XPERIA™ Panels FAQ

What is a Panel?

XPERIA™ Panels are applications that extend the Today Screen API in order to provide a Full Screen immersive experience. New with XPERIA™ X2 Panels can also be Java ME, Capuchin or Flash applications running within the Panel Manager.

What is special about Panels?

The XPERIA™ panel user experience is unique to Sony Ericsson. This UI gives configurable, finger-tip navigation to access different options through panels displayed in Panel Manager. The phone comes preloaded with panels allowing the end-user to switch between various experiences and configure panel behavior/settings. Further panels are available for purchase or free download and developers can submit Panels to the Sony Ericsson sales & distribution channels.

How does the user interact with Panels?

There is a Panel button which takes the user directly to the Panel Manager, where nine panels are displayed. The Panel Manager has several display modes including portrait and landscape. To access a panel, the user simply touches the required thumbnail. Panels can be viewed as favorites (shown) or in an easily scrolled list view.

Panel Button X1 (top); X2 (bottom)	Panel Manager interface (X2) showing nine Panels	Panel

What is SlideView?

SlideView is a new feature debuting on the XPERIA™ X2. SlideView provides quick access to frequently used mobile phone activities including Panels.

Can the user configure Panels?

Panels are highly configurable and the user can add, remove or change a panel very easily. Simply touch the settings button and select the item to change. New panels can be selected from the list or downloaded. The user can schedule Panels by time of day. For example, work-oriented Panels for daytime and fun Panels for the evening.

I'd like to know more about the background to Panels

Ramanath Bhat, Application and Product Planning for the XPERIA™ X1, discusses the philosophy and possible implementations of XPERIA™ panels on YouTube.

Watch the Video>>

Which Panels are pre-loaded on the XPERIA™ X2?

Panels that may be pre-installed on the XPERIA™ X2 phone include the following: CNN, Tilewave, Professional Panel, Growing Panel, Lifestyle Panel, Pixel City Panel Day, YouTube™, Facebook™, Google™, Skype, Support Panel, Gokivo Navigation Panel, Today Screen.

Which Panels are available to download?

The following Panels will be available for download when the XPERIA™ X2 launches:
Dashwire Panel, Windows Live Panel, SlideShow Panel, Evernote Panel, Mytopia, Panel, Monster Panel, Sony Ericsson Panel, Fish Panel, Cool Hunting Panel, Twitter Panel, Linkedin Panel, Clock Panel, Amazon Panel, eBay Panel, Spb Traveller Panel, On-The-Road Panel, Last.FM Gig Finder Panel.

Remember that developers can submit Panels to PlayNow™ arena from mid-September 2009, so the range available for download can rapidly grow.

Can developers produce XPERIA™ Panels?

Certainly. New Panelizer tools make it easy to turn existing native applications, Flash and Java in to Panels. The Panel SDK includes the Panelizer tools and the SDK for native, HTML and OpenGL ES application development.

What are the differences between XPERIA™ X1 and XPERIA™ X2?

Panels were introduced with the XPERIA™ X1 phone which runs Windows Mobile 6.1. Panels may be native applications, native applications using OpenGL ES 1.1 or HTML based and are built using the Sony Ericsson Beta SDK for Windows Mobile® 6.1.

The XPERIA™ X2 is based on Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. Using the Sony Ericsson Panel SDK for X2, developers can build panels that are native applications, native applications using OpenGL ES 1.1 or HTML based.

The Sony Ericsson Panel SDK for X2 also adds new Panelizer tools which make it easy to take existing applications and turn them in to Panels. This applies not only to native .exe and .net applications, but there are also tools that turn Flash and Java applications in to Panels.

How do I make a Panel?

To make a native, OpenGL ES1.1 or HTML Panel for X1, use the Sony Ericsson Beta SDK for Windows Mobile® 6.1

To make a native, OpenGL ES 1.1 or HTML Panel for XPERIA™ X2, use the Sony Ericsson Beta SDK for Windows Mobile® 6.5

To turn an existing .exe or ,net application in to a Panel, use the Panelizer feature in Visual Studio (the SDK must be installed).

To turn an existing Flash or Java ME application in to a Panel, use the Flash or Java Panelizer tools included in the SDK. Visual Studio is not required to be able to use these two Panelizer tools.

What is the Panelizer?

The Panelizer is a simple, free-to-use tool which converts an existing application in to an XPERIA™ Panel. There are four Panelizers in the SDK:

• Flash Panelizer – standalone tool which converts a Flash application to a Panel
• Java Panelizer - standalone tool which converts a Java ME application to a Panel
• EXE Panelizer – Feature in Visual Studio which converts an existing exe application in to a Panel
• NET Panelizer – Feature in Visual Studio which converts an existing .net application in to a Panel

Do I need Microsoft Visual Studio® to run the Panelizer tools?

The Flash and Java Panelizers are standalone tools and do not require Microsoft Visual Studio®. When you run the SDK installer, it will check for Visual Studio and install just the Flash and Java Panelizers (plus other relevant items) if Visual Studio is not present.

Where can I sell / distribute Panels?

XPERIA™ X1 panels are available on Sony Ericsson Fun & Downloads.

XPERIA™ X2 panels will be available primarily on PlayNow™ arena but also on Fun & Downloads for countries not yet served by PlayNow™ arena.

Sony Ericsson makes it easy for you to submit content to these sales channels via the website submit.sonyericsson.com. It will be possible to submit Panels from mid-September 2009.

• Read more about content submission>>

What are the business benefits to developing for XPERIA™ X2?

Applications accepted as panels will be made available on Sony Ericsson’s content delivery platform PlayNow™ arena, giving developers access to an even wider range of consumers using other Sony Ericsson handsets. Developers from around the world also benefit from the 70% net revenue share offered by PlayNow™ arena, which is available in 18 countries.

Additionally, by providing unparalleled real estate and marketing exposure, the panel interface makes the developer central to the user experience. Panels are easily discoverable by consumers through one touch away on the home screen, allowing developers to truly shape the user’s mobile entertainment experience.

How do I test and certify Panels?

• Read about testing and certification>>

What is the test and verification procedure for Panels that I submit to PlayNow™ arena?

So that you do not have to pay for certification and signing up front, Sony Ericsson allows you to submit an unsigned Panel, Once Sony Ericsson has accepted your Panel, you can then proceed with certification knowing that your Panel will go on sale.

Read more about the procedure>>