As a content owner of an iPhone and a Blackberry Bold there are days when, frankly, I am getting tired of their bulky housings and larger screens compared to the days of more ergonomically-friendly devices.
When I first moved to the UAE four years ago, I really treasured my very compact Sony Ericsson with its physical buttons and the camera, video and simple software that made life easier.
When it finally died after much abuse, the new phones Sony Ericsson were flogging didn't seem to be the next model to own and I moved to Apple.
When you visit any phone or tech device store these days, most of the Android phones on the market seem to be all headed in the same direction — they look very similar with their large screens that seem to be all copying the original iPhone format.
But Sony Ericsson seems to be finding its groove again after unveiling in February its new Xperia x10 mini pro at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain — a powerful new mini phone that can play with all of the big-screen boys but is half the size.
Sony Ericsson was kind enough to let me borrow one for review and I can tell you this — the most incredible thing about it is its size. It fits in your front jeans pocket so comfortably, you forget it's there.
Functionalities
I can hear the naysayers barking about the tiny 2.6-inch screen and the fact that you can't easily watch YouTube, use the GPS function or view slide shows with friends because it's too small.
Sony Ericsson software developers reworked some of the open-source aspects of Google's Android software in order for it to fit in the smaller screen format. You can also scroll through five screens of icons that contain an electronic warehouse of goodies that make X10 mini a contender in any ring.
The phone has everything you need to get started online and offline including Google Talk, Gmail, Wisepilot and direct icon connections to Facebook and YouTube. With its slide-out Qwerty keyboard from the side and big buttons, the phone is very intuitive for typing as compared to the Apple iPhone touchscreen text buttons.
For anyone who is on the hunt for a powerful, stylish phone but needs portability above all else, the new Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro is a wise choice.
Pros
Super portable thanks to its size (90mmx52mm x17mm).
Unusual, refreshing design.
Great slide-out Qwerty keyboard.
Light, 120 grammes.
Google browser allows user to tap 100,000 Google apps.
Cons
The 2.6-inch screen too small for some apps.
Screen buttons can be sluggish to respond.
Smaller size not good for big hands.
Some users may not like the Android platform.
