The Sony Ericsson X10 – a stylish, rather big Smartphone, that is supposed to save Sony Ericsson from a possible Disaster. At least thats how i felt, when i went to the Press Conference in Vienna, Austria in November 2009. I was lucky enough to score an Invite from their Press Department, and after seeing first Videos on the Internet i was .. excited? nervous? drooling? Pick whatever you like.
I had a very short Hands on Time with an early Prototype back then and it felt good. The Software needed some more Work and there were some Things that made it feel like a Prototype, but now I’m back with a Retail Unit and yes, i was very eager to try it once again and see how it performs in real Life. I’m going to break the X10 down in another good Thing/bad Thing Series, with Observations I made in the Time i had it. I was told that the Requests of X10’s are extremely high, so I’ll try to make the very Best of the Time i have it.
Some of the Main Specifications of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10:
- 1 GHz Snapdragon Processor, 384MB RAM
- 4″ capacitive non-multitouch Touchscreen, 854×480 Pixels
- Android OS, Version 1.6 with Timescape and Mediascape Applications
- 8.1 Megapixel Camera with Single LED, 16x Digital Zoom, Autofocus, Face/Smile Recognition, Stabilizer and much more
- 3,5mm Audio Jack, microUSB Connector, HSDPA/HSUPA, aGPS, Wisepilot Navigation
- 1500 mAh Battery
- 1GB Phone Memory, 8GB microSD included
Sounds impressive, right? I used the X10 as my Main Phone the last Week, and usual, i took a close Look on every Aspect of the Phone. Since I’m on a limited Trial this Time, I’m gonna give you a rundown on some of the good Things I’ve noticed and also some of the Downers I had with the Phone so far.
The Screen Size/Resolution: Wow, I must say, this is the first Time, that I had a Phone with a huge Screen like this and it’s amazing. Lets forget about the huge Device, but if you wanna do some fun internet browsing or watch Videos, this is the Phone to get. 4″ Screen, with a Resolution of 854×480 Pixels are a Statement and guarantee a Fun Experience on that Sector. However, there are also some Downers with the Screen, which I will tell you about later on.
Android and SE’s Overhaul: First Things first, I have absolutely NO Idea, why the Hell Sony Ericsson insisted in getting the X10 out with Android Version 1.6. This is like you send out a Ferrari with a 100hp Engine and that is clearly noticable. Timescape is a very very graphic Application and Android slows the ultimate User Experience. However, I’m a huge Android Fan since Day, especially since I’m using Google Services like Gmail, Maps, Contacts etc extensively. The Android Market is Home of some amazing Applications and makes each Phone a slight bit better, and the overall Usage is very good. Sony Ericsson has spent a Lot of Time with giving the Android OS a complete Overhaul, called UX, with a fantastic looking blue Overlay, similar to HTC’s Sense UI. Almost everything is covered in Blue (which is also my favourite Colour), and looks extremely stylish. In my Days so far, the UX Overlay was an Eyecatcher wherever I went. However, the basic Menus and all are still classic Android, so if you experienced other Android Devices before, you feel right at Home.
Timescape: What is Timescape? Timescape is a Social Networking Application, similar to HTC’s Friendstream. It gathers your and your Friends most recent Activities from Twitter, Facebook and, in my Case, vz.net, which is a Network for Students here in Austria. But, Sony Ericsson goes further and even shows your recent Calls, Messages, Emails, Pictures and much more in the Timescape Application, which to me is amazing. I absolutely love the Concept of this Application and SE transformed this Timeline into an amazing Eyecatcher, called Splines. There’s nothing more you have to do to set it up and work with it. There’s also the Possibility to even set up Timescape as Homescreen, with 4 Apps on the Bottom Row. Looks nice for showing off but thats about it, i prefer my usual Homescreens and Widgets. There are some Downers with Timescape, which I’ll adress in another Post.
Google Awesomeness: I admit, I’m a Fan of Google Service, no matter if it’s the Internet Search, Google Mail (which is my Main Mail Provider for 2 Months now, Calendar or whatnot, once you have entered your Details in your Android Device, you’re good to go. My personal Highlight is the Gmail App that comes on every Android Device. It works perfectly, has the same threaded UI than the Gmail Web Client and the same Functionality. I use and like Nokia Messaging a lot lately and it all works pretty flawless, but misses that perfect Integration.
Great Hardware Looks: I really like the Shape of the Phone. Its feels good in the Hand, is not too thick and shapes up really nice. Plus, the X10 would be the first Phone ever I’d get in white Colour.
The best Camera + Camera UI on an Android Phone so far: I’ve already tried some Android Phones, mostly HTC and so far, i wasn’t very attracted by the Camera Quality and the Cam App itself. Well, Sony Ericsson goes a much better Way here, giving the Camera Department a great Overhaul and implementing a lot of nice Features, like Touchfocus, 16:9, and a very cool small Insert with the last 4 Pictures taken. The Camera Unit itself is a 8.1 Megapixel Camera with Autofocus and a single LED Flash. Videos are taken in WVGA Quality. Again, the Camera Unit is far from good, misses a Xenon Flash desperately, as the LED is extremely weak to say the least. Camera Samples to follow 🙂
The Way Sony Ericsson is going: I know not everyone agrees with me on that Point, but Sony Ericsson have never been a serious Competition for me. I hated the OS on their Phones, and i can’t tell you how glad I am that they not only give Android a Chance, but also consider it to stay in their Portfolio AND give it a major UI Overhaul. The Road is rocky and the UI is far from what I’ve expected, but they’re working on it, because they know they have to keep up with Competition like the awesome Sense UI on HTC’s Android Devices. Sony’s UI has a lot of work ahead, but if they correct the UI, slap Android 2.1/2 on it, I’m sure they’ll be able to keep up.
So this was my good Points on the Sony Ericsson X10. Unfortunately, the X10 has a lot left to desire, so keep your Eyes peeled for my bad Points this Weekend!