Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 Review

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 has been in the center of attention ever since its first unofficial shots leaked online. Much like most other gadgeteers, we've had our hands itching to get one and luckily our wishes just came true.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 is one impressive device full of industry leading features - it's the first Windows Mobile smartphone with an 8 megapixel camera and WVGA video recording and it's actually the first ever full QWERTY phone to have that sort of imaging prowess as well. The XPERIA X2 most other features, though not as innovative, are a nice match as well. We guess they are worth going through one more time.
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 at a glance:

* General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/1900/2100 MHz, EDGE class 10, HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 2 Mbps
* Form factor: Slide-and-tilt QWERTY touch phone
* Dimensions: 110 x 54 x 16 mm, weight 155 grams
* Display: 3.2" TFT resistive touchscreen, 800 x 480 pixels
* Platform: Qualcomm MSM 7200 528 MHz processor
* OS: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional
* Memory: 110MB storage, 256 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, microSD card slot
* Camera: 8-megapixels auto-focus camera, LED flash, touch focus, geotagging, face detection, image stabilizer, Smart Contrast, WVGA@30fps video recording
* Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, TV-out
* Misc: Optical trackpad, accelerometer for motion-based gaming, office document viewer and editor, XviD video support
* Battery: 1500 mAh Li-Po battery

We just got the XPERIA X2 and we wanted to share with you our first impressions of the device. So consider this article as a quick and dirty preview, with a more detailed one coming up in the following week. We hope to get as much as possible from our encounter with the X2 and you can bet we surely won't keep anything to ourselves.

The XPERIA X2 should be available in two colors - Elegant Black and Modern Silver. There's hardly anything missing from the broad range of connectivity options. Perhaps the only two things it seems to lack are the FM radio and the automatic screen rotation. Yes, there's an accelerometer on board alright, but the screen doesn't auto rotate to match the orientation of the handset.

While the XPERIA X2 uses the vanilla Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional, the thing that sets it apart from competing products is the X-panels interface. X panels have gone a long way since the XPERIA X1 and have turned into a full featured system for using various animated and interactive homescreens. But we'll get to that further down.

Anyways, enough talking, let's get to some walking. Jump on as explore what the XPERIA X2 is made of with even a brief rundown of the interface later on.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 360-degree spin

The XPERIA X2 measures 110 x 54 x 16 mm and weighs 155 g. The dimensions and weight are almost the same compared to the old XPERIA though X2 is a tag wider due to the larger 3.2" display.

Design and construction

The new XPERIA X2 seems to incorporate noticeably less metallic elements compared to XPERIA X1 and for some of us that's actually a step back. The nice and sleek black plastic on the front that you've seen in the press images, actually looks cheap in reality and it's a real fingerprint magnet. The same cheapo-looking plastic is used for the keyboard keys quite in contrast with the metallic styled keyboard of the X1. But those design elements are usually subjectively perceived so we'll stop with the disgruntled mumble here.

Most of the front of Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 is taken by the large 3.2" touch screen. Unlike the front plastic frame, the back of the X2 is made from stainless steel and is quite immune to fingerprints.Beneath the screen, the navigation deck doesn't have the proprietary X-pattern but is more ordinary incorporating the available four buttons in a regular grid. The large optical trackpad is dead center compensation for the fact that there is no D-pad on the X2. There's no X-panel shortcut this time, the bottom left key this time opens the Sony Ericsson Media center, which now has new items such as Call history, Messages, Calendar, and Panels setup.The 4-row QWERTY keyboard of X2 is quite distinctive in terms of shape and design compared to X1, but the controls and keys order are almost the same. Though the shape of the keys is very comfortable and the arrow keys also add to the usability, the plastic material doesn't impress at all.The right side of the XPERIA X2 hosts the volume rocker at the top and the camera shutter key. The keys are quite comfortable and well integrated with the overall design. Though quite thin, the camera key is relatively responsive, with a distinct half press.The X2 left side sports the battery cover release knob. The standard microUSB is located in the upper left part of the phone and the uncovered slot will be easily visible while you're on the phone. We feel that spoils the looks a bit and would rather have a cover on top of it.

The microSD card slot is accessible from the left side of the X2 but only after you remove the battery cover - much like it is with the XPERIA X1 actually.The bottom of the XPERIA X2 is free of any controls, but we quite like the mesh-like looks of the plastic surface here - kind of reminds of an electric shaver, but in the good, high-tech sense.

The 3.5mm audio jack on the top of X2 also doubles as a TV-out port. Here we also find the power key - tiny as on the previous X1.Turning the phone bottom-side up reveals the sleek aluminum back. The 8.1 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and the lanyard eyelet is to be found here. The two stereo loudspeakers are also here located on the opposite sides. Removing the battery cover of XPERIA X2 reveals the 1500mAh Li-Po battery - the same as the one used in X1. The official stand-by and talk time of the battery is almost the same compared to the old X1 battery data, and we guess we can expect the same 2 days of standby under moderate usage.The design and controls are quite comfortable; typing on the QWERTY keyboard is a user-friendly experience. Generally the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 feels nice when held in hand.

Nokia N900 Review

Nokia N900 is the final product which opens up a new path for the Finnish smartphone producer. After Google, which launched its new open source operating system for mobile phones, Nokia raised the stakes a few months later with its own vision, which is called Maemo. Android OS, as well as Maemo are both based on the well-known Linux platform, but they are pretty much different because they are the results of two different working teams. Before getting into more in-depth information, do not overlook the fact that we will be reviewing an Internet tablet, with some limited phone capabilities.

So, be aware that some of the features that you'll probably be expecting from such a device might be missing. Also, bear in mind that Nokia might, or might not, add some new basic features or new complex ones in the future firmware updates, but do not rely on that. In the end, to quote one of the Nokia's officials: "N900 has become the high-end line-up of smartphones for Nokia and all other Maemo devices that will be launched will have specific high-end features". So, expect high prices for the next Maemo devices, but on the other hand, the Nseries prices might drop.

Nokia N900 has been announced in August 2009 and made available on the market in November same year. The device is only available in Black and can be acquired for about $700 USD.

Design

The first time I saw Nokia N900, I was afraid its too bulky and ugly for my tastes. Automatically, I have compared it in my mind with the new Android smartphones and saw the N900 losing on all aspects. Fortunately, things are not as it seems at first glance, and Nokia N900 is really a very nice and stylish device. Yes, the device is pocketsizable and yes, it's big and heavy (110.9x59.8x18mm and 181g including battery), but it looks much better than HTC Touch Pro or any other bulky Pocket PC. It feels nice to the touch thanks to the matte plastic on the back, which also helps users have a good grip over the device.The only drawback that I found is the shiny material that covers the front part of the device, which is a fingerprint magnet. Still, the rest of the device is looking very good and, for me at least, it seemed ergonomic enough to be able to handle it with ease. Once you get used to its look and to its buttons layout, everything should work smoothly. In fact, besides the QWERTY keyboard the device doesn't really have too many external buttons. If you keep the N900 in portrait mode, you'll be able to notice on the right side a volume key near the top, a small power on/off button at the middle and a dedicated camera key near the bottom. On top of the smartphone, there's a microUSB port, as well as one of the two stereo speakers. The other stereo speaker can be found on the bottom of the phone, together with a 3.5mm port jack and a small sliding key which locks/unlocks the touchscreen.There's also a plastic stylus placed on the bottom left corner of the device, but I haven't used it too much. Above the generous touchscreen, there's a secondary videocall camera, as well as a small ambient light sensor and the in-call speaker. The backside of the smartphone features a nice 5 megapixels camera, which is protected by a sliding cover. When opened, it will also reveal a dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss optics.The camera is surrounded by a thin plastic strip, which can help users watch movies in a more relaxed position without the need of keeping the phone in hand. When the device is slided, it will reveal a full QWERTY keyboard that features 38 small keys. While the layout is good, I still had the feeling that the buttons are too small and a little bit too crowded. Still, that doesn't makes a bad impression and texters will be happy to find that the keyboard is actually very nice to the touch and responsive enough to be able to text without mistakes. The backlighting of the keyboard is good and very nice, with a bluish light that shows all the keys.Overall, Nokia N900's finishes are exquisite and puts it in front of many other (ex)high-end Nokia devices, in terms of design and ergonomics. The rounded shapes of the device also recommend it as an easy-to-carry smartphone and really good-looking business tool.

Display and Camera


Nokia N900 features a large 3.5-inch TFT resistive touchscreen, which supports 16 million colors and 800x480 pixels resolution. It also includes features like proximity sensor for auto turn-off and accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate. Perfectly visible in the sunlight, the display is also surprisingly responsive for a resistive touchscreen. In fact, first time I used the device, I tought that Nokia finally made its first capacitive touchscreen, but is seems that I was mistaken. The display is still resistive, but very well crafted, so you will barely feel the difference when it comes to responsiveness. Of course, you won't be able to take advantage of features like multi-touch, but I'd say this is a pretty good display. It is also well-protected against scratches, which is a big advantage as the device doesn't feature a leather case or something close to that.Of course, you could buy one, but the fact remains that you won't have any troubles with scratches unless you are fool enough to keep it in the same pocket with your keys, which I doubt it, as the device is pretty big to not fit in the pocket with anything else. Moreover, Nokia N900 includes a dedicated PowerVR SGX graphics CPU with OpenGL ES 2.0 support that enhances multimedia experience, which implies running games or movies on the screen. I only noticed a small drawback and that is the fact that you won't be able to use the phone in portrait mode unless you set the device to turn to dial mode as soon as you unlock the screen. Otherwise, you will be stuck to the landscape view. Further, the transgression to portrait mode doesn't function well enough, and you might end up clicking on the Phone icon on one of the additional homescreens.N900 also includes a 5-megapixels camera, but this is not just a usual camera. Nokia has put in some effort into this and managed to embed a nice camera with autofocus, dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss optics. You can take snapshots either in 5-megapixel high resolution or use the more unsual, but very cool 3.5-megapixel wide resolution. I had some doubts before actually using the camera to take pictures, knowing the level of technology that Nokia usually puts into its smartphones. Enough said, these doubts fade away once I started to take some snapshots. I was amazed by the accuracy of the camera, especially when using the 3.5-megapixel wide resolution.The pictures are simply excellent, even when you don't benefit from the best light. The night pictures are also pretty decent, but you will need to be somewhat close to the subject that you intend to capture as the dual LED flash has its limit. The interface of the camera is pretty standard for such a camera and easy to use. Users will be able to change resolution, White balance, ISO sensitivity and Exposure. Camera mode can be set on Automatic (default) or you can choose one of these options: Macro, Landscape, Portrait, Action.Camera also includes the geo-tagging feature video light. For those of you that are interested in video capturing, I'll have to say that Nokia N900 excels to that too. It can record clips in WVGA(848 x 480)@25fps, which is pretty nice. Check out the samples below to get an idea of what this high-end device can do with its camera.

Menu and Software

Maemo 5 is the first open source operating system coming from Nokia, and a new one coming from the Finnish giant for a long time. As its base stays in the Linux OS, you will probably notice lots of similitudes with Google's Android, which has about the same roots. First of all, Nokia N900 runs Maemo 5, version 1.2009.42-11, which will probably receive upgrades in the future. Anyway, the main thing that I noticed is the "lack" of freezes or errors. I haven't gotten any of the usual lock-ups that Symbian smartphones have from time to time and that made me really happy.Secondly, I noticed that the device runs pretty smooth without slacking at all, even when more applications are running in the background. Yes, you can run multiple apps and can go back to whichever app you were running previously, as long as it has been alt-tabbed in the background. The operating system keeps them resident in memory and you can go back to it from the homescreen.Basically, it works like a task manager with all the minimized apps showing on the homescreen like small windows, which can be easily clicked. Just like the first Android version, Maemo 5 features 4 different homescreens, which can be browsed by swiping your finger to the left or to the right of the screen. These can be customized with new shortcuts, widgets, bookmarks and many more. By default the homescreens contain: Calendar, contacts, phone, email; Ovi Store and Maemo store; Weather widget; Twitter, Facebook and Google widgets, as well as shortcuts to Ovi account, Ovi maps, Gallery, Ovi gallery and Email. To each and everyone of these homescreens can be added more shortcuts, contacts, widgets or they can be emptied.The interface is even simpler than Symbian's, but it can also become more complex if you are into the homescreen customization. Clicking the upper left corner icon will get you into the main menu of the device, which presents you with 15 icons, simetrically arranged: Web, Media player, Calendar, Photos, Contacts, Phone, Maps, Camera, E-mail, Conversations, Clock, Calculator, Store, Settings and More ...Clicking the latter will open up the second window of the main menu, which contains even more functions and apps: Notes, PDF Reader, File manager, RSS, Sketch, App manager, Backup, Get started (demo movie), X Terminal, Amazon, AP News, Facebook, ForecaWeather, Documents To Go, and some games (Blocks, Chess, Mahjong and Marbles). As the device doesn't really feature a Back key, you can click either on top or at the bottom of every menu to go back one step (click on empty space and not on any of the icons). Another interesting feature that I found is the fact that you can quickly access Profiles, Clock & Alarms, Bluetooth and Internet connection by clicking clock or the battery icon that appears on top left of any of the homescreens.Nokia N900 is not a phone, but an Internet tablet and that really shows when it comes to phone features. It's even funny as you won't have access to a dialer pad unless you make a shortcut on one of the homescreens that will get you into the phone functions of the device. There's also another option that enables users to get right into dialer pad or call history, as soon as they unlock the touchscreen and keep the device in portrait mode, but that doesn't always responds, so you will need to click on the shortcut from time to time.Anyway, the place where Nokia N900 really excels is the web browsing experience. There is simply no other device that can reach to this level of accuracy in redering web pages, as well as speed of loading. Moreover, the Mozilla-based browser features Adobe Flash 9.4 and not the "weakly" Flash Lite, which is common to most high-end devices as of lately. If you usually visit webpages rich in Flash content, this is the right device for you.Zooming in and out can be easily done by double tapping on the spot you want to zoom or by simply making a spiral gesture on the screen. I personally recommend the first option as it works flawless and is very fast. The panning and adjustings of the pages are excellent, which makes N900 the best Internet tablet there is on the market at the moment.Unfortunately, Nokia N900 is not compatible with any Symbian or Java applications, but I think the Maemo store has some good third-party apps if you want more customization for your device.

Communication

Nokia N900 features all the possible connectivity techs that are available: HSDPA (10 Mbps) and HSUPA (2 Mbps), GPRS and EDGE class 32 High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (57.6 kbps) and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support, microUSB 2.0 and Infrared.When connecting the USB cable, you'll be able to choose among two modes: PC Suite, Mass storage. Both are intuitive and easy to use, so there's nothing more to add here. The process of synching is very fast, browsing and transfers are made very quickly between phone and PC and the device is also charghing when is synched with the PC.

The built-in GPS receiver supports A-GPS function and works flawlessly together with the newly renamed Ovi Maps.In terms of messaging, the device offers standard SMS messaging solutions, accepting all available message types, but lacks MMS support. The message client works with POP3, SMTP, and IMAP4 protocols, and supports more than one e-mail account. Additionally, it can download headers and supports attachments. Nokia N900 also benefits from Skype and GoogleTalk VoIP integration, which might come in handy whenever you have it available as it cuts short the bills.N900 is quad-band GSM (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) compatible, but also supports HSDPA 900 /1700 / 2100 GSM networks. I didn't have any problems with the GSM signal and the sound at both ends was excellent. Video-calls are also not available for Nokia N900.


Processor and Memory

Nokia N900 is powered by a single TI OMAP 3430 ARM Cortex-A8 family processor running at speeds of up to 600 Mhz. Further, the device also benefits from a dedicated graphics processor PowerVR SGX with OpenGL ES 2.0 support for better graphics rendering. Suffice it to say that I haven't encountered any lags or freezes, while the movies that I watched and the games I played really worked flawlessly.The smartphone embeds 32 GB user free internal storage memory, 256 MB SDRAM memory and 768 MB NAND Memory. If that storage space is not enough for you (which I doubt), you will be able to add up to 16GB through the hot-swappable microSD slot card. The latter can be found after removing the back hood of the device.

Multimedia

Even though it has been tagged as an Internet Tablet, Nokia N900 includes decent multimedia features. The included music player supports audio formats such as: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, M4A, MP3, WAV and WMA. Sound is impressive, but doesn't reach any of Sony Ericsson's Walkman series standards. Another drawback might be the fact that it lacks any Equalizer options, so you will be stuck with the raw sound of the song.Thanks to the 3.5mm jack port users will be able to plug-in their own headphone, if they're not satissfied by the earphones in the sales package (WH-205), which by the way sound pretty nice.Nokia N900 also features an Internet radio and and FM Transmitter. Stereo FM Radio is only available via third party software. The thing that amazed me is the quality of the movie playback. The video player included uses its 3.5-inch screen at its full potential and can now read DivX and Xvid files, besides 3GPP formats (H.263), AVI, Flash Video, H.264/AVC, MPEG-4, WMV. Even if it's only for the movie playback, I could say that this device is worth a try even for those that aren't looking for a business phone.

Battery

The 1320 mAh Li-Ion (BL-5J) battery has an officially stated life expectancy of about 9 hours in talk time mode (5 hours for 3G). Also, Nokia didn't state any standby time as it thinks that the device will always be online and have an active connection. Basically, it has been designed to last about 1-day of continous usage. While I wasn't able to achieve the 5-hour talk time promised, our test unit made it for about 2 days with medium use. Unfortunately, I found the battery autonomy a little bit poor, even though I have expected it. Maybe one of the future firmwares will improve these numbers.

Impressions

I found the N900 one of the best Internet tablets on the market, even though there are only a few. Moreover, adding phone functions and a new operating system was very good idea, as it now stands for an excellent business phone also. Stuffed with lots of Web-browsing abilities, multimedia features, a user-friendly interface and a pretty decent camera, Nokia N900 really worths to be put into Nokia's new high-end class series.


The Good

Maemo operating system is really a hit, even though not that complex and developed as Android, it really shows potential. Add to that the excellent Web-browsing capabilities, HSDPA connectivity, excellent touchscreen, as well as decent camera and you got yourself a really good smartphone. The QWERTY keyboard is also a nice addition to the features of the phone, as well as the Wi-Fi connectivity.


The Bad

I think the only drawback of the phone is the low life autonomy of the battery, and the high price as well, which could be a setback for those that have a limited budget. Also, limited number of third-party software is an important disadvantage, if we are to compare it with Android.


Sales Package

Nokia N900 Internet Tablet
Nokia Battery 1320 mAh (BL-5J)
Nokia High Efficiency Charger (AC-10)
Nokia Stereo Headset (WH-205)
Video out cable (CA-75U)
Nokia charger adaptor (CA-146C)
Cleaning cloth

nokia 6760 review

One of a kind would be a massive overstatement but there's something about the Nokia 6760 slide that's clearly against the usual run of things. Full QWERTY keyboards are an increasingly common sight on Symbian smartphones so this can't be it. However, the Nokia 6760 slide is a generic messenger - noting to do with Nseries, Eseries or even XpressMusic.

Secondly, the 6760 slide was first seen and used in the US as Nokia Surge. It usually takes quite a while for Nokia handsets to cross the pond and that makes the 6760 / Surge concept interesting enough. Whether it was custom made for AT&T and then given a go at home is irrelevant. Nokia now have a smart messenger ready to roll in the lower midrange.

The new 6760 slide (we'll use its European name from now on) is ultra compact and the full-QWERTY keyboard is backed by no numpad on top. The Internet and Messaging shortcuts up front are quite handy though and make perfect sense in both portrait and landscape hand hold. The neat messenger is trying to balance features, looks and ergonomics to offer all-round experience within budget. The absence of Wi-Fi support is a letdown, but the rest of the features are from the top drawer.
Key features
Quad-band GSM support and 3G with HSDPA
2.4" 16M-color TFT display of 320 x 240 pixel resolution
Full QWERTY keyboard
Very compact, friendly weight and shape
Fast and responsive interface
Built-in accelerometer, UI auto-rotate, turn-to-mute
3 megapixel fixed focus camera, QVGA video recording @ 15fps
Symbian 9.3, S60 FP2
GPS with A-GPS support
Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP, microUSB
microSD card slot with microSDHC support
Stereo FM Radio with RDS
Balanced audio output quality
Large capacity Li-Ion 1500 mAh (BP-4L) battery
Main disadvantages
Clattering slide hinge, loose battery cover
No Wi-Fi
No alphanumeric keypad: impossible to dial with the keyboard closed
Basic fixed focus camera, no extra features (not even geotagging)
No USB charging
No smart dial (3rd party solutions are available)

The Symbian-driven Nokia 6760 slide has a responsive and fast user interface and offers various social networking integration. The good web browser and robust messaging should be welcomed by users with a solid data plan.

We called it a generic messenger and there's nothing really impressive about the idea behind this device - unless you've never seen or heard of E75 or 5730 XpressMusic. Not to mention the N97 mini.

Still, an ultra compact Symbian smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard seems to make sense. The 6760 slide certainly misses on some features but it does well to position itself as a typical carrier's handset. Fast data, solid messaging and friendly size will perhaps convince enough users they can live without WLAN. Plus, the 6760 slide styling seems to be trying to find middle ground between the too executive Eseries and too juvenile XpressMusic.

We called it ultra compact too and we mean it. It's hard to believe the 6760 slide is a Symbian smartphone to begin with. A formidable PocketPC like the Samsung B7610 OmniaPRO makes it look almost toy-like.

If you find yourself interested in the new kid on the block, go ahead and take our guided tour of the Nokia 6760 slide. Symbian has little to no surprises perhaps but let's see how this little messenger handles and what it can do for you.

NOkia E72 Review

SINGAPORE – The all new Nokia E72 boasts a host of new features including optical scrolling and a five-megapixel camera. Building on the success of the E71, the E72 takes the very best of Nokia’s most successful QWERTY device and makes it even better. The super-slim 10mm frame has been refined with some sleek design touches and inside the device is treated to a range of user interface improvements too.

The optical navigation key makes scrolling through emails a breeze and also helps bounce around the menus quickly and easily. The camera has been upgraded to a full five megapixels and heavy data users will love the support for up to 10.2Mbps connections over HSDPA. The audio jack has also had the upgrade treatment with 3.5mm jack now appearing on the top of the device.

Nokia Messaging is also on board (with a lifetime license) and now supports access and easy set up for Instant Messaging accounts including Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk and Ovi, amongst others. Email set up is even easier than before through Nokia Messaging, Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler.

Sound quality on calls is improved with the addition of active noise cancellation and navigation gets a boost with the addition of a digital compass. Maps is also integrated and comes with a lifetime walk and 10 days of turn-by-turn navigation, if activated within the first three months. You don’t need to be worried about getting caught in the dark either – a single press on the spacebar key will activate the torch!

The Nokia E72 is expected to begin shipping late in the third quarter of 2009 at an estimated retail price of €350 before taxes and subsidies. Find out more from Nokia.com.

sony ericsson SATIO review

Sony Ericsson has finally launched the Satio, the phone it showed off back in February under the guise of Idou, packing the best of all its brands into one phone. But can the sheer range of gadgetry and a new OS be enough to lure customers back to the brand?

Not content with being leaders in cameraphone and multimedia technology, Sony Ericsson has decided to put the two Walkman and Cybershot brands together in the new Satio. This means an industry-leading camera, a full range of multimedia playback options and it's based on Symbian S60 5th edition to boot.

The overall feel of the handset is odd. Thanks to the sheer range of camera-related gadgetry on board the rear of the phone has a massive camera section bolted to the back, which makes it a little chunky.

But weirdly the phone didn't feel heavy at all – in fact we thought the battery needed to be put in, it was so light, but the power pack was snugly under the cover, so this is pretty impressive.

The Satio feels OK in the hand – it's not snug, but the 3.5-inch touchscreen (although sadly resistive rather than capacitive) is well positioned, and most of the functions are within a thumb's reach.

The front of the phone is very minimal – it's got a call, hang up and menu key, and that's about it. We would have quite liked to see a cancel/back button too, but that obviously wasn't on Sony Ericsson's agenda with the new Symbian OS it's packing.



There is a front facing video camera on there too for all that video calling fun everyone has these days, but it's down the sides of the phone where the button frenzy really begins.

On the left-hand side is the slider for unlocking the phone (which is in just about the right place for most hands), the standard Sony Ericsson port for USB connection, charging and headphone connection (boo!). Below that lives the microSD slot, which is covered by a nice hinged flap.

Over on the right side of the phone we get the camera controls, with the zoom buttons doubling as the volume up/down keys, despite having the 'proper' zoom icons on.



Below this is the photograph playback key, allowing quick access to your snaps in both camera mode and standby. There's also a video/camera swap hard key as well, which we're trying to work out if it has another function in other applications. It appears not to.

And below that is the stylishly hewn shutter for the camera. This side of the phone is well put together, laid out in the right manner and given the Satio's penchant for touch operation, a welcome addition.



On the back we've already mentioned the massive camera section, and while the cover might be massive it still has a really pleasing action to it, uncovering the decent lens underneath.


It's not the most wieldy of phones, we'll admit, but given the sheer amount of technology under the hood we're happy to say this is pretty much the best job Sony Ericsson could have done.

In the box

The Satio is being tipped as a multimedia device, and to that end the box is filled with audio and visual goodies. We've already pointed out how very, very disappointed we are there's no 3.5mm headphone jack on the Satio, but Sony Ericsson has tried to temper that problem with a variety of headphone options in the box.

The connector also comes with a music controller, which works pretty well for both media and as a hands free unit. The bundled buds are of a slightly better quality than the usual pin-thick ones Sony Ericsson puts in the box, but we quickly changed these to some better options.



However, if you do want to use them, there's a variety of ear buds to fit your ears, which we liked.

Video-wise, Sony Ericsson wants you to see the Satio as more of a multimedia hub, and to that end has popped a video out cable in the box (and a pretty rugged, rubberised one at that). It connects using the standard port on the side, and allows you to pump whatever you want to the TV from the phone.

Beyond that, there's a charger, a USB cable and a stylus – you might as well have this if you're using a resistive screen, and handwriting recognition works better with it.

And there's no installation CD in the box – Sony Ericsson has placed that on the phone in the bundled 8GB microSD card. We like this idea a lot, as it just simplifies the process, so well done to SE.

acer aspire one review

The Acer Aspire One is a 8.9" netbook with a starting price that is aimed to undercut nearly all the current market competitors. The base Aspire One, which includes an 8GB SSD and Linux starts at $329, which is far under anything else that has the Intel Atom processor. The big question running through everyone's minds is if this model is built like a budget computer, or if it has what it takes to go up against some models that sell for nearly double the retail price. In this review we cover all aspects of the Acer Aspire One, and let you know if this is a netbook you should consider purchasing.

Our Acer Aspire One specifications:

* 1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Processor
* 1GB DDR2 533MHz
* Windows XP Home SP3
* 8.9" 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
* 120GB 2.5" 5400RPM Hitachi Hard Drive (with SDHC storage expansion slot)
* 802.11b/g Atheros Wireless
* 3-Cell 23Wh battery
* Size: 9.75" x 6.625" x 1.28"
* Weight: 2lb 5.0oz

Build and Design

The design of the Acer Aspire One is very sleek with softly rounded edges and a smooth glossy surface that is comfortable to hold when closed. The look is fairly basic, but it does have a few chrome accents here and there which add a bit of spice into the look of the netbook. Glossy plastic is found on the top of the screen cover, as well as around the entire LCD. At times the reflective boarder does get on your nerves if you are in a brightly lit room with many sources of glare.

Build quality looks solid for a subnotebook and the construction feels strong enough to handle being tossed around inside a bookbag without much concern for its safety (well apart from the glossy surfaces). Holding it while it is folded in half is similar to holding a hard cover book, having a good amount of rigidity to resist flex and compression. The screen cover feels especially strong, which is important for protecting the relatively fragile LCD panel.

From an upgrading perspective, the Acer Aspire One is a very difficult netbook to make enhancements to. The case does not separate as easily as others to access vital components like RAM or the hard drive. While most users won't touch the insides, it is worth mentioning it for those thinking about upgrading to Vista which enjoys additional RAM, or something looking to install a faster drive. Another disappointing aspect about the Aspire One is the open Mini-PCIe slot which is lacking any connector. This area is prepped with a SIM-card port for obvious 3G features, but unless you can solder on your own connector you are out of luck.

The keyboard is spacious as far as netbooks go, since the Aspire One is a 9" netbook inside the body of a 10" model. You have the slight disadvantage of having huge screen borders, but you get some much needed keyboard real estate. The keyboard is cramped compared to a fullsize notebook, but is easy to get the hang of with enough practice. The typing surface feels strong with no keyboard flex and individual keys feel strong with no wobble. One aspect that I really enjoy about the keyboard layout is the dedicated page up and page down buttons. For scrolling through long webpages, especially with mini touchpads, page up and page down keys can provide a more accurate way of navigating a webpage or document at a fast pace.

The LED backlit display on the Acer Aspire One is very bright and vibrant. The white levels are very clear, leaning towards the cooler or bluer side. Colors look excellent with the glossy screen, but at the cost of increasing screen reflections and glare. The screen might be bright enough to view outside, but with all the bright reflective surfaces outside, the screen is nearly impossible to view comfortably. Viewing angles are better than average, with a broad sweet spot. Horizontal viewing angles are excellent, to the point where you could be looking almost perpendicular to the screen and still see accurate color. Vertical viewing angles are good, but they do find their limit at +/- 15 degrees forward or back.

This Intel Atom based netbook won't be breaking any speed records, but it performed more than adequately for normal activities. Internet browsing, word processing, and even photo editing tasks were handed in a very snappy environment. The most surprising thing from a reviewing standpoint was this subnotebook giving benchmark results in every program we could throw at it. This is not par for the course though, as many other netbooks have limited resolutions or other odd quirks that prevent most of the standard benchmarking programs to give valid results.