Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro review

Introduction

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro will have to stand on its toes to be seen but it doesn’t have to yell to be heard. Small and boxy, this certainly is not just another mobile phone. The X10 mini pro will impress many with the degree of miniaturization.

And it’s not just a likeable chubby – the X10 has the element of surprise on its side. It hides a capable keyboard behind its back and you wouldn't guess it's a full-featured smartphone from a first glance.

 
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro official photos

Even though there are so many Minis around – and no less Pros – the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro doesn’t risk getting lost in the crowd. Ironically, it’s the diminutive size that makes it prominent enough. A fact’s a fact: full-QWERTY smartphones just don’t get any smaller than that. By the way, did you notice that boxy and squarish messengers are on the rise lately? You can’t help it – market trends call the shots.

Four of a kind is not bad at all for Sony Ericsson and their Android operation. They have a funny thing going on though. They just keep zooming out on the XPERIA X10. So is the next thing we’re likely to expect from them an X10 wristwatch?

Key features

• Ultra compact body
• Physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support, 3G with HSPA
• Customized Android OS v1.6 with Timescape UI
• 2.55" capacitive touchscreen of QVGA resolution
• Qualcomm MSM7227 600 MHz CPU
• 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and VGA video recording
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Built-in GPS receiver and digital compass
• Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and turn-to-mute
• Standard miniUSB port for charging and data
• Stereo Bluetooth with A2DP
• microSD card slot with support for up to 8GB (a 2GB card included)
• 3.5mm-compatible audio jack
• Android market
• User-replaceable battery (as opposed to the X10 mini)

Main disadvantages

• QVGA resolution doesn’t do Android graphics justice and limits the number of compatible apps
• Dated OS version
• Limited Android homescreen functionality
• No alternative battery covers bundled
• No smart dialing
• No Bluetooth file transfers from the gallery
• No Flash support for the web browser
• Basic camera interface and features
• Web browser lacks intuitive zooming methods

The XPERIA X10 mini had to be as compact as possible and Sony Ericsson do deserve credit for keeping most of the functionality intact. A valuable feature was inevitably sacrificed though. Proper text input is all but essential in a modern smartphone and the XPERIA X10 mini pro is going to do something about it.

The X10 mini pro has grown in all directions but it’s a matter of mere millimeters – a negligible price for what you get. The extra space has also allowed Sony Ericsson to make the battery user-replaceable. Not that this was a critical flaw for the X10 mini but users were right to complain. It’s now been fixed in the pro.

   
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro at ours

We did like the original Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini, and this was in no small part due to its cute smallness. The mini pro is perhaps even more impressive. If you’ve seen and held the X10 mini in your hand, the idea of a full QWERTY keyboard would’ve seemed less than brilliant. But Sony Ericsson did it and it looks like they did it right.

A reasonable retail package

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro comes in a bigger box than the size of the phone itself suggests. Contents stick to the minimum – just like it was with the regular X10 mini.

There’s a microUSB cable and a charger inside. The rest to find is a short manual and a 2GB microSD card that comes loaded in the phone.

 
The X10 mini pro retail package

The supplied headset is a standard issue Sony Ericsson MH610. The Hi-Fi MH810 variety with its custom jack developed specifically for X10 lineup is an optional accessory but we aren’t sure how many of the X10 mini pro users will be willing to spend extra on it.

There’s no sign of the carrying case we saw in the XPERIA X10 mini retail package. There are no alternative battery covers either. But who know, this may be just ours.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro 360-degree spin

QWERTY-enabled handsets don’t really get any smaller than that. At 90 x 52 x 17 mm, the tiny Android will find room in any pocket even if it’s on the thicker side.

 
Mini it really is

The handset has a surprisingly good heft and balance at 120 grams. The mini messenger has grown in all directions compared to its QWERTY-less twin but a full keyboard that adds no more than a millimeter to the phone’s thickness is quite an achievement.

Design and construction

Just like its QWERTY-less sibling, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini pro is not the ultimate looker. Some might even find it slightly out-of-fashion. In any case the X10 mini pro has a certain charm if only because it’s not afraid to be different.

We do like the simple – yet solid and gadgety – feel of the phone: the soft rubbery back, the snappy flick of the slider and the surprisingly comfortable keyboard.

   
The X10 mini pro might not be the best looking handset around, but it’s certainly an attention grabber

The Sony Ericsson X10 mini pro has a 2.55” QVGA touchscreen. And those of you who might question comfortable thumbing on a 2.55” diagonal – just don’t worry. Sony Ericsson have done a good job optimizing the interface. They did have to sacrifice a bit of the functionality though, but it’s not too bad.

 
The display is decent, but don’t expect miracles from it

The screen sensitivity, as was to be expected in a capacitive unit, is excellent. The slightest of touches is enough for a click to be registered.

Unfortunately, there is a very good reason why QVGA screens are a rarity in the Android world. The low resolution just doesn’t allow too fancy graphics that are an important part of the modern day smartphone experience.