Source code for Xperia X10 multi-touch update released
You’ve got to feel for Xperia X10 owners. They spent most of 2010 stuck on Android 1.6, and so far 2011 has brought the news that the device will never get an official update to Android 2.2 Froyo.
Some good news has emerged recently, however, with the publication of some new source code for the X10, X10 Mini and X8 on Sony Ericsson’s Developer World site. The code for the unreleased version 2.1.A.0.390, based on Android 2.1, includes an updated multi-touch driver allowing for dual-touch support, according to the resourceful people at xda-developers. This would be a first for the X10 series, as current touchscreen drivers for these phones only support pinch-to-zoom rather than full multi-touch.
Unfortunately, since the X10′s bootloader is locked, X10 owners will have to wait for Sony (and possibly their carrier) to approve this update before they can get it on their phones. Despite months of effort, the Android community has not yet succeeded in getting custom firmware loaded onto the X10. [xda-developers]
Source code for Xperia X10 multi-touch update released posted originally by Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Pinch to zoom still in the works for Sony Ericsson X10 family (really?)
Prior to the release of the Xperia X10, Sony Ericsson made it clear to potential buyers that their premiere Android phone would not receive any multitouch love. However, in a recent post on their product blog, Sony Ericsson appears to be going back on their word. And that’s a good thing. According to this post, some of their hardworking engineers were able to dig a little deeper into the driver and firmware for the touch digitizer, and enhanced (or enabled) its multi touch tracking.
They also mention that the X10′s digitizer is not perfect when it comes to multitouch, so multitouch functionality will be very limited. How limited, you ask? Right now they plan on enabling pinch to zoom for just the browser and Google Maps. It might not sound like much, but when I stop and think about it, most of my pinching and zooming is done within those two apps. SE also noted that third party applications will also support multitouch/pinch to zoom on the X10, but the experience may be a bit buggy.
SE hasn’t given an exact date as to when you can start using two fingers on your X10, but they’re aiming to have this pushed out via OTA in Q1 of next year. [Sony Ericsson]
Join in on the Xperia X10 discussion in our X10 forum
Pinch to zoom still in the works for Sony Ericsson X10 family (really?) posted originally by Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 update begins rolling out this weekend
If you listen carefully, you can hear the cheer of X10 users all around the world celebrating their impending update to Android 2.1. Scheduled to begin on Sunday in Nordic countries, this 2.1 update will crawl around the world, one market at a time over the coming months.
Although the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 didn’t perform as well as we’d hoped, we were optimistic that its flaws would be ironed out with updates, but unfortunately, the x10 family has been stuck on Android 1.6 since its launch back in August. The hardware inside the Xperia X10 isn’t cutting edge, but it certainly isn’t outdated by any means. Whatever reasons Sony Ericsson had to launch the X10 with an outdated OS remains a mystery to us. I can say with a certain measure of confidence that the X10 would have been received better had it been loaded with Android 2.1. Here’s to hoping an Eclair is all the X10 needed to achieve its full potential.
But I digress. Xperia X10 users, get ready to start enjoying your device even more. Check out the list of enhancements after the break. [via Sony Ericsson Blog]
Posted originally at Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Sony’s roadmap leaked for its Xperia X10 line of phones (hint: No Froyo)
A leaked roadmap for Sony’s Xperia X10 line of phones has been found, showing some of the future updates for the devices. According to the document, there will be three major firmware releases upcoming: 1.6, 2.1 and 2.1x. The Xperia X10 is set to get 2.1 shortly (we have been hearing that for a while), and this update will bring:
- 720 video recording with continuous autofocus
- Five homescreens
- HTML5 support
- A social phonebook that will linke Facebook and Twitter with your Contacts
The X10 Mini, X10 Mini Pro, as well as the X8 are also due to receive the 2.1 OTA. With this update, small updates are given including:
- An incremental change in the four corner navigation
- Bluetooth 2.1
After 2.1, Sony is preparing 2.1x, which is there renewed and alledgly improved UX platform to Timescape and Mediascape.
The bad news is that there was no mention of Froyo (2.2) in the roadmap, leading us and users to question whether the X10 will ever be getting the latest OS version.
No word on dates from the roadmap; we have been hearing that the X10 will be updated so often that anyone’s guess to when that will be is as good as ours. [Xperiax10 via Se-nse]
Posted originally at Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
X-10 Mini, Mini Pro now in color — outside looks better than inside
Sony Ericsson has announced earlier this month that the X10 Mini, and the X10 Mini Pro will soon be available in new colors. The Mini, (right) will be available with a gold shell, while the Mini Pro (left) will feature a pink sliding case. I’ll tell anyone within earshot that I’m not 100 percent sure I like the trend to giant phones, and these sure do look nice. Too bad they only updated the case colors — both the Mini and Mini Pro still run Android 1.6.
For what it’s worth, the new colors should be available next month, and an update to Android 2.1 sometime before hell freezes over in Q4 of this year. SE — we love your phones. They feel great, and have excellent call quality. Please realize that we Android fans need the OS updates more than we need food, and make phones that look this hot run a current version of the software! [SEMC blog]
Posted originally at Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini gets an official tear-down
Interested in seeing the parts of the the new Sony Xperia X10 Mini? Actually, this is actually the E10i model, which is the European version, but it has basically the same guts as its American cousin, the E10a. Clear? We Android lovers are tinkerers at heart, so we never pass up a chance for a good old fashioned tear-down.
According to iFixit, they had no problems taking this little guy apart, and told us that replacing components within the phone should be pretty easy as well. During the operation, a couple of semi-interesting things came to their attention: The 3.7V 950 mAh Li-Polymer battery’s capacity is 22 percent less than the iPhone 3GS’s, but both phones deliver the same 53mAh’s per gram (another point for Android efficiency, we suppose). Also, the digitizer (the touch screen sensor) has the exact same model number as the one in Microsoft’s Kin Two, which could come in handy if you would ever need to replace the screen. [Source: iFixit]
Posted originally at Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
Android 2.1 update for Xperia X10 line moved from Q4 to ‘latter part of Q3′
At the same time as it announced the Xperia X8, Sony Ericsson revised its update schedule for the Xperia X10, X10 Mini Pro and X10 Mini (seen here from left). Previously slated to get Android 2.1 in the fourth quarter of this year, updates should now start "from Q3 onwards," according to a press release and the official SE Product Blog. The blog goes a tad further, saying the upgrades will start "from the latter part of Q3." Still long overdue, but some movement is better than none at all. [Press release, SE Product Blog]
Posted originally at Android Central
Sponsored by Android Cases and Accessories
The Xperia X10 Mini gets unboxed and reminds us how small it is
Surprise! The Xperia X10 Mini is really small. How small? Take a look at that unboxing video above, the accessories of the X10 Mini is bigger than the X10 Mini itself! Even though we saw the X10 Mini at MWC and have seen commercials for it, we just never get over how small the thing is. It’s a cute little phone that can totally corner the mini smartphone market. Well, if there’s such thing as a mini smartphone market that is. The X10 Mini looks to have customizable battery covers so you can rock all the pink, red, green, and silver you like. Though its big brother device disappointed us, maybe we’ll look at the X10 Mini in a different light. If just has to get here. [SE product blog]
An Xperia X10 Mini commercial that dances around the phone
Here’s Sony Ericsson’s latest ad spot on the Xperia X10 Mini (which just cleared the FCC!) and while we applaud the amazing finger dancing choreography, we just don’t get it. Sure, fingers dancing on a table can look great on screen but it does nothing to show off the actual features of the phone. Wouldn’t it be much more effective if the fingers danced on the phone’s screen, showing off its features, than around it? So why not show off the Xperia X10 Mini’s biggest appeal, its portability, instead?
What do you guys think? Should we relax and enjoy the "fun-ness" of the ad spot? Or did Sony Ericsson miss once again? [via androidandme]
The Xperia X10 Mini clears the FCC
The lovely little Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini just cleared the FCC and is maybe on its way to release, well, somewhere. Our previous report had pointed both the X10 Mini & X10 Mini Pro to our friendly neighbors to the north, Canada, but this particular device that cleared the FCC is packing European-friendly bands.
Does this put a damper on the expected Rogers release date of May or June? It definitely wouldn’t be the first time Sony Ericsson delayed a device, that’s for sure (cf. Original Xperia X10) [fcc via engadget]