On the front is a 3.5" 320 x 480 pixel scratch-resistant display, on the back is a 5 megapixel camera capable of 720p video recording. Inside is a dual-core 1GHz CPU coupled with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of available flash storage plus a microSD slot. The Xperia go has an FM radio, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.5G and WiFi connectivity and it does pretty much everything that every other Android phone can do.
Out of the box, the Xperia go runs Android 2.3, which is a bit pathetic when you consider that by the time this launches Android 4.0 will have been around for more than half a year. Sony do promise an upgrade to Android 4.0, but if the latest version of the OS is important to you then you might want to consider buying something else.
What the Xperia go is really about though is durability. Although this certainly isn't an indestructible phone, it is built to IP67 standards which means that it is dustproof and fully waterproof for up to 30 minutes in up to one metre of water. The display is capable of being used with a wet finger (something most touchscreens don't like). You might still want to invest in a decent case for added protection though.
The Xperia go weighs just 110 grams and measures 111 x 60 x 9.8mm. The 1305 mAh battery is quoted as giving up to 5.5 hours talktime and 19 days standby time, although if you use the phone to its full extent then it will obviously be shorter.
Compared to many other Android phones, the 3.5" display looks a bit on the small side, but remember that this is the same size panel as found on the iPhone, although it is a lot less sharp. The Xperia go should be available from Q3 2012 in black, white and yellow colours. No guidance was given on price, but our guess is that this will probably retail for approximately €375 SIM-free at launch.
Sony Xperia go at a glance
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Available:
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Q3 2012
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Network:
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GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 orUMTS 900 / 2100 |
Data:
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GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSPA + WiFi
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Screen:
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3.5" 320 x 480 pixels
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Camera:
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5 megapixels
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Size:
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Compact tablet smartphone
111 x 60 x 10mm / 110 grams
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Bluetooth:
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Yes
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Memory card:
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MicroSD
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Infra-red:
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No
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Polyphonic:
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Yes
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Java:
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Optional
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GPS:
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Yes
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OS:
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Android 2.3 (Android 4.0 promised)
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Battery life:
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5.5 hours talk / 19 days standby (3G)
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