One of the evolving issues with the release of so many smartphone applications is how to manage access to a multitude of applications from a “Home” screen. iPhone allows up to nine Home screens; BlackBerry and Nokia basically use a Folder Tree for access via the Home screen or a sub-folder. Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X1, which is a Windows Mobile platform with a slideout QWERTY keyboard, uses an algorithm similar to the iPhones Home Screens, to make available customized “Panels” of which up to nine can be installed at any one time.

At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony Ericsson announced four new panels for the Xperia X1, of which one is a Skype panel, to become available March 31, 2009. Currently this small image is the only one available but gives an idea of how it will appear. From the Sony Ericsson press release:

Available to download from mid March 2009, the latest panels enhance the unique user interface of the X1 that enables users to customise the handset, bringing the content and applications they want onto their active desktop.

• A unique Skype panel brings quick access to Skype on the X1, telling you at a glance which of your friends are online. Browse easily through your contacts and call or instant message them in just a couple of clicks, or customise your handset using the evening, daylight or event based effects.

Building on Skype COO Scott Durchslag’s announcement at CES last month this relationship provides one more example of the Skype Everywhere initiative.

It would be interesting to know if, in this implementation, Skype is accessed using the Skype Lite algorithm over a 3G network or Skype for Windows Mobile over WiFi. Should the latter be the case, then it would be of interest to know if this new offering will use the Skype’s new super wideband, embeddable Skype SILK codec.

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• GigaOM reviews the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 (jkontherun.com)

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