Sony Ericsson announces Xperia X2

Sony Ericsson today unveiled the Xperia X2. The latest iteration features the familiar panels interface but also debuts SlideView, "which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities."

Like with the original X1 (read our review), there actually are two versions of the X2, with the X2a the version with U.S.-compatible 3G bands. That said, there's no U.S. availability mentioned anywhere, and the X2a appears slated for Australia and New Zealand.

Specs are a little incomplete, but we'll start you off with a massive 8.1-megapixel camera with autofocus, image stabilization, geotagging, a 16x digital zoom, flash and more. Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional is on board the 3.2-inch 480x800 touchscreen (resistive, still, unfortunately). There's quad-band EDGE and tri-band (850/900/1900) on the 3G side.

Sony Ericsson says the X2 will be available in the fourth quarter. No word yet on pricing, but you can bet it'll cost a pretty penny. Next question is whether the X2 will get any support from U.S. carriers, after the X1 was spurned. Get the full rundown here, and we've got more pictures after the break.

Oh, and if new hardware's not enough, SE's opened up the panel SDK. Get the lowdown on that here.