NewEgg.com has begun shipping an unlocked, camera-focused Sony Ericsson Android 2.3 smartphone for $380. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray is equipped with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 3.3-inch display, both 8.1-megapixel and VGA cameras, plus a 3G radio said to be suitable for AT&T's network.

Sony Ericsson announced the Xperia Ray in June, but it was overshadowed by a personal-fitness-oriented Xperia Active phone unveiled at the same time. Now the NewEgg.com website has begun selling the Ray (pictured) unlocked for $380, said to be reduced from $450.

Sony Ericssson previously offered relatively few details on the phone, but NewEgg supplies a full spec list. The Xperia Ray's 1GHz processor has been revealed to be Qualcomm's MSM8255 Snapdragon, which is backed up here with 512MB RAM and 1GB internal flash memory, only 300MB of which is available to the user, according to NewEgg. A 32GB-ready microSD slot is also available, but with the lack of internal storage, one will need to add the price of a data card to the $380 price.

The 3.3-inch, 854 x 480 capacitive display might seem cramped by modern standards, but at least the Ray offers a top-of-the-line camera. The 8.1-megapixel rear-facing camera is equipped with 16x digital zoom, LED flash, 720p video capture, and firmware features including geo-tagging, face detection, and image stabilization, says NewEgg. A front-facing 0.3-megapixel camera is also said to be available.

The Xperia Ray is equipped with a 3G GSM/UMTS radio said to be compatible with AT&T in the U.S., although it will apparently work at lesser 2G speeds on T-Mobile, as well as on Rogers and Fido in Canada. Additional features include 802.11/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, aGPS, DLNA (digital living network alliance) support, a digital compass, accelerometers, and a proximity sensor, says NewEgg. A mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is also said to be available.

Xperia Ray, front and back
(Click on either to enlarge)

Wired ports include a 3.5mm audio port and a micro-USB port, says NewEgg. The 3.5-ounce phone is said to measure 4.4 x 2.1 x 0.4 inches, and the 1500mAh battery lasts up to seven hours talk time or 440 hours standby on AT&T's 3G network. The battery offers up to 36 hours music play, says the retailer.

The Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") operating system is augmented with Sony Ericsson's Timescape UI layer. Applications are said to include Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, and Google Talk.

Sony Ericsson said to be patent strong

Sony Ericsson is fairly unique among Android OEMs in having a formidable patent war chest with which to ward off Microsoft and Apple, according to an Oct. 3 report in the Wall Street Journal. With its defensive patent capability and policy of cross-licensing patents, the company is well-positioned to avoid lawsuits, as well as Android-related royalty payments.

Microsoft is expected to earn $444 million in Android royalties in the coming financial year, according to a Sept. 29 report in the Register, citing Goldman Sachs analysis.

Other recent Sony Ericsson phones include the music-oriented Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman and the mid-range, 3.7-inch Xperia Neo V.

Availability

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray is available unlocked at NewEgg.com's Xperia Ray page for a reduced price of $380 (formerly $450).

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