topic Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues in XPERIA archive

Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:25:29 GMT

Hi, I thought I'd make a discussion to help outline the issues I found with the new Android 4.0.4 update, for the Xperia Arc.

Model: Lt15a (Canada)

Build Number: 4.1.B.0.587

1st problem: There is no "slide to unlock" option available with any of the screen lock methods (Pin, Password, Pattern). There is only a "slide" screen lock option which is really the "slide to unlock" feature but doesn't require any other form of protection (Pin, Password, Pattern), which is pretty useless. In Gingerbread, the "slide to unlock" feature was immediately followed by a Pin, Password or Pattern. The only way I found to have both the "slide to unlock" feature and the protection (Pin, Password, Pattern) is to open the camera app and than turn off the screen. The reason to why the "slide to unlock" feature should appear before the Pin, Password & Pattern is because it has quick access to the camera (Slide to the left) and has a larger area to display the music player (when music is playing) and the time, instead of cramming the music player with the Pin, Password & Pattern area and leaving out the time, date and alarms. Also, when you have to confirm your Pin in order to change your screen lock type, you should be given a number pad instead of the regular keyboard. All the above is very important and must be fixed immediately!

2nd Problem: When using your keyboard and holding down the smiley button for the emoticons list to appear, pressing the "back" button doesn't work and you are forced to choose an emoticon for the list to disappear. This is very frustrating and should also be fixed!

3rd Problem: The "Reject Call With A Message" feature doesn't work! There is a new reserved area at the bottom of the call screen that I believe was meant to be pulled up to view the "Reject Call With A Message" list but it doesn't work. It's strange because it seems to be implemented but doesn't work! We were promised this feature but it's no where to be found!

4th Problem: Why did the Xperia Arc not get Wifi-Direct in the Android 4.0.4 update? This a very nifty feature that I thought would have been forsure implemented in this update! Why was this feature stripped out? It is much faster than using Bluetooth to transfer files!

5th Problem: The calendar app with Facebook integration shows false Facebook birthday dates! If someone's birthday is on August 31st, the calendar will show that their birthday is on August 30th. For some reason, it displays people's birthdays one day before the real date. This problem only seems to persist with the Facebook birthdays and not the Facebook events that are integrated into the calendar. This needs to be fixed!

6th Problem: The Camera & Video Apps also have their fair share of problems! The camera app should keep the current layout except add four options on the left side from top to bottom in this order: Image Resolution, Type Of Photo (SCN Auto, Normal, 3D Sweep Panorama & Sweep Panorama), Smile Shutter & Flash Settings. The rest of the options should be displayed when clicking the "options" hardware key, as they already are. There should also be an option in the capturing method setting that allows you to take a photo by using both "touch capture" and the hardware key (Same goes for the video app layout), which was present in Gingerbread. The video capturing quality seems to have suffered a lot during this update and I think that's all because the default video capture seems to have been zoomed by a whole lot when compared to Gingerbread. It's as if I zoomed the video capture halfway on the meter in Gingerbread! Anyone knows that when a video is zoomed, the quality suffers drastically and I think that is what happened here! The default video capture must be restored to that of Gingerbread's immediately! The video app's layout is not bad but it should include these four options on the left side from top to bottom in this order: Video Size (Quality), Scenes, Exposure Value & Photo Light. The rest of the options should be displayed when clicking the "options" hardware key, as they already are. When attempting to focus on a object in the camera app, all it does is show an ugly green square in the middle of the screen, whereas in Gingerbread it showed various green squares of which object(s) it was focusing on. The Sweep Panorama and 3D Sweep Panorama app do that perfectly, but the Camera App does not. Also, the design of the green focusing squares in Gingerbread were more professional and were the ones found on DSLR Cameras, so they should also be changed! These problems mentioned above are the most important and should be treated as priority status for fixing!

7th Problem: There is no cover art for my music anymore. I decided to re-transfer all the music (All have cover art) from my laptop to my phone again to see if this update deleted my music's cover art or that it simply had a problem in displaying them. After trying that, I concluded that with the new update, the music player can't display any of your music's cover art. The fact that this problem exists is kind of embarrassing and should be fixed immediately!

8th Problem: This is a minor inconvenience but should also be considered! Sony Mobile's developers should follow Google's lead and allow all the currently existing widgets to be re-sizable. Given the current widgets, it is extremely hard to find a combinations of widgets that would perfectly cover up each of the five slides. I also found a problem with the "Photos & Videos" widget! When I first updated my phone and went to the home screen, the "Photos & Widgets" widget had remained in its original size (2x2) but once I removed it and decided to place it on the homescreen again, it took up a space of 4x3 to my surprise. That widget should be fixed and made re-sizable!

To all the people reading this discussion, some of the other problems you may have might be temporary and can be fixed with 5+ restarts. I had some other minor problems and they were fixed with a couple of restarts over a period of three days! Although these 8 minor-major problems, the Sony Mobile developers have worked very hard to deliver the Android 4.0.4 update to the 2011 Xperia Porfolio and deserve to be rewarded! It is extremely hard to deliver the Ice Cream Sandwich update to phones that only have 512MB of Ram! They built powerful software and optimized the apps as much as they could to work on the phone's internals. Well done!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:29:10 GMT

it will be easier to help you w/ smaller font

1) it's not a issue, to me it makes sense but you can use a different lockscreen app and customize it as you please.

2) tap on the smiley icon to hide the smileys, and you don't have to long press it anymore, just tap it.

3) this feature might not be supported by your network

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Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:33:59 GMT

4) Sony didn't included wifi direct, or in other words, Sony deleted from the source code, I hope they add it.

5) this seems to be an issue in certain countries.

6) there are myriad camera apps on the market, search, you might find one that works for you.

7) use album art grabber, or trasnfer the music to your PC > use windows media player to add the album info and transfer it back.

😎 I agree

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Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 02:28:53 GMT

you can contact a Sony Moderator directly. moving on

1) it's pointless to have a pattern and slide lock, think about it, you enter the pattern or pin and then you still have to unlock the screen, there are other lockscreen apps on the market.

2) that's odd that you can't tap on the emoticon again or back button to exit it, just like 1) there are myriad keyboards on the market (some better than the preloaded keyboard)

3) just because you can edit the message that doesn't mean your network support this, there are networks that do not or can't support browsing the web and talking on the phone at the same time, you can open the browser while making a call but it won't work, that doesn't mean that network support (data and calls at the same time).

4) Camera apps, it won't decrease the quality of the pictures or videos unless it's a really horrible app, for the most part this apps will add different effects and menus, it won't decrease picture/video quality (in most cases). Sony hasn't being able to fix the camera problems on all the 2010 Xperias, 2011 Xperias and 2012 Xperias, perhaps this is your first Xperia but they have big issues.

5) Mediago it's quite slow, yes it was made by sony but that doesn't mean it's great. but if you must use it again retransfer your music, although using albumgraber its really easy and fast to use.

Remember this is an smartphone, and one of the great advantages of having an smartphone is that you can download apps to customize your phone as you please, to do things that the OME didn't included or improve services preloaded with the phone.

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unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 02:30:42 GMT

Some great apps

My Phone Explorer

http://www.fjsoft.at/en/

Super Status Bar

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.firezenk.ssb&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5maXJlemVuay5zc2IiXQ..

LOCK SCREEN

WidgetLocker

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS50ZXNsYWNvaWxzdy53aWRnZXRsb2NrZXIiXQ..

ICS Lockscreen HD

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dj.golocker.theme.icecream&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kai5nb2xvY2tlci50aGVtZS5pY2VjcmVhbSJd

https://market.android.com/details?id=dcombl.golocker.ics&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiZGNvbWJsLmdvbG9ja2VyLmljcyJd

Lucent Lock Screen

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whitegorillamedia.lockscreen&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS53aGl0ZWdvcmlsbGFtZWRpYS5sb2Nrc2NyZWVuIl0.

Extended Controls

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extendedcontrols&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmV4dGVuZGVkY29udHJvbHMiXQ..

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unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 02:31:31 GMT

The purpose of the forum

Johan

3,564 posts since

Nov 12, 2010

Jun 14, 2012 11:20 PM (in response to ugurkaya)

Re: What is the function of this forum?

The purpose of this forum is for users to help each other and for us to be able to help and also check feedback.

My job is to help users as far as I can and also to report issues further into the company.

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unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 03:35:40 GMT

No, the "slide to unlock" feature is supposed to come before the protection (Pin, Password, Pattern), as it did in Gingerbread! I cannot or want to download any of those apps you showed me because my internal storage space is running low! I already downloaded Mobo Video Player Pro and it works great but I'm still waiting on VLC Media Player for Android. Sony Ericsson and Sony Mobile have always been the leader in camera technology for handsets, snatching "Best Cameraphone Awards" year after year, up until this year! Unfortunately, there was a phone released this year by the name of Nokia 808 Pure View (41 Megapixels) that crushed the competition! Although Nokia's victory, Sony still makes better CMOS sensors (Exmor R) than Nokia, so that's a small win for Sony. You are wrong about Media Go! It's actually quite fast and very powerful! It's the best application there is for viewing, editing, transferring, converting almost all types of media and sharing them with any device! In doesn't matter what application you use for the cover art, the music player simply to refuses to display it! I have a file explorer installed and I can see the individual cover art (Thumbnails) of every music file. The "Reject A Call With A Message" feature has to be implemented on my phone because Rogers follows AT&T's lead and the fact that I can browse the Internet and call someone at the same time tells me that this feature doesn't require anything special. Besides, other users are saying it's not working either, it seems to be implemented but just doesn't work! Anyways, I am going to wait for a fix on all these problems and usually Sony delivers!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 03:48:52 GMT

if you want to increase your internal storage it's quite simple, root your phone and use links2sd or partition your SD card.

How does it add more protection?

higher megapixel count does not equal picture quality. cameras can not be compared to phones or vice versa, the sensor on the phones are just too small, it doesn't matter how impressive the mp count is, as of right now it won't equal/match a decent camera and are quite far from DSLR cameras. using a camera app won't damage your phone or lower the quality unless the app doesn't allow you to use the full potential of the camera sensor. As of right now, Sony mobile is NOT the leader on this department (photo/video smartphones). Can you post the source link of such awards?

I'm not wrong about mediago, you are, lol, it's your opinion and it's my opinion, and that's that. I have the Xperia Arc as well as other Xperias (2010, 2011 and 2012) and I have AT&T, I can use reject a call with sms just fine. there might be something wrong with your phone, repair it with SUS or PCC.

there are better programs that you can use to change formats, "FormatFactory" test it, it's free. Don't be such a Sony fan, there's nothing wrong with that, it is an issue when it doesn't allow you to try third party apps/software and get the full potential of your electronics.

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unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 04:50:07 GMT

No thank you, I am not one of those type of people to root their phones. I rely on official updates and that's that.The reason to why the "slide to unlock" feature should appear before the Pin, Password & Pattern is because it has quick access to the camera (Slide to the left) and has a larger area to display the music player (when music is playing) and the time, instead of cramming the music player with the Pin, Password & Pattern area and leaving out the time, date and alarms. What you think I don't know anything about cameras? Now what if I told you that the Nokia 808 Pure View is a phone, that takes pictures at 41 MP that are superior than most DSLR's on the market! You have to see it to believe it! This year, Nokia built this phone and beat Sony's mobile imaging technology. Mobile phones' imaging quality has not yet reached point and shoot cameras' quality (Nokia 808 Pure View Is An Exception) but their video quality (1080P) has! Have you updated to the latest version of Media Go? When the program first started out it was pretty bad but now it's fantastic! I love and I'm proud of being a Sony fan! You're telling me not to be such a Sony fan while your one of the top contributors on the Sony Mobile Forum??? Here is the link you requested: http://www.eisa.eu/awards/history/5/mobile-devices.html

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 04:58:05 GMT

Rooting is not the same as flashing custom ROMs.

for quite access to the camera just press and hold the shutter, it's a lot faster.

the Nokia 808 pure does NOT take better pictures than a DSLR, there are many reasons for that, I've seen the phone, I've seen the results, I love photography, I take them to their limits, my last 2 cameras had to be repaired because of the amount of pictures I took the sensor on that phone and other smartphones are far too small, thus, decreasing it's quality, I have the latest version of media go, but I realized that it's futile to carry around so much music or waste my internal storage on music, when I can store 20,000 songs free on google music

I do enjoy Sony's technology but I'm quite vocal about the f...dumb things Sony have done, check the link bellow.

your link shows that Sony has won the photo award once, last year with the Xperia Arc, and that's that, even the iphone 4 and 4S use the same sensor

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http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 05:29:01 GMT

The only time holding down the shutter key to activate the camera works, is when I've already unlocked my phone, which is pointless because you can just click on the camera app. Actually, in many online tests, the Nokia 808 beats DSLR cameras. Phone Arena put the Nokia 808 Pure View against the $3 500 Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the results are almost identical (http://www.phonearena.com/news/Nokia-808-PureView-goes-against...-Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-III_id31395). The Sony Xperia S is actually the best cameraphone that runs on the best mobile operating system (Android). That makes it the second best cameraphone on the market and the best on Android! GSM Arena is the best site to visit for all the latest news on mobile devices (http://www.gsmarena.com/). Sony is a company that is built on Japanese culture and will continue pushing the industry with leading technologies, sincerity and loyalty to their customers. They are nothing more and nothing less!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 05:31:44 GMT

try, press and hold the shutter for 3 or so seconds. I have the Xperia S and it's far from perfect. it is not the best camera phone at all. I have the Arc, Play, X10, X8, S, and other androids (different brands too)

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Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 05:45:21 GMT

It doesn't work on my device, it might be because Rogers slightly modified this Android version! How is the Xperia S far from perfect? It is beautifully designed from the inside to the outside, that is why Google recently chose the phone to give it Android 4.0 Vanilla as an experimental project. This relationship gives us the possibility of future Nexus phones being made by Sony! According to tests conducted by various sites including GSM Arena, it is the best cameraphone on Android and not only does it have the highest quality screen of any mobile phone but it's also the most pixel dense (342 PPI) electronic on the market!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 05:47:40 GMT

you can check this

Gallery app HUGE issues (Xperia S)

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/40376

Xperia S picture quality, the pictures look amazing on the S's screen but washed out on a regular LCD/LED or HD TV/Screen

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/36192

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unrelated topic, if you have some time please check this thread

http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/44888

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 06:13:14 GMT

Well I am not aware of those issues but when I was viewing the Xperia S test images on my PC, they looked brilliant! I take shots with my Xperia Arc and always view them on my Sony Bravia TV and they look amazing? It all depends on the quality of your TV and what brand it is! Regarding the sharpness of the image, you don't really except the image you're viewing on your TV (50-100 PPI) to have the same amount of sharpness it has on the Xperia S's display (342 PPI). Regarding the colors, the Sony Mobile Bravia Chipset inside of the Xperia S produces more true to life colors along with a higher constrast ratio and brightness. This means that your TV won't be able to replicate those technologies unless it's a Sony Bravia TV! After all, the Sony Xperia S did get its screen processing technology from the Sony Bravia TV's!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Uliwooly — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:23:48 GMT

I've tried on different computers, monitors and tvs even other smartphones

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Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 05:42:00 GMT

Congratulations!

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

ric_ito — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:53:56 GMT

There is one reason for me why there must be an 'slide to unlock' UI.

If the phone comes back from sleeping (by unnoticed 'home' or 'power' button pressing from inside my pocket), the password screen is already open for input. And so is the emergency call button, which is placed right down in the screen.

If the emergency call button is pressed unnoticed (which is very likely), the phone will be prompted to call a number without my knowledge, which is very annoying.

I really look forward to have an option to slide to unlock again

This issue happens in Xperia Neo MT15a with build 4.1.B.0.431

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Lemonwilly — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:37:20 GMT

1st problem - They do need to re-think the lock screen options, combinations & features.

2nd Problem - works for me.

3rd Problem - works for me.

4th Problem - Would be a 'nice to have' feature for sure. Not essential.

5th Problem - Meh, no big deal.

6th Problem - Camera's fine.

7th Problem - Download the '3' music player - it downloaded all album art for everything in my library.

8th Problem - Use Apex Launcher, you can resize anything. Add extra windows... Nicer animations, themes, icons & layouts.

Re: Xperia Arc Android 4.0.4 Issues

Ramtin_45 — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:42:47 GMT

That's another great reason why the "slide to unlock" feature is necessary before the protection (Pin, Password, Pattern). Your problem applies to the Xperia Arc and many other Sony Ericsson phones!