Other uses for the Xperia X10

            Throughout this blog I cover some 'high tech' uses for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, but I found some unusual ways to use this phone to perform everyday simple tasks that some might consider low tech.

           If you like treasure-hunt, how about implementing some high tech into it. Geocaching is a game where participants hide and seek items. In order  to find them,  a GPS capable device is required. This is where Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 come into play, by taking advantage of its GPS and aGPS . Turn on the GPS either by adding the widget to the home screen or navigating through the menus. To get your coordinates, you might need to download a compass app, or just snap a picture, check the picture, click menu and then information.

Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here

            Another potential use is using this top of the line device for  low tech activity, such as reading with a magnifying glass. Perhaps you forgot your glasses, or can't read the small print, or it just simply dark. Using the X10's camera and photo light, this can be done. Simply  turn on the camera, turn on photo light, select Document or Portrait Scene it depends on the proximity and font size of the document.

            Have you ever lost a small screw or small metal part that you can't find and you know it's probably right in front of you. X10 to the rescue; taking advantage of the magnetometer, it's simple to transform the X10 into a Metal Detector.

            There are multiple devices that do this or that, and others that can do multiple things at the same time. The Xperia X10 is as versatile as it is functional. It can not only multitask but can work flawless in sync with other devices, thus opening doors of myriad possibilities. In addition to this, the increasing number of apps, future Operating System updates and user's endless creativity/ingenuity the potential is infinite.

            Summer is around the corner, there are few events that you should mark on your calendar (check this step by step post):

June 11 - July 11 FIFA 2010 World Cup (check my other post) 

June 15-17 Sony at  E3 2010, presenting the newest videogames for PS3 and PSP among other things.

Q4 2010 Xperia X10 Update to Android 2.1

Fall 2010 PlayStation Move

I want to thank everybody that supported me and read my blog; hopefully we'll read again but this time as a Sony's correspondent at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

Multifunctional, Multitask, Sony, Make Believe.

Photo Quality

            Going back to the Camera, I put this slides, to compare the quality of pictures between Sony Cyber-Shot T-900 (DSC)[check out the new line of Cyber-shot cameras] and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 (X10), Make sure you click on the little message icon at the bottom left corner of the slide, to reveal the caption.

            All in all the picture quality taken with the X10 are great, they have advantages and disadvantages like any other camera. It doesn't have a burst mode, which is really handy while taking multiple pictures of a moving object, it does have Sport Scene which more or less accomplish the same idea. the X10 seem to struggle a little bit more than my T-900 while taking pictures in bright settings (pictures taken directly to the light source). Now pictures taken in bright settings are fare superior and color rich than my T-900.    


Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here

            A great practical feature that the Xperia X10 has above my Cyber-Shot T-900 is that it has Geotag. This remarkable feature allows you to "Geotag" (add the coordinates to the file's info) your pictures and videos. This is a handy setting/option while on a trip, let's say to South Africa for FIFA's World Cup this summer. There are many ways to take advantage of this "Geotag" one of them is to save them in folders either by date, or location or event,  while transfering them to Picasa directly or indirectly.

            To transfer the pictures directly its simple, it only requires your X10 and Internet access, find the pictures you want to upload, click on the envelope icon (to share it), select Picasa, either create a new folder or upload to an existing folder. 





            The other option, indirectly, will require a Computer [check out the new Sony VAIO line up] your Xperia X10 and Internet connection, transfer the files to your computer either by Bluetooth or USB Cable.


1) Bluetooth, it's simple and easy to use but it has some downfalls, it will drain your battery, and it won't allow you to transfer files as fast as using the USB cable. But convenient if you don't have your USB cable with you.

2) By using the USB cable is the fastest way to transfer files, and while you're doing that your phone will be charging, a win win option.

There is a third option but that will require you to have a MicroSD card adapter, to turn off your X10, to remove the battery out, and a Computer that its compatible with SD Cards.

           






            Picasa plus Geotag will allow you to create a Map of the places you visited in a specific date. For people like myself who enjoy taking hundreds of pictures, it has an extremely useful setting which map out the route you walked/drove/biked etc while taking those pictures.

            If you're using any digital camera or perhaps the Sony alpha 330 DSLR camera [add link to it] , like most cameras it doesn't not have a built in GPS. Sony has a solution to geotag pictures from pretty much any digital camera. The GPS-CS1 is a coordinate tracker, simple to use, as long as the time and calendar settings are the same in both your camera and the GPS-CS1 will work seamlessly. The way it work is by uploading the photos to the computer, connecting the GPS-CS1 and by using the timestamp info from the photos and the coordinates at that specific time Sony's software will do the rest.

            If you're in a trip somewhere in globe, the least thing you want to happen is that you missed out on something because you forgot that it was time for a museum tour, opera, soccer game, your plane or train, etc. This is where the Sony Ericsson's Android wonder the Xperia X10 comes handy yet once more.

            Xperia X10 allows you to sync it to Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Gmail, Picasa and more importantly Sony Ericsson. This is by far the easiest way to manage, edit and take full advantage of the "Calendar App".

            Editing the calendar it's as simple as creating an account at Sony Ericsson, editing the calendar and sync the X10, simple steps check the step by step gallery.

            Another cool feature is that you don't have to hang up to be able to use the camera; that's right if you're using speaker or any hands free (perhaps the Sony Ericsson MW600) you can still snap a picture or video while on the phone. Sadly you can't listen to music or audio from videos using Mediascape and the Camera at the same time; none the less you can use a third party music player app for that.  

            The Xperia X10 is more than a smartphone, its a computer, a camera, music and media player, agenda, alarm, weather, traffic conditions, navigation, digital newspaper, web browser, social network hub, oh and it can do pretty much all of them and more at the same time.

Multifunctional, Multitask, Sony, Make Believe.

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

SONY + FIFA = Myriad entertainment possibilities

FIFA Soccer 10 is as addicting as it is brilliant, a game yes a videogame could capture and transmit the drama, passion, frustration, and excitement  during a Soccer Game/match; all this in a handheld device, that's quite remarkable. This game is so versatile that it even allows you to personalize it even more by adding, deleting and reorganize its music library, all this by simply using EA MEDIA CENTER. PSP Go and FIFA Soccer 10 are a serious competition to my Xperia X10, none the less, they can work together. PSP Go relies on Wi-Fi hot-spots for online gaming,the X10 can help provide this; as simple as using an augmented reality app such as LAYAR to look for hotspots; so the Soccer fever/euphoria/madness can continue.

Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here

Sony adding an extra Dimension to FIFA 2010 World Cup's broadcast. Sony's new HD cameras will be employed at this summer's FIFA World Cup, but not just any cameras but Sony's 3D HD cameras. It was announced back at CES 2010 [1] that a major sports network will work together with SONY to broadcast multiple sport events, including 25 games of the 2010 World Cup. This is great news, for all the people that won't get to go to the World Cup and still want to experience the life like immersive experience, something more inclusive and at the same time taking advantage of the new line of SONY BRAVIA 3D HDTVs which are due to be release sometime during this summer.


With so many events comming up this summbeer the best way to avoid missing anything is by using the Calendar app on the Xperia X10 along with Sony Ericsson Sync, details to come on my next blog This is the list of games that will be broadcast in 3D along with dates[2]:


1. June 11 16:00 RSA-MEX
2. June 12 16:00 ARG-NGA
3. June 13 20:30 GER-AUS
4. June 14 13:30 NED-DEN
5. June 15 20:30 BRA-PRK
6. June 16 16:00 ESP-SUI
7. June 17 13:30 ARG-KOR
8. June 18 16:00 SVN-USA
9. June 19 13:30 NED-JPN
10. June 20 20:30 BRA-CIV
11. June 21 20:30 ESP-HON
12. June 22 20:30 NGA-KOR
13. June 23 20:30 GHA-GER
14. June 24 16:00 SVK-ITA
15. June 25 16:00 POR-BRA
16. June 27 20:30 1st B-2nd A
17. June 28 16:00 1st E-2nd F
18. June 28 20:30 1st G-2nd H
19. July 2 20:30 Quarter-final
20. July 3 16:00 Quarter-final
21. July 3 20:30 Quarter-final
22. July 6 20:30 Semi-final
23. July 7 20:30 Semi-final
24. July 10 20:30 3rd place match
25. July 11 20:30 Final

___________________________
[1] http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=1190863/index.html

[2] http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/corporate_news/release/56303.html&term=3D+camera&topicname=/Home&origin=www.sony.com&pagenum=1

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10's Future

                Cell phones come and go faster than we can get to know their full potential all the time, only phones that are capable, in both hardware and software customization can to withstand this heated competition. Sony Ericsson first android smartphone, the Xperia X10 has not just amazing top of the line hardware features such as: a massive 4in 480 x 854 TFT capacitive touch screen, an impressive 8.1megapixels camera sensor, 1Ghz Processor and 1GB of internal memory; no it doesn't stop at hardware but its creativity and permeate to its signature software, now shared with Xperia X10 mini and Xperia X10 mini pro, Mediascape and Timescape all enclose in a chic elegant ergonomic design called "humane curvature", also found on Vivaz, Xperia X10 mini, X10 mini Pro.


Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here

           Xperia X10 indeed has Android Operating System 1.6 code name Donut; don't let this fool you, the UXP (User eXperience Platform)  or UI (User Interface), Sony Ericsson has spend quite some time customizing this avant garde intuitive UXP, with Mediascape and Timescape taking the central stage, followed by their face recognition built in camera, all working in sync to deliver a rich experience. Indeed there are some drawbacks by having Android 1.6 when Android 2.1 code name Eclair is already out and available to other android devices; but this is just temporary, as Sumit Malhotra announced on the Sony Ericsson's official blog [1], "Some examples of user benefits that will be included in the UXP upgrade for Xperia™ X10 in Q4 2010 are:  Upgrade to Android OS version 2.1" but this doesnt end there, Xperia X10's screen its capable of 65million colors and with the update that will be possible (currently the X10's can only display 65K colors).

                The Camera will also get a great update, so far its only capable of record video at WVGA, VGA and QVGA but not HD video; with the update Xperia X10 will be able to capture videos at 720p at 24fps (WVGA = 800x480 and 720p = 720p = 1280x720). With all this updates and updates to come after Android OS 2.1, the Xperia X10 will continue to be a competitive well rounded smartphone and as an example on how UXP should be designed.

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[1] http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products/2010/05/05/sony-ericsson-xperia™-x10-to-get-uxp-upgrade-in-q4-2010/

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

PSP Go

               The PSP Go is another ramification of the SONY Electronics. It's the latest incarnation of the PSP, a marvelous piece of hardware matched with exquisite software, enhanced by brought array of peripherals, thanks to Bluetooth capabilities, and most important excellent and innovative library of videogames. The PSP Go unlike its predecessors slides the buttons and joystick under the screen, quite compact, lighter and modern (35% smaller than the PSP 3000, and about 26% lighter [1]).

Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here

                Among PSP Go's both hardware and software features that I should mention are SKYPE and Bluetooth capabilities. PSP Go has SKYPE already preinstalled; SKYPE is a simple, reliable and easy to use mean of communication, for the most part free; which is one of its best assets. If you need to stay connected with family and friends globally, either through phone call, instant messaging or video call (webcam sold separately) PSP Go with SKYPE is one the best options. Picture this, SKYPE will allow you to stay connected from Africa to the United States during the 2010 FIFA World Cup without spending a dime (as long as your calling another SKYPE account and while using a free hotspot) to share the excitement of being part of history, part of the celebration of the number one sport in the world; something TV broadcast can't transmit. But with all the excitement during the soccer games, it'll be a good idea to have your hands free to either wave your team's flag, or celebrate a goal, while on SKYPE on the PSP Go.

                The perfect solution is a hands free device but not just any but the best. The Sony Ericsson MW600 will take advantage of this UNIQUE feature of this, the newest member to the PSP family, its Bluetooth capabilities. But what exactly is the MW600? it's a little bit of everything, the MW600 is a Bluetooth hands free device, FM radio capable, Music Media Control.

                Sony Ericsson MW600 its compatible with a wide arrange of Sony's electronics but more important the XPERIA X10, which take advantages of those features (hands free, FM radio, Music Media Control) and works as a Caller ID, it also allows you to switch from phone calls, and not to mention the ability to stream music directly to it from either the X10 or PSP Go from perhaps Play now and/or other online music streaming account (only available in certain countries). 

Unboxing my PSP Go

 Photos taken with XPERIA X10

Photos taken with Sony Cybershot T-900

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[1] http://us.playstation.com/psp/twopsps/pspgo/index.htm

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

Unboxing + Settings + Sync and Camera

Unboxing my Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a, Pictures taken with Sony Cybershot T-900 at  4:3 12MP without flash.





Don't forget to check the interactive part of this blog just click here


Getting to know the basic settings of XPERIA X10


Navigating through the home and application screen its simple and intuitive. The Quick Settings Widget its quite handy to turn on/off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and Sound/Vibrate mode, thus saving battery and time.

Camera

One of the best features of Xperia X10 is the camera, 8.1 megapixels with many features.

Capturing modes: Normal, Scene Recognition, Smile detection, touch capture

Resolution: 8mp 4:3 ratio, 6mp 16:9 (panoramic), 2mp 4:3, 2mp 16:9

Scenes: Normal, Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Beach and Snow, Sports, Party, Document.

Focus Mode: Single autofocus, multi autofocus, macro, face detection & infinity (disabled with Scene recognition and touch capture modes).

The Camera works in perfect sync with Mediascape, just a simple tab on the Camera roll Icon will take you to Mediascape's Camera roll, but for some odd reason it doesn't have the same menu options as if its accessed directly through Mediascape (from left to right: Recently Viewed, Favorites, Camera roll, My albums, Friends) 

Scenes:

Normal: Regular settings

Portrait: Focus on the foreground (closest object/person) which will blur out the background; this is the perfect setting to add smile detection and it will be easier for the camera to use its face recognition software.

Landscape: The focus point will be set at distant objects, this is perfect for those mountain, rivers, forest, beaches, etc pictures.

Night Scene: This is great to take pictures with low light, the camera will slow down the shutter, thus allowing the sensor to gather more light ; make sure to have a steady hand or modify a.

Night Portrait: Same as Night Scene but with focus on the foreground.

Beach & Snow: Prevents washed out pictures under bright settings.

Sports: Faster shutter which allows to take pictures of moving objects.

Party: Similar to night scene but the shutter speed will be calibrated automatically.   

Document: Increase the contrast between background and letters/shapes; great feature to take pictures of posters, art pieces or just documents. 

Camera Document Scene: increase the contrast between background and letters/shapes; great feature to take pictures of posters, art pieces or just documents.

This feature works amazing if its combined with Google Goggles text recognition, now that it allows text translation.

to be continued...

"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."

www.sonystyle.com/x10

Day one w/ Xperia X10a

Interactive Diary


"Sony provided me with a free Sony Ericsson X10 phone and a PSPgo and FIFA Soccer 10 game in connection with my participation in the Sony Ericsson/Sony Style X10 Blogger Contest, which requires me to blog about Sony and/or Sony Ericsson Products."


www.sonystyle.com/X10www.wix.com/uliwooly/Xperia-X10-Blogger-Contest