Remember the arguably stylish Sony Ericsson Jalou? One of the device versions was co-signed by Dolce&Gabbana and that specific device got a new commercial. Here’s what’s it all about right from the horse’s mouth (that’s Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana):

The campaign theme plays with the concept of jealousy and desire for a must have object, the protagonists are willing to do whatever is necessary to get it before everyone else, the link with the Dolce&Gabbana brand is the strong femininity, the exclusivity and luxury of the women that wear the Dolce&Gabbana clothing, use the Jalou by Dolce&Gabbana phone and embrace our world in general.

The two companies are also running print campaign, which is reportedly totally created by Dolce&Gabbana. And now the mentioned clip. Enjoy!

[Via: SEMC blog]

Mobile barcode solutions provider Scanbuy announced a deal with Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE), which will pre-load the ScanLife mobile barcode application on its handsets. Such phones [with pre-installed software] are already being sold in Spain, Italy, and Mexico; with more countries to follow in the coming months.

For those unfamiliar with ScanLife’s offering, here’s an excerpt from the press release:

The ScanLife mobile application uses the camera phone to read all major 1D and 2D barcode formats including Datamatrix, EZcode, QR, UPC, and EAN. The application scans a code to immediately launch a specific action like displaying a website, loading a video, dialing a phone number and more. This makes all physical objects interactive and removes the need for a user to type long URL’s or search for information using keywords.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out that Sony Ericsson is just a tip of the iceberg. ScanLife app works across multiple platforms — including Android, BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM), BREW, iPhone OS, Java, Symbian and Windows Mobile. It is available as a free download from this page.

Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE)’s Xperia X2 has been cleared by the FCC. Unfortunately for those in the U.S. who look forward to grab one, this is not the U.S.-centric device. It lacks a 3G radio that sings on either AT&T (NYSE: T)’s or T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) USA’s 3G network. So we’re wondering why the Swedish-Japanese handset maker went through the hassle of approving the device which no one will buy. Maybe they’re counting on Europeans/Asians visiting America. Though there are quite a few people doing so, it’s not the market to count on.

Anyway, I assume the “ready for U.S. soil” version will also find its way to the FCC in no time, when hopefully, a carrier partner will also be announced…

[Via: Unwired View]

Thirteen impressive new phones are coming down the pipe for Japanese service provider KDDI. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Casio Exilim Keitei CA003: 12 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, autofocus, image stablizer, and 20 images/second rapid shot
2. Sharp Aquos Shot SH003: 12 megapixel camera, FM transmitter, transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
3. Sharp Aquos Shot SH006:  12 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
4. Casio Exilim Keitei CA004: 8 megapixel camera with face detection, autofocus, and VGA video recording
5. Sharp SH004: 8 megapixel camera with noise reduction and low-light filter; low-power mode and call noise-cancellation
6. Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) Bravia U1: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies; waterproof
7. Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) SA001: 3.2 megapixel camera with image stabilization; 14.7mm thin closed
8. Toshiba (OTCPK: TOSBF) T003: 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, face detection, and image stabilization; waterproof
9. Sharp SH005: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies; waterproof
10. Sony Ericsson S002: 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus; GSM support
11. Sony Ericsson Urbano Barone: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; large keys for the elderly; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
12. Kyocera Mobile Easy K004: 2 megapixel camera with autofocus; easy-to-use UI
13. Kyocera Mamorino: Security-centric, helps parents keep tabs on kids; waterproof

Oh yeah, and the vast majority have WVGA displays and infrared support. Man, it’s a whole other universe over in Japan. The Bravia-branded phone is pretty slick, and the only other time we’ve seen optical zoom on a 12 megapixel cameraphone was on the Samsung W880. Overall, a solid winter lineup from KDDI – I just wish we had something comparable over here.

[KDDI via MobileCrunch]

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 isn’t yet officially official in the US and we’re already hearing of the first Android-powered XPERIA coming to market. SEMCblog is saying that the Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) (NYSE: SNE) XPERIA X3 (codename: Rachel) is due to be announced in early November, bearing the kind of spec-sheet befitting an XPERIA smartphone – 4-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen, 8.1-megapixel camera, 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, GPS, WiFi, 3G data and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’ll likely run the Android 2.0 OS (Eclair) that is expected to be released by Google (NSDQ: GOOG) (NSDQ: GOOG) any day now.

What you see here is the first live shot of the XPERIA X3 hanging out in the wild. It’s something of a milestones for uber-geeks like us.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 will launch as the company’s first Android phone in Sensuous Black and Luster White, otherwise known as “Black” and “White.” We’re expecting to see the “Rachel UI” giving the traditional Android homescreen a bit of a makeover when it goes live on the XPERIA X3.

As far as we know, the speculated January launch window is still on track. The XPERIA X3’s Snapdragon proccesor, Android OS and 8.1-megapixel camera should make for one truly amazing smartphone when it launches. We can’t wait.

[Via: SEMCblog, 4pda.info]

Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) continues a downward spiral in the third financial quarter of 2009, although this go-around is not quite as bad as Q2. President Dick Komiyama is leaving the company at the end of the year, and he’s feeling optimistic about the SE’s future, even though it had to take in a Euro 455 million loan from its parent companies to keep running. Here’s a quick breakdown of the numbers.

• 14.1 million units shipped (up 2% from 13.8 last quarter, down 45% from 25.7 last year)
• Euro 198 million in lost income (up from 283 lost last quarter)
• Euro 1,619 million in sales (down 4% from 1,684 last quarter, down 42% from 2,808 last year)
• Forecast: 10% retraction in global handset market

We’re still waiting on the Aino and X3, so we’ll have to see if they affect SE’s Q4, but the X2 and Satio should at least be making a moderate splash in the next results. How do the analysts feel about Sony Ericsson’s Q3?

“Expectations that they will make big losses next year have to be revised to show that they maybe won’t make any money, but that at least they will break even.” – Martin Nilsson, Handelsbanken Capital Markets

“On the funding side I think that was more or less expected that the parents will have to commit something with a guarantee or capital.” – Thomas Langer, WestLB

“This [loan] will give them some working peace for the next year.” – Greger Johansson, Redeye

It’s been a long, bumpy ride for Sony Ericsson, but hopefully this loan will, in fact, carry them through the rough patch. Take a closer look at Sony Ericssons Q3 numbers here, or peruse our Finance section to keep tabs on all of the big players in mobility.

Comverse has announced that it is working with Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) to provide visual voicemail on an array of SE handsets. Details were not provided — which models will ship with Comverse’s software — but we’re betting on higher end devices such as the Satio or Xperia X2.

You know how it works, right? All voicemail messages are displayed in an in-box, and prior to listening to the message, you can see such key information as date, time, length of message, caller number and identity (when available). You can scan the messages, click to hear new and previously heard messages in any order, and then reply, forward, or save messages.

As soon as Sony Ericsson releases some handset with visual voicemail out of box, we’ve no doubts they’ll let us know. Stay tuned in the meantime…

Following on recently available pre-orders, the fabled Sony Ericsson Idou has just landed on British shores as the Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) Satio! The touchscreen Sony Ericsson Satio is the Swedish-Japanese phone maker’s first Symbian S60 5th Edition smartphone and it oozes high-end sex appeal. We had a chance to put hands-on the Satio back when it was known as the Sony Ericsson Idou, and it’s one helluva device – especially since it runs the so-old-it-hurts Sybmain platform.

Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) UK is the only carrier to offer the Sony Ericsson Satio at the moment, but Orange has the Satio tagged as “coming soon.” Underneath that high-resolution 3.5-inch touchscreen lies all the high-end smartphone bits that we’d expect to see from a 12.1-megapixel cameraphone monster – DNLA-compatible WiFi, GPS, and 3G data. The glossy-black finish highlights the 12.1-megapixel camera (with Xenon flash) while the 3.5-inch touchscreen plays video with aplomb. Did we mention it sports a 12.1-megapixel camera? Yeah, it’s awesome.

Vodafone is offering the Satio for free when purchased with qualifying 2-year contract. Have at it!

If you’re not lucky enough to live on the British side of the pond, keep yourself busy with our Satio hands-on gallery.

[Via: TechRadar]

Two of the upcoming Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) mid-range phones have been leaked. Codenamed Susan and Sunny, these two seems to boast pretty much the same features that include a 5-megapixel camera and LED flash. The only difference we see is in the form factor – Susan is a candybar, whereas the Sunny comes in a slider form. Additional details are unknown at the moment, but we do have the promo videos for the two devices, which come after the jump. Enjoy!

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Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) didn’t have a CTIA booth this go around, so they sent their Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 with the “Windows Phone” booth to keep things interesting. There was no way I wasn’t going to get my hands all over the X2’s improved arc-slider and 3.5-inch OLED touchscreen. The X1 launched Sony Ericsson’s high-end XPERIA brand with high-end style last year, leaving some big shoes for the X2 to fill. We just had to find out if it did.

Changed from the X1 days is the touchscreen. The XPERIA X2 boasts a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen that’s flush mounted. No more recessed resistive nonsense here. The arc-sliding keyboard is more comfortable and feels less cramped than the X1’s. And, of course, there’s the 8.1-megapixel camera tucked into the curvy shell.

The Panel UI still allows you to change your homescreen to fit your changing needs and moods. There are new Panels available too: a kind of cheesy Sim City-esque Sony Ericsson panel, new Windows Mobile 6.5 panels and more. The new Slide View feature takes center stage in the X2’s interface, serving up an inspired shortcut menu design that makes it easy to hop around oft-used phone features like missed calls, messages and  panels.

We’ll let the video and photo gallery do the rest of the talking.

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