Software on the Sony Ericsson Satio
With the Sony Ericsson Satio, the old boys of the mobile phone industry are hoping to once more saturate the market with their handsets. With its large touch screen and fairly powerful hardware, on the surface everything looks to be headed in the right direction. However, it is not always processing power that makes the handset and as such the software of the Satio requires a little more scrutiny.
The Satio is based upon the 5th edition of the Symbian S60 operating system, more commonly found in Nokia smartphones. Symbian is an ideal mobile platform for the Sony Ericsson Satio to springboard its way into the pockets of the masses. As you may realise, Symbian has been around for quite some time and as such is well positioned to turn the Satio into a versatile and functional mobile phone. Although other phones such as the N97 and the Omnia HD utilise the same operating system, the Satio is the first one to really exploit it with modern flair. This also suggests that inventive users will be able to customise the interface even further.
Because Symbian is so common, it is easy to find a wealth of compatible applications and modifications for the latest version online right now. These range from basic applications aimed at tweaking the interface or streamlining a particular aspect of the Satio’s operation, right through to full emulators which can run a variety of software and program types. If you are into your retro gaming then it is easy to find Symbian-based emulators to let you get back to basics with some good old-fashioned gaming. There are also strong ties between Symbian and most home computers, which means it is easy to find support for all document types and alternative web browsers such as Opera Mini if you are not a fan of the standard Sony Ericsson Satio browser.
As you delve further into the more technical side of the Satio, you realise that the latest version of Symbian sported by the Sony Ericsson Satio also has support for OpenGL, which in layman’s terms means that it is capable of displaying some truly dizzying 3D graphics. The Satio is not the most powerful smartphone on the market, but it is not always about power. As long as developers are able to make the most of what is on offer, the Satio could prove to be a very exciting platform for the development of games.
Interestingly Sony Ericsson has already released a series of expert videos on YouTube aimed at guiding designers through the process of creating some basic graphics applications on the Satio. Presented by an employee with a delightful accent, these are must-see clips if you are thinking about getting a head start in the Satio world. They also show just what the Sony Ericsson Satio is capable of. It can render high-resolution images with a variety of advanced post-processing effects and looks as good as even some current generation console games. It also deals well with animated objects and character models for moving humans are particularly realistic in the demos which are included in the videos.
The main purpose of the videos is to inspire those with a bit of technical knowledge to get out there and being to populate the Sony Ericsson Satio App Store (called the PlayNow arena) with custom games. Whilst some other smartphones have communities which produce practical apps, or apps that are fun for about five minutes before becoming tiring, the Satio and its manufacturers seem to be promoting imaginative use of the graphical technology and gaming pedigree on offer.
If you are interested in any aspect of the Sony Ericsson Satio or other handsets and are thinking about creating your own content for them, you should head to the Sony Ericsson Developer World Blogs. There is a whole community of professionals and amateurs alike, all intent on forming a symbiotic relationship in which creativity can flourish. There is even a Satio launch blog which you can use to find out about news, updates and applications that are hot off the press for the Satio. The blog also offers links to various community sites supporting apps for Symbian handsets, as well as specific Satio fan-sites.
It is the communities based around the Satio that will help to dictate the types of applications and functions which become available. For example, the Satio has built in Wi-Fi and so should be ideal for use with VoIP internet telephony services such as Skype. On a Symbian forum a developer posted a question asking whether his newly developed Symbian application supporting Audio Service over VoIP would be compatible with the Satio. Several quick responses followed and it was established that his app would definitively work. The old adage of ‘many hands make light work’ applies to the mobile community as well.
Another great community resource for the Sony Ericsson Satio is the Labs section of the PlayNow Arena site. This is the place where developers for various Sony Ericsson handsets come together to share ideas, discuss new projects and look for partners to help with an existing piece of software. It is also aimed at fast-tracking good ideas and getting them out to the market before someone else with greater resources gets there first. Because most developers for the Sony Ericsson Satio will have to dedicate what little spare time they have to the development of apps and software, they will need all of the support they can get. The Sony Ericsson site provides a kind of social networking area for keen developers. Even if you are not a developer yourself, checking out the pages can help you learn about the latest ideas brewing in the community.
Tags: sony ericsson, sony ericsson satio