The Xperia X10 is the first Android smartphone Sony Ericsson signed. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processor clocked at 1 GHz QSD8250 and is equipped with a 4-inch capacitive screen displaying a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels (WVGA). A phone full of promise.
The X10 covets the top of the podium smartphones, neither more nor less. Its 4-inch screen is huge. It promises a comfortable browsing. The X10 takes 8 megapixel photos with flash and autofocus. The Android smartphone is compatible with 50,000 applications (Android Market). What more?
The X10 marks the return of Sony Ericsson smartphones on the market dream. In recent years, the Japan-Sweden manufacturer multiplied errors on this segment. Its smartphones had the same weakness: a Symbian OS with either exceeded or Windows. The X10 does not have that handicap. He embarked Android, a sure bet. And if the Xperia X10 was a good compromise deal with the iPhone?
Package Contents
Out of the box, the X10 seems immense. In reality, it is barely bigger than iPhone. It measures four millimeters in length more and more of a millimeter in thickness.
• Charger
• A synchronization cable Micro USB format
• A stereo headset
• A memory card 8GB
• A battery
The pack is not fancy but very complete, including mobile and usual accessories.
Appearance and Design
The X10 sports a fairly solid design, while edges. Its rectangular shape is reminiscent of a brick. When the returns, a hunched back is revealed, the antithesis of the front. The combination was not much charm. But the X10 is still an ounce of class. Unfortunately, the materials of the X10 are not worthy of a premium mobile. The plastic shells are very common. The buttons are too flashy. They imitate the chrome without illusion. The touch, these buttons appear too light. The impression generated by the X10 black is very flattering. But the X10 is also white. In this color, its visual look more pleasant.
The buttons on the X10 are no surprises. On the front, there are three buttons: back, home, and options.
On the right spine, a volume button and a trigger image.
However, there is no button on the left side edge.
Above the mobile, a key to lock the mobile, or unlock. To unlock the screen, a second step is required. It should move a small arrow pointing up. Better to make this gesture gently touch screen of the X10 lacks sensitivity. Finally, we also find the 3.5mm jack and microUSB connector.
As for the bottom of the mobile, we find the location to put a leash if necessary.
Its screen measures 4 inches, 3.2 inches cons for the HTC Legend, 3.5 inches for the iPhone, 3.7 inches for the Motorola Milestone, and 4.3 inches for the colossus from HTC, the HD2. The screen of Sony Ericsson is really great. Its definition is excellent: 854×480 pixels. It’s a nice screen, even if its colors seem a bit cold, and the brightness a bit tight. The weight of the X10 is still reasonable 135 grams. Many users are used to carry a load equivalent in their pocket.
The X10 has no mechanical keyboard. It takes text on a virtual keyboard. The keyboard Android is usually quite pleasant. On the X10, it is recalcitrant. They beat often literally next door. The default is for the touch screen of the X10, rather imprecise. This defect tolerable in almost all applications. But in the exercise of precision that is to type quickly on the keys of 4 mm in width, it is hardly excusable.
The X10 is bristling with antennas: 3G, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth. Its internal memory is small (1GB). But fortunately, it comes with an 8GB memory card. It can store 1500 songs plus a few hundred photos. For many users, it’s enough.
OS & Ergonomics
The menus are clear enough of the X10. This is not a surprise, since the X10 is a mobile Android. Sony Ericsson has added an aesthetic touch to the Google OS. A blue theme pervades the office. We find this blue tint in many applications. The result is successful. Too bad the icons remain unchanged. They lack the charm and clarity. The icons on the iPhone or the Palm Pre are lighter and more enjoyable.
As always on Android, applications are grouped in a menu. This menu appears with a simple swipe of a finger. Applications are listed alphabetically. Provided that you install some new applications, the list is endless. Again, an iPhone is more clear. The X10 is fast. All of its menus open and close in a flash. The processor at 1GHz Snapdragon is for something.
The major strength of Android is his office. A free space, customizable depth. You can delete all the shortcuts and replace them with those you prefer. Better still you can put “widgets,” small programs such as Agenda, the search window, Facebook, etc.. Anrdoid but offers a score. But you can download hundreds on the Internet, via Android Market. An online store rather pleasant to use. For example, we recovered a Widget Gizmodo, which broadcasts the titles of recent articles in the U.S. site.
Android is certainly not the operating system easier market. However, it is the most customizable. The curious never deplete exploration opportunities offered by the widgets and applications. The technophiles can customize Android exactly to their taste. As for traditional customers, they may miss these opportunities for customization, because to understand the interest, or need to understand its functioning.
The X10 is shipped with an old version of Android 1.6. Sony Ericsson could offer the update to Android 2.1 in a few months. For now, the decision has not yet been arrested. This update would make several significant improvements to X10, such as multicast management, and the possibility of merging the SIM contacts with Facebook contacts.
The smartphone also loads a wrapper suitable for Sony Ericsson is definitely centered around the contacts and social networks like the interface of the Motorola MotoBlur Dext. It is the application Timescape which we shall return later in this test.
Functions Multimedia (Camera / Video)
The camera’s X10 crystallizes much hope. The picture is the big weak point of smartphones. None are able to take excellent photos. The X10 is equipped with an 8 megapixel photo sensor where its competitors capped at 5 megapixels (out old Nokia smartphones). And as Sony Ericsson makes excellent mobile photography, the real hope is that the X10 delivers real improvement. Alas, the pictures of the Sony Ericsson are disappointing. Their quality is good, certainly, but not excellent. Many smartphones are both 5 megapixels – the Motorola and Nokia Milestone X97 mini particular.
Photos taken from the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 [click to enlarge]
The defining images of Xperia X10 is not really superior to its competitors: the eye does not see any additional detail. The color pictures of the X10 are sometimes overly bright. Under dim light, light a 60 watt bulb for example, the photos are correct, nothing more. As the flash of the X10, it is barely two meters. These results are not exceptional. Photos of the X10 are good. But with a compact camera quality, it takes better shots.
The X10 is a camcorder fair. It films in 800×480 though, excellent resolution. But the results are not up to our expectations. The sequences of the X10 saccadent much when you move the mobile. The white objects are sometimes slightly burned. The lack of natural colors. Overall, the sequences of the X10 is only correct. IPhone filming videos a little more beautiful.
Other functions (internet, MP3 player, WiFi, Bluetooth …)
The MP3 player X10 delivers sound correct. The bass is too present, the tools lacking dynamics. But these flaws are minor: only music lovers will be embarrassed. The X10 has a standard headphone jack (3.5mm jack), which can connect any type of headphones. The player menus are clear enough. You can file a widget on the desktop to control the live music. Practice.
With its 4-inch screen, the X10 should be a wonderful video player. Alas, he does not read nor divX, xVid neither. No application for Android is free to read these video files. The few programs that are able to cost $ 10 minimum. The X10 bed happily MPEG4 video files. What can watch podcasts. The video player of the X10 is quite pleasant to use.
The new Xperia comes with two satellite navigation software: Google Maps for guiding pedestrians and Wisepilot for car navigation. Wiespilot is a software Offboard: to work, it must be connected to the Internet.
The web browser of the X10 has many strengths. The web pages are very readable. The controls respond to the finger and the eye. The page scrolling is fluid, although the touch screen is not perfectly natural. The pages load quickly. However, the zoom is unpleasant. Now it is indispensable.
When looking at an overview of the page, the characters are illegible. It should zoom in on paragraphs of text to read. On many smartphones, just double click to zoom. Other mobile can also pinch the screen with two fingers. None of that here. The only way to zoom is to press zoom in on an icon. It’s quite unpleasant. It takes four or five clicks to zoom in an entire paragraph.
The email software is rather convincing, especially if you have a Google Account. The setup takes a few seconds. If you’re not in Gmail, the configuration is more complicated. Assistant n’automatise nothing: we must specify the “SMTP” and “POP” manually. Some users will be completely lost. Once set, you breathe. The scrolling is fast couriers. The HTML mail is read perfectly, images and colored fonts are displayed well. However, it is impossible to delete multiple emails at once. Unpleasant. Problem solved by version 2.1 of Android. Fingers crossed for Sony Ericsson allows the update of the X10.
The new Xperia can post photos on Facebook, and YouTube videos. It comes with a nice Facebook application. We access the news, on the wall of his friends, their photos, their own profile and notifications. The Twitter client is also pleasant to use.
Rest of the chef’s surprise: Timescape. A beautiful waterfall of information, drawing on his messages to four sources: Facebook, Twitter, SMS, emails. Timescape merge these posts in a huge pile of sixty messages. It runs through the stack of course, dragging down the posts. The oldest posts are at the bottom. Each message is detailed enough to make people want to click. Or not. Are shown: the issuer and its picture, the beginning of the message, the time of publication. The social browser is quite stunning. Timescape is a real must for heavy users of social networks. No other smartphone is no reason to keep an eye on his network of friends with such fluidity. Bravo.
Also note that the application Mediascape includes any content that is local (photos, music, videos) or online (YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, PlayNow). You will quickly find all content from your favorite artist on YouTube whether or PlayNow example. The research will be done automatically on all local sources on the web.
Finally, Sony Ericsson has teamed up with John Paul, leader of the private concierge, offering one year of service via an embedded application called Serve.Me. Looking for a restaurant to your taste? Serve.Me offers a selection of properties in 3 clicks and a concierge to reserve the best table. Beyond one year, it will then be possible to extend the subscription associated with this application directly to John Paul at the price of 1 euro per day.
Conclusion
The X10′s battery takes 24 hours of intensive use. If the household, it takes one day and a half. The X10 is sold € 550. A normal price to this level of equipment.
If you love follow your friends on the Internet, the X10 is the motive for you. It offers a magnificent overview on Facebook, Twitter, your mails and SMS. The X10 is a good Android mobile, fast, benefits from a huge screen. For a small additional investment, we can play DivX movies. The X10 takes good pictures, MP3 player is comfortable. The X10 is a mobile full of qualities.
Must still be able to tolerate its faults. We’ll have to get used to the keyboard unpleasant, unflattering to its plastic, its Web browser with a zoom system Paleolithic. Sony Ericsson is on the right track. It is hoped that the next generation of Xperia find the fundamentals of the brand image excellence and quality workmanship exemplary. If this challenge is met, Sony Ericsson burnish its faded. And sales depart.
