We took PYYRAMIDS, Damian Kulash (of OKGO) and photographer Martien Mulder to Swedish Lapland, where we challenged the group to create a Northern Lights-inspired music video using Xperia Z.

So, as promised, check out the fruit of that trip above – the official music video “From Under Other Stars”.

We’ve also included some other content from the expedition; behind the scenes sneak peeks, group interviews and more  – enjoy!

Meet Tim Nordwind and Drea Smith of PYYRAMIDS, Damian Kulash of OK Go and photographer Martien Mulder as they figure out how to use Xperia Z to capture the sound of the Northern Lights.

Watch how Damian recorded melodies on his Nyckelharpa in sub-zero temperatures and use instruments that “sound like outer space” to interpret the sound of colour.

Tim Nordwind and Drea Smith of PYYRAMIDS travelled all the way from sun-drenched LA to the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden to write a song inspired by the Northern Lights.

Follow them on a dog sled ride into the Arctic tundra to record vocals and guitar on Xperia Z before returning to their tipi to share their work using the smartphone’s “One-touch” functions.

From the reflective surfaces of the Ice Hotel to snowy scenery speeding by in bright sunlight, learn how Dutch-bornphotographer Martien Mulder used Xperia Z to capture the essence of the Arctic to create ‘From Under Other Stars’ music video.

Without further ado…

SmartWatch Universal IM

This app collates all notifications from your different IM accounts – it’s Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, Google Voice, and more all rolled into one … who said we all couldn’t just get along?

Augmented Traffic 

Grab real-time traffic cam images based on your location, wherever you are. Just swipe left to right to reveal what upcoming traffic looks like – and to get a feeling for how long you’ll be gridlocked for…

Find Phone – Smart Extras

Because we know you’ve been there – tearing apart your bedroom in search of your phone only to discover hours later it was sitting in your back pocket. With our very own “Find Phone”, you can use your SmartWatch as a remote to make your phone beep or vibrate, so you can find it in an instant.

A007 Spy 

Bond used an Xperia T in the field last time out in Skyfall, and this app seems fitting for budding-Bonds. Users can record anything with this app simply by swiping your watch to the right. On a side note, this app may be the official demise of the phrase “off the record” – you’ve been warned.

Sudoku

Because, really, no device is complete these days if you can’t play Sudoku on it. KastenTech’s version Includes 40 Sudoku puzzles with four difficulty settings with ten levels each.

 Blocks

For those classic Tetris lovers, this modern version of the all time favorite is available exclusively for Sony SmartWatch.

BubbleWatch

No, this isn’t an app that turns your watch into a bubble machine. Rather, it’s another classic game, Bubble Breaker. Select a uniform color group of bubbles and click to destroy them. We promise it’s trickier than it sounds.

Custom Watch 

Some days you feel like going analog, other days you want digital… along with six new watch faces in our last update, a number of SmartWatch apps let you customize your Sony timepiece. “Custom Watch” is no exception; it gives you with 14 individual watch designs, with 6 digital and 8 analog clocks. You also have fully creative control over text, background colors, clocksize, and clock position.

Planetarium 

Discover the infinity and beyond (sorry) from your SmartWatch. The planetarium app provides key facts about your favorite celestial objects, unleashing the inner astronomy geek in all of us!

WebBrowser

The app that let’s your browse the web from your SmartWatch– it’s how you know the future has arrived.

Feel free to drop any SmartWatch apps you feel worth highlighting below! It’s also worth noting, SmartWatch apps are added to Google Play every day and if you’re a developer, you can create your own SmartWatch app extensions using the Sony Add-on SDK - check it out!

*It’s worth noting certain apps were developed by the great indy developer community, therefore we can’t always guarantee full compatibility

We took the band’s lead singer Damian Kulash, bassist Tim Nordwind and singer Drea Smith (who perform together as PYYRAMIDS) and photographer Martien Mulder to the village of Jukkasjärvi in Northern Sweden this past March.

There, we tasked them with capturing the “sound” of the Aurora Borealis using some of Sony’s latest and greatest technology, including Xperia Z.

Check out Wired’s write up and the trailer above for some of our group’s accounts of the experience – and keep all eyes on the blog to see how things unfolded later next week…

Over and out,

Ant.

The new software brings Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean”, along with a number of different and improved Sony features. We’ve been working to blend our Sony Xperia software with Google’s Jelly Bean release to create some cool user experiences – some of the functionality you can look forward to includes:

Newer and even more intuitive versions of Sony Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies

A set of slick, easy-on-the-eye libraries that let you access and share all your snaps, videos and tunes.

Make your battery last longer with Battery STAMINA Mode

Battery STAMINA Mode lets you get the most out of your battery when you need it. Fully customizable, your phone knows when the screen is off and shuts down the draining apps you don’t need, and then instantly starts them up again when the screen is back on.

Organize and search for your apps in a new quicker way

Application tray sorting is that bit breezier – just press and hold on any app – move, add it to your desktop or create a folder within the tray by dropping it on top of another.

We’ve also added a new search function within the application tray that makes it easy to locate your favourite apps.

Personalize your phone even more with your additional panes

A revamped homescreen experience for handling widgets, apps and shortcuts… with up to 7 desktop panes, widgets that auto-resize and actionable notifications, you have complete flexibility to create the interface you want with a few simple touches.

Google Now brings you just the right information at just the right time even before you know you need it

Combining the power of Google search and user profiling, Google Now helps you accomplish daily tasks more efficiently. You can learn more about Google Now here.

In some cases – particularly for Xperia go users – we’ve only made the upgrade accessible via PC Companion or Bridge for Mac due to the size of some software packages, and these users will only receive an in-phone notification if running Ice Cream Sandwich.

We’ve heard your questions and know you guys are keen to hear about updates for Xperia S, Xperia SL, Xperia ion and Xperia acro S – these smartphones are next in line to start receiving Sony’s Android 4.1 software from the end of May.

We’ll bring you the latest info when we can and, as always, you’ll only find the official details right here on the blog.

*Availability and rollout timing will vary by market and customer variants

It’s part of our ongoing commitment to support and collaborate with the Android community – the Sony software code will be open for external developers to work with and contribute to, and it’ll be overseen by the same team that was behind the Xperia S AOSP.

It’s worth noting that the software isn’t intended for everyday use, and it doesn’t include apps and services as part of standard phone software – everything you need to get started can be found on Sony’s GitHub and don’t forget to check out Developer World for all the info.

We’re excited to kick this off and look forward to working with as many developers as possible!

Greetings from Milan! Last week I spoke at Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture fair. So, what might a Sony Mobile designer be doing at a furniture show, you ask?

Well, the thing about being a designer is that we share our inspirations across a variety of platforms; from furnishings, to clothes, cars, smartphones and more.

And as technology becomes more interoperable, we are crossing traditional design borders. Cars are now communication platforms, smartphones are controlling things around you, and the home is becoming ‘smarter’ too.

A large part of this is because today’s consumers place more of an emphasis on style than ever before. Meaning the designer plays just as important a role as the engineer when it comes to putting together a great product. I discussed this and more as part of Ford Europe’s design panel, where I got to speak with other designers including Martin Smith and Sheryl Connelly over at Ford, and Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffè, a professor of strategy at Boconi School of Management.

We touched on the fact that consumers are becoming increasingly interested in the people and processes behind the products they use. One thing I’ve noticed is that the roles of engineer, designer and product manager are becoming more interdependent. We have to work more closely and in tighter collaboration – having common goals and understanding of what each expert is bringing to the process. We are seeing the rise of the Experience Designer, Human Interface and app designers – hardware appears to be losing some of its importance.

We have an instinctive desire for technology to be integrated and non-intrusive – it should do what it does and then get out of the way. On the other hand, we also have an inherent desire to own, and cherish objects that are giving so much benefit to our lives. There is a tension here – the desire to objectify, and the desire to de-materialize. A lot of our thinking is about finding the magic balance between these elements.

Offline, the panel discussed the concept of “simplexity”: putting together a simple, user friendly interface that supports complex technology. We work to do this in both hardware and UI design – our OmniBalance design theme recognises the desire for a beautiful product with the need for universal use, practicality and de-materialization. Xperia Z is the first embodiment of these principles: a simple “single surface” that is balanced and useful in any direction. Our interface design has a theme we call Dynamic Simplicity that allows us to layer complexity – presenting a simple and easy to use interface on top, but with layers of complexity that are adaptable to the advanced user.

Another area we touched on is the integration of smartphone and mobile communication technologies into other “things”- the so-called “internet of things“.

One last thing we discussed was the democratization of design. Fact is, well designed products are now available and affordable to all, and technology is being used in most socio-economic levels. 3D CAD and visualization tools, app development tools, rapid and virtual prototyping, and marketing channels have been democratized. The process of design and prototyping has been democratized. And while it’s still difficult to mass produce, there are on-line communities and tools to raise funding if you want to launch a product – this is not a threat to us, but an opportunity to engage with increasingly knowledgeable users and consumers. I look forward to hearing and collaborating with more of them in the future.

Tom Waldner, Head of Creative Product Design, Sony Mobile

Because of the vast geography in Russia, Sony Mobile had a challenge to include the whole country in a recycling program. However thanks to our great service network, this is now possible! The service locations exist in all major cities and most service locations are walk-in locations which mean that they are perfect for hosting our recycling collection boxes.

Since January 2013, we now have recycling collection boxes in 39 service locations across 32 Russian cities. To make them as visible as possible, the boxes have been made big enough to attract the attention of all service center visitors and they are located in places that are easily accessible for all visitors.

Handing in your phone at one of our collection centers, you can be assured that the phones will be recycled in a responsible and environmentally sound way in accordance with our Global Environmental Warranty. All the collected phones will be handed over to an international recycling company which will recycle them in the most environmentally friendly recycling process possible.

So what are you waiting for? Make a positive contribution to the environment by recycling your phone today! Your recycling contribution will help to lower the extraction of new materials by enabling the re-use of already extracted ones.

You can find all the Russian recycling locations here and to learn more about Sony Mobile’s recycling program and recycling options in other countries, visit our recycling pages at: www.sonymobile.com/recycle.

Russian translation below -

Программа добровольной утилизации телефонов стартовала в России

В январе 2013 года компания Sony Mobile запустила в России программу добровольной утилизации телефонов. Эта новая программа предоставляет российским покупателям возможность утилизировать свои старые телефоны без вреда для окружающей среды.

Из-за обширной географии России привлечь к участию в программе жителей всей страны было не просто. Однако благодаря нашей сервисной сети это стало возможным! Пункты сервисного обслуживания Sony Mobile есть во всех крупных городах и в большинстве своем расположены очень удобно, поэтому они отлично подошли для размещения контейнеров для утилизации.

С начала января 2013 года такие контейнеры были установлены в 39 пунктах сервисного обслуживания, расположенных в 32 городах страны. Контейнеры достаточно вместительные, их легко заметить, и размещены они в легкодоступных местах.

Сдавая свой телефон в один из наших сервисных центров, вы можете быть уверены, что этот телефон будет утилизирован без вреда для окружающей среды в соответствии с нашей экологической политикой (Global Environmental Warranty). Все собранные телефоны будут переданы международной перерабатывающей организации, которая гарантирует их утилизацию самым безопасным для окружающей среды способом.

Итак, чего вы ждете? Сделайте свой вклад в защиту окружающей среды — сдайте свой старый телефон сегодня! Ваше участие поможет уменьшить добычу исчерпаемых ресурсов за счет повторного использования уже существующих материалов.

Все адреса пунктов утилизационного сбора можно найти здесь. Чтобы подробнее узнать о программе утилизации Sony Mobile и вариантах утилизации в других странах, посетите сайт www.sonymobile.com/recycle.

We know there’s a balance (and sometimes compromise) between the high-end functionality you get in a smartphone and having the battery juice to experience it all. It can be frustrating after enjoying mobile entertainment (video and games especially), then not being able to maintain enough power to text, call, blog or tweet.  

It’s a common concern and something we regularly discuss in both consumer and more developer focused forums / social channels.

We recognized a few things: a) people don’t use their phone all day long and in many cases it can spend up to 90% of the day on standby in your bag or pocket, and b) many apps and processes continue to run in the background, using up your battery life.

To tackle this, we developed Extended Standby and Battery STAMINA Modes across 2012 and 2013 Xperia devices, to extend standby time by up to four times or more. The premise is simple; saving power consumption when you don’t need it, lets you get the most out of your battery life when you do need it.

It’s well worth checking out the Developer World content for all the info.

We’ve charted the trip in a series of short videos – you can see his perceptions of Xperia Z’s 13MP camera as it caught all the colourful experiences on the road.

Born in Punjab, India, Tarsem is a filmography director – his 20+ year career has seen him direct everything from commercials to music videos and films. Notable highlights include the 2011 blockbuster “Immortals”,  his Snow White adaptation “Mirror Mirror” and visual masterpiece “The Fall”, as well as music video classics like En Vogue’s “Hold On” and REM’s “Losing my Religion”.

See Tarsem’s amazement as he captures a woman’s intricately decorated hands and a fountain full of petals.

Jodhpur is India’s “Blue City” and the backdrop to Tarsems 2006′ film, “The Fall” – see how Xperia Z captures one of the director’s hallmark and personally favourite settings.

See more of / pay homage to Tarsem’s journey so far as he captures a unique shrine on India’s roadside.

And no, this isn’t an April fool…

A few weeks’ back at Mobile World Congress 2013, we took 196 Xperia Z smartphones and organised them into a 14 / 14, 6ft2″ wall – smashing the previous record by more than double

It’s great to receive this accreditation - if you have any ideas on what we could could create next time around, feel free to drop them below!