Sony Xperia Sola

Sony has just come out with another Android mobile that is both unique and possibly groundbreaking as it carries technology that is a first to smartphone arena. Sony has just announced the Xperia Sola, a revolutionary smartphone that comes with cool new technology called “Floating Touch”. This enables the user navigate the web and alter wallpapers (for now) without actually touching the mobile screen. So will this wave of the finger set a new trend for mobile across the globe? (Video)

What Xperia Sola sports:

• Floating Touch navigation that is hitting stores for the very first time.
• 3.7” Reality Display that enhances your mobile experience.
• Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine on the inside that gives the display added oomph.
• Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) on the inside with an update slated for the summer.
• A 5-mgapixel 16X digital zoom camera with Auto Focus and Face Detection.
• 1 GHz STE U8500 dual-core processor
• 720p HD video recording for the camera
• Quadband UMTS/WCDMA
• xLOUD and 3D surround sound audio technology for better audio output

Those are a few of the many features that the Xperia Sola promises and by the looks of it; Sony has done all it can to try and back the mobile by giving it a distinct look.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q73bHn9xus&hd=1[/youtube]

Sola as an entertainment unit:

There is plenty in the features list to suggest this is a mobile that is geared towards entertainment needs along with its cool new technology. Its target audience is the young, who would be the most eager to try out the new floating touch feature. And while that curiosity might run out fast, they will still have the BRAVIA powered display and the 3D surround sound to fall back on to keep them interested.

The NFC Smart Tags that come attached with the Sola are also an added charm as they allow you to trip into 10 different modes in an instant. This once again should make the first few days with Sola very exciting!

Spotlight on Floating Touch Navigation:

This is what we are really interested in. The technology allows you to just hover your finger over Sola as you browse through the web and when you need to click on something you can just hover over and tap. For now, that is pretty much as far as you can go with the new feature but Sony says that third party apps in future will expand the usability of Floating Touch.

Will Floating Touch magic work for Sony?

That is a question we are pretty sure Sony themselves are most eager to find out an answer to. We will not complain about a feature that is still in its infancy when it comes to development and you cannot start cringing about wide uses for it when it is still at the starting gates. But the question still to be answered is if hovering your finger over the mobile is of any real use.

You still have to put same effort in to move your finger; you might as well touch the screen. Unless, Sony is touting the ‘hygienic and germ-free’ side of this new feature, we are not really sold on it and do not think it will create a new trend and could be another gimmick to sell a smartphone. Maybe we are wrong, but if you wish to pocket Xperia Sola, then second quarter of 2012 is when it will be out.

Via Gizmowatch