Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo finally on sale next week

The long-awaited Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo is set to land in July. The Android phone with Sony's camera and movie technology could be on sale in Europe as soon as next week, according to Sony Ericsson in Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. Yes, next Friday is 1 July, despite what it looks like out of the window.

The phone packs a 3.7-inch touchscreen and 8-megapixel camera with flash in a lightweight curved frame. It runs Android Gingerbread, and Bravia Mobile Engine software for watching films. You can play high-definition movies from the phone on your TV via an HDMI connection on the top.

The Neo was given a price tag of £360 back in April, when it was expected to launch alongside the Xperia Arc and Xperia Play, which was also delayed. Some UK online retailers have the phone on sale for as little as £320, but no dates are offered for delivery. Expansys wants £380 for the Neo, promising to deliver in a minimum of 44 days.

That price shaves about a hundred quid off the price of the powerhouse that is the Arc, so this is welcome news for Neo-phytes dying to get their hands on a slimline Sony Ericsson smart phone without dropping Arc cash. It's also good news for us, because we're running out of Matrix-related jokes.

The Neo was supposed to be available from Everything Everywhere, the artist formerly known as T-Mobile and Orange, but was delayed by the natural disasters in Japan earlier this year. Limited numbers made their way to some countries, but it still hasn't made an appearance here in the UK.

You can compare Neo deals at the Sony Ericsson website. The phone is available on Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone. You can get it for free if you're prepared to commit to a two-year contract, and sweeteners include cashback, line rental discounts or a free PlayStation Move.

If you're salivating over the Neo, fill the time before it arrives with our mouth-watering hands-on photos