In our post regarding a Sony Ericsson model, we mentioned that the Xperia Neo V was also slated for an update from Android 2.3 Gingerbread to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s time we gave you a look at the Neo V and gave you a solid starting point as you compare which mobile phone handset and cheap mobile phone plan suits you best for 2012.

Overview

Sony Ericsson’s Neo was one of the product victims of the short but devastating disasters that hit Japan in 2011. Many thought that the Neo line was cancelled permanently while the electronics manufacturers in Japan rebuilt.

Fortunately, the Neo series and ideas didn’t die: They just got adjusted a bit. Instead of the original design, which would have taken longer to bring to market, management determined to scale back on one feature while updating another, and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V was born. While some users would have preferred the 8 MP rear camera in place of the 5 MP camera on the Neo V, Sony Ericsson fans are just glad to have a quality Android option, period. The lower price would seem a bonus to many.

Unfortunately, the display screen has poor angled visibility, but that’s on par with many smartphones on the market; very few actually grant wide-angle viewing without a downgrade.

The speaker has less-than-stellar performance, though. Headphones are definitely advised for music or video viewing. Conversations seem quite acceptable if not on speaker phone, however.

The expandable memory option is terrific, but the memory card’s placement – under the battery – is extremely inconvenient. It can be difficult enough to juggle parts without having to worry about cases, backs, cards and batteries.

Specifications

Dimensions: 116 x 57 x 13 mm / 126 g
Display: 3.7 inches / capacitive touchscreen / LED-backlit LCD. / 480 x 854 pixels at 265 ppi
Operating System: Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, upgrade pending to Android 4.0 ICS.
Speed: 1 GHz Scorpion with Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon chip.
Memory:
Battery: Li-Po 1500 mAh / 2G: Talk: up to 7 hours; standby: up to 430 hours / 3G: up to 7 hours; standby: up to 400 hours.
Camera: rear: 5 MP / 2592 х 1944 pixels / autofocus / LED flash/ Video: 720p at 30 fps. / Front: Yes, VGA.
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, WiFi Hotspot / 2G: GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 / 3G: HSDPA 900 and 2100 OR HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100 / GPRS / EDGE

Additional comments: No smart dialling option. Slightly behind competitors in class with single-core processor. Stereo FM with RDS. Video capabilities include video calling, touch focus, geo-tagging, face and smile detection and 3D sweep panorama. MP4 / H.264 / WMV audio player; MP3 / WMA / WAV / eAAC+ video player. TrackID music recognition software integration.

Some users have complained about excessive heating in the top part of the handset that is accompanied by extreme power loss. Please return the device to the point of purchase for warranty repair or replacement. The heat and power loss is not usual with the device on the whole.

Overall opinion: The Xperia Neo V is worthy as a stop gap, “keep the toe in the market” machine; for a reduced price, it’s an acceptable entry into the mobile phone market, though not SE’s best.