Xperia X10 Tips & Tricks

[X10]

Let’s use this thread to share any tips and tricks we discover with the Xperia X10. I’ve included a few common ones below but it would be great if we can share more!

Xperia X10 Tips

• Long press on an empty space in your home page to add Widgets, Shortcuts, Folders and Wallpapers.
  
• Start camera by long-pressing hardware shutter key.
  
• Lock display by hitting the power button.
  
• To access Test Menu: On the key lock screen, press the following button combinations: menu > back > back > menu > back > menu > menu > back
  
• To access Service Menu: In the dialler, enter the following: enter *#*#4636#*#*

[Trojanic]

Most important thing I have found so far is to not forget about the 'Menu' button. It opens up so much more options that are handy with everything the phone can do!

Download Advanced Task Killer - very good for stopping those unwanted processes.

Holding down the 'Home' button will bring up a small menu that shows 6 recently used applications.

Also I've stolen this from another site as I have seen several people asking battery life on this forum;

Follow the tips below to enhance the battery performance of your X10.

1) Turn off the “Always-on” mobile data connection.
On the Home screen, select Menu => Settings => Wireless controls => Mobile network settings and turn off “Enable always-on mobile data”. This will make the biggest impact on battery life.

2) Disable Wireless network usage for positioning purposes
To disable this go to Menu => Settings => Location => Use wireless networks. This will turn off the “anonymous” Google location data collection that uses the wireless data connection frequently. Any app that will need a location will turn on the GPS separately. Please note that turning off wireless network usage for location purposes will stop the assistance provided to GPS hence, will take time.

3) Turn off “Background data” usage (but not if you use Google services!)
For doing this go to Menu => Settings => Data synchronization => Google => Background data. This will minimize background data usage that keeps the phone’s network connections active and use a lot of power during the day. Note! If you are using Gmail, Calendar and Contacts on your phone you need to have this enabled or it will disable automatic sync with Google online servers.

4) Always keep Wi-Fi off when not in use – automate this with Y5 Battery Saver
To disable Wi-Fi go to Menu => Settings => Wireless controls and turn off “Wi-Fi”. If you still want to use your Wi-Fi connection install the completely free Y5 Battery Saver application. It automatically turns off the Wi-Fi when out of range and enables it again when you are close to known access points to save battery life .

5) Always keep Bluetooth off when not in use
This tip is very common and nearly everyone knows about it. Go to Menu => Settings => Wireless controls and turn off “Bluetooth”.

6) Avoid usage of push or very frequent email polling – configure it to sync every 15 or more minutes
Mail sync frequency can be set through (Menu =>) All programs => Mail => “Menu” button => More => Settings => Send & Receive => Set Download frequency => e.g. Every 15 minutes (For X10 Menu=> Email=> Menu button=> Account settings=> Email check frequency). Keep the Mail size limit at 5 KB as larger downloads consume more battery power.

7) Turn off automatic Weather updates
If you have any weather update application in your phone then turn off the automatic updates of it. As the weather doesn’t change in minutes so keeping it off will save the battery power and when needed manually update it.

8 ) Set a reasonable update frequency for Twitter, Flicker and Facebook
Most of the users have social networking profiles in twitter, facebook and others. For this they download applications and most of the applications auto update in a regular time. For saving the battery power set a reasonable auto update frequency which won’t eat up the battery e.g 30mins.

[kiwik]

i found quite annoying to use dialler or messenger for finding contact.
Instead, when home screen is activated, i long press menu key. That should launch keyboard. Then i tap in some beginning letters of contact name, that opens search. Continue to tap until i see contact i'm searching for, and open it.

[nharmon007]

I've downloaded an app called 'quick connect' free from the app store. open it and you have a list of contacts and a message or call button. super cool!

[eisuke]

Hi Trojanic,

Your search on battery is really cool, but I can't find the setting on item1.
1) Turn off the “Always-on” mobile data connection.
On the Home screen, select Menu => Settings => Wireless controls => Mobile network settings and turn off “Enable always-on mobile data”. This will make the biggest impact on battery life.


I got to MOBILE NETWORKS, but then only have the following:

MMS&Data (on)
Data roaming (off)
Network Mode
Network Operators
Access Point Names
Auto Internet Settings

Is it the same as Data roaming?
Many thanks!
eisuke

[nharmon007]

MMS & Data on is the one you check / uncheck

[knickerbocker]

anyone figure out how to take screenshots?

[zleepy]

anyone figure out how to take screenshots?

there is app to download from appmarket to take screenshots=)

[shonangreg]

Sometimes when using the browser, something I do on the screen alternates between the different windows I have open. What is the trick for this? Is there an on-screen gesture to change windows? Pressing the left key, then the "windows" button, then choosing the window is distracting.

And I'm worried the buttons at the bottom are not very robust and may be a point of failure, so I'd like to use them only when necessary.

Thanks,
G-)

[dazwhites]

Download 'Gesture Search' app for free from the market place. Great app which allows you to search for anything on your phone by drawing the letters it begins with on the screen with your finger. It automatically brings up apps, contacts, emails etc on your phone beginning with these letters. Store it on your home screen for quick easy access to anything on your X10.

[eisuke]

Hi,
Does anyone know how to get an any app to quickly switch 3G data & mms on/off from the home screen rather than having to go into settings? Something like the X10 "quick settings" widget is what I'm looking for..... or can we add the 3G on/off onto this??

Eisuke

[shonangreg]

Hi,
Does anyone know how to get an any app to quickly switch 3G data & mms on/off from the home screen rather than having to go into settings? Something like the X10 "quick settings" widget is what I'm looking for..... or can we add the 3G on/off onto this??

Eisuke

How about using airplane mode? Long press of the power button, then choose "Airplane mode". But then you'll have no Wi-Fi either.

G-)

[hoomi_x10]

There is a cool trick I wanna show you.
Dial this code to access phone secret settings :
*#*#4636#*#*

here you can see health of battery, the usage of batter for all time you've been using phone, you can change SMS service center. yo ucan see full info about your phone and provider and many other interesting stuff.

[eisuke]

Hi,
Does anyone know how to get an any app to quickly switch 3G data & mms on/off from the home screen rather than having to go into settings? Something like the X10 "quick settings" widget is what I'm looking for..... or can we add the 3G on/off onto this??

Eisuke

How about using airplane mode? Long press of the power button, then choose "Airplane mode". But then you'll have no Wi-Fi either.

G-)

Hi shonangreg,
Thanks for the response, but flight mode will also shut down the phone function, which I dont want to do.

I've done a bit more research and found a few options:

1) 2G-3G OnOff: shortcut to "Mobile network settings" page. From home screen you still have to tap twice to switch 3G on, 3 times to switch off. A little annoying but works smoothly
2) SMODA Widget: widget that switch 3G on/off. 1x1 tile and is exactly what I'm looking for... but takes time to switch on/off after tapping.
3) Quick Switching: 1x1 tile widget that opens a folder with quick on/off functions: mobile networks (GPRS/EDGE), WiFi, Bluetooth, FlightMode, 2G/3G, GPS. Might be useful but doesn't work on my phone. Maybe I need to play around with it a bit.

I only just downloaded these but I intend to try out 1&2 for the next few days and choose which works best for me.
You can find all these apps by searching "2G-3G" on the market.

Hope it helps!

[youssef]

Anyone knows how to skip songs played in mediascape while the mobile is locked?