Android 2.1 Eclair Upgrade Finally Coming To Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

This is a return-favor for Chad who posted a couple of articles when I was on vacation. This article is also for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, Xperia X10 mini, and X10 mini pro owners, who like Chad, have been waiting for the Android 2.1 Eclair upgrade.

The Android 2.1 Eclair upgrade for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 series will be available on October 31, 2010 according to a blog post on the Sony Ericsson website. Users will be notified of the update over-the-air, but because of the size of the download, Android Eclair 2.1 will have to be installed using the companion software that came with your SE Xperia X10.

The improvements brought about by the Android 2.1 Eclair upgrade are as follows:

SE Xperia X10:
• HD video recording with continuous auto-focus for high quality videos
• Upgrade of the Android platform to Android 2.1
• New back up and restore application, with extended content back up
• 5 homescreens for apps, widgets, shortcuts and folders
• Social phonebook which automatically syncs contact pictures from Facebook and shows when your friends are online

SE Xperia X10 mini and SE X10 mini pro:
• Improved Bluetooth functionality with support for sending and receiving pictures, contacts and more
• New backup and restore application with extended content back up
• Automatic synchronization of your contact pictures between Facebook and your phone book
• Improved ways of handling pictures, audio, text and numbers in your messages
• Upgrade of the Android platform to Android platform 2.1

Proceed to the Sony Ericsson Update page HERE to check out if it's now available in your country.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10's Mini Me's: The World's Smallest Android Phones

 The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro are declared as the world's smallest Android smartphones with a dimensions of 3.2 by 1.9 and 2.05 respectively-- approximately the size of a credit card. Small, but powerful enough.

Continue Reading “Sony Ericsson Xperia X10's Mini Me's: The World's Smallest Android Phones”  »»

Swype.. It's Time To Swipe And Stop Tapping..

I woke up late in the morning, my very technogoogler friend popped a buzz and message on my screen for a new review for my Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i and for the sake of my fellow Android users. Here's my review about Swype, a new input software for Android which allows the user to swipe as a way to inputting text, keys and symbols when composing SMS, Emails, making posts and comments in Social Networking Sites or even typing an URL over the traditional way of inputting on touch screen devices. Kudos to the developer of this app, it's fun to play and use it.

Continue Reading “Swype.. It's Time To Swipe And Stop Tapping..”  »»

Fring Two-Way Video Call Now On The Android

If you've never heard of Fring before, well it is a FREE mobile application that works much the same as any chat application for mobiles--except for one feature. Fring can make two-way video calls and it works on the Skype network--although it should work with other video chatting services like GTalk and Yahoo Messenger among others.

Continue Reading “Fring Two-Way Video Call Now On The Android”  »»

Xperia X10i Review Part 2 : More More More More Apps...

Update: Androd 2.1 Eclair Upgrade Finally Coming To Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

After two weeks of googling, torrents or using slideme.org for apps for my Xperia X10i. Here's the apps that I've installed. For apps site, visit slideme.org or android.com/market/ using the phone connection either (GPRS or WiFi) then download the client for your X10i. But it is more convenient to use a computer to get the URL for the app maker then download it from there.

Continue Reading “Xperia X10i Review Part 2 : More More More More Apps...”  »»

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i

Almost 2 years of getting stuck with a regular mobile phone, I finally decided to replace my mobile phone with a smartphone (others call it as mobile internet device.)

Convinced for the early part of the year to buy Satio because of it's digicam features, I was almost convinced to buy it at the start of June. While waiting for the price to go down a little bit , I saw the Xperia X10i displayed at an Electronic Shop near my workplace. Sorry Satio, but the Android is much better.

The sad part though is, it broke my piggy bank just to take the Xperia X10i home.

That said, here's a brief review of my Xperia X10i.
Updates:  
Androd 2.1 Eclair Upgrade Finally Coming To Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
Xperia X10i Review Part 2 : More More More More Apps...

Inside the box
- charger and USB cable (cable can be attached and detached from the charger)
- 8GB microSD card
- MW600 Bluetooth stereo headset
- 3.5 mm stereo headset Super Bass
- leather case

Interface
Android OS 1.6 is very user friendly with it's icons. Navigating through programs, settings, creating a mms, connecting through wireless networks is just like you are turning page by page. I read some articles about the new releases of the OS itself. Android 2.1 and 2.2 respectively and I can't wait for the release of this new OS for Xperia X10i to see the much and improved Android.

Functionality
Very much satisfied with navigating using your fingertip from home to adding widgets either side of the home menu when you are not using Timescape as your home screen. Response to every touch is sensitive so there's an action in every touch from the screen either in menu or inputting text.

Sony Ericsson Apps
Mediascape and Timescape is very awesome application. Mediascape is used to organize all you audio, video and photos while Timescape is an app which shows updates from Facebook, Twitter, Email Account, SMS, MMS, Photos Taken, Call logs, Music and Videos.

There's a Gmail and Gtalk installed also which makes sense because the platform is Google. Moxier Apps is an app that lets you connect to a Microsoft Exchange Email Account, Calendar and Contacts.

OfficeSuite is an app to let you view Document, Spreadsheets and Portable Document Files or pdf.

Youtube and Google Maps app of which there is no need to elaborate on.

And the most commonly used by persons who has trouble of waking up early in the morning the ALARM CLOCK.

Android Market
Browse for free and paid applications at the Android Market for apps suited for your X10i. Best place to get for apps is slideme.org.

Installing apps is completely easy, just download and install and the app is now ready to use.

One of my favorite app the YXFLash which will play avi files and no need to convert to mp4 format.

For chat app, just go to Nimbuzz.com and download the program for the Android.


Battery life
Last up to 2 days when it's used only as a ordinary phone to receive calls and messages Up to 5 hours of battery life when playing music or video, using Timescape and Mediascape which is the featured applications for Xperia X10i. Optimization of battery comes by disabling unused applications, turning off the wireless connectivity using only GSM .

Browsing
Browsing is very simple and fast using the browser by SE but you can still download other browser for X10i at Android Market.

Camera
Good quality of pictures at 8MP but there's no xenon flash but there's a substitute for the flash which is the photo light.
Security
There are four levels of security to prevent unauthorized physical access to your phone. One is do not lend your X10, the second one is screen timeout lock which is just follow the unlock pattern, the third one is the pattern lock which can be seen at the picture.

Pattern lock can be configured at the settings. And last but not the least is the SIM card lock.

I haven't figured out how to browse the Internet using GPRS settings. The cellular company already sent the configuration but it's not working hopefully will figure it out after few more use of my favorite search engine .

So thats it for now and more reviews to come once Android 2.1 arrives.

Update: Xperia X10i Review Part 2 : More More More More Apps...