XPERIA Reviewed ‘Til The Cows Come Home

August 25, 2008 in Handsets, Reviews, Sony Ericsson, Windows Mobile

Smape has got its hands on the hotly anticipated Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 and managed to photograph, video and scribe about pretty much every detail possible, which is all good news for us.

As with many Windows Mobile handsets, the experience is generally good but never fully “there.” Despite the great build quality and high-end choice of materials the reviewer was left unimpressed by the keyboard/directional pad, noting that the Touch Pro was superior in both regards. The reviewer felt at points it was hard to distinguish whether a button had been pressed, and that some usability had been sacrificed in the name of design. However, Smape came off with a generally positive opinion, noting the good quality of the 3.5MP autofocus camera, the 3.5mm jack (a first for SE) and the helpful backlighting present on the device’s controls.

The reviewer felt the software needed some improvements to really be on the same plain as HTC’s TouchFLO 3D. Smape commented that the phone’s UI felt “raw” in parts, although it was attractive and slick, and offered a great step in the right direction for WM.

There is more good news though. Sony Ericsson’s panel interface appears to have very few performance hiccups, and actually uses less memory than TouchFLO. The X1 is also graced with an ample 256MB of RAM to keep performance brisk. In addition, the X1’s already high-end specs, such as quadband GSM and triband HSDPA radios, WiFi. GPS and an excellent 3” 800×480 pixel touchscreen assure the product as one of the major players in the Windows Mobile field.

Smapes conclusion? A good device, with few nitpicks. However, ultimately the device is held back by the presence of the WM software, making the XPERIA more of a niche device then an all out consumer market warrior. For those that use Windows Mobile though, it will certainly make an attractive choice.

Hit up the link for videos of the hardware and software in action, and a deluge of photos.

Review – Smape.com

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to the RSS Feed!

Related Articles: