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Filed under: Cellphones

We know what you’re thinking — it’s Windows Mobile 6.1 fool, we’ve got the developers kit already. True, but not the SDK that allows developers to create custom, interactive panels for the touchscreen QWERTY’s Panel Interface. Sony Ericsson claims that, “The Xperia X1 will offer the richest mobile user experience, putting the world at the fingertips of the user.” In other words, the expectations have been set developers so you’d best get to to downloading the free SDK — you’ve got your work cut out for you. Sony Ericsson will offer a panel download service in the future, showcasing all the panels built by you, Google, and other partners.

Read — SDK download
Read — Press Release

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Cellphones

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/Sony_Ericsson_releases_SDK_for_Xperia_X1_Panel_Interface’; We know what you’re thinking — it’s Windows Mobile 6.1 fool, we’ve got the developers kit already. True, but not the SDK that allows developers to create custom, interactive panels for the touchscreen QWERTY’s Panel Interface. Sony Ericsson claims that, “The Xperia X1 will offer the richest mobile user experience, putting the world at the fingertips of the user.” In other words, the expectations have been set, developers, so you’d best get to to downloading the free SDK — you’ve got your work cut out for you. Sony Ericsson will offer a panel download service in the future, showcasing all the panels built by you, Google, and other partners.

The Panel Applications are meant to be simple, rich, and fully-interactive allowing quick access to your data — eMail, calendar, multimedia, games, IM… you name it. But don’t take our word for it, SE explains the new panel ecosystem in the video posted after the break.

Update: Screenshot of the rudimentary, “Get More Panels” interface after the break.

Read — SDK download
Read — Press Release

Continue reading Sony Ericsson releases SDK for Xperia X1 Panel Interface, panel download service in the works (updated: video)

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Cellphones

Rumors of the XPERIA X1 being delayed to 2009 have been floating around forever, and the chatter’s only gotten louder at IFA — to the point where Sony Ericsson’s been forced into damage-control mode for a second time, telling Reuters that “there is absolutely no delay” and that the company’s first WinMo phone is “on target” to “roll out in Q4.” That’s not quite the “second half of 2008″ SE’s been saying since the X1 was announced, but it’s still in the window — and given the half-baked nature of the devices we got to play with at IFA, we’d say taking a little extra time to get things right isn’t the worst idea in the world, even it means missing that rumored October Vodafone release date.

[Via WM Power User]

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

It’s a little difficult to delay a device that hasn’t gotten a more specific release window than “the second half of 2008″ (from official sources, at least), but Sony Ericsson is doing its darnedest. The scuttlebutt at IFA is that the XPERIA X1 has been delayed to the end of the year, and a Sony rep confirmed to us that it’s looking like December 2008 or January 2009. To blame is the software, specifically Windows Mobile 6.1 (or perhaps SE’s implementation of it), which appeared to be actively destroying the display units Sony has on display at IFA — of the three devices, one had some green status lights, one didn’t work at all, and one turned on briefly, only to crash hard and never return again… a pretty poor showing for day one of the show. Some hands-on shots are below, glaringly void of actual device usage.

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Original post by Paul Miller

Filed under: Cellphones

Attempts to keep the most hotly anticipated consumer electronics devices under wraps these days are getting more and more futile. It’s hard enough for companies to control disgruntled employees and leaks in the international supply chain, stir in a giant government organization and things quickly unravel. Case in point: what is widely believed to be the world’s first Android handset, T-Mobile’s HTC Dream. After Engadget loosed the Dream from its FCC constraints on the 18th of August, HTC contacted the agency on the 19th with a request to use a less detailed diagram for the FCC label placement. Fortunately for us they complied, giving us what can only be construed as official measurements in the process. The newly unveiled 115 x 55-mm dimensions tells us that it beats the iPhone 3G in terms of length and width but is almost certainly thicker than the iPhone due to the Dream’s sliding QWERTY. However, it’s still longer and wider than both the Xperia X1 and HTC’s own Touch Pro QWERTY handsets.

Here’s how the smartphones compare:

• HTC Dream: 115 x 55-mm
• iPhone 3G: 115.2-mm x 62.1-mm
• Xperia X1: 110.5 x 52.6-mm
• HTC Touch Pro: 102 x 51-mm

Image of HTC’s label exchange request after the break.

[Thanks, OC]

Continue reading FCC outs HTC Dream’s dimensions: it’s smaller than the iPhone 3G

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Filed under: Cellphones

We’re hoping beyond hope that Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X1 is actually nearing a launch date, but astute reader Kingsley just pointed out to us that SE’s US web site no longer lists silver as an available color choice, only Solid Black. That’s notable only because we’ve only mostly seen silver editions of the X1 until now, but a limited color palette’s not going to stop us from snapping this one up as soon as it hits — what about you?

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Original post by Nilay Patel

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Consider yourselves fortunate. You’ve had well over two whole months without an episode of Crapgadget, but today, that grace period ends. The most recent laughable load includes an absolutely vile wristwatch that supposedly plays MP3s / MP4s if you can manage to glance away from the bezel and band. Furthermore, we’ve got a TV tuner and webcam — in one — alongside a way-too-expensive WiFi sniffing pen that doesn’t do 802.11n. Bringing up the rear is Connectland’s 180° X2 Revolving USB Hub, which clearly raises the bar in USB hub design stupidity. Per usual, we’re begging for your vote on the crappiest below, but we’ll understand if you just can’t bear the thought of spending another moment thinking about these pitiful creations.

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Original post by Darren Murph