| Smartphones are cropping up more and more in 2008. | | | | Sony Ericsson X1 - premium looks, premium power |
| Since the launch of the next-gen iPhone 3G, more | | | | Based on the same hardware setup as the HTC |
| mobile phones are waking up and smelling the coffee: | | | | Touch Pro, the Sony Ericsson X1 is their first EVER |
| the user experience is the key to winning over mobile | | | | Windows Mobile phone. That's a heck of a thing to live |
| phone users. Which means we get mobile phones | | | | up to, and it'd be even worse if it was just a carbon |
| such as the Sony Ericsson X1 and the HTC Touch | | | | copy of the HTC Touch Pro. |
| Pro, both top-end smartphones, and both built around | | | | It isn't though... |
| the same floor plan. But... which one is the superior? | | | | Put the two together, and you'd be hard pressed to tell |
| HTC Touch Pro – Steamy Windows | | | | they're even related at all. |
| HTC have long made Windows Mobile phones, | | | | You see, where the HTC Touch Pro goes for a |
| super-powered devices running on Microsoft's mobile | | | | glossy finish and slick, shiny faces, the Sony Ericsson |
| software. Over time, we’ve seen many form | | | | X1 goes for brushed metal, and premium materials. |
| factors, some with, some without touchscreens, and | | | | And boy does it make the two mobile phones look |
| each of those high-end mobile phones was super | | | | different. The Sony Ericsson is easily the more |
| powered, due to the inclusion of Windows. There was | | | | classy-looking device, and, thanks to the metal finish, |
| one thing though... you couldn't argue that Windows | | | | less of a fingerprint magnet, too. There's a couple |
| Mobile was the sexiest, or the easiest operating | | | | more noticeable differences, too, starting with the |
| system ever seen. | | | | screen, as the Sony Ericsson X1 has a 3-inch |
| Well things are different now, thanks to the HTC | | | | widescreen, trumping the HTC Touch Pro. If you look |
| Touch Pro, that should really be called the Windows | | | | at the QWERTY keyboard, you'll see a big difference |
| Mobile phone, where you can’t tell it’s running | | | | in the design of these two mobile phones, as well, |
| Windows Mobile. That's down to HTC's TouchFLO 3D | | | | since the Sony Ericsson is built using a unique 'arc |
| interface, that sits on the Windows software, and | | | | slider' design. In other words, when you slide it open, the |
| gives you a jazzy, funky, and let’s be totally honest, | | | | screen tilts, as well, making it easier to type and see |
| iPhone-esque experience. It is a proper joy to use, and | | | | the screen simultaneously. That's not been seen on |
| as with most touchscreen phones nowadays, it's | | | | any other mobile phones before, and it really does set |
| designed primarily for touch controls. So, you prod the | | | | the Sony Ericsson apart from the HTC Touch Pro. |
| screen on the HTC Touch Pro using a finger, not a | | | | Hardware-wise, they share the same features, the |
| stylus. In terms of features, it's good, too, with 3 | | | | camera, the HSDPA, the GPS, and of course, they |
| megapixel camera, HSDPA, WiFi, integrated GPS and | | | | both run on Windows Mobile, but again, the Sony |
| a completely awesome slide-out QWERTY keyboard. | | | | Ericsson X1 has its own interface glued on top (the |
| It really is a stunning mobile phone, and I'll be honest, it's | | | | panels interface), and once again, it's a stunner. That's |
| difficult to imagine another Windows Mobile phone | | | | why, in the battle between the Sony Ericsson X1 and |
| even coming close. | | | | the HTC Touch Pro, the Sony Ericsson takes the |
| Well, until you see the Sony Ericsson X1... | | | | crown. |