Good news for developers, the Sony Ericsson SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1 has been officially announced. The SDK focuses on an ecosystem of Panels, letting developers and partners create different panels ranging from widgets, applications, to online services. Sony Ericsson aims to deliver multimedia Panels where as other partners such as Google and Handango will deliver Panels based on different Panel categories.
Here’s a video featuring Ramanath Bhat, Sr. Manager XPERIA X1 Application and Product Planning, talking about the Panels SDK:
Download the SDK.
Great news! Folks from Mobiholics found the following at the Handango Partner Newsletter:
It seems like mid-September is the target XPERIA X1 release, in time for the holidays!
The XPERIA X1 will also have the Handango InHand service when it launches:
Handango InHand offers free and convenient access to mobile content directly from your smartphone. InHand simplifies the process of finding, installing and purchasing the content you want.
[Thanks Jeremy!]
Geek.com just released an article on ideas on how to iPhone-ify a Windows Mobile device. I do think that the three apps mentioned, Vito Technology’s Communication Suite ($39.95), PointUI (free), and SPB Mobile Shell ($29.95), will be great add-ons to the XPERIA X1 (if they support the X1 screen resolution).
Below are some app screenshots from the article:
Vito Technology’s Communication Suite
PointUI
SPB Mobile Shell
What other apps do you all think will enhance the XPERIA experience?
Read the full article.
Sony Ericssion just released the official
XPERIA X1 White Paper. While we know most of its features already, there are a lot of items in the document that are have been described in more detail. Below are some selected X1 details:
1. Pre-loaded XPERIA panels:
- Sony Ericsson Panel - news weather, finance, worl clock, weather, and app shortcuts
- Media Experience Panel - multimedia consumption and navigation
- Slideshow Panel - slideshow of recent videos and pics
- microsoft Today Panel - standard Windows Mobile Today screen
- 3D Fish Panel - Aquarium with 3D fishes
- Custom Panels - user customized
2. Media Sharing - allows media sharing (DLNA compatible) via ActiveSync or WiFi
Read More…
For those wondering how much of the XPERIA X1 is HTC, Microsoft, and Sony Ericsson, an interview with Todd Warren, Microsoft Windows Mobile VP, at
Unwired View, provides some clarification:
The actual experience was done by Sony Ericsson, so a lot of work that we’ve done is to walk this very fine line and create a common platform for application developers and a common course set of experience so a user who picks up a Windows Mobile phone by a different manufacturer can immediately figure out how to use it. Sort of just like any person who gets into a car can find the steering wheel, brakes and the gas pedal; and how to drive that car. But also offering the opportunity for our partners that have expertise in particular areas, to bring those applications to the foreground.
So, the panels, the user interface on Sony XPERIA was done by Sony Ericsson. We provide them some developer support, but it’s all done on open document APIs, any programmer would have access to atop of Windows Mobile.
I have been waiting to hear this. During the Sony Clié days, Sony created Clié Organizer, a ‘Sony version’ of PIM apps with numerous new features, more professional looking, but still maintaining backwards compatibility with the standard Palm OS PIM apps (here’s my original review of Clié Organizer for those who want to read it). Sony has a huge software and R&D team, and I can’t wait for what other new Sony / Sony Ericsson apps they will be including in the XPERIA.
Watch Unwired View’s full intereview of Todd Warren after the jump.
Read More…
