After much waiting and much complaining, O2 have now released the Xperia X10’s latest firmware update. The update can only be done via PC, by either using the Sony Ericsson Update Service or PC Companion. The download is 153.8MB.

The update will take O2 branded X10 owners straight from R2BA016 to R2BA026, missing out R2BA020 which many users assumed would be the one released. While some users will be happy with the choice, many others will wish O2 had stuck with the R2BA020 update. The R2BA020 build is said to be the only version which doesn’t seem to have the WiFi bug present. Unfortunately, R2BA026 brings this bug back. O2 users shouldn’t notice any difference though, as R2BA016 is also said to have this WiFi issue.

via

Various readers have tried contacting O2 themselves about the update from Sony Ericsson. With Three finally releasing the update, this has put O2 UK as the last network to support the Sony Ericssons update which improves battery life and there still isn’t an timescale for how long users will have to wait. While looking to see if O2 customers had been made happy yet, I of course found they haven’t, well the UK ones haven’t anyway. Upon further inspection of the situation, it seems that both O2 Ireland and O2 Germany have approved and released the update for the phone, making the wait for O2 UK users seem even more ridiculous. One O2 user send the company a message via Twitter. Unfortunately, all they could say on the matter is that “a new software version will be appearing very soon on the SE site”. To confirm they were on the same wavelength, the user sent a reply asking them to confirm this was the Sony Ericsson update they were talking about and not the Android update. Unfortunately, they haven’t responded to that yet.

I’ve also tried contacting them and have just had a response back, saying it’ll be another week or two and again, to keep an eye on the Sony Ericsson site.

Following on from the official announcement of the Xperia X8 release, O2 have now announced that their new addition to the Xperia handset line up will be released in the UK this coming September.

The Xperia X8 is listed as ‘Coming Soon: September’ on the O2 website which is great news for those of us that are waiting impatiently for the X8’s release. The exact date in September is still unconfirmed however.

Features include:

3″ Touchscreen
Google Android OS
3.2MP Camera
Timescape and Mediascape installed

The X8 will also come with exchangeable covers included in the box in white and aqua blue and will feature Google Android 1.6 which should be upgradable around the time of release to either version 2.1 or 2.2, whichever Sony Ericsson decide to release first to update their current range of Android powered handsets.

While the firmware update which improves the battery life among other things has been released to most markets now, X10 users in the UK who have an O2 branded handset are still awaiting the update. The firmware is available in several variants through out the world, starting from R2BA020 going up to R2BA024. The last digit is dependent on region and carrier. In the UK generic handsets have R2BA020 as does the T-Mobile update, while Vodafone branded handsets are given R2BA024. In India users are being updated to R2BA023. At least two networks are still awaiting the update, Three UK and O2 UK. One member of the Android Forums went as far as emailing Sony Ericsson, to ask where the update was for O2 X10 users. In the response, the Sony Ericsson rep suggested other ways to improve the battery life but, spoke specifically of the situation with O2. At the moment, Sony Ericsson are still waiting for O2 to approve the firmware version for release through the Sony Ericsson Update Service. Unfortunately no time scale is known but, the rep went on to say, as soon as the approval has been received from O2, they will release the update.

Have you updated your firmware yet, or are you still waiting for your carrier to approve the update? Let us know in the comments.

While Vodafone and O2 can’t offer the Xperia X10 Mini in lime green, they are however offering the handset up for free. Neither the Vodafone or O2 website state which color X10 they have in stock but, it appears to be the basic black model. Both networks are offering the handset up for free on 18 or 24 month contracts from as little as £20 a month. The other major UK network T-Mobile is yet to offer the handset and there’s no mention on their website of the X10 Mini. They do however have the X10 Mini Pro listed, which is set for a July release. While there’s no sign of the QWERTY-less Mini X10 on T-Mobile, the other networks don’t have any information regarding the X10 Mini Pro, so it looks like the X10 Mini Pro, could be a T-Mobile exclusive.

If however you were after the X10 Mini on T-Mobile, all is not lost. Third party retailers, such as Mobiles.co.uk have the handsets in stock and they dispatch unlocked handsets, with the X10 Mini being no exception. Because of this, they can offer the handset on the networks it is available on, along with T-Mobile and Three.

via

After many months of waiting, the Xperia X10 is finally with us. In the UK, the handset is showing up in all the major shops, as well as online. Ordering from Orange no longer requires an eight day wait. While Mobiles.co.uk have the handset in stock on all the major networks. They have a section for 3 but, are showing the handset as not available on 3 while Virgin Mobile doesn’t get a mention at all. One of the best deals is with Vodafone, who from Mobiles are offering the handset free on a £30 a month contract with 5 months half price, redeemed by the company themselves. While they do have what look like great deals, it is always best to shop around though, as somewhere else, may be offering an even better deal.

via

Following on from the news on the X10 landing on T-Mobile and Orange in the UK, we now have info on the tariff pricing for O2. The handset isn’t officially on their website yet but, should go live within the next few days.

O2 are offering up a better deal on the handset than we saw with T-Mobile. Instead of paying £35 a month to get the handset free, the lowest tariff and free X10 comes in at £30 a month. Of course you get less minutes but, they should be more than enough for most users. The £30 a month gives you 600 minutes and unlimited text messages. The contract length is again 24 months.

via

Following on from the Xperia X10 being spotted in image form on the O2 website, CoolSmartphone have had news from an unnamed source, that the whole X10 range will be headed to O2. Sony Ericsson recently announced the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro, which complete the X10 range. Again, O2 have yet to confirm this and unlike the X10, they haven’t been spotted on the O2 website yet. If the X10 Mini and Mini Pro are indeed coming to O2 though, it’s very likely Vodafone will be offering the full range of X10 handsets as well. We’ll keep you posted on further updates.

Over on the O2 website, the Xperia X10 has made an appearance  leading to further speculation that the carrier will be providing the Sony Ericsson smartphone at some point in the future.

The X10 has previously been spotted on the O2 website by coolsmartphone when the model appeared in the accessories section of the site and now the X10 has appeared on the O2 ‘smartphone hub‘ page, in image form at least but, with UK carrier Vodafone already due to offer the X10, these little teasers from O2 are giving the impression that the android handset will indeed be available on O2 in the UK.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is now available in Germany on the O2 network. The X1 will be available on a contract or as a pre-pay phone. A pre-pay Xperia X1 is available for 619,99 Euros or on contract for 349,99 Euros. The contract is for 24 months costing 30 Euros per month.

The X1 will be available from T-Mobile and Vodafone D2 later on this year, hopefully with a more consumer friendly contract.

Via: the::unwired