Compare Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 Contract Mobile Phone Deals

 
It’s What’s on the Outside that Counts

At first, the excitement was palpable, with the highly-anticipated Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 finally being released. No wonder everyone’s been looking forward to this supposedly state-of-the-art device when it is the first smartphone ever to boast an 8-megapixel camera as well as WVGA video recording.

Nevertheless, this may be where all of the excitement stops dead as we fail to see anything else remotely special about this apparently revolutionary mobile. We could even go as far as to say it pales in comparison to the original model in several ways. The majority of the additional elements, other than the keyboard and camera, are rather clichéd in the world of mobile technology and frankly, we expected more from a phone that has been described as ‘innovative’.

Firstly, the metallic elements which provided the XPERIA X1 with that sleek edge are fewer as the front of the phone and the keyboard of the later model are coated in thick plastic. It could be argued that this detracts a level of sophistication from the phone by making it appear more ‘tacky’, especially if the plastic allows for fingerprints to be seen more easily than metal does. How can the phone of the future have taken a step back by mimicking the designs of the phones of yesteryear, which were all plastic happy?

 
 
Rather than altering the design in subtle ways so as to make it more aesthetically pleasing, many of the original design concepts have been kept the same. For instance, the uncovered slot for the microUSB found on the upper-left side of the body can be seen when using the phone. It is almost as if Sony Ericsson have neglected to perfect every small detail, which in the end add up and compromise the overall enjoyment of the phone.

Furthermore, there are not many new features that set the design apart from the X1. It basically mirrors its predecessor apart from 0.2 inches of diagonal screen that has been added which doesn’t exactly alter or maximise the effect of the screen drastically. The weight of the phone is almost exactly the same as the X1, too.

Although the X2 seems to encompass some unusually up-to-date elements compared to other mobiles it lacks the simplicities that every phone requires in order to be user-friendly. Due to the fact that the keyboard is situated on the side of the phone, you would naturally assume that automatic screen rotation would be a logical addition to the wide range of features available, yet surprisingly it is missing. This would therefore make using the keyboard tiresome as you constantly have to keep rotating the phone in the palm of your hand, making a simple task take twice as long as it should do.

Also, it appears the designers neglected to take into effect how useful a larger power button would be on the X2 so the phone can be switched on easily without the unnecessary and irritating messing you have to go through to even get the device working, especially if you have larger fingers.

Having said this, the phone does boast some amazing features that are a gadget-lover’s dream. The X2 embodies almost every connectivity option you can imagine, making it a must-buy for those who tend to rely on their mobile for internet use. These features range from the typically expected such as Wi-Fi to the more technical such as a GPS receiver with A-GPS and TV-out. If you were considering to upgrade from your XPERIA X1, think again.

Rating: 2/5 - All things considered, this is not something to get too excited about. It is an average contraption posing as something more with a refreshingly updated camera to give it an extra popularity boost. Everything about this phone just seems to be an anti-climax.

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