Sunday, November 30, 2008

Xperia X1 facebook panel demo

Xperia Lancers has put up a little video on the Facebook panel on the X1.

Quantum of Solace SE apps




On the Quantum of Solace website, they had several apps you could download by completing tasks on the website. I here bring you the 4 apps. Follow the link and enjoy.

  • Finger Print Reader
  • Spy Cam
  • Universal Detector
  • X-ray scan
Link

Saturday, November 29, 2008

P5i P200 Paris pics

More Paris Pics. Shame SE canceled this device.













Thursday, November 27, 2008

SE adds Facebook and Microsoft Live panels to XPERIA X1

Sony Ericsson launches new exclusive panels for the Xperia™ X1 multimedia phone

25 November 2008

London, November 25, 2008 - Sony Ericsson has just launched the latest panels for its multimedia convergence phone, the Xperia™ X1, teaming up with the popular social networking site Facebook and Microsoft Windows Live. These web-centric panels come in addition to the existing connectivity panel from Dashwire, a site which allows you to sync your phone content to the web and share it to a range of popular social networking sites.

The new Facebook application built for Sony Ericsson uses the unique interface of the Xperia™ X1 to deliver an intuitive version of the site, putting images of your friends onto your phone’s desktop (standby screen) and showing their latest status updates as you touch their images. Touch through to access more Facebook features.

New functions available through the Xperia™ X1 Facebook panel include:

  • An entirely new visual representation of friends’ statuses
  • Simple and fast upload of photos to Facebook
  • Easy access to Facebook friends list and phone numbers, with click to call capabilities.

As you touch to view different information, icons and links change to give you one touch access to the information you are likely to use - for example, touch the photo icon from your profile page to see your photos, from a friend’s profile page touch the photo icon to see their photos.

The Xperia™ X1 marks the beginning of a partnership between Sony Ericsson and Microsoft. In addition to building the X1 on the flexible, powerful Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, which helps extend the phone's connection to Microsoft Web and PC experiences, a new Windows Live panel will help Xperia™ X1 users instantly bring their existing Windows Live contacts and features to their phone.

The Windows Live panel uses existing Windows Live ID to sync contacts held in the X1’s phonebook, and the panel will provide easy access to an intuitive Microsoft messenger interface, including Hotmail and Live Messenger, the world’s most widely used free instant messaging service. The panel will also give users access to the Windows Live Search function, which is tailored to mobile phones and can be voice activated and controlled. Other Windows Live services will be incorporated into the panel throughout the year.

“We're thrilled to partner with Sony Ericsson and deliver our Windows Mobile platform and Windows Live panel on the Xperia™ X1,” said Todd Peters, corporate vice president of marketing, Microsoft Mobile Communications Business. “460 million Windows Live users can step into the Xperia™ X1 and tap into the Microsoft experience they already use everyday."

The Dashwire panel seamlessly synchronises the X1 and the content it captures with a user's computer and the web. Dashwire's free service helps users automatically sync the contacts, text messages, photos, videos, calls, and settings from their phones to a private cloud-based account, providing them with access to their information when in front of a computer or on-the-go using their Xperia™ X1, and making it easy for users to do things like backup their contacts, send text messages from the web, and share their photos and videos with friends and social sites like Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, FriendFeed, and Bebo.

“Panels open up an exciting set of opportunities for users to interact with their personalized experiences, and for developers to help bring them to life,” said Ford Davidson, founder and CEO of Dashwire. “By building out a custom panel, we’ve enabled our users to instantly access all of their photos stored in the cloud with just a flick of their finger.”

The Facebook, Windows Live and Dashwire panels are available for free download via the device’s on-board downloader and from the Sony Ericsson website, where they join the initial panels from Sony Ericsson and Spb software. Panels can also be downloaded from the Sony Ericsson Fun & Downloads web site. Browse to www.sonyericsson.com/fun and select 'panels'.

In addition to panels developed through individual panel partners, Sony Ericsson is working with the independent developer community to encourage them to create exciting and innovative panels based on the recently released Beta software developers kit (SDK) for Windows Mobile 6.1 compatible with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development environment and Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. To encourage developers to work with the SDK, Sony Ericsson has dedicated a category of its 2008 Content Awards to the design of Xperia™ panels.

“Sony Ericsson is committed to building a rich and dynamic panel eco-system for the Xperia™ X1 that will really bring the power of the handset to life”, said Rikko Sakaguchi, CVP and Head of Creation and Development at Sony Ericsson. “Making the Windows Mobile SDK available for free to developers and mobile content creators will accelerate the development of new panels and applications for the Xperia™ X1, offering consumer choice and personalisation.”

Entries to the Panel Competition are invited from any developers, both companies and individuals, who develop a panel for the Xperia™ X1. The Panel Competition winner will be announced at Mobile World Congress and featured in Sony Ericsson events at the show. In addition, they will be invited to an exclusive two day workshop and presentation at the Sony Ericsson head quarters in Lund, Sweden where they will present their projects to top Sony Ericsson executives and spend one on one time with several senior Sony Ericsson directors to discuss new joint business ventures.

To find out how to enter the panel competition which has been extended until January 30th, 2009, please visit www.sonyericsson.com/contentawards

Link

Monday, November 24, 2008

New Paris P5i P200 Video Review

Even though it is official cancelled, somebody got a proto and did a little review in 2 Youtube videos. Enjoy.

Part 1


Part 2

Monday, November 17, 2008

C905 pushes Sony Ericsson to top


C905 pushes Sony Ericsson to top

November 17, 2008

New Sony Ericsson C905 sees Sony Ericsson claim UK top spot from Samsung for one week only, with Nokia down in third

Sony Ericsson has topped the weekly sales statistics with a brand share of 28.7 per cent following the launch of its C905.

According to figures published by GfK for week 44 of the year, Samsung hit second with Nokia third.

Sony Ericsson’s share has grown three per cent since the C905’s launch; it is now the second best selling contract phone.

“This is a really good result,” said Sony Ericsson UK and Ireland marketing manager Dave Hilton.


Link

Thursday, November 13, 2008

New Sony 12MP Exmor camera phone CMOS




Sony is pushing the envelope on Megapixels. First SE announced the first 8MP earlier this year (though not first to market), now Sony is launching a new 12.25 MP Exmor CMOS. Now if they could work on the video recording part at SE, we will be all good. The 8.11MP will be available this month while 5.15 and 12.25 MP will be released in March 2009.

Sony just announced three new Exmor CMOS (5.15, 8.11 and 12.25Mpix) that we'll probably see in our mobile phones in the near future. Included is the world's first 12.25Mpix (effective pixels) 1/2.5 type CMOS, the IMX060PQ.

Sony also announced a 1/2.5 type lens module at 12.25Mpix, the U060F.

Above is a picture taken with the IMX060PQ and its 12.25Mpix.


Link

Black XPERIA X1a exclusive to Best Buy




Looks like the Black XPERIA X1a for be exclusive to Best Buy for now.

Link

XPERIA X1a on Sony Style




The Sony Style store now has the XPERIA X1a for preorder for $799.99. Right now they only list the Silver model because the Black is the Best Buy exclusive for now.
Link

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Official: XPERIA X1a release on November 28



Finally after over 8 months of wondering we in North America get an official release date from Sony Ericsson: November 28, Black Friday. Pre-order will begin tomorrow, November 13 at SonyStyle.com for $799.99. The phone will also be sold at Sony Retailers like Best Buy who is scheduled to get the phone 10 days later according to an earlier post.

Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X1 Available in U.S. for 2008 Holiday Season

Pre-orders for the premium converged device begin today at SonyStyle.com

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – November 12, 2008 – Today, Sony Ericsson North America announced the arrival of the highly anticipated Xperia™ X1 to the U.S. marketplace. The Xperia™ X1 delivers a range of multimedia and communication experiences that have long been coveted and in demand by consumers.
The Xperia X1 will be available unlocked through Sony Electronics and its authorized retailers beginning on "Black Friday," November 28. Pre-orders of the Xperia X1 will be available through the Sony Style Web site at www.sonystyle.com beginning November 13. This premium device will be sold unlocked for the MSRP of $799.99, giving consumers the freedom to choose their own mobile operator and data plan.

"The Xperia X1 continues the Sony Ericsson tradition of delivering the highest quality experiences and the most advanced technology available today," said Karen Morris, vice president of marketing, Sony Ericsson North America. "The most exciting scenarios enabled by the Xperia X1 will be created by consumers – enabling them to customize and personalize their device and content to fit their lifestyle and personality."

The Xperia X1's unique panel user interface is at the heart of the device's ability to create and adapt consumers' personal choices. With up to 9 panels, it's easy to find and enjoy the information and entertainment content they want. Sony Ericsson is busy working with third-party developers to create a wealth of new applications and new panels that will soon be available for download.

By incorporating the Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional operating system, the Xperia X1 frees consumers from their home and office, allowing them connectivity to their content wherever they are.

"Windows Mobile gives people the ability to easily navigate between their business and personal lives," said Todd Peters, vice president of marketing, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft. "The panel user interface found only in the Xperia X1 is bringing unique experiences to consumers who want more from their converged devices."

As Sony Ericsson's most advanced phone to date, the Xperia X1 brings together a large, 3-inch wide VGA display touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard all wrapped into a sleek silver metal- finished arc slider handset. The Xperia X1 supports fast 3G networks, enabling audio and video streaming, high-speed internet surfing, multimedia messaging and email on the go. In addition to delivering 3G mobile broadband speeds, the Xperia X1 supports WiFi to meet the needs of consumers' always connected lifestyles.

In the tradition of Sony Ericsson, the Xperia X1 offers consumers the ultimate multimedia experience with a 3.2 megapixel camera, video streaming, video playback and video recording, and the ability to enjoy all their digital music.

"The Xperia X1 complements Sony Electronics' family of Windows-based devices and leverages the company's heritage of providing beautifully designed, highly functional, portable electronics," said John Kodera, vice president of product marketing, Sony Electronics. "The Xperia X1 delivers the highest quality entertainment, communication and personalization options for consumers."

Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X1 – At a Glance

Camera
• Auto focus
• 3.2 megapixel camera
• Photo light
• Video recording
Multimedia
• Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
• Media player
• Music tones
• Windows Media® Player Mobile
• 3D games
• FM radio
• Java™
• Video streaming
• Video viewing
Internet7
• Internet Explorer® Mobile
• RSS feeds
• Opera™ 9.5

Communication and Messaging
• Polyphonic ringtones
• Speakerphone
• Vibrating alert
• Video calling
• Email
• Picture messaging (MMS)
• Predictive text input
• Text messaging (SMS)
Design
• XPERIA™ panels
• Optical joystick navigation
• Navigation key
• Picture wallpaper
• Touch navigation
Organizer
• Alarm clock
• Calculator
• Calendar
• Document editors
• Document readers
• Flight mode
• Handwriting recognition
• Notes
• Phone book
• Tasks
• Touchscreen Connectivity
• aGPS
• Bluetooth™ technology
• Modem
• Synchronization
• USB support
• WLAN
Windows Mobile® Operating System
• Microsoft® Outlook® Mobile: email, contacts, calendar, tasks
• Microsoft® Office Mobile: Word Mobile, Excel® Mobile, PowerPoint® Mobile
• Windows Live™
• Microsoft® ActiveSync®
• Voice control
• Utility Applications: file explorer, calculator, pictures & video, notes
Facts and Figures
Size: 110 x 53 x 16.7 mm (approx.)
Weight: 145 grams (approx.)
Available colors: Silver
Main screen: 65,536 color TFT
Resolution: 800 X 480 pixels
Size: 3 inches (approx.)
Phone memory5: up to 400 MB
microSD™ memory card support
Networks:
GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA 850/1900/2100 MHz

Monday, November 10, 2008

XPERIA X1a coming December 7



According to an leaked inventory screen shot from somebody at Best Buy, the Sony Ericsson X1a is coming to the USA retailer on December 7 and will retail for $799.99 unlocked.

Link

Friday, November 7, 2008

The End of UIQ


Attention everybody at UIQ, you are all fired.


With Sony Ericsson's and Motorola's decision to stop using the UIQ platform in future products the long term future of UIQ Technology, the company behind the platform, was thrown into doubt. As things currently stand the long term future of the company is not secure. As a result, yesterday, its remaining 270 employees were put on notice of dismissal. However Sony Ericsson has agreed to continue funding the company on a by month by month basis in order to allow the company to investigate options for the future.

Following on from a board meeting on Wednesday the staff were given the news on Thursday. Originally it was feared that the UIQ Technology's activities might have to cease with immediate effect, but Sony Ericsson is allowing for a transition period. Motorola, UIQ Technology's other share holder is not involved.

Sony Ericsson has made no specific commitment to the time for which it will continue to fund UIQ Technology, but it is likely to be only long enough to explore realistic options for the future. These may include acquisition by a third party (in whole or in part) or internal projects leading to restructuring of the company. There are also plans to assist staff in future endeavours; both those seeking new employment with existing companies and those who wish to start their own companies.

The people making up UIQ are a very valuable asset and have a great deal of experience and specialist expertise both collectively and individually. Given the relative shortage of experienced engineers in the Symbian ecosystem this could be a good opportunity for companies looking for people with expertise in usability design and software development.

UIQ Technology's offices are part of Ronneby's Soft Center, an ITC focused business park and incubator associated with the local technical university. It seems reasonable that several start ups could emerge from UIQ Technology.

This news essentially heralds the end point of the UIQ platform. While it was, perhaps, an inevitable result of the formation Symbian Foundation, it has concluded with a somewhat surprising degree of speed. Both Sony Ericsson and Motorola have dropped a number of UIQ phones that were in development with anticipated release dates in 2008 and 2009.

We'll be reflecting on the story of UIQ in more detail in a future article.

Sources: UIQ Technology, BLT.se



Link

20MP, HD Video, 1Ghz, XGA screen phones in 2012

Ericsson is planning a lot for the year 2012 according to a press release yesterday.








Ericsson AB of Sweden revealed its efforts in the mobile broadband market at a press conference Nov 6, 2008.

In the area of mobile communications, innovative technologies such as "HSPA evolution," which is the successor to HSPA, and "LTE (long term evolution)," which features high-speed communications of more than 100Mbps, are drawing interest. For both of these technologies, Ericsson intends to proactively develop and market embedded modules, base station facilities and other products.

During the conference, Ericsson mentioned its concept of a future mobile terminal as "a mobile device in 2012." According to the concept, high-function terminals, in the future, will be equipped with a 12- to 20-Mpixel camera and support full HD video shooting capability.

"We have an image of a mobile terminal equipped with digital camera and camcorder capabilities of the future," said Jonas Lundstedt, Ericsson's Director Portfolio Management, Product and Portfolio Management.

The terminal's display will have XGA resolution. And the operating frequency of the application processor will reach 1GHz, he said. As for its telecommunications functionality, Ericsson expects the device to support 100Mbps or faster LTE.

The company considers that the market shift toward such a future mobile terminal is gradual. Current HSPA technology has a maximum transmission speed of 7.2Mbps, and 59 commercial networks are already operating around the world (38 of which are using Ericsson's system), it said. According to Ericsson, 805 kinds of HSPA-compatible terminals have been released from 129 manufacturers thus far.

"HSPA evolution," an extended version of HSPA, will emerge in late 2008 or later, with the maximum data transmission speed expected to rise to 21Mbps.

"W-CDMA, which has a maximum speed of 384Kbps, emerged in about 2002," Lundstedt said. "The capacity of data transmission will have grown 60 times larger in the six years since then."

On the other hand, he considers that the degree of the introduction of LTE is different depending on the region. The early shift to LTE is scheduled in some regions including Japan, whereas HSPA and HSPA evolution are likely to remain the mainstream for some time to come in other regions, he said.

Link

Live pics of W705

Here are live pics of the W705. Thanks to Rog over at SE-Community. Follow the link for more pics.








Link

Thursday, November 6, 2008

C905 walkthrough shot with Samsung INNOV8 i8510

W705, W705u, MBS-900 announced





Specifications:

- GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 900/2100
- Screen: 240 x 320 pixels, 262,144 colour TFT, 2.4
- 3.2-Mp camera with photo flash
- 120MB phone memory + 4 GB M2 in the box
- Walkman™ 3.0 with Clear Audio Experience
- TrackID™, Shake control, SensMe™
- Size: 95 x 47.5 x 14.3 mm, weight: 98 grams
- Two colours: Luxury Silver and Passionate Red
- Available from February 2009


Sony Ericsson takes mobile music into 2009 with the W705 Walkman™ phone and Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900

06 November 2008

Building on an array of innovative launches in 2008, Sony Ericsson announces two new products into its mobile music range looking beyond music into 2009 to offer the most state-of-the art mobile music experience.

Liverpool, UK – November 6, 2008 – Introducing advanced wireless connectivity combined with Sony Ericsson’s best-in-class audio experience, the W705 Walkman™ phone and Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900 were unveiled today in conjunction with the MTV Europe Music Awards where Sony Ericsson is one of the main sponsors. The latest products underpin Sony Ericsson’s commitment to provide consumers with an enhanced mobile entertainment experience however they choose to consume media.

Using Wi-Fi™ to connect to broadband hot spots, consumers can use their W705 to go online for the best songs or most popular YouTube™ video clips or stream tunes wirelessly to the stylish MBS-900 speaker via Bluetooth™. With Clear Bass, Clear Stereo and premium headphones, the W705 delivers a sound that has crystal clear clarity and is dynamic, rich and natural.

“We’re really proud of what we have achieved in 2008 with our market leading mobile music range, said Ben Padley, Head of Global Music Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “Combining premium design and best-in-class sound quality with super-fast access to a host of digital content whether it be from PlayNow ™ arena or via the web, we really are offering the most feature-rich mobile music experience available today.”

The W705 features the same superior sound quality as the W980 Walkman™ phone which was rated “best audio experience” in a trial conducted in Germany by TESTfactory*. The W705 includes popular Walkman™ features such as the music recognition application TrackID™, SensMe™, for matching your mood to the music and Shake control to change tracks with the flick of your hand.

Also available on the W705 is PlayNow™ arena which provides a full range of mobile entertainment - unique themes and wallpapers, ring tones, a wealth of free content and of course DRM-free music tracks and TrackID charts from around the world.

The W705 is much more than a music phone. Its exclusive metal finish combines with a large screen in an elegant and compact slider for a professional feel. Use the 3.2 megapixel camera to snap photos of friends and upload them using Wi-Fi to your social networking site for all to see. Can’t see a site properly? Auto rotate between vertical and horizontal mode to view the internet in all its glory.

The new W705

  • Award-winning clear audio experience – listen to music as it was meant to be heard
  • Desktop direct search to online music – Go online for the best songs and most popular videos on YouTube™
  • Wi-Fi™ and DLNA certified™ – connect the way you want
  • PlayNow™ arena - a complete range of mobile entertainment
  • Shake control – switch tracks and control the volume with the flick of a wrist
  • SensMe™ - create playlists based on mood rather than artists or genres
  • Large 2.4” screen – view websites and emails with high clarity
  • Automatic rotation – switch from portrait to landscape with just a tilt of the phone
  • Google Maps™ for Mobile – never get lost again
  • 3.2 megapixel camera – snap and share your favourite images via Bluetooth™
  • FM radio with TrackID™ - listen to the radio while on the move
  • 4GB memory card – store up to 3900 songs**

To compliment the W705 is the Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900. Perfect for those who want to be first with all the gadgets, the unique innovative design of the Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900 makes a real stylish statement in a home. The MBS-900 connects wirelessly to your mobile phone through Bluetooth™ giving crystal-clear sound through the high quality, dual speaker and sub-woofer system.

The Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900 is a complete speaker system to be proud of. Make the most of a wireless world and adjust the music settings from the other side of the room with your phone, or use the touch controls on the speaker for smooth control of the music. Users can even listen to the built-in radio and make a phone call at the same time, or if the phone rings the speakers will cleverly automatically mute. Just plug the Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900 into a power socket, sit back and enjoy!

The new Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900
Let your music take shape

  • Unique and innovative design – make a statement in your home
  • 2.1 audio for a complete audio experience
  • Stream music wirelessly – supports Bluetooth™ A2DP and AVRCP profile
  • Transfer music from PC and MP3 using the 3.5 line-in function
  • Built-in FM receiver – listen to the radio independently of the phone
  • Control music settings with your mobile phone or speaker touch keys
  • Monochrome OLED display – view track names in all their glory as well as music settings such as bass and treble.
  • Call coming in? - Music mutes

Also announced today is the W705u Walkman™. UMA enables users to seamlessly roam between the mobile network and local area networks thanks to GSM/Wi-Fi™ dual capabilities. The W705u is exclusive to the operator Orange in markets where Orange is present.

The W705 and W705u (exclusive to Orange) support GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSPA 900/2100. W705 will be available in selected markets from Q1 2009 in the colours Luxury Silver and Passionate Red. W705u (exclusive to Orange) will be available from Q1 2009 in the colour.

The Wireless Home Audio System MBS-900 will be available from Q1 2009




Link

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

How to make your Sony Ericsson say "Sony Ericsson ROCKS!"

I thought this was very interesting. Nice Easter Egg on SE's part.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Thursday announcement, W705 specs + pics

Cellphonesail has posted new info on W705 Rika that is going to be announced Thursday. Like the G705 there will be an UMA version, W705u Norika.

Remember G705’s Walkman sister? or should I say ‘Rika’ the name which will soon replace by W705.

Let’s have a look at Rika

Pattern of Rika's Back

W705 in Passionate Red

red-top red-bottom

red-right-close red-left-close-2

red-front-slide red-back-slide

hit the links for more pics

W705 in Luxury Silver

silver-top silver-bottom

silver-right-close-1 silver-left-close-1

silver-front-slide silver-back-slide-1

note that some of the pictures above may not reflect the real unit since they are very early rendering.

then there are some pictures of the UI.

240x320-trackdetails

Track ID w/ Play Now link

rikams01

Send Sound

rikams02

Chat View

what’s more?

  • 4 GB M2 and HPM-77 included to go with the CLEAR audio experience
  • YouTube application
  • Chat view for messaging
  • the price is probably about the same as W595 when launch!
Link

My Nokia Lumia 920 Blog