3D maps demoed on Sony Ericsson X10, Snapdragon paying off
By Chris Ziegler 
posted January 19th 2010 9:05PM
posted January 19th 2010 9:05PM
posted January 19th 2010 9:05PM
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This had the potential to deliver some awesomeness, If this phone is ever released.
@Edobe
That's a big IF.
fix the lag and turn it into grand theft auto
@Edobe
The same thing has been done onthe iPhone for a while: http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/08/31/mobile-3d-city-paris-3d-iphone-application-review/
@Crapolin I saw that some time back but unfortunately it's quite choppy for the iPhone.
It may be due to the caching so I'd like to see this 3D maps app on the X10 render larger cached scenes as well.
@Edobe The phone from Sony will get released and then abandoned by them shortly... Then what?!?
laggy UI but not this 3D map app?..
@outlaw85 You've got to keep in mind that the laggy UI probably (*cough*hopefully*cough*) won't be a problem in the final product. The lagginess has definitely been showing signs of improvement since the initial demos, so hopefully we'll have a polished product by the time it's released.
@EljhHck
I have to agree. I'm really hoping that in the final version of the phone, the UI laginess will be taken care of. Still, this is by far the sexiest phone due to come out.
@outlaw85
Other than the situations where OEMS (*cough* HTC 2008 *cough*) intentionally leave out graphics driver support, most lag issues are related to early, unoptimized software builds. This should be ironed out before launch, particularly if we are talking about a Snapdragon phone. There is no reason a device with this much power should have a slow interface.
aaarrrggg!! when is this phone coming out in the us??
@aodmisery
are you by any chance a pirate?
i think ima have to pass
Enough proofing already SE. let this phone loose.
@3rdsun
i think they should keep perfecting this as long as possible. it has the potential to be great and i dont want it be another flop like the x1.
That is awesome. But honestly, 2 things bother me.
1. It's running Android 1.6
2. If the Xperia X10's release schedule is any indication of how fast Sony Ericsson would release updates to this device, then I guess it's safe to say that the X10 would remain Android 1.6 for a looooooong time.
I hope they prove me wrong. I think this is one of best Android devices out there, not to mention the camera image quality SE is known for.
@blitzkrieg
Yeah, I really want to get the X10 when it comes out. But SE doesn't have a good track record when it comes to supporting their products. I have a strong feeling they won't offer an Android 2.x update. Instead, they'll just release a new phone with the updated ROM. The X11 perhaps?
@blitzkrieg
Some facts of life:
1) We breathe air.
2) We drink water.
3) The Xperia X10 will be released when it's obsolete thanks to other competitors leaking, announcing, demoing, and selling similarly spec'd phones months before its release date.
4) It will be released with the same price planned two years before the release date i.e. overpriced.
@blitzkrieg it seems most of you guys complaining about the UI haven't seen any of the latest videos with the new builds, runs like a hot knife thru butter..and word is its gonna be on 2.0.1 not 1.6 and it'll be out sometime around MWC, so in a couple of weeks i hope
@lakeside00
Hold it. I never said anything about the UI. It's pretty clear I wasn't complaining about the smoothness of the UI because I know it does run like butter. :P (rolleyes) Thank you for pointing out something I never said in the first place.
As for Android 1.6 or 2.0, they'd better have it ship with the latter. First impressions last, SE. Don't give us 1.6 when they already have 2.0 out the door.
@blitzkrieg There was a version on CES running Android 2.x so I think that SE in a near future at least will release 2.1/2.0 for it.
Benefits of 3D for maps? None.
@Tweak589 Benefits of 3d maps? Feelin cool! If this kind of thing was built into the default maps app as a viewing option, I would probably use it instead because it makes me happy.
...and to feel like I was playing GTA: RL
@Tweak589
Nonsense. It's far easier to recognize landmarks from the side than it is above, unless you're traveling by helicopter.
fap fap fap
Let me see...
Not iPhone. Pass.
@nowayman
Wow...
@nowayman
Hahaha, people still use iPhones?
@Argot
Coz iPhone UI is designed by intelligent people. (and it shows.)
man, the day is fast approaching where googlemaps will just be like a video game with real life EVERYTHING! how sick nasty is that going to be. technology is awesome.
@jefwif
+1
for use of "sick nasty"
Well, that means this is doable on the N1 too, or any Snapdragon based devices, right?
SE, gosh, you made me want the X10, but it's fruitless if you don't actually release the damn thing.
Now, I'm just waiting for somebody to make an Android smartphone with quad-band HSDPA. The hardware exist, but it's like the wireless companies are coercing the handset manufactures to only make their devices with carrier specific HSDPA bands, instead of just making a universal device.
Thank goodness for Snapdragon? How do you know this wouldn't run smoothly on an OMAP?
Try to be more scientific.
That's not very intense 3D there. They were not able to fly through the streets for instance, there was a very limited degree of freedom there and the sections of the map loaded pretty slowly. Sticking with Google Maps or Google Earth.
@wonderbread
The map tiles are loading "slowly" since they are streamed over internet ... all mapdata and 3d data is streamed.
Test
@Plazmic Flame
Fail
If I'm not mistaken, I read somewhere that this is swedish military technology for jetfighters or something...
In Norway we've started using this mapping for the largest cities,
Any research project by some R&D lab that's a little bit too late.
That looks just like Google Earth with their enhanced city data.
Anything better for sprint and I'll take it.
Man the only downside to this whole x10 hype is the stupid 1.6 release1... the phone is soon to be out and 1.6 is pretty much ready to be dated!
Still gonna get ot from rogers, but still!!!! stupid!!!
why on earth do i want to buy a mobile with last years operating system?
is there anyone out that recently paid top dollar to buy a computer with windows 98 on it?
didn't think so.
@liquidmonkey
There are enough ppl buying laptops with XP... thats 2 OSes late.
So Im guessing is cuz, if it works with the hardware, it becomes great.
What the hell's all the fuss about? Mapping a 2d image and panning is not exactly a technological breakthrough - even on a handheld.
Call me back when the network's fast enough to provide uninterrupted images.
Less demoing more releasing SE...... geez there's a reason you're hemorrhaging market share, you take soooo long to get your tech out to the marketplace that by the time you do, the technology is out of date!