There are many reasons why we dig the new W810i. Let us count them one by one:

1. Music here is never better.

The W810i, by virtue of its being Walkman, cam also double up as a stylish music player. A convenient to use Walkman digital music player, it also comes with folders for your artists and playlists. It is not only a digital music player, but also an FM radio, a music management software and a hive of a lot of cool accessories to make listening experience a shoot to the zenith of pleasure. It also comes with a 512 MB Memory Stick PRO™ Duo so that you can store up to 20 full-length audio CDs. For quality listening, meanwhile, you can use their stereo headset.

2. The powerful images it paints.

This mobile comes with 2-megapixel powerful camera just in case you need to catch some action, which we know comes often in your busy lifestyle. Apart from that, the W810i also comes with a video too which allows you high-resolution photos captured through an impressive 1632 x 1224 px size. To completely paint the colors of your life, this camera phone comes with a 24-bit color depth (8 per RGB channel) and 262K-colors so that you can capture large images for outstanding prints. It also comes with other size options like 640 x 480 px and 160 x 120 px. And just to complete your image experience, Sony’s imaging division enables your W810i to use a horizontal orientation rather than the vertical so that you’ll get the feel of holding a Cybershot digital camera. By this technology, the screen then can double as your viewfinder.

If that’s not enough, complete your pictures with a Photo Light that is located near the lens at the back. This is handy during low light conditions and can also double as a flashlight. There’s also a mirror to let you see where the camera phone is pointed at when you’re in the mood for self-portraits or group shots with your included. The Volume Keys on the right side of the phone also double as your 4x zoom controller.

In addition, the camera also has a set of features which allow you to choose between White Balance (Auto, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Daylight, and Cloudy), Effects (Solarize, Sepia, Negative, and Black and White), Picture Quality (Normal or Fine), Auto Focus, Night Mode, Picture Light, Self-Timer, and Shutter Sounds. There’s more! You can also utilize various Shoot Modes like Panorama, Normal, Frames, and Burst 4 so that you can shoot up to four photos in succession, combines several shots into one picture, or even shoot close ups. And through all these, you are assured of a high-resolution camera with very user-friendly features.

3. Share ‘em all with great connections

We know you want to share your life, we all do. This phone makes it easier for us through the W810i full-function internet browser so that you can send pictures, video and sounds while the EDGE gives us the speed we need. The EDGE technology makes surfing the internet fast through a full-function internet browser for all your favorite Web sites. To ease up you wireless experience, the EDGE technology enables us downloading of multimedia content, video streaming, photo blogging and web browsing in a faster operation. In fact, with the EDGE technology, we can gain wireless technological freedom to the max as we can multitask through engaging in a call, listening to the FM radio and searching the Web all at the same time.

4. Games and more!

The Sony Ericsson W810i comes bundled with the essentials of a busy person like us. Handy applications such as Business Card Exchange, Calculator, Alarm Clock, Calendar, Code Memo, Email (POP3 / IMAP4 with attachment support), Notes, Contacts, Picture Editor, Sound Recorder, Speakerphone, Tasks, Timer, Stopwatch, MusicDJ, PhotoDJ, and VideoDJ and more are here.

Apart from that, games can be easily downloaded and installed here through the J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition). This is supported by a lot of leading vendors in applications and games of a wide genre to choose from. The W810i also supports Mascot Capsule Java 3D gaming engine rendered in real-time objects as it integrates advanced APIs for detailed graphics during gameplay.

Other Key features here includes:
* Complete music kit
* 262,144-colour TFT 176×220 pixel Screen
* Polyphonic Sounds 40 voices
* 20MB Memory
* Memory Stick PRO Duo™

This is the ultimate mobile for music on the move. Introducing the new Ericsson’s group of Walkman music phones member which comes in a 3G-enabled W900i. This time, it has audio quality that surpasses even the most advanced digital music player with its state-of-the-art functions. It has a dedicated music button which enables you to scroll straight through with an easy navigation key. Right on the forefront of its handset you can use the the joypad for music as it also functions as the player control pad with play, forward and rewind track options. Apart from the most advanced 3G network services installed within the phone, it also has a handsfree FM radio accessory and a convenient remote control to make your W900i Walkman music player more fun to use. Speaking of convenience, this baby also dances to the groove with its versatile swivel-action and an impressive gigantic screen makes that makes those music videos closer to your sense of viewing pleasure.

Clearly, music is the primary tune of the W900i as it also enables you to import, manage, transfer and play music with its operator’s over-the-air (OTA) music service which can be downloaded. This wasn’t available then on the W800i. It also has the Disc2Phone software included in the package which enables you to transfer tracks from CDs, PC or a laptop. Transferring music files from PC to W900i only takes a drag and drop with the phone compatible to most user-copied content from leading music management softwares. In translation, this means, you can transfer songs from your digital music player with a breeze. And when you had too much fun already transporting files, you don’t even have to worry about space anymore since it has a an internal storage capacity of 470MB which allows you to store up to 240 songs minus the Memory Stick Pro Duo. But if you’re not satiated yet, there are available Memory Stick Pro Duo that are compatible with this in up to 2GB formats. This can let you store up to 1,000 more tracks, enough to fill up every genre of your favorite music. When it also comes to the file formats, this mobile can serve all of the following here including: MP3, MIDI, WAV, AAC, AAC+ and XMF. And other than that, the W900i also comes packaged with a set of stereo HPM-80 headphones that has a 3.5mm jack. This is also the hardware that serves to remotely control the phone’s music player functions while doubling up also as an FM radio receiver.

As if that’s not enough for the music lovers, there’s also a swivel action and one-press access in the new W900i so that your mobile phone can be easily navigated especially also with its dedicated music, camera and internet buttons. Other controls meanwhile are located strategically so as to make it as easier for you to use the many features in this phone. And because Sony Ericsson’s are known to be smart phones, this W550i is manufactured cleverly with an extra bulk added to the upper part of the phone underside. This extra weight serves as a leverage to easily support your display as you swivel it open or close so that you’ll feel more confident in a W900i that feels more solid and well-built, whether open or shut. Afterall, whether open and closed, this phone is both a pleasure to use as you can always access any feature of the phone.

However, there’s more than just music in this mobile. Feel the good vibe of the other exciting W900i features like animated graphics and superior quality color images for your videos or pictures. It has a 2 megapixel camera with auto focus as well as a horizontal mode that enables your W900i to be used as a digital camera. You can also enjoy different background themes and new color wallpapers daily. The GoForce 4800 installed in the device also makes it extremely interesting to play lots of three-dimensional games. Examples of these are the Asphalt, a high-octane driving game, Powerball Arcade, Super Monkey Ball, and finally the addictive 2D Quadra Pop.

Other distinctive features of this phone are:
* 3G video calling and streaming
* 470MB internal memory expandable up to 2GB

Screen
* 240×320 pixel
* 262,144 color TFT QVGA

Memory
* 470MB* memory
* Memory Stick Duo™
* Memory Stick PRO Duo™

Networks
* GSM 900
* GSM 1800
* GSM 1900
* UMTS

Available colours
* White
* Black

Sizes
* 109 x 24 x 49 mm
* 4.3 x .9 x 1.9 inches

Weight
* 148 g
* 5.2 oz

For all its worth, the W900i though is a little bulkier but this is reasonable since it is equipped with 3G. The estimated cost is 600 Euros. All in all, the W900i is one great phone that can do a lot more than just hold a tune.

Technological trends continue to astound us by cramming ever-increasing features set into ever-shrinking packages. While 2004 was the year of the camera phone, 2005 has proven to be the year of the music phone. Evidence? The Motorola ROKR, the LG CE500, and the Samsung SCH-A950. It’s just fitting that Sony Ericsson would join, nay, crash the party with a music phone of their own. Hence, here is a look at their latest bad boy, the W600i.

What’s in the Box

1. Sony Ericsson W600i unit
2. Li-Ion battery
3. Battery charger
4. Stereo headset
5. Spare faceplate covers
6. User manual
7. Applications CD-ROM
8. USB cable

Test Drive

The test unit is a very sleek-looking white (dubbed as Orchid White), with clean and smooth lines. The W600i comes in three colors: Universe Blue, Orchid White, and Vibrant Orange. Considering the phone’s feature set and the fact that it is one of the earliest generations of music phones, the W600i is considerably bulky. The 360° swivel form factor helps to offset some of the bulkiness by neatly hiding the keypad. Speaking of the keypad, it is neither the best designed nor the most comfy. The navigation buttons are inconveniently placed on the screen half of the swivel, disrupting one-handed typing.

The W600i’s 176 x 220 pixel screen is easy on the eyes, and its 256k color capability (262,144 displayable colors) makes for a very colorful experience. The graphical icons used by the W600i are similar to those used in other Sony Ericsson models, but on the W600i the icon animation and menu scrolling feels much snappier. The icon menus may trouble users of other mobile phone brands for a while, but long-time Sony Ericsson users will feel right at home. The 1.3-megapixel camera, however, gives somewhat mixed results. The color quality of pictures in general is excellent. The camera supports the usual resolutions: 160×120, 640×480, and 1280×1024. At the highest resolution of 1280×1024, some fuzziness is apparent in the images since interpolation is being used. Images taken at that resolution are not guaranteed to be really high quality.

The W600i’s camera also has a night mode for shooting pictures in the dark, a 10 second self-timer, built-in flash, white balancing, digital zoom, and four shutter sounds. It could record videos at 176×144 and 128×96 resolutions. The night mode is useful for shooting in low-light conditions, but a strange quirk of the camera is that the shutter would close too slowly in areas with less than adequate lighting, resulting in blurry images all the time when used in such conditions.

Of course, the main selling point of a music phone would have to be, without a doubt, its music playing capabilities. The W600i is equipped with a music player that supports MP3 and Apple’s AAC formats. An FM-tuner also comes standard.

A nifty feature of the Sony Ericsson W600i is that it correctly reads the ID3 tags of MP3 files uploaded to the phone, and, just like a dedicated MP3 player, it is able to sort files by artist or title and even allows the user to create playlists. Audio quality is excellent, and a 5-band software graphic equalizer allows further tweaking to get a V-shape EQ that is optimal for music playback. The equalizer also features Sony’s proprietary Mega Bass enhancement feature, for really emphasized and booming bass. Another excellent feature of the W600i is the dedicated Walkman-style controls on the sides of the phone, just like a real music player. With other phones that do not have dedicated music controls, it would be necessary to dig through menus to find the music player program and control the playback from there. With the W600i however, it is not necessary to stop whatever one is doing just to find the music software; just push the controls on the phone. The current program stays put, uninterrupted.

The W600i comes with a set of in-ear stereo phones. Unlike other bundled earphones, the ones that come with the W600i are a total delight to use. They sound full and rounded, not thin and weak, and have a really punchy bass response to them that makes Mega Bass actually useful in such an application. One small issue is the poor placement of the earphone jack on the phone.

For all its audio playing goodness, the W600i just does not come with enough storage space to make on-the-go listeners really happy. The W600i comes with a paltry 256 megabytes of storage, only half of what comes with other brands’ music phones. To make things worse, the W600i does not have any external memory slots, so expansion is out of the question.

Another gripe is that voice quality of the W600i is sub par. Incoming sound is fuzzy, and the speaker’s voice on the other end always has a nasal quality about it. Voice reception is adequately loud, though, and the outgoing sound is sufficiently clear.

Other features of the W600i include the ability to play 3D games, three GSM bands, Bluetooth capability, real-world talk and standby times of 4 and 7 hours, respectively, and a light weight of 4.2 ounces, as well as other features common to most recent camera phones.

Final Verdict

The Sony Ericsson W600i, one of the Walkman-branded W series of phones, offers great mobile music features and playback with acceptable voice quality, good selection of mobile applications and games, excellently colored photos, and useful battery life, all in a hip, fun, and lightweight package. The phone’s shortcomings should not dampen one’s enthusiasm severely, but those seeking larger music storage and expandability may want to look elsewhere.

Get a blast with the W700i as you’ll get a new kind of musical spin. The latest in the Sony Ericsson line of Walkman® phones, this one comes with a gigantic room for storage for your favorite music which has the capacity for keep up to 64 of your songs. You can do this through its 256MB Memory Stick™ PRO Duo which is included in the phone kit. And when 64 songs are not enough for a music addict like you, you can go to a higher level of musical experience by using their 4GB Memory Stick™ PRO Duo media which are available in stores worldwide.

Now, that was just about the storage, further enhance your music blast with cool accessories such as a quality headset which is included in the W700i phone kit. Experience the freedom of wirelessness with their Bluetooth™ headset which can also enable you to share your music through portable or desktop speakers. Or, if you’d rather stick to your old stereo headphones, well surprise, surprise, for you can just plug ‘em in. If you want it loud and well connected, you can also opt to connect your W700i Walkman phone to your very own home stereo via Music Cable MMC-60.

And since we all believe music is the ultimate universal language, this phone will let you take your music wherever you are. For the blast of a universal experience, you can get your music into your phone in steps as easy as listening to it. The W700i comes with the Disc2Phone music management software which will let you move the music from your CDs quickly. And since the W700i does not compromise on everything you need for your music you can also instantly create playlists and organize your musical scores with their music player.

Apart from the great musical experience, other cool features of W700i is its up to date feature which enables you to synchronise your phone calendar and contacts along with your PC. It also has a large 262k-colour screen for clear images via your phone. This you particularly need as the W700i also comes with a 2-megapixel camera for the best images and video recording when you want a more exciting picture taking experience. This easy imaging W700i also has video recording capability which you can likewise share and send with your friends via MMS. Other features of this phone would include:

Key features
* MP3 and AAC format support
* 34MB phone memory + 256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo™ included
* FM radio
* Walkman® music player

Screen
* 262,144-colour TFT
* 176×220 pixel

Sound
* Polyphonic Sound 40 voices

Memory
* 34MB* memory
* Memory Stick Duo™
* Memory Stick PRO Duo™

Available colours
* Titanium Gold

Sizes
* 100 x 46 x 20.5 mm
* 3.9 x 1.8 x .8 inches

Weight
* 99 g
* 3.5 oz

Imaging
* 4X Digital zoom
* Camera 2 megapixel
* Camera integrated
* Photo light
* Video Clip
* Video record
* Video streaming
* Macromedia Flash Lite™ (trademark of Macromedia)
* Picture wallpaper
* SVG Tiny 1.1
* VideoDJ™
* Viewfinder display
* Wallpaper animation

Messaging
* E-mail
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Entertainment
* FM radio
* Games Embedded
* Java™
* Music tones (MP3/AAC)
* MusicDJ™
* PlayNow™
* Mega Bass™ (trademark of Sony Corporation)
* Music mode

Connectivity
* Bluetooth™
* GPRS
* Infrared
* USB support
* Fast port
* Synchronization PC
* USB mass storage

Internet
* Modem
* WAP 1.2.1
* WAP 2.0 XHTML

Organiser
* Calendar
* Contacts
* File manager
* Memory Stick
* PIM Sync
* Alarm clock
* Business card exchange
* Calculator
* Conference calls
* Phone book
* Speakerphone
* Stopwatch
* Tasks
* Timer
* Notes

However, to all of you out there who might find these features a little too familiar, it is because the W700i is actually a tad too identical to the Sony Ericsson W800i. Almost the same in every way except for the color alone and some other physical make-up, along with the 256Mb memory card instead of the 512Mb on the W800. but that’s not actually a downsides since the Sony Ericsson W800i is actually great on its own, though you might actually get a better deal with this W700i.