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Sony Ericsson neo V has '3D sweep panorama' feature, launches in Q4; other Xperia models to get it via software upgrade

Sony Ericsson neo V has '3D sweep panorama' feature, launches in Q4; other Xperia models to get it via software upgrade

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Sony Ericsson's neo V Android phone can take 3D pictures without a stereoscopic camera.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V

Sony Ericsson just announced a mildly refreshed version of its Xperia neo Android smartphone dubbed "neo V," and the emphasis is on a revamped software experience that includes Android 2.3.4 with Google Talk video chat. There's also refreshed Facebook integration, a new "swipe to write" input feature that sounds a little bit like Swype, built-in screen capture (a feature sorely missing from stock Android), and -- perhaps most interesting -- a "3D sweep panorama" mode that allows users to capture 3D images by sweeping their 2D camera around; this particular feature has been making an appearance on Sony point and shoots as of late, too. The neo V doesn't have a stereoscopic camera for capturing traditional 3D stills; in fact, the official spec sheet indicates that it has a single 5-megapixel camera, a downgrade from the original neo's 8.1. To view the 3D images you capture, the neo V can do HDMI-out to a 3D TV. Look for the neo V to launch in "select markets" in the fourth quarter.

And owners of other Xperia models aren't left out of the new software, either: they'll be able to upgrade through a market-by-market phased rollout starting in October. Sony Ericsson isn't specifying which models will be eligible for the upgrade, so I'm cautiously optimistic that any device on Gingerbread will be included.

Source: Sony Ericsson