Previously thought of as the PlayStation phone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY has now been available for a few months on Verizon for $99 with a two-year contract. The first of its kind, this PlayStation Certified phone is designed to give users all the functionalities of a traditional Android smartphone with the twist of a slide-out keypad that reveals  PlayStation-like controls. The device is aimed at those who want to game on the go without carrying multiple devices. PlayStation Certified Android phones will also get exclusive access to PlayStation One games and games which are designed to take advantage of the system’s unique controls.

Now we’ve learned from today’s announcement that there will be a new variation of this phone. The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY 4G is headed to AT&T on September 18th for $49 with a two-year contract. This means that the Xperia PLAY 4G can tap into AT&T’s Edge, 3G, and HSPA+ network throughout the US. Sticking to its commitment, Sony Ericsson is also making sure that its Android phone launched with the latest version of Android, so expect to see Android 2.3.3 when you power on the device. After the jump, we give you the phone’s specs, 7 pre-loaded games, which includes Madden NFL, and the full press release.

As we mentioned, one of the selling points of the Xperia PLAY 4G is the built-in gaming controls and PlayStation Cerftifcation. For those who want to game from the first time they turn their device on, Sony Ericsson is including 7 preloaded games which include:

• Dungeon Defenders™ Second Wave by Trendy Entertainment
• Asphalt™ 6 Adrenaline by Gameloft
• Star Battalion by Gameloft
• Madden NFL™ 11 by Electronic Arts
• The Sims™ 3 by Electronic Arts
• Tower Bloxx™: My City by Digital Chocolate
• Crash Bandicoot® by SCEA/Naughty Dog/Universal

 

xperia™ play 4g keeps favorite video games at your fingertips beginning sept. 18First PlayStation®-certified smartphone from AT&T available for $49.99 in AT&T stores and att.comDALLAS, Sept. 8, 2011 –

Key Facts

· The Xperia™ PLAY 4G, combining a PlayStation®-certified gaming device with the capabilities and portability of an Android smartphone, arrives in AT&T* stores, and online on September 18 for $49.99 with a two-year agreement.

· The Xperia PLAY 4G has dedicated gaming controls built into the phone through a slide out controller including directional keypad, dual analog touch joystick, two shoulder buttons and the four iconic PlayStation symbol keys: circle, X, square and triangle.

· Running the Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) platform, the first PlayStation-certified smartphone in the world features a brilliant 4″ 480 x 854 screen and stereo speakers.

AT&T Exclusives

Only AT&T customers can choose the 4G-capable Xperia PLAY, offered in an exclusive “stealth blue” color. The smartphone package is complete with bonus accessories including the Sony Ericsson Multimedia Dock DK300 and MC100 music cable. In addition to providing a convenient charging station, the DK300 converts the Xperia PLAY’s screen to a large clock display, and the music cable lets you connect to external speakers.** The DK300 and music cable come in the Xperia PLAY box, only from AT&T.

In addition, the device is pre-loaded with seven games, some of which are exclusive, at no additional cost including:

· Dungeon Defenders™ Second Wave by Trendy Entertainment
· Asphalt™ 6 Adrenaline by Gameloft
· Star Battalion by Gameloft
· Madden NFL™ 11 by Electronic Arts
· The Sims™ 3 by Electronic Arts
· Tower Bloxx™: My City by Digital Chocolate
· Crash Bandicoot® by SCEA/Naughty Dog/Universal

AT&T customers will have access to more than 150 Xperia PLAY optimized games including Minecraft™ Pocket Edition, Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 and Dead Space™ 2 for download and purchase through the “Get Games” recommender screen, easily accessible when you slide open the Xperia PLAY’s game controller.

Handheld Gaming and Smartphones Converge

The Xperia PLAY 4G offers a gamer’s wonderland by providing the on-the-go capabilities of an Android smartphone with the immersive entertainment appeal of a portable gaming device.

* Snapdragon chipset including a 1GHz CPU and Adreno 205 graphics processor (GPU)
* Runs on the Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) platform
* Sight and sound: 4″ 480 x 854 screen, up to 60 frames per second graphics, stereo speakers
* Dual camera: 5MP rear and VGA forward-facing, with video recording and chat capabilities over Wi-Fi
* Hundreds of Xperia PLAY optimized games through Android Market or directly from the publishers
* Pre-loaded with seven Xperia PLAY optimized games from publishers such as Gameloft and EA.

Along with the great gaming and Android capabilities, the Xperia PLAY 4G from AT&T includes Facebook Inside Xperia, a suite of Facebook functions integrated into various applications, such as friends’ birthdays in the phonebook, a “like” button in the music player, photo tags in the media gallery, and YouTube video recommendations from friends.

Pricing and Availability

The Xperia PLAY 4G arrives in AT&T stores and online on Sept. 18 and will be available for $49.99 after a two-year contract with minimum data plan.

Quotes

“Gamers and smartphone fans alike will delight in the Xperia PLAY 4G’s instant access to gaming and entertainment,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re excited to offer a device that allows consumers to have fun while still staying on top of everything in their life.”

“Our fans on AT&T have been asking for Xperia PLAY and now we’re giving them everything they need in a smartphone with what they really want – an immersive gaming experience on AT&T’s 4G Network,” said Peter Farmer, Head of Marketing for North America, Sony Ericsson. “In addition to a constantly growing list of games exclusive to and optimized for Xperia PLAY, we know AT&T customers are really going to enjoy the uniquely Sony Ericsson social experience, including Timescape and Facebook Inside.”