Well, time to add some variety to your panels with this new Spb Mobile Shell panel for the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. Simply download the files, unzip them into \Program Files\Spb Mobile Shell directory of your device. Next, tap the Settings icon, click Customize Menu, and enable “My Menu.”  You’ll need to restart for the changes to take effect.

A tweet by Eldar Murtazin, who runs mobile-review.com, low sales forecasts (on the X1 and X2?) are causing them to re-think their commitment to the Windows Mobile platform. The SE Xperia X3 “Rachael” has already been confirmed to be an Android device, but the upcoming X2 is launching with Windows Mobile 6.5.

Most people doubt Windows Mobile 6.5 will stop the steady market share slide Microsoft is experiencing, so let’s hope Windows Mobile 7 does the trick.

Sony Ericsson’s finally given up the goods — their Canada website now features the long awaited Xperia X1a under phones “Coming Soon”!

We’ve heard rumours that Rogers is scheduled to get the Xperia X1 for an August launch. Fingers crossed!

The Xperia X1 features a 3-inch WVGA touchscreen, full QWERTY keyboard, WiFI, GPS, and 3.2MP camera. Sure, it’s no Toshiba TG01 – but who can keep up with all the new fancy gadgets kids are raving about these days, right?

[via]

Pocketnow has posted a video showing three different ways to use Facebook on your Windows Mobile device: m.facebook.com via Pocket IE, iphone.facebook.com via Opera Mobile 9.5, and finally Xperia X1’s Facebook Panel.

Personally, I just run the full Facebook page via Skyfire. How do you use Facebook on your WinMo phone?

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The lovely folks over at Pocketables have posted a great list of things that first time Xperia X1 owners should do to get the most out of their devices as quickly and as easily as possible!

All kinds of neat tips, tricks, tweaks, and recommendations so be sure to check it out!

The List: 15 Tips and Tricks to help you get the most out of your Xperia!

In case you haven’t noticed yet, Sony Ericsson has a cool Xperia X1 site showing off the cool features of the device, how well Windows Mobile runs on it, as well as a few mini how-to’s.

Check out the series of videos on the site for yourself – they’re very informative! And the female narrator has the coolest accent. The whole thing makes me want an Xperia… and let me tell you, that’s something as I’ve been quite unimpressed with this device until now. Wanna know what sold me? Goldfish. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Well, clearly you didn’t check out the site. Go ahead and do that. I’ll wait.

Press Release!

Spb Chosen to Create User Interface Panel for Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1

St. Petersburg, October 23rd, 2008 – Spb Software, the world’s leading maker of Windows Mobile applications, develops a user interface panel for Xperia X1. As part of the strategic partnership between Sony Ericsson and Spb Software, Spb has put forth a top-notch, Spb Mobile Shell-based solution that compliments the X1 in both style and speed. Taking advantage of the smartphone’s unique panel technology, impressive hardware and dynamic wide VGA touchscreen, this custom version of Spb Mobile Shell is optimized for the new Xperia, and comes with all X1 devices as a free download.

We are very happy to be working with Spb, one of the most respected Microsoft Windows Mobile software developers in the market,” said Mats Ekstrand, VP and Head of Convergence Unit at Sony Ericsson. “The addition of Spb to our panel ecosystem gives Xperia X1 users the opportunity to customize their handsets with an already established interface for the Windows Mobile environment, alongside enjoying the eight other active desktops through the unique Xperia Panel user interface.

Spb Mobile Shell is an application that improves the innate Windows Mobile user interface, making it more direct, logical, and slick. The first version of software came out in February 2007 and quickly gained recognition among end-users and media. Spb Mobile Shell fulfills the highest requirements of in-ROM software, paying a great deal of respect to criteria such as ROM, RAM, performance, battery life, and stability. Customized and improved menus of Windows Mobile devices are achieved without any damage to built-in system features or other third-party software.

The Xperia panels are an innovative approach to personalization,” – comments Yaroslav Goncharov, the Product Manager of Spb Mobile Shell – “With 3D acceleration, the panels are visually appealing for consumers, and at the same time present new opportunities for the developer community.

Visit the Spb Mobile Shell for Xperia X1 webpage

Do you love the XPERIA X1? Wanna see what it’s made of? Okay, maybe if you truly love it, you won’t want to see it pulled apart by a white-glove wearing monster but hey, I should post it anyway though, right? Don’t watch it if you have a weeks stomach though – barbaric tools like tweezers and a guitar pick (…what?) are used to rip this thing open! Brutal.

It’s also four whole videos long, so you’d better get comfortable.

The Dissection

[via Engadget Mobile]