Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a Review

Introduction:

Approximately over six months ago, AT&T's Android lineup was barren except for the sole offering of the Motorola BACKFLIP – something that was regarded as being a travesty when you think about all the high-end offerings available up until that point. Some time around that very moment, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was just beginning to roll out across Europe where it garnered the respect and adulation from many since it was hailed as a true high-end offering worth drooling over. Boasting some impressive specs such as a larger than normal sized 4” display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and a totally unique looking customized Android interface, the smartphone had the recipes required for success. Fast forward to the present, the US market is now just witnessing the launch of the Xperia X10a on AT&T's network – but without a doubt, its allure might be tarnished due to a rash of high profiled Android releases. Already facing some stiff competition from all sides, does the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a still pack enough appeal to substantially differentiate itself enough in a market where time is of the essence?

The package contains:

• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a
• microUSB Cable
• Wall Charger
• 3.5mm headset adapter
• Stereo Headset
• Quickstart Guide

Design:

Since we're once again presented with an almost identical replica to the original Xperia X10, aside from its color scheme of course, its design still stands to be favorable amongst the recent tide of premier Android handsets. Although it's constructed out of piano black plastic, it still radiates a satisfyingly durable exterior that won't make you question its longevity – plus the chrome accents and soft touch coating naturally add to its general appeal. Utilizing some hard lines with some angled cutouts, it maintains a lovely design that seemingly presents itself as a fitting high-end device. After picking up massive handsets like the HTC EVO 4G and Motorola DROID X, the overall size of the Xperia X10a hits that sweet spot which makes it feel rather comfortable to hold without being seen as bulky. Thanks to the plastic casing, it makes for one fairly light weight (4.76 oz) device that once again hits that perfect balance. All things considered, we really can't find too many faults with the handset's design.



You can compare the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

After tasting the HTC EVO 4G's massive 4.3” display and the Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy S, the 4” TFT display of the Xperia X10a doesn't have the influential charm it once had prior to those devices launching. Thankfully though, it's still respectable seeing that it has a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels – making the tiniest of text still visibly clear with no distortions whatsoever. Conversely, we can't say anything good about its color reproduction since it has support for 65k colors. In addition, its single toned preloaded wallpapers easily show off the handset's inability to showcase a rainbow of colors simultaneously. Although viewing the display from extreme angles make it washed out looking, setting the brightness level all the way to its maximum will help maintain an adequate visibility when using it outdoors and in direct sunlight.

For some odd reason, it feels so refreshing to see a high-end handset resorting to employ physical buttons as opposed to the touch sensitive ones dominating most of today's modern sets. The three distinct chrome buttons below the touchscreen are raised enough from the surrounding area to be distinguishable to the finger – making them relatively easy to press since they offer some modest feedback. The icons indicating what are the physical buttons don't light up, so you'll have to rely on the two LED lights that power on when they are pressed to gauge which one is which.


On the right edge, you'll find the volume rocker and two-level shutter key – both of which are decently sized and offer a subtle press. While on the top side of the phone, you'll be presented with the power button, 3.5mm headset jack, and microUSB which is hidden underneath the plastic flap. For those who like to tether their phone to them, you can take advantage of the lanyard port that's located on the bottom edge. Switching over to the rear, you'll find the 8.1-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash with a small cutout to the right of it for the speaker. Yanking off the back cover will give you access to the SIM card slot, battery, and microSD card slot.

Interface:

Hardware aside, the most frustrating part about the Xperia X10a is its more than outdated inclusion of Android 1.6 – granted though, its personalized interface called UX (User eXperience) attempts to ease some of the heartache. Sporting a speedy 1GHz Snapdragon processor, there's no arguing that the handset can run like a champ when it effortlessly delivers some smooth looking 3D visuals. Regretfully, it's aggravatingly difficult to fathom why Sony Ericsson decided to launch the handset with an older build of Android – especially when most devices launch with at least Android 2.1. As for its homescreen, you're presented with three panels which of course are decorated with customized translucent widgets that seemingly adapt to any wallpaper. However, it's blatantly obvious that modern amenities like live wallpapers and Exchange Server support are feverishly absent – and that's really something of a sore! As we've witnessed firsthand some of the innovation surrounding Android, it definitely feels like we're stepping into a time machine with the Xperia X10's experience – unfortunately, it's a trip to the past. 


Timescape gives you information about what´s going on around you and enables you to take a look at the last things you did using the device. It´s a cross breed between a social networking client and personal diary. We guess this sounds somewhat confusing, so let us reiterate the experience again.

Timescape allows you to see latest information about your Facebook, Twitter, emails and media in the form of cards called Splines. The concept is not new and we have already seen it in action in the Happenings widget of MOTOBLUR and the Friend Stream tab available with the latest HTC Sense interface. Moreover, Timescape shows the latest conversations, messages, emails, pictures and audio tracks you´ve carried/received/viewed/listened to. You are allowed to filter content and focus on a single element or remove some of them in overview mode and, for an instance, disable all of them but Facebook and Twitter. The application permits you to simultaneously update your status in all available social networks, which is a nice feature.


With Mediascape, this is where you get access to all available multimedia files... and something else as well. The concept is not brand new and exists on Sony Ericsson devices in the form of the famous Flash Menu. It has been developed further and now features extra internet-based services. A list of recently played files is visualized at the top of the Mediascape screen, while its counterpart at the bottom shows information about the particular media type, i.e. audio, video, pictures, etc. While the picture gallery enables you to browse your online albums on Facebook and Picasa.


Truth be told, the unique experience on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is an acquired taste – much like the other customized Android experiences we've checked out on other handsets. Although it's not the most glitzy looking one out there, its speed is thankfully tolerable enough to make the overall performance more than acceptable at the same time. However, its decision to stick with Android 1.6 might be its undoing especially when a handful of handsets launched this summer pack Android 2.1 and up. And it really makes you wonder what the company was doing since initially launching the devices overseas – especially when there is no movement in the platform since its inception.

Organizer & Messaging:

The phone book has also been personalized by Sony Ericsson. Perhaps the most easily noticeable alteration is the addition of the alphabet on the right that allows for fast filtering of entries. You also have constant access to a search tab and the option to find contacts based on both parts of the name. Finally, you can update your current status on various social networks directly from the phone book (just like in Timescape).

The options relating to bringing order to your daily grind have had a facelift. The alarms application allows you to choose the appearance of the clock, which will appear, while the handset is trying to wake you up. The calendar is the standard program that comes with Android and allows for visualizing events in daily, weekly, monthly and agenda modes. Adding entries is done in pretty much the standard way and all of them can be set as all-day events, plus they can be assign recurrence pattern. The presence and privacy options are here as well and you can add descriptions for improved clarity.


One would surmise that a device sporting a 4” display would be an ideal candidate for a decent text messaging experience, right? However, there's just something about it that doesn't quite resonate a worthwhile experience when relying on the portrait style on-screen keyboard. Sure it's the stock Android keyboard that's found on any device, but we noticed that it didn't seem quite up to par in terms of speed and responsiveness when compared to some of the other newer offerings. We found ourselves pressing the wrong letters as we attempted to type casually, however, the problem is naturally less prevalent with the spacious landscape one. Fortunately, it looks like Sony Ericsson finally took the time to bring the landscape option to the text messaging app – something that was missing with the original.


As with any other Android device, the Xperia X10 provides for a fantastic Gmail experience since it replicates some of the features found with using the desktop client – such as threaded view. In addition, setting up alternate email on the phone doesn't require much effort since it generally requires your email address and password to setup automatically – with the requirement of server addresses for some non-traditional ones.

Camera:

Launching the camera application will make you think you're actually using a dedicated digital camera thanks to its wealth of novel features that compliment its 8.1-megapixel stature. Various shooting modes are offered, as well as other useful things like image stabilization – making it one well rounded device in this area. When it comes down to quality, it produces some stunning looking images outdoors which are even able to meticulously capture some minute details in the scenery while maintaining some natural looking color tones. Indoor quality didn't look too different since there is a fair amount of detail and color reproduction in our shots – that's as long as they're taken in good lighting conditions of course. Conversely, the LED flash is completely useless since it stays active throughout taking a shot and is pretty weak – even when you're very close to your images.
 




High-definition recording is something that's regarded as being a standard feature with most top-tiered phones, however, the Xperia X10a still lacks it. Instead, we're presented with a maximum shooting resolution of 800 x 480, which isn't too bad when you think about the level of detail it's able to capture, but still doesn't play in the same playing field as other recent smartphones. The video gets recorded at a frame rate of 28 with image stabilization active.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a sample video at 800x480 pixels resolution.

Multimedia:

Let's get one thing straight, Mediascape offers some great looking visuals that keep presentation in mind more than anything. But unfortunately, it lacks some basic functionality we're accustomed to seeing on most smartphones nowadays when previewing photos. Case in point like the lack of multi-touch gestures for pinching to zoom in/out of photos. In these times, it's an expected feature that shouldn't be overlooked over presentation.

Since accessing music is done through Mediascape, there isn't a dedicated interface for browsing through your selection of music. As for the music player itself, it's pretty much typical of others seeing that it'll display the album cover, on-screen controls, and track information. However, it lacks any equalizer settings or visualizations to considerably beautify the interface. Tunes emitted by the speaker sound normal in tone with no audible hints of distortion – plus it didn't crackle on the loudest volume setting.


When the handset is packing some pretty decent hardware under the hood, it shouldn't surprise anyone that it's able to play videos without forcing itself to lift a finger. Even after loading a video encoded in MPEG-4 1280 x 720 resolution, we weren't necessarily shocked that it played buttery smooth. Plus, the larger sized display makes for an appropriate experience that should be pleasing to the eye.



Connectivity and Internet:

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a is a quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and tri-band UMTS (850/1900/2100 MHz) handset which makes the perfect solution for the global trotter. In addition, it packs Wi-Fi 802.11b/g for an alternative internet connection and Bluetooth 2.1 to pair up with various devices for wireless transfers.

Yeah, it's the stock Android web browser, but as we all know by now, they're not all the same. Tragically, we're presented with an outdated experience that doesn't tastefully showcase the wonders of the recent innovations found with the platform's web browser. We're missing multi-touch support of course which instead requires the manual push of a button to zoom in/out. Although it does well in loading up sites in a decent amount of time and renders them correctly, there just isn't that sense of satisfaction since it pales in comparison to the experience on other recent Android smartphones.


Regarded as being a paltry offering, the handset comes preloaded with a 2GB microSD card which should suffice most people, but quickly looks quaint versus the 8GB and 16GB ones packed with other comparable sets. However, you can supplement it with cards up to 32GB in size.

Performance:

When the earpiece is set to its maximum volume setting, we can hear some prominent static noise in the background that made it difficult to listening to our callers. Plus it didn't help out either that voices did sound mute in tone and weak on our end. However, the experience was completely the opposite on our caller's end as they said that we sounded perfectly clear with our normal sounding tones. Although the speakerphone produces some ample tones, there was a conspicuous echo effect that can be heard – but still makes for a tolerable experience.

Signal strength remained consistent in the same place as we recorded an average -79 dBm on the Xperia X10. For the real world performance, we didn't experience any dropped calls or rapid changes in bars during our testing in the greater Philadelphia area.

Setting the phone to automatically adjust the brightness level, we were able to obtain a full day of normal usage – meaning that it got us through a solid 8 hour work day with an ample battery level before hitting bed. Regardless, it definitely follows similarly with other smartphones and will require constant charging for heavy users.

Conclusion: 

Scattered amongst the heap are some venerable Android smartphones that managed to inflict their mark deeply during the summer – with some clearly setting the bar in terms of performance. When the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was first announced, it was undoubtedly regarded as a premier Android handset that stood tall above a lot of things. However, that was before the unprecedented amount of high-end phones that soon devoured all of the X10's appeal. Now what makes the X10a a bit more frustrating is the fact that Sony Ericsson didn't bother to improve or update the platform to meet the reasonable experience we've been seeing with competing handsets. If this were launched 6 months ago through AT&T, it would probably be considered the best Android device on their lineup. Once sporting some impressive hardware, it's basically considered as more of a middle of the road offering now. Finally, its $149.99 on-contract price nails the coffin shut for it as the Samsung Captivate and even HTC Aria are far superior offerings and offer more bang for the buck.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10a Video Review: