HDD based SonyEricsson phone confirmed

[podman]

On the camera issue - according to the page linked below, there is going to be up to three versions of this phone. The basic one seen above, one with twin cameras for video calling etc. and a third with memory expansion. things are looking up. Going by what SE have been pitting out recently i would guess at the rear camera being at least 2mp, perhaps even 3mp.

Woo!

Think I might have found my next phone then...

[just_laze]

This appears to be the obvious upgrade for me, i'm running at k750i with w800i firmware, a 1gig Duo and Opera-Mini browser, it's a great phone, i can only see this latest offering from SE being better.

[Tomahawk]

Wow.. seems a real nice spec phone. Definately will have to look into this more on release. Seems great that they are going to be releasing different 'versions' so you can buy the one with the most relevant features. I imagine the basic one will be great for people who don't want/require a camera... I'll be looking at it!

[TooNice]

Slightly strange that the standard version won't have a cam. I'd expect all the next gen phone to be 3.2MP.

[Norky]

Looks carp imo, bevelled screen?

[Funkstar]

the reason for the beleved screen as opposed to the flush ones on the K750i (for example) is because it is a touch screen, just like a PDA.

[dave87]

The only thing is though, I'd rather have a stylish smaller phone, with slightly less multimedia features, and have my iPod with me instead - call me old fashioned if you will, but I'd rather have two devices that are good at theyre jobs than one thats okay at both.

Dave

[Aaron]

According to a few Symbian fansites, there's going to be a camera version announced at a later date.

I think flash memory, rather than a HDD, is the way forward though and the music app in the demo looks very cool. It also supports A2DP if you want to use wireless headphones.

[Funkstar]

Oh yeah, meant to post this earlier, SE have also released details of A2DP headphones



Engadget write up: http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/14/s...t-with-remote/

SE Details: http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?...p4_1&pid=10394

[alterion]

hmm headphones look like isolators to me.. sure does look a nice hone although i hope it dons use sonicstage (my hd5 uses sonic stage and while its a lot better than everyone says i still went for the command line script and GYM option). It looks sweet though.. in 5 years time devices will have converge so that for most of us our phone will be our mp3/video player phone and standard camera i reckon.

[schmunk]

hmm headphones look like isolators to me..

They look to be quite similar to the ones Tom has just reviewed and said weren't very good

[TooNice]

... in 5 years time devices will have converge so that for most of us our phone will be our mp3/video player phone and standard camera i reckon.

It is possible, but I am a bit concerned. Standalone devices have their pluses.

Though I mentioned that I expect the next gen phone to come with 3.2MP camera (because I saw a few in Japan - and I don't think they were even the bleeding edge phones), I still wouldn't trade my standalone camera for it. And though I am happily listenning to music on my W800i right as I type this, I'd still very much rather have an iPod (and before anyone says anything, I *have* done my homework... Creative, iAudio, Sony, etc. I've looked at them all, but if I was to get an MP3 player TODAY it would be the pod).. But I don't have some £250 in my pocket for it, so this w800i will have to do

As for the earbuds, I think that they are considered as "isolators". But mainstream range (I know a lot of people who are happy with them - but it won't impress anyone who have heard anything slightly better). That said, the Koss "Plug", in the review is generally not that well regarded either.

[autopilot]

SE phones are really where it's at in the non-smartphone smartphone (if you know what i mean) market now IMO. I can't see how Nokia will ever tempt me back now, i soooo hate Nokias designs.

SE Have already anounced they are releasing the K810 (???) with a 3.2mp camera very soon. However, that could be 6mp's for all i care - they will never replace proper camera's until THEY HAVE PROPER SHUTTERS! Thats why camera phones are pants, when will they ever get that?

Anyway, I will probably give this model a miss, Sony will be announcing a HDD phone in the next few months and i will be going for that for sure.

[Aaron]

Anyway, I will probably give this model a miss, Sony will be announcing a HDD phone in the next few months and i will be going for that for sure.

Having heard MurphmanL's problems with the HDD-based Samsung i300, I think flash-based memory is definitely the way forward.

The Samsung i300 ejects the HDD once the battery gets down to about 25% and won't let you access it until you charge it again. Apparently, even with the chunky extended battery and no other battery-draining features on the phone (3G, WiFi), he couldn't get a days use out of the phone. Battery life sounds like a big issue with HDD-based phones.

[TooNice]

Well, I still have about 9 months to my contract, so quite a bit of time to see how high capacity flash/HD based phone evolve.

I have to lean towards flash at the moment as well. I prefer something more compact and resilient for a phone, and flash is the advantage over HD on this aspect. I'd rather get a stand alone HD based MP3 player if music playback is my priority. They are more likely to have the features I look for.

[Funkstar]

i'll be due for an upgrade in May, so i'll probably hang on until the version of this with twin cameras comes out. Then after that will be the DVB-H TV phones next year