Coming as a surprise, Sony Mobile today has announced the Xperia go, a mid-range Android smartphone with a twist. Unlike the Xperia ion and Xperia S which provide high end specs, the Xperia go instead comes with a standard 3.5-inch 480 x 320 display, 1 GHz NovaThor U8500 Dual-core Cortex A9, and 5-megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom, and LED flash. Ice Cream Sandwich fans will be disappointed by the Android Gingerbread OS but Sony has promised Android 4.0 action in the near future for the newly-announced phone. Sony has also yet to provide any information regarding release date beyond Q3, price, and carrier partners. We do know that once the Xperia go launches, would-be owners can choose between black, white, and yellow.

Oh and the twist we talked about? How about a water- and dust-proof phone with a scratch-resistant screen? That’s right, the Xperia go is part of a rare breed of phones that will launch with a manufactured waterproof coding, allowing it to be washed off with your faucet in case you drop it in a bag of flowers as Sony would want you to believe. Of course more realistically, it means the Xperia go will work when you accidentally drop it in the toilet bowl or when you decided to jump in the pool with your clothes on, forgetting that your phone was in your pocket. Not only is this a unique selling point for Xperia go in the glut of Android phones, but this will also help owners save a lot of money where previously, if they had gotten their phone wet, they would have had to buy their next phone at full price had they been in a contract.

After the jump, additional specs, pictures, an official press release, and a promo video highlighting some Xperia go features await you.

Discuss:

Do you think the phones ability to resist water and dust will help it stand out in the glut of phones available on the market?

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Introducing Xperia go – the new stylish, durable

and water resistant smartphone from Sony

•A smart, sleek and durable smartphone made to resist life’s

challenges without compromising on design or functionality

•Easy connectivity and premium entertainment from Sony

Entertainment Network anywhere, anytime

•Reality Display for razor sharp clarity and fast capture

camera to go from sleep to snap in just over a second

30 May, London, United Kingdom – Sony Mobile Communication (“Sony

Mobile”) today announced the new Xperia™ smartphone for consumers looking

for premium specifications and beautiful design with extra durability and water

resistance. Xperia go has a scratch resistant mineral glass display and meets

industry standard IP ratings* (International Protection) for protection against

dust and water immersion.

Xperia go enables easy connectivity to share and enjoy

content on TV, smartphone, laptop or tablet. They also

come preloaded with Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited

from Sony Entertainment Network giving access to

Hollywood blockbusters, TV series and millions and

millions of music tracks. Xperia go will be available in the

UK from the third quarter of 2012.

Xperia go

Key features for Xperia go

With Xperia go consumers can watch the latest movies and TV shows in razor

sharp quality and with super fast performance. Its sleek and stylish design

means durable and water resistant smartphones no longer have to look bulky

and ruggedized:

•3.5″ Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine gives razor sharp

clarity

•5MP fast capture camera goes from sleep to snap in just over a second

•Scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking

•Highest level of dust and water resistance in a smartphone – IP67

Rating

•1Ghz dual core processor gives consumers super fast performance

•Launching on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradeable to Android 4.0

(Ice Cream Sandwich)

•Available in black, white and yellow colours

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