Sony Xperia S on Optus Plans

"Other features we like are the two-stage camera shutter button, the micro-HDMI port and a built-in NFC chip. The NFC interacts with Xperia SmartTags (two are bundled in the box) to do things like toggle Wi-Fi, change the wallpaper and load a particular playlist." 9/10

"Making a call was a pleasure. We expected good things from a Sony branded handset and we weren't disappointed. This is a quality device in more than just looks. The bass on our calls was nice and accurate and the caller reported being able to hear us just fine with the noise reduction obviously working well. We managed to hold onto a signal without it dropping once as we travelled in the car though we did notice the battery go down a lot when the signal was anything other than perfect. " 4.5/5 Stars

"A giant improvement over the stock keyboard on the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc, the Sony Xperia S default QWEERT is perfectly adequate, and bespoke fitted to the 720p slightly narrow display. It even adopts a Swype / SlideIt functionality which is the most attractive we’ve ever seen, visually reselmbling Sumi-e (Japanese ink painting)." 4.5/5 Stars

"The Xperia S is packed to the brim with great ideas, new tech and hardware that work well. Operating it all is made easy by Sony's good NXT user interface, too. We do wish the LCD panel was better when viewed off-axis and wasn't plagued with colour-banding issues, but these are relatively minor problems that shouldn't detract from the overall experience for most users. If the Xperia S is setting the tone for future Sony smartphone releases then we're in for a real treat down the track." 8.4/10

"We were also very impressed with the massive 12MP camera. The snapper really pushes the limits of what we’re seeing on most phones, with a massive range of features including red-eye reduction, panorama and more. Sony’s own Exmore R image sensor really helps here as well. The phone also features a dedicated camera button which overrides the lock screen – a very nice touch." 5/6 Stars

"Battery life is fine. Despite the use of a sealed rather than removable battery you'll need to charge once a day, but that's par for the course. The storage is also 'sealed', in the sense that there's 32GB built in but no microSD - come on, 32GB is plenty. " 4/5 Stars

"Sony has made a brilliant handset with the Xperia S and there's plenty to recommend about it. It has a fast processor, both the camera and touchscreen are amongst the best currently available, the visual design is pleasing and the phone is built to a high-standard. In addition there's plenty of onboard storage. The only problem point right now is the operating system, although it will be getting upgraded to Android Ice Cream Sandwich in the not-too-distant future."

"This impressive crisp, bright screen comes in handy, because the phone’s key strength is multimedia. It packs 12 megapixel rear and 1.3 megapixel front cameras, supporting 1080p video at the rear and 720p at the front."

"There’s no doubting that the matt black plastic back is very different from the shiny backs we’ve seen from Sony Ericsson, and here in our hands, the Xperia S is much more comfortable. Your fingers don’t slip from a hold, and the curved back helps to push back into the palm of your hand, letting the handset rest comfortably. That said, the curvature of the phone doesn’t mean it’s a ridiculously slim smartphone, sitting at 10.6mm thin, over a millimetre thicker than the iPhone 4S. While that doesn’t make it a brick by any stretch of the imagination, there is a fair amount of heft to the handset that may make it a touch heavy for some. " 4/5 Stars

"This might be the final section but voice calling is certainly not the least important aspect here. Fortunately, voice communication is a very mature technology in smartphones, and it shows in pretty much every device nowadays. The call quality on the Xperia S is decent, with clear sound reported on both ends. The signal strength (after surgery on my standard size SIM) is also good - it is inline, if not very slightly better, than my Samsung i9100 and BlackBerry."

"The screen on the Sony Xperia S promises great things and it delivers - it's mesmerizingly sharp, with punchy colors and very good contrast. It's backed by BRAVIA engine which, as we've seen before, does very well on screens with high pixel-density - and the Xperia S display is one of the most pixel-dense at 342ppi. Its only downside (and it's not a minor one) are the sub-par viewing angles. "

"The Sony Xperia S has a great screen, a very good camera and provides a slick user experience. However, it lacks expandable memory and a removeable battery, is still waiting for the latest Android software update and its capacitive shortcut buttons are unresponsive at best. Overall, the Xperia S is a great looking phone, but it could have been a much better one." 3.8/5 Stars

"The rear cover, sides, and bottom of the Xperia S all have a matte, soft-touch finish that makes them almost impervious to fingerprints. The same can’t be said of the glossy glass surface covering the front of the phone; it’s as reflective and friendly to smudges as any other current smartphone." 7.1/10