Video: Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 "Panel Interface"

Wondering what the XPERIA X1's magical mystery "panel interface" is? Good, us too. Now we've got a preview courtesy of Sony Ericsson. If it functions this quick in hand as it does in the promotional video then Sony Ericsson might just be on to something here. See what we mean after the break.

[Mark @ Feb 10th 2008 3:46PM]

That is my next phone.

[scabby @ Feb 10th 2008 3:39PM]

rediculo-hot. i'll take one please, in army green, thank you.

[James Cameron @ Feb 10th 2008 5:19PM]

Bye bye iphone, meizu, LG, Nokia touchscreen ect. My dream phone is here!!

[Abuzar @ Feb 10th 2008 5:27PM]

Army green and orange!

[Iain @ Feb 10th 2008 5:42PM]

but but nuviphone?

[Johan S @ Feb 10th 2008 5:45PM]

I want to see the web browser in action first, if it's zoomable then I'm sold.

[Tom @ Feb 10th 2008 11:24PM]

my god .. this thing is pretty damn nice!

[James Cameron @ Feb 10th 2008 8:05PM]

In one of the picture, I saw that it also uses the stylus touch pen.

[michael @ Feb 10th 2008 8:37PM]

This is a really neat phone. I think it's going to replace my iPhone when it comes.

I've taken a real liking to the openness of the WinMo platform lately. I saw my bud's phone with it, and I love how it's pretty extensible, and how well it could work with content from your computer.

This brand new SE phone really puts the icing on the cake!

[How_P @ Feb 11th 2008 6:43AM]

Anyone got any idea when this phone will be coming out? I hope it won't be longer than the 7 months I waited for the w960!

[lmjabreu @ Feb 11th 2008 5:34AM]

@Johan S

It runs Windows Mobile, Opera Mobile 9.5 is almost out, so, yes it does has zoom.

Although there are other win mobile browsers with zoom, Opera's the best, IMO better than Safari since it provides more functionality than it, like download manager, password manager, opera link, Kestrel-based(Opera Desktop 9.5) rendering engine: Presto which is quick as hell even on ajax-intensive pages, flash lite 3.0 support and others.

Opera Mobile 9.5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmbdu-YLZsM

[JLTate @ Feb 10th 2008 9:37PM]

Geeze, that thing looks so much better than my practically-a-reference-design Apache...

[TestSubject86 @ Feb 10th 2008 11:09PM]

Abuzar: make that army green and safety orange, I don't want to get shot

[Sam Winter @ Feb 11th 2008 4:33AM]

@michael

I don't believe for a second you own an iPhone. You are most likely a fanboy trying to to look cool. Fact is, if you did own an iPhone, YOU WOULD BE OUT OF YOUR MIND TO "take a liking" to Windows Mobile. It's really the worst piece of shit I've used. I'm currently using a Palm Treo 700P with a 7 year old OS that still kicks the crap out of WinMo. Recently I received an iPod Touch, and I am now definitely planning to get a 3G iPhone later this year. The mobile OSX is freakin amazing. I've never seen such a quick and responsive handheld device. I now find it very hard to have to use the Treo.
I was pissed too about Job's control of everything on the iPhone at first, but now that the SDK is coming out in 2 weeks I can't wait. I know that the platform will take off and developers will really make it shine.
But you go ahead with your windows mobile. I'll buy your iPhone from you.

[derX @ Feb 10th 2008 3:39PM]

Let's just hope they supply the right drivers....*coughs* HTC *coughs*

[JAmerican @ Feb 10th 2008 3:42PM]

I definitely want to see some quick rotation going on on this device.

[p3ngwin @ Feb 10th 2008 5:02PM]

i hear ya man!
if it performs like the ad shows then all looks good, otherwise look forward to SONYERICSSONCLASSACTION.ORG.

it seems to have have some motion sensing too, judging by the rotation of the screen when tilted...interesting.

[Jason @ Feb 10th 2008 8:56PM]

I work at AT&T and I have gone from being an advocate of HTC devices to a salesperson who always recommends an alternative with better performing software (for the average user, that's normally the iPhone). This phone might finally give me something in the WM universe to recommend as a all-in-one device. *crosses fingers and prays this is actually a carried device and doesn't go the way of the N95*

[Curtis @ Feb 10th 2008 3:40PM]

that looks pretty sweet.

windows mobile too. i may get one when my contract runs out in dec ;)

[z @ Feb 10th 2008 5:13PM]

I agree the phone looks sweet but the windows mobile part freezes me right off, symbian, linux or anything else would be a great alternative

[crow610 @ Feb 10th 2008 7:31PM]

This can't be WM!!!

Even on the high end devices (Tilt) screen rotation is slow and jerky.

I hope this new UI will also come to my HTC Touch. But my guess is anything with the likes of an Omap processor is out of the question.

[Mehul @ Feb 10th 2008 3:39PM]

Well, the video does not show much but from whatever it DOES show, it looks cool. I just cant wait to see that 800X480 pixel screen!

[MatthewJ @ Feb 11th 2008 4:36AM]

Have a look at this real-life video of the phone in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY4ay99Xc9w

It really DOES look like its supposed to from the promo video! Incredible

[Ghen @ Feb 10th 2008 3:39PM]

fades are inefficient. They could just make the screen instantly go horizontal/vertical but no. They have to 1 up the iPhone. Rubbish.

[jamma @ Feb 10th 2008 3:43PM]

And if it didn't do that, would you call it rubbish for not being as good?

Hypocrite.

[Tony @ Feb 10th 2008 5:25PM]

Do you hate iPhone competition that much?

[iPriest @ Feb 11th 2008 12:22PM]

It runs windows how can it be competition?

[Abuzar @ Feb 10th 2008 5:29PM]

Yes of course trying to be better than the competition is rubbish. Idiot.

[James L @ Feb 10th 2008 3:42PM]

My god that interface is sexy and thank god there not ripping of another certain companies interface.

This phone equals me wanting it

Good job Sony Ericsson, you've been making good phones, but this is something else awesome, then again, maybe im speaking to soon, lets wait and hope for some good real world reviews

[Jon @ Feb 10th 2008 3:43PM]

So hot... I really do hope O2 will carry this or it will be one expensive simfree purchase for me. Not that I care, it will probably be worth it!

[Neil @ Feb 10th 2008 5:06PM]

Color me impressed (well as much as one can be by such a short video). :)

[EJ @ Feb 10th 2008 8:57PM]

Why? I love the form factor, but in terms of software, it looks to me like they've just added a glorified app launcher. You know what your calendar and e-mail program looks like - I think clearly designed icons and labels would do the job a lot more clearly, especially on a 3 inch screen.

I'm a fan of many Sony products, like my PS3, but in terms of software, Sony seems to always focus on attention-seeking, flashy features instead of solidly programmed, sensible core features. Yeah, features like Linux-readiness, folding@home and the (mediocre) internet browser on the PS3 and Skype on the PSP are cool, but I always get the feeling that they're vain attempts to offer some competing features for the quality core functionality of their competition (like MS's Xbox Live and the excellent Media Center integration in their 360). So I'm skeptical that this will add much to the typical WiMo6 experience. If you pair this hardware, with what we've seen of WiMo7, though, I think it would be sweet.

[Philbrto @ Feb 10th 2008 3:49PM]

Woo Hoo! An iPhone alternative!!! Now Microsoft just needs to put out the ZunePhone with 3D touch interface and trump this. :-P

[TestSubject86 @ Feb 10th 2008 11:32PM]

3D touch sounds awesome, but I think someone would have to invent a volumetric display of some kind that you can actually touch first.

Oh you meant a 3D GUI that uses a touch interface? My bad.

[holycow @ Feb 10th 2008 3:53PM]

pretty darn impressive!

[gage @ Feb 10th 2008 4:02PM]

how many gigs of storage does it have again?

[Stasguy @ Feb 11th 2008 4:16PM]

400 megs + whatever micro sd card you put in...

[Stinkinmushroom @ Feb 10th 2008 4:02PM]

if you guys want the full video it's on www.xperia.com

[patsy @ Feb 10th 2008 7:54PM]

Meh, it's just a whole bunch of a paper plane flying around besides what you see here.

[DT @ Feb 10th 2008 4:03PM]

Uh...so what exactly does it DO besides have panels fly around the screen and look pretty?

[Kamokazi @ Feb 10th 2008 4:08PM]

Well it's a Windows Mobile device, so I am guessing that panel interface is either a shortcut launcher or task switcher.

[Homeboy @ Feb 10th 2008 5:09PM]

What a stupid question. For starters it will allow you to do a whole lot of stuff you can't do with the iphone like:

Install 3rd party software.
Transfer content over bluetooth.
Choose what ever file you want to use a ringtone.
Expend your memory.
Film with the camera.

[jamma @ Feb 10th 2008 5:46PM]

Homeboy:

You forgot MMS, 3G and that little thing called tactile feedback

[DT @ Feb 10th 2008 9:36PM]

@Homie

Wow, really? Those flying, spinning panels manage to do all that?? That truly is revolutionary! To think that a little panel can install 3rd party software, expand your memory, AND let you use any file as a ringtone! Amazing!

[Ronald @ Feb 10th 2008 4:03PM]

Oh yeah, this is what I was waiting for, no let's hope it doesn't take to long to release it. As than I have to get an other phone betweene my current one and this one.

[dj-kenpo @ Feb 10th 2008 4:08PM]

so, things that move make people clap? I feel like I'm in a room with 3 yr olds all giddy because something shiny.

maybe it was the man beast woman that set me on edge, but a few movign icons are not enough to impress me.

[Spyvie @ Feb 10th 2008 4:13PM]

Have you ever used a smartphone? Low powered handheld devices generally don't respond that quickly, If this video is real and not a mock up it's pretty impressive.

[dj-kenpo @ Feb 10th 2008 4:42PM]

the fact that I'm not blown away by shiny blinky does not mean I do not own a smart phone.
I dunno, I guess as a programmer I know it really doesn't take that much cpu power to do a few simple xy tweens. xscale cpu or not.
it's less a matter of sony doing micracles, and more a matter of for ONCE someone, somewhere hired a programmer that knew a thing or two.

[Spyvie @ Feb 10th 2008 5:00PM]

Fair enough, but there is something to be said for "shiny blinky" particulary on new phones.

[Sam Winter @ Feb 10th 2008 5:14PM]

Spyvie

handheld devices don't respond/transition that fast? Have you used an iPhone? And no, I don't own one.