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