Xperia X1: Revival of Old Master Designer

Today, people on the earth are enthusiastic about the cool gadgets designed by APPLE INC.
Apple = Design, Design = Apple. This is almost standard formular when we think about design of digital gadgets. Few days ago, they introduced new, tiny, and "talking" iPod shuffle to global market on the same day. It finally became accessary put on your suits, shirts, even your bags in naturall manner.

But, even a decades ago, the title - the design leader & master of digital goods - was grabbed by Sony. At that time, people were expecting what new sony gadgets looked like. Everyone was exciting at so called as " Sony Style". Yes, I did, either. From when I was firstly contacted to the rendering image of PSP in the end of 2005, I had almost waited 5 months until I got one in my hand.

However, "Sony Style" has been becoming "not different style". Even, today, I cannot choose which has better look between Dell's or HP's notebooks and Sony's VAIO. Yes, there's no more unique design philosophy we can see through Sony's products.

But, when I was contacted to a TV commercial, I could feel the similar excitement I've got from sony's goods long time ago. That is the very 'Xperia X1', which is coming out in Korean mobile market cooperated with SK Telecom, one of the biggest telecommunication company.

Now, through several paragraphs, I'd like to put a high & low light on Xperia X1.


1. Design

Highlight: Looking strong and experienced.

It's design make me think of the dark knight from the battle of medieval era. It looks very strong, rigid, and even noble, like having dark karisma. This kind of image is very important to business men. Having many chances to meet their clients or buyers, business men must be looked like very professional , and actually they always want to. For these worrior in the biz-battle ground, the image come out of the outfit of Xperia X1 must be helpful.

Lowlight: Thick and not attractive to women.

Can you imagine that your right or left pocket looks like a belly of frog? It's horrible scene, even worse if you're putting on Armani suit, totally unbalance. Thick mobile phone easily let you be the man of this scene. OK, although you can bear swollen pocket, can you bear watching swollen pocket of your girl friends' pants? No, I don't think so. On top of that, it has too strong design for woman to love it. Can you imagine that Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex & City prefers a looking strong and professional, having multiple fuctions mobile phone to a thin and beautiful, looking like barbie dolls mobile phone? Yeah, you have an answer for this question.

2. Functions

Highlight: multi-functional = web-smart-DMB-gaming-camera-semi navigator phone.

Yeah, it has the most of functions that modern mobile phone users wanna have in their mobile phone. DMB TV( at least in Korea, DMB(Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) became essential function of mobile phone), Gaming, Camera, Web Browsing, Semi-Navigating Software, MP3, Movie Player, Smart Phone... almost all kinds of functions are realized in one mobile phone. And also, it has a perfect QWERTY key pads hidden below LCD panel.

Yes, I know these functions are no more new. But, for many Korean users, there's no chance to get such an ubiquitous mobile phone, ever. Of course, Korea has two global top ranked mobile phone makers - LGE, SAMSUNG - , on top of that, they have several models of smart phone, very similar to Xperia X1 in many cases. But, that was the story of territory out of Korea, in actual Korean users were hard to get a chance to use such phones. So, Xperia X1 would be sensational in Korean mobile phone market.

Lowlight: What is different from or better than " iPhone 3G"? Nothing new.

But, it has lowlight. That's the very " iPhone", which would be regularly introduced in Korean mobile market from April by SK Telecom and KTF(2nd biggest telecommunication company). There's no more additional comment to the reputation of iPhone. It is becoming the standard of current and futuristic smart phone. And it is evolving now. Excepting for DMB function, all kinds of functions Xperia X1 has belongs to iPhone. Panel UI of Xperia X1 is not new to us, who have been already tasting similar switchable UI from iPhone or HTC's phone.

Most critically, iPhone is free from Windows CE. Many software application developers are thinking OS X is more comfortable and efficient flatform than Windows CE is. Appstore is proving that. Microsoft is following steps of Apples, but OS X has an image less closing than Windows CE does.

So, before April, Xperia X1 will be the killer item in the mobile phone market, but after that, the title would be awarded to iPhone.

3. Closing

I'd like to recommend Xperia X1 to people who prefer the dynamic transformation of hardware, the touch feeling from pressing hardward keypad instead of LCD touch panel, and the design creating solid, rigid, professional, and grave image.

If I have money in abundant, I will buy Xperia X1 even though I have been waiting for the launching of iPhone in Korea because it is enough attractive to make me have one. I wonder what it looks like and how it works. But, if I have money just enough to buy one between them, I will wait for April.

But, choice is yours while enjoying the TV CM of Xperia X1.