SANDY TECHFANATIC

Sony Ericsson has, along with a couple of other models, released the XPERIA X1. This multimedia/communication combo phone has an "arc slider," which means you can slide the screen sideways to bring out the full-QWERTY keyboard. The rumor mills say Sony Ericsson has outsourced the manufacture of the model to HTC.

The front features a 3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen display. In a first for Sony Ericsson, this model will run the Windows Mobile operating system with Outlook and Office Mobile. The user interface can be operated either by the touch interface, an optical joystick, a 4-way navi-pad, or the QWERTY keyboard.

Connectivity options come in the form of Wi-Fi, 3.5G HSDPA/HSUPA, and aGPS. A 3.2 megapixel auto-focus camera sits at the back. The 400 MB of internal memory can be expanded via microSD cards. The XPERIA X1 weighs around 145 gm and is 16.7 mm thick.