Android and Me » xperia x10

Gingerbread for Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 available now

Dustin Earley — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:51:23 +0000

If there’s anyone out there still using a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, there’s no doubt you’ve been waiting a long time for this. Now available for download and installation, Gingerbread for the Xperia X10 has been finally released.

Among the normal Gingerbread-flavored enhancements throughout Android 2.3.3, you’ll find a whole slew of new Sony Ericsson specific features that’ll have your device feeling young again:

Facebook inside Xperia – A series of unique Facebook integrations with multimedia apps, phonebook and calendar

The ability to use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

Music player with equalizer

USB tethering – Share your 3G data connection via the USB connector

Photo widget – One click access to your photo gallery app

App tray sorting – Arrange your apps in the order you want them

Since the update to Gingerbread will completely replace the software on your X10, there will be a lot of data overwritten. Some content will no longer be supported, including:

User data (contacts, messages and more) saved in your phone memory will be overwritten; user data saved on the phone’s memory card is not affected

DRM content will be overwritten

The Backup and Restore app will be overwritten and cannot be used to restore data (check out Android Market for alternative apps to back up and restore your data, such as MyBackup)

The Creatouch, Neoreader and Quadrapop apps will be removed

Mediascape, homescreen operator customization and app tray operator customization will no longer be supported

Moxier Exchange will be replaced by Android 2.3 Gingerbread Exchange support

To download Gingerbread, Android 2.3.3, for your Sony Ericsson X10, head on over to Sony’s new software page. You’ll need to have PC Companion installed to update your device. It can be found here. Good luck, and happy updating!

Video: Sony Ericsson shows us Gingerbread on the Xperia X10; update coming in early August

Alberto Vildosola — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:01:55 +0000

The guys and gals at Sony Ericsson want you to know just how busy they’ve been updating the Xperia X10 to Gingerbread. The company just posted on its blog a brief summary of where they are in terms of getting Xperia X10 users some Gingerbread goodness.

Sony Ericsson also took the opportunity to demo a working version of Android 2.3 on the Xperia X10. All in all, everything seems to be running rather smoothly on the video, even though this in not the final version of the update. For those of you who love the Xperia X10′s camera app, you’ll be happy to know the company won’t be getting rid of it, as previously said.

This update will bring many of the typical Gingerbread features to the Xperia X10, but Sony Ericsson will also throw in a few extras for good measure. Like Facebook inside Xperia, a feature the company announced for 2011 models of the Xperia line. The feature ties the social network deeply into your Xperia phone, allowing you to receive Facebook notifications right on the phone’s lockscreen, tag and comment on Facebook photos from the phone’s gallery app and much more.

Users of the Xperia X10 can expect the Gingerbread update to arrive at the beginning of August, according to Sony Ericsson. Although, the timing may vary depending on your carrier. While you wait, make sure you check out some of the features you’ll be getting in the video below. After you do, let us know whether this changes your opinion towards Sony Ericsson’s not-that-great Android updates track record.

Video overview: SONY Ericsson XPERIA Arc camera improvements

Nick Gray — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:51:40 +0000

While playing with the SONY Ericsson XPERIA Arc at SONY’s booth at CES, we were told that the XPERIA Arc’s camera featured substantial improvements over the year’s XPERIA X10. We played around with the camera a bit and tried emailing the image files we took to ourselves. Since the handsets were connected over EDGE, the emails never showed up in our inbox. Fortunately for us, SONY Ericsson has posted a video to highlight some of the new camera features included in the XPERIA Arc.

Compared to other Android phones, the SONY Ericsson XPERIA X10 has one of the best digital cameras currently available. So how could the XPERIA Arc be that much better? SONY Ericsson has equipped the Arc with the SONY Exmor R^TMback-illuminated CMOS image sensor, which allows the Arc to take brighter and more vibrant pictures. To make things even better, the XPERIA Arc’s camera has an aperture value of f/2.4 which allows the camera to have extremely fast shutter speeds even in low light situations.

For more details about the SONY Ericsson’s camera, we suggest you head on over to the official SONY Ericsson Product Blog or simply check out the video clip below. I know we all want a dual-core processor to power our next Android phone, but wouldn’t it be nice if your phone’s camera could actually take better pictures than that $200 point-and-shoot camera you got 4 years ago?

Update: Digging through the SE Product Blog, I was able to find a SONY Ericsson promotional video which shows off some of the capabilities of the Arc’s new camera and how the Exmor R image sensor works. Real world footage will certainly look different, but if the Exmor R can deliver half of what SE is promising, the Arc will certainly be one of the best Android camera phones in 2011.

Are carriers to blame for slow Android software updates? Sony Ericsson points finger at AT&T

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:03:01 +0000

If you are one of the 3 million Samsung Galaxy S owners waiting on Android 2.2, just be glad you didn’t go with a Sony Ericsson X10 phone on AT&T. That device shipped with the outdated Android 1.6 in August and it might not even get Android 2.1 till next year.

What is the reason for the hold up? In a wall post on Facebook, Sony Ericsson points the finger at AT&T and their “especially rigorous” testing process which can take several months to complete.

Sprint and HTC delivered the Android 2.2 update for the EVO just six weeks after it was released, so we know not all carriers are the cause for slow software support. Verizon and Motorola then updated the Droid to Android 2.2 right after Sprint did the EVO, so they also have Android updates figured out.

Out of all the national U.S. carriers, AT&T has done the worst job at supporting their Android devices after launch.

We have heard some rumors that AT&T would not be providing any Android 2.2 updates over the air and would go with a wired software update, but the company doesn’t have any phones with Android 2.2 yet so we are unable to confirm that. It looks like they will eventually update the Samsung Captivate, but we have no release date at this time.

At the end of the day I don’t know if we should place the full blame on the carriers, but they play a large role in the software support equation. Unless you have a hacked device and load custom ROMS, then the carrier if the main source of software updates in the U.S. market.

It doesn’t look like that situation is going to change anytime soon, so keep that in mind next time your AT&T contract comes up for renewal. Would you rather wait six weeks for your next software update or six months?

Sony Ericsson’s message to X10 customers on Facebook:

Hi,

Many of you are aware that we are currently in the midst of rolling out a software update for the Xperia line of handsets. We’d like to take a moment to address your questions about how and why an update is made available.

One factor in determining a software update is when a country first received the handset. The Xperia X10 has been available in some countries since March 2010 and they are also the first to receive the update. The U.S. received the X10 in August 2010 and will receive the update after the initial countries.

The second and more impactful factor of the timeline addresses the technical requirements that must be met in order for an update to take place — no matter which country you live in. Unfortunately, we have no control of that timeline factor. Those requirements are provided to us and we work hard to meet and test them as quickly as we can. In the U.S., the testing process is especially rigorous, and can take months to complete, which is why we cannot announce the timing for availability of the X10 update in the U.S. It’s not that we don’t want to; it’s that the timing is undefined until such testing is completed.

We hear and understand your frustration. We too want you to enjoy the most out of your Sony Ericsson products. We promise to keep you updated on where we are in the process moving forward as more information is ready to be made public. Please stay tuned to this Facebook tab!

Thank you,

Sony Ericsson USA

SONY Ericsson XPERIA X10 officially heading to AT&T

Nick Gray — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:10:50 +0000

We’re not quite sure we agree with SONY Ericsson’s “Smarter is here” statement, but we can say that the XPERIA X10 has finally landed on this side of the Atlantic. The Android handset will be launching on AT&T on August 15^th for $149.99 with a new two year agreement and data package. Like the X10 that’s been available in Europe for nearly six months, the AT&T version of the handset will feature a 4-inch capacitive display, 8.1MP camera with LED flash, 8GB of internal storage, 1GHz processor, and GSP navigation.

We know it’s running Android, but SONY Ericsson’s press release did a very good job of not mentioning which version is backed in to the X10. Our guess is that AT&T customers will be treated to Android 1.6 since SE isn’t planning on rolling out Android 2.1 until the middle of Q3. At the rate SE is moving, we wouldn’t expect to see Froyo running on the XPERIA X10 any time before 2011. The SONY Ericsson XPERIA X10 may not be able to compete head-to-head with the Samsung Captivate, but at $149 the X10 may be able to give the cheaper HTC Aria a run for its money.

Show Press Release

AT&T and Sony Ericsson Announce the Xperia™ X10

Smart meets entertaining – Sony Ericsson’s flagship Android smartphone offers an open and integrated world of communication, entertainment and social media

DALLAS and ATLANTA, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AT&T* and Sony Ericsson today announced a dynamic multimedia experience with the Android™ based Xperia™ X10, available August 15. The Xperia™ X10 introduces Sony Ericsson’s unique and entertainment-driven Xperia™ platform to U.S. customers in a cutting-edge, beautiful and fun package.

The Xperia™ X10 comes fully loaded with a 4-inch crystal clear touch display, superfast 1GHz Snapdragon processor and a GPS. The smartphone also features an 8.1 megapixel camera with smile detection, face recognition, autofocus and LED flash. The device comes with 8 GB of on-board memory and a 2 GB in-box memory card, with expandable memory up to 32 GB.

Sony Ericsson’s custom user experience is great for the intersection of communications and entertainment. Two signature applications, Mediascape and Timescape™, build on the Android platform to enhance the experience for users.

* Mediascape on the Xperia ™ X10 gathers music, photos, videos and content from your phone’s memory card and online, letting you browse, search, listen and share your media from one unified view. For example, view photos taken on the device as well as your Facebook® and Picasa™ web albums. Or, when listening to a favorite song on your phone, press Sony Ericsson’s infinite button to access related content about the artist pulled from the phone’s memory as well as albums, songs and video content from YouTube™ and search results from Google.

* Timescape™ is a unique communication application that automatically organizes social interactions in chronological order, leaving users free to concentrate on keeping in touch on-the-go. From Facebook® and Twitter® updates to photos, emails and text messages, a scrolling menu offers easy viewing and organization of all communications. Additionally, tap the Timescape™ infinite button to bring up and view all communications from a single person in a single place.

“Sony Ericsson has created a unique choice for our smartphone customers looking for a fun and smart device,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.

“Sony Ericsson is raising the bar for entertainment-rich phones with the launch of the Xperia ™ X10,” said Paul Hamnett, senior vice president, Sony Ericsson North America. “With the convergence of our user experience platform and the Android OS, we are bringing consumers a smartphone experience that is not only exciting, but also very refined. Following the successful global launch of the Xperia™ X10, we are pleased to partner with AT&T to launch this phone in the U.S. market.”

Pricing and Availability

The Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X10 smartphone will be available in black at AT&T stores, authorized retailers and www.wireless.att.com on August 15 for $149.99 after a two-year service agreement and minimum smartphone data plan.

For the complete lineup of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Viewable screen display area is measured diagonally.

A portion of memory is used for data management purposes.

Data charges apply for content and updates transferred through the mobile Web.

XPERIA X10 countdown unveiled, U.S. launch imminent

Nick Gray — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:15:38 +0000

The wait is finally almost over! SONY has put up a countdown on their SONY Style website today which is due to expire tomorrow morning. The page itself doesn’t give off many clues besides the back side of a phone which looks strikingly similar to the SONY Ericsson XPERIA X10. Since I personally don’t like playing guessing games, a little digging around in the source code gives me the confidence to say that this is definitely the countdown for the U.S. unveiling of the X10. It’s exciting to see another Android phone with a 1GHz processor and 4 inch display thrown into the mix, though SONY Ericsson is more than a tad late to the party.

The XPERIA X10 was first announced back in early November of 2009, nearly 9 months ago. At the time, the X10 would have been the first Android phone to feature a 1GHz processor, but after numerous delays due to software issues, the X10 finally made it’s European debut in mid February . Though the hardware and exterior design of the handset are phenomenal, the SONY Ericsson has been criticized for still using the Android 1.6 platform to run the X10, while most other high end Android phones are running Android 2.1 or even Android 2.2. We’re not exactly sure if the SONY Ericsson XPERIA X10 is heading to T-Mobile, or AT&T, and it’s hard to say which version of Android it’ll be running. We suggest checking back in tomorrow morning to find out.

If the XPERIA X10 does show up on your carrier with Android 2.1, would you buy it?

SONY Style source code

SONY XPERIA X10 finally gains root access

Nick Gray — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:05:33 +0000

The SONY Ericsson EXPERIA X10 is a formidable phone for Android enthusiasts, but things are about to heat up. The Snapdragon powered Android 1.6 phone has finally been rooted after being available in Europe and Asian since the middle of April.

Those who have used the X10 mainly complain about the fact that it’s running Android 1.6, a build that it nearly a year old. With root access, ROM developers now have the opportunity to cook up some new builds and hopefully give XPERIA X10 owners of taste of Eclair of even Froyo in the coming weeks or months.

For a detailed look at the rooting process and step-by-step instructions, be sure to check out the source link below. Our question to you: does root access change your stance on the XPERIA X10 and what it’s capable of?

Xperia X10 series to receive Android 2.1 in Q4

Taylor Wimberly — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:33:32 +0000

That’s the fact, Jack. Custom versions of Android take longer to upgrade than stock. Most carriers and handset makers expect to upgrade their first gen devices to Android 2.1 in Q2, but Sony Ericsson will wait till Q4 2010.

The news comes via the Sony Ericsson Product Blog which states the X10, X10 Mini, and X10 Mini Pro will all receive a major upgrade to their unique user interface, UXP (UX platform), later this year. We had expected to see an Android 2.1 upgrade by launch, but those hopes have now been crushed.

At the rate Sony is going, we are wondering how long it might take for their phones to possibly get Android 2.2, which we expect to be revealed this summer. Maybe they are actually working on Froyo behind the scenes, but are unable to mention it since Google has not officially announced Android 2.2.

Sony Ericsson provided a brief list of changes coming to the X10s and multitouch was absent. This lends further proof to our report that the X10 will never support multitouch.

Some features included in the new Sony Ericsson upgrade include:

Upgrade to Android OS version 2.1
HD video recording as per the same execution as Sony Ericsson Vivaz
Wireless home connectivity via DLNA
Improvements to signature applications Timescape and Mediascape to make them even smarter and richer

A release on a United States carrier for any of the X10 series is still questionable, but Canadian carrier Rogers will be getting the phone soon.

If the X10 lands on AT&T, will anyone buy it?

Taylor Wimberly — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:51:59 +0000

Reading over the comments left on this site, it looks like the buzz has died down for the Sony Ericsson Experia X10. The phone was unveiled back in November, but no U.S. carriers have announced support for the device.

We have heard over and over that the X10 is almost guaranteed to appear on AT&T, but the carrier has been silent in a time that has many competing phones being announced. A trusted source of Engadget is now claiming the X10 will finally appear on AT&T around late July.

It was originally pitched as a high-end phone, but the X10 still runs the aging Android 1.6 firmware. There have been signs that Sony Ericsson could update the phone to Android 2.1 this year, but that is not supposed to happen till September. Sony Ericsson also told us the X10 would not support multitouch, but other unofficial sources have offered conflicting reports.

With AT&T set to receive multiple high-end phones this year with Android 2.1 (Dell Streak 5, Samsung Galaxy S, Nexus One), how many are still thinking about Sony Ericsson? Does it need Android 2.1 before you would consider purchasing it? Does the multitouch support (or lack thereof) even matter?

Multi-answers about Xperia X10 multitouch

Taylor Wimberly — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:30:25 +0000

We were a little surprised last month when the Sony Ericsson PR team confirmed to us that their Xperia X10 would not support multitouch gestures. It was thought to be a limitation of the hardware and future versions of Android would never enable it. Now we have conflicting information from a “man on the inside” that claims the X10 will receive Android 2.1 this September and it will in fact include multitouch.

With no U.S. launch date in site, the point may be moot by now. Even if the X10 gets multitouch in September, it will surely be overshadowed by newer devices like the Incredible, EVO 4G, Galaxy S, and so forth.

Is anyone out there still willing to plop down the cash to pick up the X10 if it ever comes out? Does the addition of multitouch change your mind at all or has the X10 outlived its own hype?