Updated Xperia™ Panels SDK adds Microsoft® Visual Studio 2008, Windows Vista and key mapping emulator support

The Sony Ericsson Beta SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1 enables developers to create Xperia™ Panels and applications for Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1 phone and the new release, version 1.0.4, includes Microsoft® Visual Studio 2008 and Windows Vista OS compatibility and adds key mapping support to the Xperia X1 Device Emulator.

Moving you through the go-to-market steps, the new Xperia Panels testing criteria document is also available for download and Xperia Panels have their own category in this year's Sony Ericsson Content Awards competition.



What's new in SDK version 1.0.4
The Sony Ericsson Beta SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1 features a built-in true Xperia X1 phone device emulator allowing you to run, test and debug panels locally on your computer without needing phone hardware. Version 1.0.4 includes key mapping support in the device emulator.

Compatibility with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development environment and Windows Vista OS are added to the existing list of system requirements.

The accompanying tutorials, getting-started documents and walkthroughs have also been updated.

About Xperia Panels
Xperia Panels introduce a unique, more distinct way of interacting with content through the phone's UI, allowing end-users to personalize their desktop screen.

Xperia Panels can be Native or Web (HTML) and are lightweight applications that extend the Today Screen API in order to provide a full-screen, immersive experience giving a configurable, finger-tip navigation to access different options through panels displayed on the phone's desktop.


Xperia Panels on the Sony Ericsson X1's touchscreen.

Xperia Panel testing criteria
Mobile2Market is the Microsoft certification program for testing and signing Windows Mobile applications and should be used for Windows Mobile applications for the Sony Ericsson X1.

However, the testing and signing of Xperia Panels is different and panels should not be certified though the Mobile2Market program. Sony Ericsson Developer World now has an overview document presenting the different criteria for testing and certifying Xperia Panels.

Sony Ericsson Content Awards 2008, Xperia Panel category
The Sony Ericsson Content Awards 2008 are open to all third-party development companies to submit entries by November 30, 2008.

There are seven categories, one of which is specifically for Xperia Panels. To help inspire you, the Sony Ericsson Developer World team are blogging tips and ideas on the Content Awards website – including Xperia Panel development.