Xperia PLAY 4G Phone

All articles on this site are by Harry Skevington unless otherwise noted with another byline

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G Phone
webxperiafrontbak Games and all the usual stuff you get with a Smartphone
I am not kidding! The Xperia PLAY 4G is a great Phone for those who play games. It is also a very capable product for those who want all the bells and whistles that are available on most SmartPhones and occasionally like to play a game or two.

This is the fourth phone Sony Ericsson has provided for my reviews. The Xperia Play 4G has a black front and a shiny blue back. It is fairly lightweight at a low 6.2 ounces. The phone seems small in my hands but it measures 4.69 x 0.63 x 2.44 inches with a 4 inch screen and seems in line with many others. There are a minimum of rockers and connection points. An On/off button on the top right, a USB connection point for charging and transferring media to and from phone, a rocker for volume control, and Left and right triggers for gaming. The big perk is the PlayStation like gaming area built into the slider

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In the box:
Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G
Battery
Charger
Micro USB Cable
8GB microSD card with pre-loaded games
3.5 mm Headset
Quick Start Manual

An extra perk that comes with the purchase of an Xperia Play is a Multimedia docking station (DK300). This multimedia and charging station sits on your desk or nightstand.

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The screen changes into a big alarm clock. It also can be used as a music player with photo slide shows. There is a 3.5 audio cable that will connect your Xperia Play to External speakers if you have them.

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I took a few photos for the test. There are both front and back cameras as well as video. The camera is about average with most 5MP cameras. Some samples are show here.

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I must disclose I am not a big game player. I tend to more brainless games like Angry Birds. ( I hate admitting that.) On the other hand I understand the almost frenetic need to play once any game has gotten into your mind and hands. The games included with the Xperia Play require quick fingers as well as fast thinking. I did my best to jump in and try one or two games. I was all over the racetrack and never finished a race or even came close to shooting anyone when trying a second game. The Xperia comes with access to Asphalt™ 6 Adrenaline HD, Crash Bandicoot, Dungeon Defenders(TM) Second Wave, Madden NFL™ 11, Star Battalion, The Sims(TM) 3, and Tower Bloxx (TM) My City games. Recently Sony Ericsson has added 4 more games to the download mix. Battlefield Bad Company 2, Dead Space, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed SHIFT

The Xperia Play is a package that some may not want or need. If you do not play games other phones that provide the option of a Slider QWERTY keyboard in place of the Game slider may be more to your liking. The Xperia is somewhat low on storage at around 8GB microSD but there is the option of upgrading to 32 GB. At a cost of $49.99 with a two year contract with AT&T gamers young or old who also need a SmartPhone cannot go too wrong.


	Harry Skevington has been involved with electronics since 1981. He has taught, written for, and provided support to, computer users since 1985. Information that will help consumers with buying decisions is more important than ever due to the current convergence of computers and other consumer products . Harry attends CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas on assignment as a working press writer each year to find and write about emerging technology that seems to fit the needs of his readers. Contact Harry

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