Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 Release Date

Sony Ericsson have today confirmed that their next flagship handset, the Xperia X1 will be released on the 30th September.

The Xperia X1 is the first Windows Mobile device from Sony Ericsson, and features a 3.2 MP Camera, GPS, HSDPA and WiFi for high speed internet. The X1 also has a full Qwerty keyboard and widescreen display.

Visit the Mobile Fun website for more information on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.

New Walkman Handsets announced by Sony Ericcson

Sony Ericsson have today announced 3 new Walkman handsets.

Sony Ericsson W902, W565, W302

The innovative W902 Walkman phone has the highest specifications of the 3, featuring a 5 megapixel camera with flash, image stabiliser and Auto Focus. The W902 includes an 8GB Memory Stick Micro which lets you store more than 8000 songs. The much improved camera allows for better video capture than on previous Walkman models and allows you to geo-tag your photo’s using information from your network provider. The W902 features the same clear audio technology as the W980 which gives exceptional audio quality when using the HPM-77 premium headphones which are included with the phone. The W902 measures 110 x 49 x 11.7 mm and has a 2.2″ scratch proof screen. Other features include Bluetooth, FM Radio, Picture and Video Blogging, Email, Auto rotate and HSDPA.

The W595 Walkman phone is designed around sharing. It has a 2.2 inch screen, 3.2 megapixel camera and comes with a 2GB memory card that will hold around 2000 songs. The phone has an unusual “share jack” that lets two people listen to the same music using an additional headset. The phone also has the now familiar SensMe and Shake controls, that allow you to select music depending on your mood, skip tracks or adjust the volume simply by shaking the phone. The W595 is also a gaming handset, with four games included including Guitar Rock Tour in 3D.

The W302 Walkman phone is more of a budget Walkman phone, although the specification of the phone is far from budget. At jsut 10.5 mm thin, this slim handset is the perfect way of keeping your music photos and contacts all in one place. The phone includes a 512 MB memory stick micro to store upto 480 songs, has an FM Radio and features Track ID, a music recognition services that allows you to identify music. Its built in 2 megapixel camera lets you capture the moment and post it straight to your blog, send via MMS or email to friends.

All three handsets are due for release in quarter 4 2008.

How to pair your Phone and PC

Before you can begin using programs such as Nokia PC Suite, you will need to pair your handset with your computer.

To begin pairing:

• Turn on Bluetooth on your mobile device and make sure it is set to discoverable/visible/find me.
• Right click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray next to the clock.
• On the pop up menu that appears select add bluetooth device.
• Follow on screen prompts to search for devices.
• Select your phone from the list of discovered devices.
• When prompted for a PIN number, enter 0000 unless one is provided for you.
• On your handset accept the pairing request and enter the same PIN number as entered on the PC.

Windows will then check your device and install any drivers that are needed for your phone and computer to work together. While Windows is installing drivers for your phone, you may see some yellow notification bubbles by the clock, keep an eye on these as your response may be required to authorise access to your PC.

You may be asked for the driver disc that came with your mobile phone. If you don’t have the disc, download drivers and software from the manufacturers website.

Sony Ericsson W890i review

After previous good experiences from other Sony Ericsson phones, the Sony Ericsson W890i didn’t disappoint.

Firstly I have to say that the design is very nice with a brushed aluminium finish. It feels well built and solid. The design is very different from it’s predecessor, the W880i, and seems to be better in most ways, in terms of design and build quality. Also the keypad buttons are larger than the tiny ones that existed on the W880i, but still may be a little on the small side for some people, you now get a 3.2 megapixel camera and HSDPA for faster Internet browsing, plus an improved Walkman player and user interface.

I was impressed with the usability of the W890i, it is very simple to use and the menus are easy to understand. The buttons have a nice feel and are positioned well, with Walkman and camera buttons on the sides of the phone also.

Although the camera does not have auto-focus, the images taken with the camera are of a good quality. Sony Ericsson’s latest Walkman player is probably the best music player on a phone to date, in terms of functionality and ease of use. The 2" screen is clear and a good size for browsing the Internet and reading emails.I didn’t have any problems with reading the screen in direct sunlight.

To remove the aluminium battery cover, two clips must be released, then the cover can be removed to reveal the memory card slot. It’s a shame that it’s no longer "hot-swappable" like in most current handsets, but the W890i comes with a 2GB M2 memory card which should allow you to store a plenty of music, photo’s and videos.

Sony Ericsson have taken all the best bits of the extremely popular W880, added a better camera and faster internet and the result is the W890i. A great handset, that will no doubt be as popular as its predecessor.