<Part 2: Form factor, media, storage
The Verdict
The Xperia S is undoubtedly the best smartphone to have been released by Sony (Ericsson) thus far. With an amazing screen that far exceeds the density of anything produced by Apple or its many other rivals (for now), excellent performance from both the processor and battery, and a great camera, there's little to dislike beyond the questionable touch-sensitive buttons.
If you manage to get any NFC Smart tags with the phone, you'll also get the ability to fire up apps and change system profiles (like activating Bluetooth, turning off wi-fi, setting your alarm etc) by simply touching tags that you can place anywhere you wish. Sony also has its new Smart Watch, which lets you access many apps remotely.
Shipping only with Android 2.3.7 is another slight disappointment, as I fear some customers may become confused by what will be quite a few changes brought about by the forthcoming update to Ice Cream Sandwich.
It might have made more sense to wait a few more weeks to get Android 4 installed straight from the factory.
However, pretty soon it won't matter. By all means grab a play with the phone to see if you can get to grips with those niggly buttons, but bear in mind that the Xperia S is an incredible offering, and surprisingly affordable too.
Part 1: Introduction, specs, build quality
Part 2: Form factor, media, storage
And finally...
Here are some more photos of the ill-fated Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness and LG Crystal. I wonder when will we get the next transparent gimmick?
Sony Xperia S Review - Part 3: The verdict
Those touch-sensitive buttons take a bit of getting used to, but you'd be mad to disregard this phone over something you can master with a little practice. Great camera, performance and stamina all adds up an excellent first attempt for the re-launched Sony Mobile brand
Jonathan Morris
From starting out as a games tester for Mastertronic, Virgin and Sega in the late 1980s, it may seem odd to then ditch everything to write about mobile phones that, at the time, lasted 20 minutes between charges. He always had a hunch mobiles would become quite popular, but possibly didn't realise how powerful (and, ironically, returning to 20 minutes between charges). Jonathan's job is to continue advising on the best hardware to buy, in order to enjoy games that have advanced considerably since those long days and nights testing Double Dragon on the C64.