Despite some regions, the US included, to not have received the Android 2.1 update for the Xperia X10, Sony Ericsson are rolling out the Android update to their Xperia X8 handsets. The roll out is being performed in pretty much the same manner as the X10, where it will be rolled out by regional kits. To start the updates off, Russia are one of the first countries are confirmed to have the updates.

Reports are also filing in that some Mid East countries have received the update, namely Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. The update has also reached India and Sweden. As before, unfortunately Sony Ericsson are unable to give any specific dates as to when a particular region, or network will receive the Android 2.1 update on the Xperia X8.

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We recently found out that the Xperia X8, which had only ever been captured in white, was also going to be available in black, like the Xperia X10 and X10 Mini. While there is still no official word from Sony Ericsson about the black Xperia X8, a video has shown up online showing off the Xperia X8 in it’s new black color.

The front of the black Xperia X8 is matte, while the back is finished in a glossy piano black. Check out the video of the Xperia X8 in black after the jump.
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While one report can’t be classed as a widespread issue, it is an issue none the less. Over at the SE-Blog, the admin of the site has acquired Sony’s latest Android device, the Xperia X8. Like the iPhone 4, which coined the expression “Antennagate”, the Xperia X8 seems to suffer from the same problem. When holding the phone and covering both sides of the phone, the signal will drop with the signal bars going down, until there are none. While it’s true that covering any phone would result in some signal drop, this doesn’t seem to happen on the X10 or X10 Mini.

Another issue with the handset is that the download speeds seem to be a lot slower. While using speedtest, the admin could get around 6 megabits over 3G on the X10, while the X8 struggles to reach 1 megabit. As this is the first report I’ve heard of this, it’s unclear whether this is a faulty Xperia X8, or a widespread issue. If it’s a widespread issue, we will most likely hear of more of these stories as consumers buy the handset. Has anyone else bought an Xperia X8 and have you had this issue? Let us know in the comments.

If you’re a fan of Tescos clubcard points and are looking to get hold of Sony Ericsson’s latest Xperia handset, it could be worth taking a look at Tesco online before you spend your cash elsewhere. The Xperia X8 is the same price on Tesco as it is elsewhere in the UK, so retails for £130. As we’ve just learned, the handset is an O2 exclusive, so the model available through Tesco is of course on the O2 network.

Buying online has a slight advantage over buying elsewhere, or even in store. Until October 12th there is a promotional code which will give customers an extra 500 Clubcard points. Which for Tesco Clubcard users could come in very handy. The only downside of buying online is waiting an extra day or two before you can play with your shiny new handset. Tesco do promise next day delivery if ordered before 12pm though. If this offer is of interest to you, or you can’t find the handset elsewhere, the code to receive the extra 500 points is “TDX-AWCK” and you can order the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 from Tesco here.

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According to the latest O2 catalogue, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 handset will be an O2 exclusive release in the UK market.

The X8 is advertised for sale in the October 2010 edition of the O2 sales brochure at a cost of £129.99 plus £10 airtime top-up charge on the network as a Pay as You Go handset. O2 have then gone on to claim that the X8 smartphone handset is “Only on O2″ which looks set to be a great exclusivity deal for the UK carrier as the Xperia X8 should prove very popular with consumers due to it’s fairly low price and it’s not too shabby list of specifications for such a low price.

O2 also advise in the catalogue that customers wishing to enter into a monthly contract for the X8 handset should enquire within O2 stores regarding the deals on offer.

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We’ve previously seen the Xperia X8 up for order at an online retailer in the UK, although there was a waiting time for delivery. The rest of the world however had to wait for information on when it would be released. Sony Ericsson have now made an announcement on their Product Launch Blog that the Xperia X8 is now shipping worldwide.

Most people consider the phone to be a “watered down” version of the X10 and X10 Mini as the handset features lower specs than the Mini. The handset features a 3.2 megapixel camera, which doesn’t have flash or auto focus but, the price does reflect this. So for anyone not looking for a great camera phone and something relatively cheap yet powerful, the Xperia X8 could be a good choice. Unfortunately though, it isn’t as powerful as it could be, as like the Xperia X10 range, it also comes with the outdated Android 1.6. An upgrade to 2.1 has been promised though but, it will come at a later stage than the X10 Android updates.

A promo video has also been uploaded made by Albin and Amalia about the Xperia X8 which you can view after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

The Xperia X8 has been spotted on one UK retailer’s website. Woolworths are showing the Xperia X8 for order. Initially there was a 3 week wait for delivery, the current message however states delivery is due within 7 days. Woolworths is part of the Home Shopping Limited group, so the handset appears on sister sites such as Additions, Very, First etc. All websites state the same delivery time and price. The handset is listed for £129 and comes on the O2 network. It doesn’t say what color backs it comes with but, does show the pink back plate.

The pricing should be inline with other retailers, if not cheaper as has been the case for the Shop Direct group with the X10 Mini and Mini Pro. If you’re not already a customer of Woolworths, or one of the other sites, there is often a 10% off discount code, which would reduce the handset cost even more.

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Following on from the unboxing video of the Xperia X8 we saw recently, SE-First, the same guys behind the unboxing have provided some sample photos and video samples taken with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. By no means do they live up to the shots taken with an X10 Mini, they do look pretty decent. The Xperia X8 features only a 3.2 megapixel camera, which is a disappointment, as the size is right for many but, the specs don’t deliver. The handset does however take decent photos and would be perfect for quick snap shots but, by no means could replace your regular camera. You can see the photos and video taken with the Xperia X8 after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

While the X10, X10 Mini and Mini Pro all come in black as standard, one Xperia handset we haven’t seen in black is the Xperia X8. Until now that is. Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X8 has been seen many times in white and while some users feel a white handset is classier, the black model is still a classic to many, myself included. It seems Sony Ericsson have actually listened to their user base with regards to this.

The Xperia X8 should be released within the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, it’s unknown what regions the black model will be released in and when. Pricing is also unknown as yet but, it’s very likely it will be the same price as the white model.

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I’m sure it will come as no surprise to many that the official Sony Ericsson blog post concerning the Android 2.1 delay has received hundreds of comments, over a 1000 in fact. Not all are from angry customers though, some are from Rikard Skogberg who is the Nordic Product Marketing Manager and he has tried to calm things down and answered many of the questions on the blog. How calming his responses will be to some though, remains to be seen.

The folks at XperiaX10 have compiled a list of the additional points regarding the delay, along with other interesting tidbits. A full list of what XperiaX10 have noted can be found after the jump.

In summary however, Skogberg admits that he knows the company failed, especially in regards to their planned timings. He also knows they have issues, which is why they had to delay the release. Because of the delay, the second part of the 2.1 update (2.1x) will also be delayed, meaning we won’t see it till 2011. When the update is released, it appears that it won’t include Arabic letters, nor does it appear that there will be an update for the camera flash. With regards to the in call volume, nothing has been mentioned surrounding this.

Skogberg also went on to say that there are no plans committed for 16m colors, multi-touch or Adobe Flash. The possibility of Android 2.2 on the Xperia range also hasn’t been ruled in but, it also hasn’t been ruled out, so there is still some hope that we may see Froyo on the Xperia X10.

With regards to the Xperia X8, it will receive the same Android updates as the X10 Mini and Mini Pro. However the updates will come later but, still within 2010. The X8 should also be released in the next two weeks.

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