Sony Ericsson Announces First Walkman Phone 204
jonknee writes "Sony Ericsson has announced the first in a new line of self-described "Walkman phones" that specialize in playing music. The W800i features a 512MB memory card to store tunes and up to 30 hours of playback (if you keep the phone off, otherwise about half that). We should see a Motorola phone with iTunes onboard within the next two weeks, making March the month of music phones."
The teenies are telling me this is old news.. (Score:2, Interesting)
A simple trip to the local movie theatre and I am pounded with each and every latest teeny pop song each time a phone rings.
Hopefully these Walkman phones won't allow the tunes to be played through the phone speakers, if that's the case I refuse to leave the house outside school hours.
Re:Everyone is getting in the game (Score:2, Interesting)
Now, *that's* a feature I want in my cell phone-- A 360-degree rotating screen, to go along with my camera phone and useless blinking lights.
All the while, I still have trouble finding decent cell service for less then $29.99 a month.
I thought competition was supposed to drive down prices, not increase stupid gadgetry for the glitteratti
The Sony Ericsson Z800 is the one I'm waiting for (Score:3, Interesting)
While the idea of a Walkman phone is cool, I'd rather have a clamshell phone -- if only because, with all the buttons on the inside, it's harder (or impossible) to accidentally answer or hang up the phone while it's in my pocket. So, the one I'm waiting for is the Sony Ericsson Z800 [engadget.com]. With Bluetooth, Infrared, MP3/AAC support, it has just about all I could ask for.
Still, I'm also waiting to see if/when it'll make Apple's list of iSync-compatible phones [apple.com] -- being able to sync with my Powerbook (as I do now with my Nokia 3650) is pretty handy. That, and I'm hoping that an unlocked version won't cost me an arm and a leg (I'm in the US on T-Mobile, fwiw).
Re:bed reviews (Score:2, Interesting)
I'm still trying to figure out what sterile donkeys have to do with reviewing beds.
How is this new? (Score:3, Interesting)
myke
Re:Yeah... (Score:2, Interesting)
Treo 600/650 has had this capability for some time (Score:2, Interesting)
I think the Treo can take even larger SD cards, too.
There's no DRM that I'm aware of either.
Greg
Not even that new compared to Sony's existing line (Score:3, Interesting)
Woo. I recently had a MP3 playing smartphone for a few days myself - a Sendo X. Lovely phone, adequate MP3 player (there is an interface annoyance but the sound is fine), only problem is that is has a bug in it that makes it crap at reacquiring the network if you disconnect for any reason.
Pity...
Re:All in one? (Score:5, Interesting)
Now I assume you're at home or at work. Take a look around. Unless you're very rich and have a very sophisticated taste chances are that you have one or two things in your view that are what you'd call excellent. Could be your computer, your display, the hifi-280.1-80MW-Armageddon-stereo or perhaps the $800 armchair you're sitting on. But most things probably fit in the "good enough" category. You're desk is probably nothing special, but it's good enough. The $20 speakers? Good enough. The Ikea lamp? Good enough.
People always wonder why Apple is at 5% market share. And while there's a myriad of reasons and I don't want to oversimplify it, imho the most important reason is that Steve Jobs is one of those quality freaks I mentioned above who have the money, the time, the inner drive and a good enough (no pun intended =) taste to strive for excellence in everything they own and everything they do. Most of us don't.
Well seems like I got a bit off topic here. But to make the connection: Sony, Nokia, etc. realized that the iPod is an excellent player and it has a strong entry barrier (its market share and the ITMS) for other players that makes it hard for competitors even if they were superior and even more so if they're just good enough. So they do the next best thing. They take other devices where they have the network effects on their side (phones as in the article, handhelds, see the PSP or PDAs) and add a music player that is good enough. If it's really good enough many people won't bother to cough up another $300 with the exception of about 5%.
jm2 =)
Re:Yeah... (Score:3, Interesting)
OK, no WiFi, but it's got bluetooth. That would classify it as having Wireless. Anyway, when you're transferring 512MB, the USB2.0 cable is the way to go [quickly].
Wonder what different features being a 'Walkman' brings to the table. My 750i has high quality headphones, AM/FM stereo and MP3 player (and vga video camera). Only advantage I see is a *bling* walkman brand name sticker, 2.0MP camera and [really] the 512MB stick. You can only play a few songs with 42MB!