Calling this
Rachael UI an Android "skin" is like calling Windows 95 a "DOS skin," but that's not to say there's nothing to love about it. In fact, we're rather relieved that Sony Ericsson seems to be addressing Android's incredibly lackluster media playback interface, the SE "mediascape" version of which dominates this particular video -- a sequel to the first Rachael UI tease we got
back in July. You know what else is great? The video title name drops the same luscious screen resolution as the DROID, 480 x 854, which spells all sorts of good things for SE's first Android entry. Video is after the break, and if that doesn't do the trick for you, the Rachael hardware is being teased over on
this end of the internet.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Looks very Zune-y
i know, esp. that my music page. kinda looks like quickplay. But i still will crave over HTC HD2
Looks sexy
Very nice indeed, however, I do agree with oringal- HD2's interface is quite a looker.
Joe Biden? In MY Android? It's more likely than you think.
Yo Sony Ericsson, I'm really happy for you and I'ma let you finish, but using a song with kids singing about drug dealing in a promotional video is one of the greatest corporate moves of all time!
@NikAmi
This isn't a promotional video...
Which time did you miss it saying, "This video is conceptual and for internal use only!"?
I don't see any problem with something being 'Zune-ey'.
The Zune HD had a great UI, well suited to an all-touch and media-centric devices.
@CJ: There's nothing wrong with it. Personally i love the Zune UI, Im just pointing out how similar it is.
fair enough.
The point is, most touch interfaces are going to reach a point, and then plateu in terms of usefulness-to-asthetics ratio.
out of the many touch interfaces, there's only really two that have managed this (I believe): iPhone OS, and Zune OS. So naturally any half-decent interface is going to look very similar to one or T'other.
I agree, but i would add android to the list too
would be better without douchye west
"This video is conceptual and for internal use only!"
That is, we're watching an animation put together by marketing and some graphic artists, probably on a Mac, that shows off ideas they're thinking of for the UI of a phone that's Coming Real Soon Now.
When they're ready, I'd like to see the SAME UI moves done on the actual device.
Looks kind of busy doesn't it? Just because you add a lot of swirling and transitions and menus and sliders doesn't make it elegant - it just makes it complicated.
How is it complicated? All the swirling and busy part of the interface is only during transitions that don't require user input, when user input is required, the interface is rather straight forward.
It only looks complicated for the typical american sloth. Good thing they are only marketing this in Europe.
Oh, right, I forgot that America is the home of elegant simplicity and Europe is the fortress of cluttered excess. Thanks for clearing that up!
@uwaga dude
You're full of so much shit, pal.
catachip, I suppose you'd be very happy with your simple iPhone interface. And in that case, I'd have to ask you to STFU !
@)ROFL(
i see what you did there, ntsc.
Agreed all the menus and things flying around look bad, but everything else is fine
Agree. Visibility is also quite bad with the tiny translucent text and gradient background.
@uwaga dude - funny that a company of American sloth's changed the mobile handset market, and is the reason why an interface like this is even getting any attention
@v3xx
i see what you did there, ntsc.
Android, I'm really happy for you, and i'm gonna let you finish, but Sony Ericsson had one of the best user interfaces of all time!!!
Dammit, I knew someone was going to do it.
Will this savagery ever end?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvaSaeFMCy8&feature=related
"still looks nothing like Android", thank goodness for that
that's probably the biggest issue for consumers with Android is that it doesn't have the sharp look of iPhone OS or even WebOS
instead it has that toy-like theme similar to what you get with most default linux themes
@JohnTitor
The sharp look of the iPhone OS? Is it any different than the OS on my iPod Touch? Because it just looks like a bunch of square icons on a black background to me
Do you like fish sticks?
@EGOvoruhk
It's the same OS, I just don't wanna called it OS X, since it's clearly not even though that's all Apple will tell people
and it's actually pretty commonly called the iPhone OS, since the iPhone is the base hardware, the iPod Touch is just a cut down version
@JohnTitor
you are missing the point he was making. he was saying that the iphone/itouch OS is not all that nice. its just a black background and some cute little buttons.
say what you will about the android theme, at least it has somewhat of a desktop. not to mention the ability to change all of that if you want to with apps like ahome or openhome.
@Wiigee
Whether you like Android or iPhone's OS better is a different story, but purely from a design standpoint you'd be speaking for a small crowd if you actually think Android's default theme looks better
I've done a lot of graphics design work, but it doesn't take an expert to tell the difference
as far as the background goes it's quite design dependent, for the look Apple was going for, the black just fits better, it gives a more flush look with the case and gives a sharp contrast to the colorful icons
looking pretty slick.....one of the best UI concepts I've seen from Sony in a while.
Key word there is "concept"
Indeed. This looks like it was done in flash. Android just isn't that smooth - mainly due to the interpreted java / frequent slow garbage collections.
@Tim
Because a 1Ghz Snap dragon processor will be SO SLOW?
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Zune HD rip off.
Did you read the very first post? Did you?
Same premise, no annoying elitism.
Which one is highlighted in blue?
So since the Zune HD is just an iPod Touch rip-off then it makes this a "double" rip-off
So, how long till this gets ported to the G1?
HTC really didn’t plan well if they were making a future-forward device. The G1 likely won’t even be able to get Android v2.0 without some major tweaking. Besides that, the Rachael UI has too many transitions and effects to even work smoothly on the now antiquated HW in the G1. It’s unfortunate, but the G1 is likely now at the end of its rich update cycle. RIP G1… we barely new ye.
It's funny you say that, because I'm playing with Android 2.0 right now.
Yo HTC Sense UI, I'm real happy for you, but Sony has one of the best android skins of all time...
Had to do it =p
"If this is your first time hearin' this, you're about to experience, somethin' so cold, man."
holy moly i think ive already found my next phone. the only thing that made me not into android was how it didnt look so great. htc's sense was really nice and all, but this looks a lot more slick.
its not smart to put kanye west in the video tho -_-"
If this comes to AT&T, it will be very tempting to get rid of my iPhone. Wouldn't mind having something completely different.