topic Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback in XPERIA archive

Software Suggestions / Feedback

djflex — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 20:39:48 GMT

Hi,

I'm new here and a new Xperia Z1 owner.. (this being my first Android device after owning many iPhones) and so far am quite pleased. However in the pursuit of perfection I would like to give some feedback suggestions to Sony regarding the software on the Z1 and a couple of things I have noticed could be easily improved and included in a software update.

They are only minor niggles but I feel these are the kind of details that truely make a great product, so here goes...

- Walkman

Ensure the Walkman application is aware of notifications / sounds from other applications such as Messages, Email and Sat Nav apps. Currently if I recieve a text message / notification sound it will pause the sound for several seconds. If you compare this to applications such as Google Music it only reduces the volume of the music slightly so the notification can be heard but it doesnt stop the music all together. Also its nice to have music playing while driving and to not kill the music when a voice direction is given.. just lowering the music volume in the background while the voice direction is given is much slicker.

- Voice Dialer

The current Voice Dialer application is pretty poor and really needs some work, it struggles to identify contacts correctly and Im pretty shocked that this is the best on offer when these devices are competing against the likes of siri on the iphone which is a one stop shop for all voice dialing and voice commands. Google Home / Search voice recognition is very good and there are also 3rd party applications available for voice dialing but there doesnt appear to be a way to change the default voice dialer when i press the button on my bluetooth headset (the awesome Sony DR-BTN200 NFC headphones I might add).

Also If anyone knows where I can officially post feedback except this forum that would be appreciated.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

djflex — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:03:53 GMT

Glad to say the walkman issue has been addressed on the latest update

Now just the voice dialer please!!!

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

djflex — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 10:16:56 GMT

Gapless playback doesn't seem to be working in the walkman app. Works ok in Google play music. Will this be fixed?

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

Rickard — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 10:35:51 GMT

Gapless is supported in the version of Walkman that was released in August (see http://blogs.sonymobile.com/2013/08/07/sonys-media-apps-update-rolling-globally-walkman-album-movies-in-30secs/) so i think this should work in Z1. If it's not working even after installing all updates in Update Centre, please send me a PM with the following information:

Name:
Phone nr:
E-mail:
Country:
Operator:
IMEI nr:
Build number:

Walkman version: (Settings -> Apps -> All -> Walkman)

Voice dialing is a standard feature in Android so i suspect this would need to be improved by Google.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

SwitchTrix — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 10:49:54 GMT

I have the latest version of the Walkman and there is no option to set gapless playback?

If it is meant to do this automatically than it is not working as I've just tested with a couple of tracks that should be gapless.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

Rickard — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:54:35 GMT

There's no setting for it in Walkman that you need to enable.

Please send me a PM with your details and also what format your music has and i'll forward this.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

Mystic — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:20:01 GMT

When you say gapless dont you mean that one track starts as soon as the other ends? have you checked that the tracks dont have any buffering on either side of them. meaning no silence at all. if there is any you wont notice if its gapless.. if you mean that the songs dont stop when you get notifications.. then thast a different thing. and that should be working with the latest update too.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

djflex — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 21:32:34 GMT

Sorry for the late reply....

Thanks Rickard. I have sent you a PM with all the info.

When i mean gapless... i mean no pauses in between tracks when listening to an album

I noticed the issue listening to the album Disclosue - Settle which was originally purchased and downloaded through iTunes and then copied to my device as is. The files are in m4a format and have all the correct metadata etc, when i play it back in Google Play Music app it plays through gapless as expected but the Walkman app introduces a slight pause between tracks which is annoying and I'm sure shoud be working the same as the Google app.

Thanks for you help and please let me know if this will be fixed in a future update.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

djflex — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 21:51:59 GMT

Also just checked this against another album Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle and this one has loads of interlude tracks that all link together etc. Same situation where google music plays through without any gap and the walkman app intoduces a slight pause. These files are in standard MP3 format.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

Rickard — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 07:37:12 GMT

Thanks for the details. I have forwarded it and i will update this thread as soon as i have more information.

Re: Software Suggestions / Feedback

Rickard — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 13:07:06 GMT

This has been investigated but we're unable to find any problem with the gapless playback in Walkman. This might be a problem with the files you have but without an exact copy of the files it's unfortunately hard to say what's causing this.

If Google Play Music handles them without gap then my best suggestion right now would be to play them using that app instead.

Bluetooth voice dialing.

gags — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 13:48:18 GMT

I had Sony Ericsson phones for many years without complaint, but was tempted by the sleek lines of the Iphone. After 2 years of not being able to use the Iphone when driving, because the stupid voice dialer can't recognize what I'm saying with background noise. So I came back to Sony only to find there using a similar system. It doesn't work!!! Why doesn't some superbright person reinvent the Sony Ericsson system where you record your own voice commands, in the environment which they are to be used, i.e. in a car with the engine running. It was foolproof!

In England it is a serious offence to even touch your phone when driving. Please can someone come up with a solution, and help me keep my license.

Many thanks in anticipation