The floating touch tech on the Xperia sola definitely sounds like an interesting way to use the handset, but we'll have to wait until we can try floating our fingers above the display for ourselves before making any final judgments on it. If you'd like some help passing the time until the Xperia sola hits the market, you can find a pair of promo videos and Sony's full press release down below. Does the Xperia sola and its unique navigation tech float your boat?
Xperia sola from Sony – the smartphone with a sense of magic
Introducing “floating touch” navigation for magic web browsing without touching the screen
Easily open apps and launch actions in an instant with NFC and Xperia SmartTags
Reality Display with Mobile Bravia engine and fast capture camera boosted by a powerful dual-core processor
13 March, London, United Kingdom – Sony Mobile Communications today announced Xperia™ sola* as the latest addition to its portfolio of Android powered Xperia smartphones. Complete with Sony technology, premium entertainment and innovative floating touchTM navigation, the NFC enabled Xperia sola comes equipped with Xperia SmartTags, allowing consumers to change their smartphone’s settings and applications to fit their lifestyle in an instant. Xperia sola will be available to consumers globally in black, white and red in the second quarter.
A floating touch of magic
Making its smartphone debut exclusively on Xperia sola, Sony’s unique floating touch lets consumers navigate the web by hovering their finger above the screen so it acts like a moving curser, without actually having to touch the screen. Once the desired link is found it can be highlighted and a simple tap will load the page. Floating touch will evolve with new user functionality and applications through software updates and engagement with developers.
Calum MacDougall, Head of Xperia Marketing for Sony Mobile Communications, commented; “Xperia sola comes with the power of Sony and a sense of magic with floating touch, giving consumers a fun new way to browse the web and latest technology to show off. With Xperia SmartTags out of the box and access to the latest content through Sony Entertainment Network, Xperia sola is perfect for consumers looking for ease of use and the best in entertainment in a smart and innovative smartphone.”
Simplify the everyday with SmartTags
Xperia sola is NFC enabled and comes with two NFC Xperia SmartTags in the box as standard to simplify consumers’ everyday smartphone experiences. By touching an NFC Android smartphone on a SmartTag, a pre-configured profile in the smartphone will launch. The two SmartTags included with Xperia sola can be personalized with up to 10 commands. Out of the box one is ready for the living room to turn on Wi-Fi™ and launch Google™ news and weather apps, and the other one for the bedroom, which turns on the alarm and switches to silent mode. Xperia sola supports NFC pairing, allowing consumers to enjoy great connectivity with other NFC smartphones, applications and services by tapping their smartphones together.
Powerful entertainment anytime, anywhere
Xperia sola boasts razor sharp clarity with Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, xLOUD™ and 3D surround sound audio technology delivering crisp and loud sound, and a 1GHz dual-core processor for super fast performance. Xperia sola also comes with fast capture to take the camera from sleep to snap in a little over a second with a single key press.
Consumers can also access premium entertainment experiences with Sony Entertainment Network**, where they can watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters on Video Unlimited or listen to millions of songs*** through Music Unlimited.
Key features for Xperia sola
Floating touch navigation for an easy web browsing experience
NFC enabled and Xperia SmartTags in the box to enable quick app loading and easy content sharing
3.7” Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp clarity
Powered by a 1GHz Dual Core Processor for super fast browsing
xLOUD and 3D surround sound audio technology for crisp and loud listening
Direct access to Sony Entertainment Network* with pre-installed Video and Music Unlimited** apps
Launches on Android platform 2.3, upgrade to Android 4.0 during summer 2012
