It’s time to conclude my thoughts on the X10 and it has been a bit of a ride over the past few days. I need to correct a point in yesterday’s article where I stated that I could not get landscape data input. I can now after I did a battery pull so it seems as though something was amiss when I first used it.
One hardware part I have not covered is the camera which is a bit hit and miss in my opinion. I say this because the 8.1 Megapixel spec is a real eye catcher and will lead many to believe that this is one of the best cameras on the market which is definitely is not. Having said that, it is far from a slouch and capable of producing excellent stills in the right lighting conditions. The problem is the software which is a little clunky to use and the fact that it can take some time to focus and produce the resulting snap. Smartphone cameras should not look to replace standalone digital cameras, but be available when the time arises to capture a moment. A balance between excellent results and speed of use is always needed and it seems to me that the X10 leans towards the former more.
Video capture is not what you would expect from an 8.1MP camera setup and I had problems with colour saturation (quite washed out) and in particular the sync between sound and the video. It definitely needs a software update to make the video recording side worthwhile.
On the software side it is also a bit of a mixed bag. There are some highlights such as Timescape which shows you all of your contacts social updates, but the Moxier set of PIM apps are a strange addition. They work well, but do not feel like part of the core Android system which of course they are not. Using Android 1.6 is not a problem in itself, but if you have been near 2.1 you start to realise that the changes in the background are well worth having.
The X10 is at times ahead of the rest of the pack by a mile. The screen is glorious in most conditions and the sound quality for music is exceptional (poor through the external speaker). It is a speedy unit and works well for ‘to the ear’ voice calling so you do get almost everything you need in a high-end smartphone. The fact is though that it is almost £450 and the materials used are not as good as those in the HTC Desire and Legend. It is fantastic in specific areas, but not necessarily ahead of the completion overall. The camera is a disappointment when the specification is considered and a few software updates are needed to bring it up to the level that would be considered reasonable for the price.
I have to say that I like the X10 and that it has grown on me over the past week. The battery is decent, the screen is great and the design is smart- if you have specific needs, this could be the smartphone for you. Otherwise, check out the HTC Desire which feels like more of an all-rounder.
