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In Pictures: The Sony Ericsson Xperia

Check out the slideshow for our first impressions.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson's latest Xperia is a tiny Android smartphone packing unique looks and solid photographic capabilities. Check out the rest of the gallery for a report on our first impressions.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands -on

Here's the box. (Well, it wouldn't be an 'unboxing' gallery without one, would it?)

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Pop the flap, and the Xperia ray peeks out at you like an Android puppy. With dimensions of 111x53x9mm, it's tiny compared to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Desire HD.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray comes with a standard array of instruction leaflets and accessories.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The first thing that leaps out about the Xperia ray is its compact dimensions. Sony Ericsson reckons it will appeal to fashion-conscious consumers who don't want to lug around a 5in smartphone. While not specifically targeted at women, the phone definitely has a somewhat feminine feel. It's also small enough to carry around in a clutch.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray front view. The phone's 3.3in touch screen is capable of 720p video playback. Sony has also slapped the Bravia brand-name on the display technology to boost its credentials. (Don't be fooled into thinking it's made from Sony' Gorilla glass though - instead, 'scratch-resistant' mineral glass is used.)

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

We like the Xperia ray's design and build quality. It's understated, stylish and manages to stand out from the crowd. Specifications are also decent. Highlights include a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 8-megapixel AF camera, and a 16,777,216 colour TFT touch screen running on Android 2.3.3.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray right view. Despite its diminutive size, the Xperia ray has a solid feel to it: it's small, but reasonably thick.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray left view. You can just about make out the micro USB port in this pic. Other connectivity options include a a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi with hotspot functionality and DLNA certification with compatible devices.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Here's how the Xperia ray's size stacks up to the Samsung Galaxy S II. If you prefer portability over an extra-large screen, the advantage of the ray is obvious.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray vs. Samsung Galaxy S II. Another advantage the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray has over its Android brethren is deeper Facebook integration. The popular social networking app has been built directly into the UI, allowing users to view and access FB content directly. (When you're tagged on Facebook, the photo will automatically show up in your phone's gallery menu, for example.)

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The home, back and menu shortcut buttons are present and accounted for. If you've used an Android phone before, the interface will be instantly familiar.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray comes with a 1500mAh battery which can be accessed via a removable backplate. Talk time is rated at "up to 7.5 hours".

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The Xperia ray comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a pair of "high quality" Sony stereo earphones. If you'd prefer to annoy your fellow commuters, the phone's inbuilt stereo speakers will be up to the job. The phone also grants users access to Sony's Music Unlimited streaming service, which currently boasts some 10 million music tracks. Membership to the service costs $4.99 per month (for the standard version) or $12.99 per month (for the premium plan).

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

One of the Xperia ray's biggest selling-points is its 8.1MP camera. While 8-megapixel sensors are nothing new in the phone world, the ray takes advantage of its parent company's imaging prowess, boasting an image stabilizer, inbuilt flash and auto focus, HD video recording, 16x digital zoom and an Exmor R CMOS sensor for superior low-light photography.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

To demonstrate the Xperia ray's low-light sensor in action, Sony invited us to take a photo of the Android logo inside a dark box with the phone's flash disabled. Considering it was taken in near-darkness, the results are more than respectable.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Here's a photo taken with the Samsung Galaxy S II using the same exact set-up. As you can see, the image is significantly murkier.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Here are both photos side-by-side. [Note: It's important to remember that each phone's inbuilt flash was switched off during this experiment. The difference would be less pronounced with flash enabled.]

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

As you'd expect from a 3.3in phone, the Xperia ray lacks a QWERTY-style keyboard. Swipe fans will need to re-learn their old school texting skills.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The screen might be a bit small compared to other high-end Androids, but it's still more than capable for movie playback. Users can rent and purchase movies through Sony's Video Unlimited service, which currently offers over 9000 titles. Purchase prices range from $17 to $32.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray will launch on at the end of the month and will be exclusive to the Vodafone network through to December. Pricing starts at $29 a month, plus $5 monthly repayments over 24 months.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson's latest Xperia is a tiny Android smartphone packing unique looks and solid photographic capabilities. Check out the rest of the gallery for a report on our first impressions.

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In Pictures: The Sony Ericsson Xperia

Check out the slideshow for our first impressions.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands -on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray unboxing and hands-on

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