Sony Ericsson Zylo and Spiro Walkman Phones

In this post I'm going to look at two walkman phones recently announced by Sony Ericsson - the Zylo and Spiro. Sony Ericsson are continuing their trend with walkman phones but taking them one step further by combining social networking with music. The Zylo and Spiro have been designed to allow users to easily communicate with their friends via Facebook or use Twitter while listening to music.

Both of these phones support TrackID - a service that allows users to find the artist and name of the currently playing track wherever they are. One interesting feature of the Sony Ericsson Zylo is that users can play a tune in the background at the same time as talking on the handset. This could perhaps be used to pretend you are in a different location such as walking down the street.

Now lets have a look at Zylo vs Spiro for features:

Sony Ericsson Spiro features
Camera - 2.0 Megapixel with 2x digital zoom and video recording
Music - Walkman, TrackID, Bluetooth stereo (A2DP)
Web - Obigo Q7 web browser
Social networking - Facebook, Twitter
Connectivity - Bluetooth, Micro USB, USB mass storage, 3.5mm audio jack
Screen - 262,144 colour TFT, 240 x 320 pixels (QVGA)

Sony Ericsson Zylo features
Camera - 3.2 Megapixel with 2x digital zoom, video recording, geo tagging, photo feeds
Music - Walkman, TrackID, Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), Clear bass, Clear stero, Shake control
Web - Access NetFront web browser
Social networking - Facebook, Twitter
Connectivity - Bluetooth, Modem, Synchronisation, USB mass storage,
Screen - 262,144 colour TFT, 240 x 320 pixels (QVGA), Scratch-resistant

Both phones have very similar features but the Zylo supports a more powerful camera and advanced music features.

The Sony Ericsson Zylo and Spiro Walkman Phones are expected to be available in selected markets in mid to late 2010.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 - Unique Arc Slider

The recently unveiled Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 features a unique Arc Slider design that allows the screen to slide out and reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. The following image shows how the Arc Slider design is implemented:

The XPERIA X1 also features a metal body finish, 3-inch wide VGA display, touch screen with handwriting recognition and the Windows Mobile operating system for SmartPhone functionality. The XPERIA interface consists of customisable panels that can be touched to access your web, multimedia or other applications.

Multiple navigation sources are provided for convenient and intuitive interaction with the phone. The touch screen, 4-way key, QWERTY keyboard and optical joystick can all be used for navigation. The optical joystick works by brushing your finger over the navigation key to move the pointer on the screen.

HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and WiFi are support allow for fast and convenient Internet access. Web browsing and RSS functionality is included.

A 3.2 megapixel camera is included with 3x digital zoom, auto focus and video recording.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 is expected to become available in selected markets from the second half of 2008.

Specifications:
- Screen: 800 x 480 65,536-colour TFT
- Internal memory: Up to 400MB
- External memory: MicroSD
- Camera: 3.2 megapixels, Auto Focus, 3x Digital zoom, video
- Connectivity: aGPS, Bluetooth, USB, WLAN
- Colours: Black
- Music: Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), Windows Media Player mobile

Sony Ericsson G900 - 5 Megapixel Camera and Touch Screen

The Sony Ericsson G900 features a touch screen interface and camera with a high capture resolution of 5 megapixels. This is one of two touch screen organiser phones that have recently been announced by Sony Ericsson, the other being the 3.2 megapixel G700 model.

The G900 model has all of the functionality of the G700 with additional features including the higher camera resolution of 5 megapixels, touch enabled camera functions, touch photo album editor and WiFi support. Other camera upgrades include Auto Focus and a picture blogging feature.

All touch screen functions of the G700 model such as "one touch" control, hand writing recognition and finger navigation are supported. The Sony Ericsson G900 also supports "Quick Notes", a feature that allows you to quickly write notes on the screen with the stylus and then save or send them to your contacts. A single press on the Notes icon is all that is required to activate the Quick Notes feature.

3G broadband internet access is provided and allows the G900 to be used for streaming videos, music and news channels. An RSS feature is also included to allow you to subscribe to your favorite feeds and receive notifications when a new feed has been published. WiFi allows fast internet connections in internet hotspots.

The Sony Ericsson G900 is expected to be released in selected markets from the second quarter of 2008.

Specifications:
- Camera: 5 Megapixels, Auto Focus, 3x digital zoom, Image stabiliser, re-eye reduction
- Screen: 240 x 320 pixels, 262,144-colour TFT
- Onboard Memory: 160MB
- External Memory: Memory Stick Micro support
- Talk Time: 12 hours for GSM 900, 1800 and 1900, 4 hours for UMTS 2100
- Standby Time: 380 hours
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, WLAN, USB, Modem, PC synchronisation
- Internet: WAP 1.2.1, WAP 2.0 XHTML, Opera web browser
- Music: Media Player, MP3, ACC, Bluetooth stereo A2DP
- Operating System: Symbian

Sony Ericsson G700 - 3.2 Megapixel Camera and Touch Screen

The Sony Ericsson G700 is a 3G touch screen organiser phone that features a 3.2 megapixel camera. This is one of two touch screen organiser phones that have recently been announced by Sony Ericsson, the other being the 5 megapixel G900 model.

The large 2.4 inch touch display features "one touch" control for a range of organiser functions that include contacts, calendars, pictures, notes and shortcuts to your favorite websites. The touch screen on the G700 also features hand writing recognition and allows you to enter hand written text with the supplied stylus. Finger input is also supported to allow you to navigate your phone by simply touching the screen.

The camera supplies a capture resolution of 3.2 megapixels and features 3x Digital Zoom and an Image Stabiliser. Other features of the camera include Photo fix for adjusting light balance and contrast after the photo has been taken, Photo light for improving picture quality in poor lighting conditions and Red eye reduction. Camera features for video mode include Video light and Video stabiliser.

The G700 is also optimised for the web and features 3G broadband internet access speeds of up to 384 kbps. An RSS feeds feature lets you subscribe to feeds and notifies you when new feeds are available from the main display. The fast internet access also lets you use the phone as a media player for streaming music videos, movie trailers, news and sports.

The Sony Ericsson G700 is expected to be released in selected markets from the second quarter of 2008.

Specifications:
- Camera: 3.2 Megapixels, 3x digital zoom, image stabiliser, re-eye reduction
- Screen: 240x320 pixel 262,144-colour TFT
- Onboard Memory: 160MB
- External Memory: Memory Stick Micro support
- Talk Time: 12 hours for GSM 900, 1800 and 1900, 4 hours for UMTS 2100
- Standby Time: 380 hours
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB, Modem, PC synchronisation
- Internet: WAP 1.2.1, WAP 2.0 XHTML, Opera web browser
- Music: Media Player, MP3, ACC, Bluetooth stereo A2DP
- Operating System: Symbian

Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber shot - 5 Megapixel camera phone

The Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber shot is a stylish camera phone that offers an impressive capture resolution of 5 megapixels. The C902 is one of two new Cyber shot phones recently announced by Sony Ericsson, the other being the C702 which was covered in the previous post.

Featuring a slim, compact design with slide out lens cover, this camera phone has been built for style. From the back view, this handset doesn't resemble a mobile phone at all!

The 5 megapixel camera features Face Detection, Auto Focus, Auto Rotate and photo flash. The Face Detection and Auto Focus feature lets the camera focus on the face of the subject instead of the background. For night photos, the Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber shot features the latest lighting technology and Photo Flash for quality photos in low light conditions. The established BestPic feature which lets you quickly take nine photos and choose the best, also now features a light solution.

Camera related user interface features include display lighting adjustments and eight camera touch keys. When in camera mode, the phones lighting changes from white to blue. The eight camera touch keys let you choose from available camera modes that include Face Detection, Photo Flash, and Auto Focus.

The Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber shot will be available in selected markets from the second quarter of 2008.

Specifications:
- Camera: 5.0 Megapixels with auto focus, auto rotate, face detection and 2.5 x digital zoom
- Display: 262,144 colour TFT, 240x320 pixels, 2 inches
- Memory: Up to 160MB, Stick Micro (M2) support
- Music: Media player, Music tones (MP3/AAC) FM radio
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Modem, USB, PictBridge
- Colours: Swift Black, Luscious Red
- Compatible Accessories: USB Card Reader CCR-70, Bluetooth Headset HBH-PV712, GPS-Enabler HGE-100, Design Collection IDC-23

Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber shot - 3.2 megapixels and GPS

The Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber shot offers a 3.2 megapixel camera optimised for single handed use and a GPS with location based imaging. This phone is one of two recently announced additions to the Cyber shot phone range. The other model is the 5 megapixel C902 which will be covered in the next post.

The C702 Cyber shot has been designed for a range of conditions and features a unique splash and dust resistant design. Sony Ericsson describes this model as a phone that can always be at your side wherever you go, whatever you do.

Designed to let you take pictures in any position, the C702 features a camera key and active lens cover that are specifically placed so one hand can stabilise the 3.2 megapixel camera and also take a photo. Other one-handed design features include steady-grip materials and a wrist strap.

An integrated GPS with a selection of location based imaging services is provided for adding a new dimension when capturing and editing photos. When a photo is taken, information about where you are located in the world is automatically attached to the image.

Google Maps for Mobile is included and can be used to help guide you to your destination when you're out and about. You can also get voice guidance using the GPS to get directional instructions for up to 20 million points of interest.

The Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber shot will be available in selected markets from the second quarter of 2008.

Specifications:
- Camera: 3.2 Megapixel with auto focus and 2 x digital zoom
- Display: 262,144 colour TFT, 240x320 pixels, 2.2 inches
- Navigation: aGPS (Assisted GPS), Google maps for mobile
- Memory: Up to 160MB, Stick Micro (M2) support
- Music: Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), Media player, Music tones (MP3/AAC) FM radio
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Modem, USB
- Colours: Speed Black, Cyan Blue
- Compatible Accessories: USB Card Reader CCR-70, Bluetooth Headset HBH-PV703, Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-65, Camera Phone Kit IPK-100

Recent Sony Ericsson Posts:
Sony Ericsson Z770 Web enabled clamshell phone

Sony Ericsson Z770 - Web enabled clamshell phone

The new Sony Ericsson Z770 is an elegant clamshell phone optimised for the web with HSDPA data speeds. It is designed to make it straightforward to surf the web, receive the latest news and read emails.

Designed for web access on the move, the Z770 features an email setup wizard, high speed web access, intuitive navigation features for fast web browsing and Google maps for mobile. Once online, a Magnetic Mouse Pointer controlled by the navigation key can be used to help with web browsing. The mouse pointer icon changes depending upon its position on the Web page (i.e. from text input to pointer or link). Pan and zoom is also available for viewing areas of interest.

The Sony Ericsson Z770 can also receive RSS feeds direct from selected websites as soon as the feed is published. Alternatively, the user can click on the RSS title or widget to gain access to your favorite website from the phones desktop or standby screen.

A weather forecast feature is also provided that allows the phone to receive regular weather updates.

The Sony Ericsson Z770 also features a 2 megapixel camera with 2.5x digital zoom, photo fix, picture blogging, video recording and x-pict Story slideshows.

Specifications:
- Internet: Fast Web access with HSDPA, Access NetFront Web browser, RSS feeds, Google maps
- Music: Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), Media player, Music tones (MP3/AAC), PlayNow, TrackID
- Camera: 2.0 megapixel, 2.5x digital zoom
- Memory: Up to 32 MB, Memory Stick Micro (M2) support
- Display: 262,144 colour TFT, Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels, Size: 2.2 inches
- Talk Time: Up to 8.5 hrs
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Modem, PictBridge, Synchronization, USB
- Colours: Vogue Red, Graphite Black, Exquisite Gold
- Optional Accessories: Bluetooth Car Speakerphone HCB-150, GPS Enabler HGE-100, Bluetooth Headset HBH-PV703, Deskstand CDS-75

Recent Sony Ericsson posts:
Sony Ericsson T280 and T270
Sony Ericsson W760 - Global walkman

Sony Ericsson T280 and T270

The new Sony Ericsson T280 and T270 are stylish, affordably priced mobile phones that feature a slim 13mm brushed metal case and Bluetooth connectivity.

Sony Ericsson T270
This handset has been designed for the business user who just wants to get the essentials done well. The T270 was developed without a camera to keep things simple and is built in a metal housing with a clearly laid out keypad to provide a robust phone that is easy to use. Functions for the business user include a phonebook, calendar, one touch messages and a built-in speakerphone for conference calls.

Sony Ericsson T280
The only real difference between the T270 and the T280 is that the latter model includes a 1.3 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom. Users can take photos quickly share them with friends using MMS picture messaging or a Bluetooth connection to a nearby phone.

Both models are compatible with Bluetooth Headsets such as the recently announced HBH-PV770. The HBH-PV770 headset offers remarkably clear audio, even in noisy environments, thanks to its Digital Noise Cancellation and fast Automatic Volume Adjustment features.

Specifications:
- Camera (T280 only): 1.3 megapixel, 4x digital zoom
- Entertainment and News: FM radio, Java, MP3 music, WAP 2.0
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Organizer: Alarm clock, Calculator, Calendar, Phone book, Stopwatch, Tasks

Networks:
- T270i - GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
- T270a - GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900
- T280i - GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
- T280a - GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900

The Sony Ericsson T280 and T270 mobile phones will be available in selected markets early in 2008.

Related Posts:
Sony Ericsson W760 - Global walkman

Sony Ericsson W760 - Global walkman

Sony Ericsson have today announced the first truly global Walkman phone - the W760.

The W760 will support tri-band HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) enabling downloads at broadband speed downloads from wherever in the world it is used.

I have been considering purchasing a mobile phone with GPS for some time and may just wait until the W760 is released. I currently own the w810i walkman phone which I am generally happy with. The addition of GPS would be a nice upgrade.

Features:
- GPS and Wayfinder Navigator plus Google maps
- Twin speakers with Stereo Widening
- An optional Active Speaker for outdoor use
- SensMe - analyzes your tracks your tracks and lets you search by mood (upbeat, sombre etc)
- Score big - gaming features including motion control and widescreen gameplay
- 3.2 megapixel camera
- Connectivity - Bluetooth, modem, USB

The W760 will be available from the second quarter of 2008.