Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1 gets handled, photographed
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Jun 16th 2008 1:37PM
posted Jun 16th 2008 1:37PM
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Give me a normal numpad with soft keys instead of flat hard keys like that, Also, its a rectangle? Those points nodoubtedly will dig into your hands as you type..
Back in black...please god!
Black! that was my main complain with their current P1, that I returned to the store after a few days of use. I hope the xperia has better built quality.
Ahhh, Windows Mobile with its full uglynes...
omfg...
I want I want I want I want...
I've wanted this phone since it's been leaked...
Price? Price? Anyone a price?
$1 OBO
do I hear $1.50?
clearly you dont know how OBO works...
mmhm...
$1.50...
My best offer.
=]
$4.99, but only if they put the [RED] label on it and donate $5.00 to charity.
I've heard rumors of $199, but that may have been in my dreams.
The problem with this phone is that theres nothing innovative about it. Its just another Windows Mobile phone with updated specs. Once its released, they will up the specs once more and people will start salivating over that.
This is pretty much why I like HTC as they aren't just upping the specs, they are also innovating on the UI. Also, from the looks of it the panels stuff isn't much more than a window manager. May look cool, but doesn't bring about a lot in ease of use and functionality.
@Nomi
1) This phone was, in fact, designed by HTC.
2) The UI Sony plans to use is, in fact, a custom "panel UI" not seen in the pics above; but it has been seen in other leaked shots, and it looks pretty slick!
Just what exactly would you consider "innovation"?
Expect $1000+ :)
Scott: There's hundreds of 3D games for WinMo. Many are free, and many can be trivially installed by installing the cab file over the air. Try googling:
http://handheld.softpedia.com/catList/112,0,1,1,1.html
http://www.handango.com/SoftwareCatalog.jsp?Ntt=3d%20games&jid=CCXA1BF2CE7159566E3375AFD85CEB56&Ntk=All&siteId=1&osId=1149&Ns=Price|0&N=4294911021&Nty=1
http://www.handmatrix.com/game/mobile.html
just to pick 3 sites at random, but there's dozens more sites.
Now *THIS* is a phone.
Spec for spec it walks circles around that *other* device, and with a software library of over 20,000 commercial titles and thousands of independent apps that can be acquired by any one of a hundred different means, there is really no substitute for those wanting the absolute best smart phone.
Well, this and the upcoming HTC Touch Pro will both be vying for that illustrious title, but nevertheless, kudos to Sony.
Actually, this phone is designed and built by HTC.
So give your kudos to them.
Yes of course Nicky, you're right.
Kudos to the both of them,
HTC for designing it and Sony for having the sense to turn to them for their new product line.
There were even rumors circulating a while back that Sony was interested in acquiring HTC, and if those pan out, then we could be seeing HTC having access to global resources (shipping, marketing, manufacturing, even production) that they havent had at that level before.
Would be interesting to see how things play out with that rumor, but nevertheless, great phone.
The iPhone's apps looks like they'll be quality. Most WinMo apps I've used are rubbish. It's like Microsoft don't have a mobile strategy - and just try to do everything. They try to make a laptop out of a phone, whilst Apple know where the line is and stick to the phone side of it. The result is a better experience and more quality applications. Microsoft monopolised the smartphone market for years, and in 6 software versions, never generated the excitement and mass-appeal, or money, that Apple did with version 1.
I don't mean to be funny or anything, but WinMo is what's keeping me from buying an X1. I'd happily take one over the iPhone if the software experience was half as good.
its only built by HTC, Sony designed and spec'd this phone...
Actually, I think this was designed by SE and built by HTC. SE are also responsible for the software so hopefully that means good quality drivers.
In regards to application support, MIcrosoft have an excellent strategy. WinMo uses the .Net framework so anyone familiar with Windows programming can write apps for their phones using just about any language they're familiar with. Out of the 20,000 apps available you're obviously going to get your fare share of crap but there are some excellent applications available on this platform. At the end of the day, the quality of third party apps is down to the companies designing them, not Apple or Microsoft. I'm sure once Apple's app store opens you'll pass over a number of crap apps for the iPhone as well.
KarlW
That's hilarious and a bit telling at the same time.
I can list for you application after application after application, ad infinitum that's available on WM that would never see the light of day on the very limited iPhone and its respectively limited platform.
There are over 20,000 apps available for WM, and you are only fooling yourself if you believe that of that number, one can not find top-notch, A-grade, titles in any category.
Every single category you can think of including:
Calculators
Contacts
Education
Emulators
Entertainment
Finance
GPS
Health/Medical
Input
Imaging
Internet
Network Utilities
Media
Languages
Office
Productivity
Programming
Scheduling
Travel
Weather
etc.
There is at least 2-3 killer apps for in each respective category above for WM.
For Apple's iPhone on the other hand, it is missing categories altogether, let alone killer apps in those categories.
Only fools blinded by their antipathy for MS and their bias towards Apple would fail to realize this.
Unlike you, I can back up my claims.
Name me a category, and I will name you a killer app for it on WM.
On the other hand, I can name you at least half a dozen categories where Apple is missing entire lines of software in.
Be realistic:
20,000+ THOUSAND titles available for WM
Like what, a mere handful available for the iPhone from 3rd parties.
Made by HTC - most certainly true, at least partly. Designed by HTC? Hardly.
And it's not Sony, it's Sony Ericsson, which is way more Ericsson than Sony, though owned 50/50 by both.
hamidxa - What are you comparing to, exactly? The 2.0 software update for the iPhone isn't out yet, so if you're trying to say there aren't very many 3rd party apps on the iPhone right now - well DUH.
If you're making a guess at how many or which apps will or won't be on the iPhone after the 2.0 update, that's pretty brave considering over 25,000 developers have apped for Apple's iPhone developer program. If you don't think that will lead to over 20,000 apps, then you're bad at math.
I would much rather have an HTC Touch Pro with Google Android... but thats me...
@ zak over 250000 applied only about 6200 were accepted
De - to the beta program, yes. Do you really think there won't be any more developers after the update goes live?
Zak
What you are throwing around are merely numbers of developers (in MOST cases not large development houses, but individuals) who have signed on to receive SDK's from Apple and targetted the platform for commercial use.
I mean, by that very same token, there are easily HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of independent developers toying around with app development/support for WM as well, myself being one of them -- thus easily dwarfing the Apple community.
It's akin to Windows XP/Vista support versus OSX support, in that there are way way way more independents working on MS's platform.
Um... so are you suggesting individuals are not capable of developing iPhone apps? And seriously, if you didn't get this before, maybe you'll get it this time - what exactly are you comparing the WM developing community to? The iPhone 2.0 software isn't out yet and the current number of developers are in a beta program, not the real thing.
Do you honestly believe this number isn't going to greatly expand after 2.0 actually comes out? Do you honestly believe there won't be good apps for the iPhone in every category you listed above? I mean you even listed health/medical - seriously? There are ALREADY health/medical apps for the iPhone, from developers in the beta. Yes, more than one of them.
What you've seen on the iPhone so far is only the smallest hint of what's coming. Don't fool yourself, whether you like the iPhone or not, it is arguably the most popular/visible platform on the market today, and everybody and their fat grandmother wants to get in on it. 25,000 developers wanting to program for it before it's even OUT.
A variety of good apps is not going to be an issue on the iPhone, regardless of whether you hate it or not.
The only thing I hated about WinMo's app is that the 2-3 good ones in the category were $20-$40 dollars. Buy a handful of apps and you've already spent more for the software than you did for the device.
If Super Monkey Ball came out on a WinMo device, it would be $40 or more.
Hamidixa,
Super Monkey Ball with 110 levels will be $10 in the App Store. What 3D game can you get for WM for $10 or less? And it needs to be easily installable by any Joe Blow, over the air.
This isn't a snarky reply, I'd like to see a link. Maybe I'll be surprised.
.NET applications for WM is where its at...
One more thing.. im running an Application on my Sprint Mogul, (WM 6.1) that is used for tracking of time, billing, and invoicing of work i do on my job. Cost of 1 license? $200. Was half the price of the phone for this 1 app i use. Cost varies by specialty, possible market saturation, and needs of the developers.
I have found many useful WM apps that i have paid for, and are worth every penny. They arent junk, in fact, far from it. And seeing as i have the option to trial 99% of software before buying it, I can decide if it suits my needs exactly before buying. I can also download them over the air and install them on my phone.
"I'm seeing an excitement among mobile developers that I've never seen before," said Sam Altman, chief executive and co-founder of Mountain View-based Loopt, a location-based social networking service. "People who said they'd never start a mobile (applications) company because they didn't want to rely on the carriers are now starting companies focused only on the iPhone." http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_9599971
Scott: There's hundreds of 3D games for WinMo. Many are free, and many can be trivially installed by installing the cab file over the air. Try googling:
http://handheld.softpedia.com/catList/112,0,1,1,1.html
http://www.handango.com/SoftwareCatalog.jsp?Ntt=3d%20games&jid=CCXA1BF2CE7159566E3375AFD85CEB56&Ntk=All&siteId=1&osId=1149&Ns=Price|0&N=4294911021&Nty=1
http://www.handmatrix.com/game/mobile.html
just to pick 3 sites at random, but there's dozens more sites.
The X1 might be alright if it were running Android, but Windows Mobile 6, no thanks.
I'll hold my nose and look away until Windows Mobile 7 or Android, whichever comes first.
Seconded. If I could wipe the X1's memory of WM6, and install Android in its place, I'd be more excited.
Windows mobile is the most bloated, clunky mobile OS I've seen. Not to mention awful java support- my WM6-powered Blackjack II (which runs on the same processor as a Nokia N95 btw) can barely run many of my J2ME apps that my 3-year-old (free) phone ran perfectly. And video playback is atrocious.
Everything runs great here on WM 6.1 on my HTC Mogul.
No complaints whatsoever in terms of processing speed or running apps.
The only shortcoming of the Mogul (only one really, everything else is top-notch) is the shortage of RAM.
Aside from that, HTC Mogul + EVDO-Rev A from Sprint + WM 6.1 cooked ROM = a superior experience to most any other device out there, especially the iPhones.
exactly, I have a Samsung i760 and it runs very well. Also had a Palm 700w and beside the fact it was low on ram it was also a speedy device.
I am not a fan of the keypad myself.. Space bar is too big and the enter bar is as well. They should just mimic the Tytn's.. works fine for me.
Agreed, I'm quite a fan of HTC's keyboards.
I just want to say I appreciate your commitment to your non-legit signature you got going on.
Windows Mobile is crap so that would make this........ Crap!
Spell check more often: you forgot to replace "Windows" with "iPhone."
Since when did Sony jump over to the dark side of Windows Mobile?
Seriously.. that is probably my *only* problem with this phone.
But it is a big one nonetheless..
Once they started having other companies make their phones for them. The X1 is an HTC phone.
(Hopefully it'll include proper video drivers!)
@JJ : If you haven't noticed, 2 of the top 3 most anticipated phones run WinMo 6.1. If WinMo is really the "dark side", then why the heck would Sony start moving towards WinMo, as well as HTC lining up almost all their phones with their own version of WinMo?
Hmm. Maybe because WinMo is seriously not that bad? One you install some of the apps. there are for WinMo, it's a great phone. It's fine on it's own, but the apps. really make it good. I don't know why people keep coming to every post with WinMo in it, and tossing garbage around.
@ quikboy:
Why use winmo? Because, of the 5 smartphone os available, 2 are exclusive. Only Palm, Symbian and winmo are easily licensed.
Palm sadly is a lame duck.
Which would leave winmo and symbian. And I'm sure Microsoft offered to throw in a free country if Sony licensed winmo.
The thing is, there are lots of factors involved, like pricing and support and features. Quality and usability probably ranked pretty low on Sony's criteria.
As for HTC, you do know they are practically the in-house handset developer for Microsoft, right? HTC has a partnership with Microsoft and is the biggest Winmo device maker in the world...
Has anyone used winmo 6.1? Which is what this phone will come with. The question then becomes will it be upgradeable to winmo 7?
now that was just stupid, clak.
I read BGR's brief review, and I'm not buying this whole "It's slow and clunky because it's a preproduction unit" deal.
I guess it's slow because it's running Windows Mobile. Anyway after touching an iPhone, I guess I'll be waiting for Android to hit. A fluid, fast OS is a definite must for me. Slow is unacceptable.
But of course impressive specs and great build, SE.
Again, AMEN.
just remembered that HTC built the phone. So I guess I meant "Impressive design, SE"
go to bengalboy dot com for a real review.
If by "real", you mean "self obsessed" review, then yes... You'll definitely get that..
"Real review" + girls in bikinis = VICTORY
http://www.pbase.com/bengalboy/image/85961621.jpg
Woah, nice phone...
Whats the point in using an OS that doesnt use the resolution to its full potential, look at internet explorer its massive and you dont see any more information than if you were using QVGA.
Use Opera Mobile.
Problem solved.
yeah this looks like a poorly designed, thought out, and engineered phone
sooo many things are wrong with it
and i love my SCH-U740(Alias), so i have no reason to get this phone, therefore no reason to comment on it
but it still looks pretty bad too
'...therefore no reason to comment on it'
Um... are you thick or something because you commented on the phone quite substantially before and after that statement.
Hello, McFly, is anybody in there? This is kind of cool looking and all, but seriously these people aren't learning from the market. Anything that's not screen, (buttons, keyboards) takes away from the screen space and it's all about the screen. Imagine how much thinner this could be without the slide out keyboard? I know some people will say they can't type on a touch screen. People used to say that about tiny keyboards, too.
i had an iphone for a few months till i cracked its big shiny happy screen.
anyway, i found that i got more, rather than less, sick of the software keyboard over time. just me, though...
Because some people JUST WANT A KEYBOARD. Look at the Diamond and Touch Pro. Some people want slimness, some want a keyboard.
Horses for courses. there is no one device for everyone
I have an ipod touch and a blackberry on me. I think the OS on the iphone is WAY better.
but when push comes to shove I prefer hardware buttons.
I would miss my blackberry if I had an iphone.
some people like buttons, they feel better. simple as that.
windows, yuck! sony cozied upto to the devil, when they had a good old symbian. prime idiots.
Sony Ericsson can't be happy with that picture. They want everyone to believe that the Xperia comes with a new, stylish OS by only displaying the "Panels" lipstick like HTC does with TouchFlo.
We can see here, however, that underneath it all is the same old pig we've come to dread: Windows Mobile. No matter how much companies like SE and HTC try to cover it up with fancy skins, there's no getting around it.
I suppose that's why there are more titles available for WM devices than every single other mobile platform combined....because people are put off by them....Yes, that must be it.
The ignorance and bigotry here is so thick sometimes that you could cut through it with a Macbook Air.
"I suppose that's why there are more titles available for WM devices than every single other mobile platform combined"
Does that include Symbian? Where did you get those figures from? Not that I don't trust you but I'd be interested in seeing some WM developer numbers.
Also, I'd say the fact that Windows Mobile has been around for about a decade has something to do with that.
I do know that there are currently 4,000 developers churning out applications for the iPhone, many intending to create multiple apps, and that's just the initial bunch Apple approved. It will be interesting to see how they compare in about a year, catalog-wise as well as the usefulness of the apps for each platform.
@ Hamidxa
Seriously bro, just shut the fuck up about this whole Microsoft vs apple thing. Thats the nicest way I can put it.
*sigh*
I've got to agree with that. I had a go on one of the HTC Touch devices the other day (the one with the slide down number pad), and while the TouchFlo (or whatever it's called) was okay, whenever you jumped into WinMo proper it was just horrible. Made worse by the tiny screen.
I've not really used a smartphone since my P910i got run over by a taxi;but I do have am iPod Touch (my first Apple product!). I mostly use it for music, video, and web browsing. I hadn't realised how much better the UI is than the competition until I used the HTC Touch. Unless SE can hide the standard WinMo interface totally, then I think this phone will miss the mark in terms of usability.
I'm waiting for Android to hit before deciding on my next smartphone. I really don't think Android is going to compare too well with the iPhone though. It's more a Blackberry competitor IMHO.
And to Hamidxa: quantity does not equal quality. Since getting a MacBook Pro (the iPod impressed me so much, I got me second Apple product when my Vaio Z1 broke!) I've noticed that -- although there are far fewer apps for OS X -- the general quality is far higher. A lot of the WinMo apps are very industry specifc too. The iPhone (despite all the Enterprise talk) is still very much a consumer device. 99.9% of people do not care less about some sort of inventory checking/warehousing app. So what if WinMo has 20 of them...
This phone uses the qualcomm MSM 7201A chipset which is a dual processor design and is very powerful. (I'm a qualcomm employee). Winmobile 6.1 is a significant improvement over previous versions, and winmobile 7 will be the platform that will truly send apple and google back to their lair, licking their wounds, if they build in all the context sensitive location aware APIs in it, but that's a story for another day. This phone is the shiznit, Sony should tout this as a mobile gaming platform/ phone.
So...since you're a QC employee...
6.1 MIGHT be an improvement, but it did NOTHING for the video drivers on the Tilt/Kaiser/TyTNII....so....
Winblows 6.1 or 7...still nothing w/o the proper drivers.
@ nando
The video drivers are HTC's fault, and by no means Windows Mobile's fault. If you bought a laptop with an ATI graphics card for example, and there were no drivers, it would not be Microsoft's fault, but ATI's (btw I'm typing this on a computer with an ATI graphics card).
I still want it: black,white, pink,orange glo, anything, just give me this thing. You promised ( you bas.... )
I've played with one and it's the buggiest handset I've seen in a long time. :(
Let's hope they can get it right before release.
Yeah I hope they do to. I mean those Beta test phones are suppose to work perfectly, hence the words Beta and test.
I work for a mobile software house and see a lot of pre-release phones. This one is in a much worse state than most. Sometimes problems get fixed, sometimes they don't. SE have got a lot of work to do if they're going to get it anywhere near bug free by Q3/4.
It definitely got some good design. I mean the top row doesn't looked crampted like most slider I've seen as if it was slap together for the sake of it. Nice going sony.
I really like having a dedicated row of numeric keys. My current HTC has a similar layout. It's a real pain for typing in passwords, etc that require letters and numbers.
Other than that - looks very nice. Another awesome device by HTC.
The LINK isn't working. DAMN IT !
Why ho why Windows Mobile, SE has a really good OS why go to something ugly and unreliable as WM ?
I have an itouch and it (iphone) could use a real keys.
WinMo is OK if you skin it (countless skins are available, I replaced the entire interface using SPB Mobile Shell). With a similar interface, WinMo phones are usually somewhat slower than the iPhone, but not by a lot (compare a Touch Diamond to an iPhone 3G). The OEM roms are typically very stable. Add xda-developers, the immense freeware and paid software library and it's actually not bad to live with. It goes without saying that Android has the potential, due to the OHA business model and Linux, to be much better.
Actually, now that I think about it, given the imminent arrival of NVIDIA Tegra, Qualcomm Snapdragon, Android, improved OLED displays and even ridiculous stuff like in-phone projectors etc, all of this will be meaningless this time next year. Same as it ever was.
This phone is the sole reason why I am not buying an iPhone. If T-Mob doesn't offer it, I'll jump ship to AT&T.
I am in the EXTREMELY small minority of people who actually LIKE WinMo...
@Dan
Actually if you compare the Iphone to WinMo devices in number of purchases the Iphone is the minority. The biggest problem with WinMo is the fact that vendors us the absolute minimun hardware specs needed for WinMo devices. I think the lastest Iphone release was a little lack luster in features. This device and HTC latest offerings are going to give Apple a run for there money. Not to mention the fact the RIM has a touch based device coming by early next year. Apple may be the big dog in the world of PIP devices, but they are going to have to do a lot more to really become the big dog in Smart Phone market. They do have an edge as far as crazy ass fanboys with deep wallets however.
But how many projectors does it use?
[] Clak: I just want to say one word to you - just one word.
Ben: Yes sir.
Clak: Are you listening?
Ben: Yes I am.
Clak: 'Projectors.' []
(sorry, my keyboard doesn't do the square things)
i liked windows mobile. alot. i have a blackjack and i had an 8525 (r.i.p)
but i still want the iPhone, not because i'm a fanboy. but because i found myself not using half the features my TyTN could do. and trust me, i love using every feature of my gadget. i just couldn't. it got hard after a while lol.
also, those extra features and sweet skins, i love them just as much as the next guy, but until these things get some proper processing power, they just slow the whole experience down.
i had a sweet skin and theme i was very content with. but turn bt and wi-fi on and suddenly your windows device turned into winslow, it was frustrating. especially cuz i liked using A2DP (a feature, as sweet as it is, i can live without).
try it, even with the TyTN II (tilt) turn on the bt, stream music through audiomanager (I assume your using a cooked rom right? right?) turn on the wi-fi and start browsing opera, or better yet turn on internet sharing as well and share with your comp. and beam a file while ur at it.
i know it sounds crazy like no one would ever do that all at once, but you'd be surprised it's not that much in hindsight. and it slows the entire thing down. don't get a phone call or a text or the phone might crash.
my sis's iPhone doesn't do that. I put the thing through it's paces (granted it can't do as much, but what it does) and it could be doing everything u could think of, wi-fi, ipod, browsing, stocks, texting, have a map loaded. and still if a call came in or if u had to browse through the menus, it handled it without taking 30 seconds to render a menu.
that's my concern, if SE can tackle that. they have a purchase
oh and ofcourse this thing will run win mo 7, unless the architecture is completely different. my TyTN can run 6.1 without a hitch.
and if android is ever released, you can run that on it as well. these are more or less computers not phones. so like yea u'll have to write EVERY driver, but isn't that what all you guys want to do anyways?
oh i know the hardware is made by HTC, but from what everyone is saying it's pretty hardcore. so it's up to sony to make the software and the drivers work w/o a hitch.
if you want power and speed go with symbian if a touch screen is not a must
@ De
I like the touch screen, i could learn to live w/o it again. but it was very very convenient.
Pshhhh, just another iphone copy...
And yes, I _am_ being sarcastic.
This phone, with HTC Touch Flo 3D loaded (courtesy of XDA Devs)=WIN
where would I sign up for this phone :)
hehehe
Any word on VGA-out ? This looks great if it could also connect to a fullsize display + keyboard and access a virtual desktop. Then this would be a Nirvana Phone candidate.
http://NirvanaPhone.com
Hope they improve it before the release
does it come in pink?
no, it will only come in Solid Black and Steel Silver unless SE adds more.