Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 Review

I bought my first ever smartphone and I've been using it for a week now. This touchscreen smartphone from Sony Ericsson was released globally back in 3rd quarter of 2010 and is now one of the most affordable smartphones out there. The Xperia X8 is the middle man between the X10 and the X10 mini, combining the features of the two into one phone. (This is also my first review on a smartphone)
Here are pictures of the phones:

Xperia X10 mini, X8, X10

The one on the left is the X10 mini, the middle is the X8, and the right one is their big brother - the X10. These three phones all run on the Android system and have features alike. The X8 is the most affordable of the three because even the X10 mini is way more expensive than the X8. The Xperia is the first line of phones from Sony Ericsson with the Android OS. This is what makes the phone much more useful because of the utilities found in the Android OS.

Here are the specifications of the Xperia X8:

• Screen 
• 320 x 480 pixels (HVGA)
• 3" capacitive touchscreen
• Memory 
• 128 MB
• MicroSD Support (up to 16 GB)
• 3G and WiFi Connections
• Casing available in more than 2 colors
• Camera
• 3.2 megapixel
• Geo tagging
• Send to Web
• Video Recording
• Entertainment 
• FM Radio
• Java Support
• Video Viewing 
• Video Streaming
• Youtube
• Communication
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Sony Ericsson's Timescape
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating Alert
• Web
• Android Market
• Web Browsing
• Google Search
• Messaging 
• Text Messaging (SMS)
• Picture Messaging (MMS)
• Threaded Conversations
• Email
• Predictive Text Input
• Music
• MP3, AAC Format File Support
• Track ID Music Recognition Software
• Sony Ericsson Music Player
• Design
• Four-corner home screen customizable buttons
• On-screen Keyboard (QWERTY)
• Auto Rotate
• Live/Interactive/Picture Wallpaper
• Touchscreen
• Organizer
• Android OS
• Alarm Clock
• Calculator
• Flight Mode
• Notes
• Phone Book
• Stopwatch/Timer
• Connectivity
• WiFi
• USB Mass Storage
• USB Support
• Bluetooth
• aGPS Support
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Micro USB Support
• Synchronization via Facebook, Google, and Sony Ericsson Sync
• Google Maps

External Features

The Xperia X8 has a 99 x 54 x 15 mm dimension and has a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen. On the front includes, 3 buttons - the menu, home, and back. It also has a proximity sensor and an LED indicator at the top and a microphone at the bottom. The left side of the phone has no buttons but on the right it has the volume adjustment and camera button. The 3.2 megapixel camera is found at the back and also a loud speaker. On the top is the power button at the middle, a microUSB port for charging and PC connectivity, and the 3.5 mm audio jack.

User Interface

The thing I like most about this phone is its integration with the Android OS. As projected by some people, Android is the growing and most popular OS on smartphones today. The iphone iOS is the best out there but it's not really affordable for the masses especially here in the Philippines. Android is Google's operating system for smartphones and tablets. The X8 comes with the Android 1.6 called Donut but an update is now available for Android 2.1 called Eclair. In this version you can now send files through Bluetooth, new applications, improved screen lock, and new backup and restore application. The Android OS is really full of useful tools you can download online for FREE. I will discuss some of the useful tools you can use on my next post. Here's my own hands-on experience:

Text Messaging

As a phone, the most important part of it especially here in the Philippines is how effective it is when it comes to send texts. As Filipinos, text is the cheapest and easiest way we can communicate with our friends. X8 has a nice on-screen keyboard but for people with big hands, it's hard to quickly send messages but when you get used to it, it will be easier. You can also type in words from our dialect and add them to the dictionary using another free software. Messages for each person are also saved threaded just like in iPhones. This feature makes it easy for you to remember what your conversation was about even from the first message of that person. 

Web Browsing

Browsing the web using the X8 is smooth and easy. They have an integrated web browser already installed but you can also download other browsers for free from the Android Market. Browsing shows the web page as a whole and not adjusted to fit a smaller screen unlike other operating systems. This means when you visit a website the whole page is viewed on the screen. You just need to zoom in to read them much better. The only downside to this phone is it's lack of multi-touch so you cant pinch and zoom in on this device. You need to press on the screen for a second and a zoom-in and zoom-out button will pop. 

Camera

The 3.2 megapixel camera can also take nice pictures in daylight and well lit rooms. The phone has no flash for lighting in dark places or at night and has no zoom capability. It can also record low-quality videos just like in the examples below.  

Battery 

The X8 is a power hog and mine needs to be charged at least once or twice a day. Playing games, using WiFI, messages, and calls can all contribute to this but the phone has a nice software that can cure this huge power consumption by turning off unused applications, WiFi, mobile networking, adjusting the brightness, and screen timeout. 

Conclusion

If you are trying to find and buy a smartphone under Php 10,000 then this phone is for you. It can do everything a smartphone can and is relatively cheaper than its counterparts. Sony Ericsson declared a sale on the X10 mini, X8, and X10 last February 11 and the sale will continue until the end of February. Price drops are as follows:

Xperia X10 mini from Php 16,990 to 12,990
Xperia X8 from Php 11,600 to Php 9,990
Xperia X10 from Php 32,500 to Php 24,990

tags: Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 Review, gadget review, X8, Xperia

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