Sony X series 1060

Personally speaking, my doubts started creeping in as soon as I pulled the X1060 out of the box. From the front it's a very cool, compact unit dominated by a gorgeous 3in OLED screen. Face on, it's about a centimetre smaller than the iPod touch in both directions, and at 10.5mm it's around the same thickness. Bar the ridged metallic semi-circular Home button at the bottom, the front is a single sheet of glass and the styling is typical Sony: understated, elegant and smart. Unfortunately, someone on the design team decided that this was all a bit dull, and so the sides have been treated with some weird, mottled grey crocodile skin/granite effect, while the back seems to have borrowed its finish from a B&Q kitchen worktop. It's not a disaster, but it leaves a slightly odd first impression.