We've been on pins and needles waiting for more info about the Snapdragon-powered
Sony Ericsson Rachael ever since we spotted those early images over the weekend, and while the latest pics are still just potentially fan-made renders, it's the accompanying UI video that we're freaking out over today. Just like HTC's layered the
Sense UI over Android on the
Hero, the Rachael looks to have a polished custom Sony Ericsson interface over its Android build, and we're definitely digging the vibe -- especially the unified messaging interface that displays Facebook, Twitter, email, SMS, and calls all from one screen. It's pretty slick stuff -- let's just hope it's real, and shipping soon. There's also a couple more renders of the funky rear-display
Kiki featurephone, but until we figure how SE intends for humans to actually use it, we're focused on Rachael. Renders and video after the break.
Read - Rachael and Kiki pics
Read - Rachael UI video
posted Jul 8th 2009 12:03PM
It's so beautiful! That stacks method for lists, whoa. I like this more than sense, it's more elegant.
Wow. Kudos, SE.
its clear this Rachael UI is just a pretty version of Android.
i'm liking what i'm seeing from all the manufacturers though, and their use of Android.
ton of interesting phones lately.
It definitely reminds me of Android. A very slick Android. Props to SE.
Proof Sony can make Android their own. Now give me a PSP2 with Android and a XMB-esque UI.
Given all the praise this seems to get from the other comentators wouldnt it be just hilarous if this turned out to be another fake and Sony Ericsson keeps pushing its usual shit out the door? That, my friends, would be the definition of irony ;)
(But Im still praying to god (Josh) that this is real) ;)
The face on the glass effect is so cool. This is really great that SE is able to create an original UI on Android. Windows Mobile turned a lot of customers away from the X1 because of the ridiculous lag, and it seems that Sony has learned its lesson. Since its Android, the Rachael must also be capacitive. Their listening to us, guys!
It does look beautiful, I'm glad that someone can make Android actually look good.
Am I the only one that thinks the UI is just plain ugly?
I hope is not a fake,but here is the thing. The video is over a minute long an the time does not change on the phone at all.
I like androids interface its just kind of plain looking. SE interface looks much more calmed down and elegant then HTCs sense UI.
I guess the race for the fanciest UI has begun. Plenty of cool but extraneous animations and eye-candies await us.
On first glance the screenshot does indeed look very nice but on closer inspection it is a bit sloppy. My main issue with it is that if you are going to simulate what looks like a stack of cards with text on them then you should ensure that the text is positioned correctly. You'll notice that the text's size and angle changes as you go down the stack but it is often not angled parallel to the edges and on some cards is even falling outside of the cards boundaries. To me this just looks sloppy and should not appear in publicity material. Some people may look at this and say "so what" but it just makes me wonder how much care they take of everything else if something as easy to spot as this can slip through.
OMG THOSE ARE HOT
my gf will NOT like Rachael or Kiki :P
mmMMmmmmMMmmm.....
WELL DONE SONY ERICSSON
I don't know which one I like more Rachel or the new Moto ROKR
Nice!
Hopefully it will have a name change before release. I am a bit shy to hold a phone called Rachael.
It's just a codename.
all SE phones have female codenames (mostly WTA Tour players, the Tour is sponsored by SE)
uhhh are you serious? how insecure are you.. :\
Leave it to Sony Ericsson to make an awesome OS into an even better one. Maybe they are turning around.
god i hope so! turning around is def what they need.. i'm a proud owner of 4 SE phones currently x1... can't wait for their new and upcoming stuff this year and next!
Yes, I want to see SE do well again...(currently test driving a W760a)
yes into a better one, but problem with SE is always "when". They have the habit of announcing something nice and early, in prototype form, and leave gap of a couple of months (8+) before launching the device. By then most competitors would have pushed something better out.
Wow @ the UI.
but in the real life - not as smooth.
as seen on the TouchFlo3D UI video demo.
but if it has a Tegra.... think again.
Oh it's "snapdragon"!
Snapdragon apparently.
Oh snap!
I love the internet.
The hardware is there, the UI could definitely be that smooth if they optimize the software correctly.
Snapdragon is a beast! Think of it has a 1.0 Ghz super-charged version of the ARM Cortex-A8. It also has a very good graphics chip similar to a high-end PowerVR SGX, and a 600Mhz DSP. It is easily capable of handling that UI smoothly. Apple had a very smooth UI in the old iPhone, and all it had was a 400Mhz ARM11 and a 60Mhz PowerVR MBX lite.
I'm not an Android developer, so I've never looked at how graphics acceleration is implemented or how the window manager works, but I'm sure it is quite good. Certainly a million times better than the ancient GDI+ plus windows mobile.
Apparently, 2D/3D hardware acceleration is not present on Android yet. Its currently all done via Java in software...
That is one nice and easy to use UI. Good to see them coming back strong also.
WTF is up with that Kiki handset? is it backwards forwards? forwards backwards? upside down? leftside back? Kriss Kross....?
Give us a bone here SE and help us figure this out
Now people across the table can read your text messages, only backwards o_O
at first i thought the keyboard on the kiki looked like it flipped over the touch screen like the old p910i
http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/p910i
Wow. With that UI and that screen, it's amazing.
could it be? SE is finally making something I really want... what the hell is happening to the world?
Nah, cool stuff SE and the phone isn't half bad lookin' either
Man, it's too bad I gotta wait until I get home to check this. Darn freaking network restrictions.
Rachael looks nice. And is good in bed to boot! Hooooooooo!
Please please please come to the US!
Is it just me or does this resolution seem to be a bit higher... perhaps VGA or WVGA maybe?
WVGA apparently.
I thought Android was limited as far as its resolution support went. Did that change?
SE said a while ago that their first Android is going to use Android 2.0 (Donut), which supports WVGA.
That also means that you shouldn't expect this too soon...
I'd love to see some hands-on videos showing how the OS handles the higher resolution.
According to sources out their 2.0 is due before summers end
"Android 2.0 Donut Will be Released by the End of the Summer
Donut, The follow-up update to the CupCake 1.5 Android release, should at least be aiming to be completed by August 3rd, 2009. Why? The HTC Lancaster, the first Android phone for AT&T, is tentatively scheduled to debut on August 3rd. Whats important about this is that it has a QVGA 240 x 320 resolution screen vs the HVGA 320 x 480 resolution on the G1 & Magic. QVGA is ONLY supported in the upcoming Donut release as all versions prior just support HVGA." -Googleandblog.com
along with an android market overhaul
The Android Market will get a much needed overhaul in both presentation and usability. A more refined search and sorting is needed along with expanded categorization. It should get an Amazon like “would you like this” based on apps you already have and are searching for. Also some sort of improved web interface to break the reliance on checking apps outside your phone at Cyrket. -Googleandblog.com
It's nice that you like that but trying explaining the need for elegance and stacks to a 70 year old woman, FAIL.
lol
I like some of the ideas I have seen thus far in this UI and some things I don't... but it looks good overall... There will be so many versions of android by xmas time.. I wont know what to pick ... huawei is up next with there own version..
If they have that horrid keyboard. Huawei will NOT be a choice.
But with Snapdragon (which I have been waiting for all my life)
This is a number one pick for me. Although I will miss the rooting...but with this nice UI *which is why I have rooting for the Sense UI* I won't need it.
you are right .. this is cream of the crop so far on hardware.. but lets not get ahead of ourselves.. i will not make a purchase until xmas and there is a lot more android devices yet to be revealed....