SmartPhones

It feels like we haven't heard anything out of Sony Ericsson for a while, which is why we were so excited to learn about the upcoming W715. Essentially a spruced up version of the W705--best known, most likely, for its built-in Walkman--the Sony Ericsson W715 (currently offered in the UK through Vodafone) includes one significant improvement: A-GPS.

No, that's not "a GPS"; it's "A-GPS" as in "Assisted Global Positioning System". It's a satellite location finding feature added to your average, everyday GPS that enhances its capabilities in several ways--not least of which is providing consistent, reliable GPS service even in areas with poor signal quality (such as beneath tall skyscrapers and trees or indoors).

Another frequent problem with standard GPS's that A-GPS addresses is the inability to download almanac and ephemeris info in such conditions until and unless a steady connection can be held for at least 40 seconds (sometimes difficult when, for example, you're on the road and moving).

For effectively using the A-GPS system built-into the W715, Vodafone has included its Find & Go sat-nav software.

written by SmartPhoneWizard \\ tags: A-GPS, Find & Go, GPS, sat-nav, Sony Ericsson, U.K., Vodafone, W705, W715

Last week was the 2009 GSMA Mobile World Congress, and here's the lowdown on its high points:

HTC Magic: The second Google Android powered smartphone from HTC and the first from Vodafone, the Magic is smaller than the inaugural Google Phone, the HTC T-Mobile G1 and will first be distributed into hands overseas (U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain). Downsides? It doesn't have a physical keyboard, nor does the touchscreen keyboard operate in landscape mode.

Also unveiled from HTC, the HTC Touch Diamond2, HTC Touch Pro2, and the T-Mobile G2.

Acer M900: The business set will like this latest Windows Mobile smartphone, with its large 3.8" touchscreen, vast messaging capabilities, and--get this!--fingerprint scanner for cutting-edge security.

LG Arena: It was only a matter of time before we saw a 3D interface, and here it is, looking like the onscreen Rubiks Cube of menus.

Nokia E55: With its own take-off of the BlackBerry Sure-Type keypad.

A common thread for a lot of the devices unveiled this year is the built-in 5-megapixel camera--though the ones in the new Nokia N86 and Samsung Omnia HD sport 8 megapixels, and the Sony Ericsson Idou, with its enhanced touchscreen, has 12.1 and a sliding lens cover. So there!

written by SmartPhoneWizard \\ tags: Acer, Acer M900, Android, Blackberry, Google Android, Google Phone, GSMA, HTC, HTC Magic, LG, LG Arena, Mobile World Congress, Nokia, Nokia E55, Nokia N86, Samsung, Samsung Omnia HD, Sony Ericsson, Sony Ericsson Idou, Sure Type, T-Mobile, T-Mobile G1, T-Mobile G2, Touch Diamond2, Touch Pro2, Vodafone

On September 22 a new 9-part digital drama called “Johnny X” makes its debut online. This promised fast-paced, high-adrenaline series of 2-3 minute long episodes follows the exploits of the title character as he tries to figure out his forgotten identity after he gets kidnapped by a gang. The catch? To solve this mystery his uses his new Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.

The climax of this innovative marketing campaign is not the climax of the online minseries’ plot, however, but the official launch of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, happening on September 30, though it will only be a limited initial release. While the UK, Sweden, and Germany will find the device filling their Vodafone and O2 shelves (though not yet at Orange), U.S. stores will unformately not be among those carrying the premiere issues of this long-awaited handset. (Latin America, Asia, and the rest of Europe are next, slated for the end of year, with no launch date yet announced for Russian, Chinese, and North Amerian markets.

The series will run for 3 weeks. As of Monday, September 22, Sony Ericsson will post a new episode every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

written by SmartPhoneWizard \\ tags: Johnny X, O2, Orange, Sony Ericsson, Vodafone, Xperia X1