Sony Xperia Sola

The Sola is a solid smartphone with a good array of features beyond the basics. Just be sure you can't buy the better Xperia S for the same price before you commit.

Great UI and performance; NFC; Decent camera

Limited internal storage; Colour banding on LCD display; 3.7-inch screen may be too small for some

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active

If there is one niche segment of smartphone design that appeals uniquely to Australians, it's the ruggedised form factor. Our fantastic climate calls us outdoors, and with us our phones, so it's pretty important to a lot of Aussies that their phone can take a spray of water from time to time, or that it can handle a day on the beach without filling up with sand.

It's important to a lot of Aussies that their phone can take a spray of water during a day on the beach. The Xperia Active is water and dust resistant and should be able to take a bit of a beating as well.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active review: Sony Ericsson Xperia Active

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is a tough smart phone running Android 2.3. It's water-resistant and dustproof, and boasts microSD expansion and a 5-megapixel camera capable of shooting 720p HD video.

Although it has a rather small screen, the Xperia Active isn't lacking in any other department. With a robust design, decent camera and nippy processor, this is the perfect handset for adventure-addicts who desire a rugged smart phone but don't want to compromise on functionality and power.

Waterproof and dustproof design; Android 2.3; 720p video recording; Responsive touchscreen.

Screen is small at 3 inches; Case might be too chunky for some.

Sony Xperia Sola Android phone

Sony's Xperia Sola is a mid-range Android phone that follows the same design principles as the company's more expensive Xperia S. A compact frame, reasonable build quality and NFC capabilities are nice features, but the Xperia Sola is a little overpriced.

The Sony Xperia Sola has a compact design, good build quality and NFC capabilities, but it's a little overpriced and the floating touch feature is currently little more than a gimmick.

Compact design and good build; NFC SmartTags; Reasonably intuitive software;

Poor ergonomics; Screen makes typing a chore; Terrible camera button;