xperia

TouchFlo3D on the Xperia X1 – download now available

November 13, 2008 | By Surur

After a lot of work, the hack which brings full TouchFlo3D to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is now available for download.

It brings the finger-friendly user interface, Youtube application and a variety of other enhancements to the Xperia.

Download the software from this XDA-Developers thread here.

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New Panel now downloadable for Xperia X1

November 12, 2008 | By Surur

PocketNow reports that some new Panels have finally become available for download on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. The latest Panel is for Windows Live and does the following:

Use Live.com for search
Links you to Windows Live Messenger (already installed on the X1)
Lets you synchronize email and/or contacts from your Live account and specify sync frequencies.

While the functionality is laudable I feel the Windows Live team could have done a lot more to make the UI engaging and attractive. Hopefully a 3rd party can step in and rectify this issue.

More Xperia Panels on HTC Touch HD video

November 11, 2008 | By Surur

Apparently after the original story of the SE Xperia Panels on the HTC Touch HD broke the author was accused by many of perpetrating a hoax. He therefore made the video showing the hack in action.

Read more about the procedure in this XDA-Developer thread.

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Xperia coming to Best Buy in December!

November 10, 2008 | By Surur

The BGR has been tipped once again on some exciting Windows Mobile news. Apparently the SE Xperia X1 will be sold unlocked by Best Buy from December this year.

The North American version, the X1a will be sold in black for a whopping $799. While this is well within range of other unlocked smartphones it does not make for a mass market product.

Unfortunately the release by Best Buy argues against a subsidized release by AT&T, which means the Xperia will never be a real American product, which is rather ironic given that Sony Ericsson chose Windows Mobile for that very reason.

Xperia Panels come to the HTC Touch HD

November 9, 2008 | By Surur

We have seen the Touch HD’s TouchFlo3D running on the Xperia X1, and now the happy hackers at XDA-Developers have returned the favour by porting the Xperia’s panels interface to the HTC Touch HD.

The project is still an an early phase, and with no Panels button and a distinct lack of buttons overall, the user can not yet return to the Panels after making a selection. In addition the Panels stop working after a soft reset.

Since the Xperia is just another Windows Mobile device at heart, I expect these problems will be solved with no issue in the end.

Keep an eye on this thread for more pictures and the latest developments.

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PocketNow reviews the Xperia X1

November 3, 2008 | By Surur

We have seen PocketNow’s impressions of the Xperia X1 being presented in dribs and drabs over the last week, but they have now finally put up a comprehensive review of the device.

I wont recount the 4 page review, but their conclusions were as follows:

OVERALL IMPRESSION
This is the best Windows Mobile device that has ever passed my desk. Period. Sony Ericsson was right by declaring it a “game changer” – this has raised the bar, and if the Panel interface takes off and we see a lot of neat Panels, the X1 could become a benchmark mobile device.

Not only is the X1 refined from top to bottom, but it brings a new interface paradigm that challenges our idea of what a Windows Mobile Today screen should be. I was super impressed by its high performance and excellent battery life, and was refreshed by the sensitivity and clarity of the high-resolution touchscreen. If you’re big on one-handed use, this device is not for you. But for everyone else who desire a powerhouse of a device, this is definitely it.

Pros
Panel interface is interesting and holds potential
Amazing performance
Outstanding battery life
Crisp and bright WVGA screen with high touch sensitivity
Near instant screen rotation
Has a 3.5mm headphone jack
Includes optical D-Pad plus standard D-Pad
Flick-scrolling throughout
Auto-configures for major carriers (AT&T & T-Mobile in the US included)
Innovative four-way LED notification system
Great build quality with use of real metal
Top-notch camera
aGPS/WiFi/HSDPA/FM Radio

Cons
Poor one-handed usability
Choice of Panels is currently scarce
Recessed screen traps debris
No case/screen protector included
No voice recognition software
microSD slot is under battery cover
Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

Read the full PocketNow review here.

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Does UK SE Xperia have USA 3G/HSDPA?

November 1, 2008 | By Surur

This news is likely to confuse more than clarify, but PocketNow, who has an European Sony Ericsson Xperia X1i, has found it supports HSDPA in USA. according to information released By Sony Ericsson previously, the European Xperia was not meant to support US 3G.

According to Brandon:

So, what’s going on here? Am I getting 3G over the UMTS 1900 band? No, because I never have before with other devices I’ve tested that only had 1900. It turns out that the X1i has UMTS 850, which should be good news to many waiting for the X1a (which was supposed to have UMTS 850). Two bits of proof, one, see the screenshot below. It shows the UMTS 850 band. Two, I just called Sony Ericsson support and simply asked “Can you tell me which UMTS bands the X1i supports?” and to that they replied “UMTS 850/1900/2100″ (oddly they didn’t list 900).

This is good news for US buying wishing to import an European Xperia, which is already available, unlike the apparently delayed US version. The European version is also able to record video at a higher resolution than the US version.

Join to PocketNow discussion now to for further clarification of this interesting news.

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SE Xperia hardware walkthough

October 30, 2008 | By Surur

PocketNow, who has an Xperia X1 on hand, have put up a video showing of the fantastic hardware in the device.

While there were some niggles, e.g. the missing Start button, the overriding impression is one of good build quality.

Pocketnow unboxes the Xperia X1, makes us jealous

October 29, 2008 | By Surur

Pocketnow has just received the Xperia X1 from abroad, and has recorded their unboxing for our viewing pleasure.

Their first impressions are certainly positive. Keep a close eye on their blog for the detailed review which is sure to follow.

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First comprehensive review of the Xperia X1 in English

October 26, 2008 | By Surur

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 has been released in Sweden for about 2 weeks now, but is only now trickling into the rest of the market. It is now officially available and in stock on Vodafone and a number of online retailers.

Paul from Modaco has gotten his hands on one of these devices and has given it a comprehensive review. The review includes a large number of pictures, a review of the hardware, software and Panels, and an example of the video recorded by the device. His conclusions are:

Conclusion
So there you have it, a catalogue of my thoughts on the X1. It’s been very eagerly anticipated and now that it’s here, it largely delivers (with a few caveats). There’s a whole lot to love about the X1, but it does make me feel a little sad that a couple of (OK one?) niggle really overshadows my overall positive experience with the device.

I’ve been asked the same question many times, and that is ‘Which next-gen device’? Sitting in front of me now I have the Omnia, the Diamond, the Touch Pro, the X1 and i’ve also spent some time with the Treo Pro. For me, it’s a choice between the Omnia and the X1… yes – i’d take the X1 over the Touch Pro. Wo without realising it, I guess i’ve declared that the X1 is at least the new king of the keyboarded device tree, even if I am having trouble choosing between it and the Omnia for the overall crown!

I think the X1 will do well both here and over the pond and I am particularly interested to see how the additional brand kudos of Sony Ericsson helps drive sales in real retail channels (as I believe the Samsung name has helped shift a ton of Omnias). Having another big name on board the WinMo train is certainly a good thing.

Hats off then to Sony Ericsson (and HTC?), you’ve done a good job guys but PLEASE… don’t make such a hash of the controls for the X2…

Paul’s Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 Pros and Cons

Pros: Cons:

- Great specs
- Great screen
- Gorgeous slider
- Solid build quality
- Innovative panels
- Unusual notification LEDs
- Brand kudos - Hateful dpad
- Slightly squidgy keys

Read the full review at Modaco.com

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First comprehensive review of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

October 19, 2008 | By Surur

We have seen many previews, and also the odd unboxing, but AreaMobile.de has been the first to do a full, detailed review of Sony Ericsson’s new Windows Mobile smartphone.

The 5 page review is too much to summarize, but AreaMobile concludes:

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 impressed with many superlatives. The wide touch screen has a resolution that currently only Toshiba Portege and HTCs Touch HD has achieved. It reacts as sensitively as Apple’s iPhone. But the X1 is still better than all those competitors. It offers the full extendable keyboard, a good camera with many features and is also in an elegant metal case. Power battery with 1500 mAh ensures that the micro-computer does not run out prematurely. Sony Ericsson’s panel operation is not yet mature, but a firmware update is certainly there to help. There will also be growing pains such as the slow response in the panel menus and the lack of auto-rotation to resolve landscape. However the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is, without doubt, the new reference, to which all others must be measured.

High praise indeed. To see how AreaMobile came to their conclusion read their review here (Google translation)

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Xperia Q&A

October 13, 2008 | By Surur

TracyandMatt.com have a Sony Ericsson Xperia in the house, and have done a Q&A of the most burning questions regarding the phone. We have excerpted a few, but visit TracyandMatt for the full selection, and also some tasty pictures of the device.

The Q&A

What is the actual RAM in the device?

The X1 has 384 MB RAM but you’ll note that the device information screen says 256MB. This is because the X1 also has an additional 128MB RAM that’s only accessible to the CPU/3D chip.

Does it have a motion sensor?

No

How is the sound output quality of the media player? Is it good enough to use high-end headphones with, and how does it compare with more music-oriented phones like the iPhone or Nokia 5800?

I’ve got some fairly expensive headphones that I’ve been using with the X1. The audio quality is really quite good, I’m certainly happy with it. I can’t really choose between the X1 and my Sony Walkman MP3 player in this respect.

Which is better, the X1 or the Touch Pro?

This is another difficult question to answer. I quite like both devices. I think which one would suit you best depends on how you use, or intend to use the phone. If you are a touchscreen lover that wants to use the touchscreen for almost everything (apart from emails with the QWERTY of course) without having to resort to the stylus then the TouchFlo3D interface coupled with the flush screen of the Touch Pro would be your better bet. If however you don’t want to use the touchscreen as much and prefer using physical buttons then the X1 with its additional softkeys might suit you better.

Sony Ericsson Xperia delayed (again)?

October 9, 2008 | By Surur

We have already written about the Xperia being delayed from sometime this week to next week. Now we have received multiple reports of Clove customers being sent e-mails telling them not to expect the device any time soon, but that it had been delayed till the end of October.

from [email protected]
to XXXXXXXXXX
date Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 4:41 AM
subject Clove Re:CLOVE081XXXXXX

Dear Mr XX,

Thank you once again for your order of the Sony XPERIA X1.

Committed to bringing you the latest technology as early as possible we work closely with manufacturers to do just this. However sometimes marketing teams and the distribution partners in the UK, get a little ahead of those actually producing the all important hardware!

We have been informed today, by Sony Ericsson that the first of the Sony XPERIA X1 units have been delayed until the end of October.

We are well aware how frustrating this is, and empathise with the situation. We are as keen as you to see the release of these units.

In light of this delay, your order will be held until the units arrive; we have been promised a supply of the first shipment. Nothing will be charged until this time. Upon their arrival, we shall process and ship your order as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your custom and understanding on this matter. We look forward to shipping your order.

The Clove Technology Sales Team.

The situation is still confusing however, and shipments have actually arrived at some stores and no major carriers have admitted to the delay yet. This suggests the problem may be isolated to Clove, but as Clove were to be one of the companies meant to get it very first, it is not looking good.

We shall keep our ear to the ground and let you know of any developments.

Thanks Kenneth Li for the tip

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Pros:	Cons:
- Great specs - Great screen - Gorgeous slider - Solid build quality - Innovative panels - Unusual notification LEDs - Brand kudos	- Hateful dpad - Slightly squidgy keys