News: ‘Vivaz’ Shoots and Shares HD Video

Sony Ericsson is pushing the smartphone envelope, coming up with a mobile capable of delivering HD video which lets users shoot and broadcast their own movies in 720p.

The new Vivaz uses an 8.1 megapixel sensor with continuous autofocus, 4x digital zoom and face and smile detection, signalling Sony Ericsson’s intention to pit its smartphones against the humble compact camera.

The Vivaz is also designed to facilitate simple sharing, with dedicated Facebook and YouTube applications built-in. There’s also a TV out connection and USB support.

And, apart from all the HD wizardry, it’s also pretty easy on the eye, using a design Sony Ericsson claims is ‘human curvature,’ which is meant to mirror the shape of the human body.

No word on a local release date, although it’s expected in the first quarter of 2010 – watch Tone for more details.