Sony Ericsson xperia X10 mini Review and Details

 

We'll start this review by trying to give details what the Sony Ericsson xperia X10 mini is in a only some words. So, you know the Xperia X10, right? Well, the X10 mini has nothing to do with it. It's the embodiment of the totally opposite concept that is behind the X10. If we can describe this through numbers, instead of the massive 4-inch screen of the Xperia X10, you get a 2.55-inch one. Get it? It's a totally different experience. That said, we think the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 minis is a very intimate Android smartphone that has a beautiful design and very little flaws, trying to once again prove the ever popular idea that size doesn't really matter.

What's in the box:

• Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini handset
• 5 additional back panels (pearl white, silver, lime, pink and red)
• 2 GB microSD
• Li-Pol Battery (non-replaceable)
• Stereo headset w/ mic
• microUSB cable
• Travel charger
• User manual



Introduction and Design:

As of present, the market isn’t really choke full of compact Android phones. When you look at the existing lineup, you see the rather large products like the HTC Incredible, HTC EVO 4G and the Google Nexus One, as well as mainstream sizes like the HTC DROID ERIS in the States and the Hero in Europe. However, a truly small device is nowhere to be seen. Maybe it was this market gap that Sony Ericsson has noticed when coming up with the idea of the Xperia X10 mini we first saw at this year’s MWC.
As the name implies, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini is a scaled down version of the Xperia X10. In contrast to what Nokia did with the N97 mini however, Sony Ericsson has gone to extremes here, and the X10 mini is now one of the tiniest smart handsets of all times. It has kept the company's “human curvature” design with smooth curves and soft-touch coating on the back, which makes it pleasant to hold. Moreover it is relatively thick with its 16mm so it does not feel as miniscule to handle as it actually is.


You may find the screen surprisingly small – only 2.55 inches with QVGA resolution. The image quality is fine and since the touch technology is capacitive, using the display is a fun experience, except in bright sunlight where, as usual, it's rather hard to tell what's on there.

At the front below the screen you have the X10 family trademark chrome tapered line, divided in three sections for the usual Android menu, home and back keys. The volume keys are on the right sharing the side with the camera button. All the keys feel nice, with distinct enough click, including the power/lock button on the top. On the back you have a 5MP camera with autofocus and an LED flash, as well as the loudspeaker.


The connectors you’ll find at the bottom of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini are standard microUSB and 3.5mm audio jack. We also got five additional panel colors in the box to toy with, but word on the street is they will be carrier or region dependent, so not all five will come in all boxes. Even so, with pearl white, silver, lime, pink and red battery covers you can easily swap the looks if you get bored by the munchkin’s Men in Black appearance.

So, as a design the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini is a sweet little smartphone. Although it isn’t introduced as a fashion device, it does have its own sex appeal that attracts attention. It’s incredibly small, to the point where it becomes just slightly inconvenient in bigger male hands. However we wouldn't go as far as calling it a lady's phone; it's just cute. Besides, the Xperia X10 mini pro (the QWERTY variant of the X10 mini) will add the needed size, as it will be a bit higher (and just a millimeter thicker). So, yes, we quite like the X10 mini’s design, and no, we are not pansies.

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