Let us introduce you to the newly uncovered “Shakira” handset which looks to fit somewhere in the middle.  Not much is known about this phone other than the fact that it essentially exists.  Hopefully it brings all of the hardware that makes the X10 an attractive device with something a little more modern than Android 1.6 under the hood.

We’re just getting started with this one.  Be sure to check back often if you want to keep up to date with this, and other Android devices.  While you are at it, subscribe to our RSS feed!

Let’s start with this…We have no idea if or when we’ll ever see the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 in the United States.  It’s elder sibling has become the butt of many Android-related jokes and likely would have a tough time competing in the crowded market.  All of that is okay though.  We still like to see Android promoted around the world.

Check out the short clip below and see what Sony Ericsson has cooked up to help sell the teeny-tiny Xperia X10 mini.

Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg told Swedish newspaper Sydsvenssan (Swedish only) about the discussions. In the interview Nordberg says relations remain good with Google, which turned to HTC to manufacture the Nexus One, instead.

Nordberg was formerly head of Ericsson’s Silicon Valley operation.

Google upset its ODM (original device manufacturer) customers and network operators when it decided to tear up its approach to market, and compete directly with licensees of its own Android OS. The result was the Nexus One, which is currently sold online in the US only.

This is an unfair perception, since there’s precious little difference between the Nexus One and other HTC Android phones apart from the Nexus’ high quality, expensive casing. They’re all pretty generic and ironically, Motorola has made far more investment in its own UI enhancements to Android than Google did with the Nexus One. But in the market, perception is everything. “Is your Android a genuine Googlephone?”

Like Moto, Sony Ericsson has invested heavily in its own UI on top of vanilla Android, calledTimeScape. It unveiled more Android phones last week.

sony ericsson xperia x10

Presumably the ludicrous amount of customisation Sony Ericsson is adding to the device’s OS, in the form of its Timescape and Mediascape social and media tools, is the reason for the phone’s lengthy gestation period and the fact it’ll come with an older build of Android.

However, as if to head off possible consumer RAGE over the phone appearing with what will inevitably be seen as a slightly out-of-date version of Android, the Sony Ericsson blog has declared that the “Xperia X10 will be upgradeable” – with “upgradeable” presumably meaning it’ll get later versions of Google’s OS.

The X10 will arrive in the UK during April, according to Vodafone.