Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 Review : Android phones are becoming the next best accessory and many of the handset manufacturers are scrabbling to get their own device launched onto the market. Sony Ericsson has already had relative successes with its Xperia X10 and the smaller package of the Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro, but with the Xperia X8 it appeared to be going for budget but unfortunately, bulk as well.Sony Ericsson's Xperia series is probably the manufacturer's most exciting lineup of phones. First, there was the Windows Mobile-powered Xperia X1. Then along came its successor, the X2, as well as the Android-based Xperia X10. We also shouldn't forget those little fellas - the X10 mini and mini pro, which redefined the meaning of compactness. The latest addition to the Xperia lineup is a budget-cautious Android handset, which comes in a stylish outfit - the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. From first sight, the X8 looks like a pretty decent lightweight smartphone; it has good looks, a passable 3-inch capacitive screen, as well as a pleasant and easy-to-use software. However, does everything the Xperia X8 is capable of come together nicely to form a worthy all-round smartphone package
The package contains:
* Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
* Four additional back covers
* microUSB cable
* Wall charger
* 2GB microSD card
* Wired handsfree
* User guide
Design:
You might actually mistake the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 with the X10 mini (or vice versa), if you're just looking at the images, as both handsets look almost identical. In reality though, The X8 shows its superiority by treating you to its 3-inch capacitive LCD screen with resolution of 320x480 pixels - more than enough for this screen size. Because it is a standard TFT (IPS LCD or AMOLED have yet to work their way to the mid- and low-end), viewing angles are now quite as good. Although it should be capable of showing 16 million colors, gradients are far from perfectly smooth. Not that this is all unbearable of course - we can live with it, especially having in mind the flawless touch registration of the capacitive panel. Outdoor visibility isn't a great issue, especially if you have the brightness bumped to the max, but you'll still have to shield the display in extreme situations.
Below the screen you can find the mandatory Menu, Home and Back keys that are totally in the style of Xperia Andorid phones, meaning chrome-like, adding to the stylish appearance of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. The right side is where the volume rocker and one-step camera shutter (the 3.2MP camera lacks autofocus) are situated, and on the top you have the power/lock key, microUSB port and a standard 3.5mm headset jack.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 is by no means an unattractive phone. Quite the contrary, it is one of the better looking Androids out there. Well, to tell you the truth, the body has a slight cheap feel to it, mostly due to the plastic rear cover. However, rear covers are also a strong point of the X8, because you can easily replace these with other color variants. All in all, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 is a very elegant device, to say the least.
