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The W508 has a flip phone design.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)Sony Ericsson's new C510 Cyber-shot and W508 Walkman phone don't break a lot of new ground, but they're certainly worthy of attention. In many ways they resemble other Sony Ericssons that came before them--the W508 looks a bit like the W980 and the C510 reminds us vaguely of the C902.
The W508 is shiny inside.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)The W508, of course, is a flip phone with circular music controls on the front flap. It's also thin and light, and you can change between gray and white removable covers. Just above are the external display and the camera lens. The display is small and monochrome so its usability with the camera will be limited. Also, we'd prefer to see a flash on a megapixel camera phone.
The interior display lives up to the Sony Ericsson standards with bright colors and vibrant graphics. The menu interface and Walkman player are also similar to other Sony Ericsson phones, which is to say they're easy to use. We're a little apprehensive about the flat and shiny keypad. The circular keys could be a bit more tactile, but we suppose we'd get used to them over time. Fortunately, the navigation controls are a tad better.
The C510 has a large display but cramped controls.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)The C510, on the other hand, is a slim candy bar phone in shiny silver. The huge display takes up almost half of the phone, and its vivid resolution is easy on the eyes. Below are the navigation controls, which are plentiful but also a tad crowded. There's a square toggle with a central OK button, two soft keys, a menu control, and a clear button. The keypad buttons appear to be somewhat cramped as well. We'll wait for a full review to give a final verdict.
The camera lens sits on the rear of the phone behind a sliding cover. The design is a lot simpler than the C902, and that's a good thing. Instead of splitting apart in the middle to show the camera lens and flash, which we always found too complicated, you only need to slide the cover to the right. Unfortunately, there's no self-portrait mirror. The charger port sits on the left spine, and on the right spine you'll find the camera shutter and volume rocker. You'll have to remove the battery cover to use the memory card slot.
The C510 has a sliding lens cover.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)On the whole, both phones look promising and their feature sets offer a lot to explore. We'll give them a full shakedown just as soon as we can.
The C905 has a bright display.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)Though we've known about the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot for a few months, CES gave us our first opportunity to see it up close and personal. With an 8.1-megapixel camera, it is Sony Ericsson's highest resolution camera phone to date. What's more, it also has many of the same features you'd find on a standalone camera and it offers several ways to get your photos off the phone.
With such a packed feature set we were expecting a rather bulky design. And in that respect the C905 delivered. It's not as big as the Samsung Innov8, but at 4.1 by 1.9 by 1.7 inches and 4.8 ounces it's hardly as slim as the 5-megapixel Sony Ericsson C902. That trade-off is a solid feel in the hand and a sturdy slider mechanism. We also like that tapered ends that give the C905 a streamlined feel. The handset comes in sliver, black, and gold, and the company added a tender rose (aka pink) version at the show.
We like the C905's tapered ends. The camera shutter is on the right spine.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)The display is bright and beautiful with sharp colors and graphics. Sony Ericsson typically succeeds with its displays, and the C905 is no exception. The company also has a history of over-designing its navigation controls, but we were glad to see that the C905 breaks that mold. The square navigation toggle and central OK button are spacious and tactile, as are the other navigation controls that surround it.
Like many camera phones, the C905 resembles a regular camera when viewed from behind. A sliding lens cover hides the camera lens, bright Xenon flash, and a self-portrait mirror. Sliding the cover opens starts the camera automatically. You'll also find comfortable camera ergonomics. When holding the phone horizontally, the side-mounted camera shutter and volume rocker/zoom control are right at your fingertips. We haven't seen the photo quality yet, so we'll have to save that for our full review.
The keypad buttons are relatively flush, which is not a surprise on a slider phone. Yet, the keys are pretty tactile and spacious, with large numbers and a bright backlighting. Fortunately, the memory stick micro slot rests conveniently on the left spine below the memory card slot.
A sliding cover hides the camera lens.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)As we mentioned earlier, the C905 is all about its camera. Besides the 8.1-megapixel resolution you'll also find a solid set of offerings that includes autofocus, geotagging, smile detection, face detection, a self timer, and a digital zoom. Wi-Fi is integrated as well; you can use it to upload videos directly to YouTube. Outside of the camera there's a music player, a speakerphone, stereo Bluetooth, messaging and e-mail, personal organizer applications, mass USB storage, an FM radio, and PC syncing.
At the time of this writing the C905 is available only in Europe for 499 euros or about $682. Sony Ericsson says it will bring an unlocked version of the C905 to the United States in the second quarter of this year. It is quad-band GSM and it supports both Europe and North American 3G bands. We hope to get it in soon for a full review.
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The IM502 is a tiny tripod.
(Credit: Kent German/CBS Interactive)While browsing Sony Ericsson's table at a CES press event, I found this cool little accessory that the company announced in Las Vegas. The IM502 is a compact tripod that attaches to your Cyber-shot handset. You can use it to steady your camera phone when taking a self-portrait or a group shot with the timer. It also will come in handy when you just need to hold the shooter completely still.
At 1.1 inches by 2.3 inches by 0.4 inch, it folds away for convenient storage or for carrying in a pocket or bag. Of course, since it is a Sony Ericsson product it uses a proprietary connection--it attaches to your charger port--but it is compatible with most newer Cyber-shot and Walkman models. On the downside, you may not be able to use it for shots in a vertical orientation (depending on the phone), but I like it just the same.
We've already told you about Sony Ericsson's new W508 and C510, but that's not all the company is showing at CES. We stopped by the Sony Ericsson booth at a press conference Wednesday night and spied not only the company's new handsets but also the 8.1-megapixel C905 camera phone, the W585 Walkman phones, and a nifty little camera-phone tripod.
We got the chance to examine them up close and snap a few shots. The C510 and C905 are especially eye-catching, but the W508 has its charms as well. Take a look at our Sony Ericsson CES slide show.
Skype Lite on Java
(Credit: Skype)Skype announced on Thursday the forthcoming release of Skype Lite for Google Android and other Java-enabled phones. Skype Lite marks the communication company's first native VoIP client for Java.
Skype is submitting the app to Google's Android Market on Thursday morning, though it could take Google a few days to offer it for download.
In addition, Skype Lite will also be available on Thursday to about 100 models of Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, LG, and Samsung phones. The app has been available in beta form for a growing number of handsets on Skype.com, and isn't expected to change in this initial release.
Skype Lite is truly that: a back-to-basics build that allows the customary cut-rate international calling to Skype contacts, and also calling credits to non-Skype buddies using the SkypeOut service. You'll be able to IM other Skype friends in addition, an activity best done with a data plan. Users anticipating the fuller features of the newly updated Skype for Windows Mobile beta won't find them in this debut version.
Skype Lite will process calls to the United Kingdom, Poland, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo), Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Australia, and New Zealand, and will also work for calls made in the U.S.
Skype Lite takes the communications company a step deeper into the mobile world with service for the top five phone brands, but it faces fierce competition from Fring, a relative VoIP youngster that already brings more advanced features than Skype Lite to Symbian devices in the Nokia and Sony Ericsson families, including file transferring and instant messaging with contacts on multiple chat networks.
The Sony Ericsson W508 has a Walkman music player.
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)Sony Ericsson expanded its Walkman phone line at CES with the announcement of its new W508 music phone. Sporting a flip phone design that reminds us of the Sony Ericsson W980, the W508 offers the full slate of Walkman features.
Inside there is a music player with TrackID and Sony's Mega Bass, a 3.2-megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, shake and gesture control, a speakerphone, video calling, an FM radio, YouTube integration, PC syncing, USB mass storage, modem support, messaging and e-mail, external music controls, a memory card slot, an audio recorder, instant messaging, 3D games, and a personal organizer.
The W508 comes in two base colors--metal gray and poetic white--but each version comes with a "Style-Up" cover than you can use to decorate the exterior of the handset. The white model comes with midnight summer, splashed art, radial blue or street hip-hop covers while the gray handset comes with sunny orange, forest green, architectural purple, or mysterious graffiti.
The W508 will be available in the second quarter of this year. There's no work on U.S. or Canadian availability, but the W508a is a quad-band GSM handset with support for North American and European 3G networks.
The C510 has a well-stocked 3.2-megapixel camera.
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)In 2008, Sony Ericsson spent a lot of time focusing on its Cyber-shot series of camera phones. It started the year at the GSMA World Congress by unveiling the C902 and C702 and later in the summer it released the 8.1-megapixel C905. Now at CES 2009, it offers the C510.
Positioned as the low-end member of the Cyber-shot line, the C510 nonetheless offers an impressive array of features. The camera takes center stage, of course. The 3.2-megapixel shooter offers a flash, a 3.2x digital zoom, face detection, smile shutter (the camera will snap a photo automatically when it detects a smile) auto-rotation, image editing, a lens cover, and editing features.
Outside of the camera you'll find integration with Snapfish and YouTube, personal organizer options, a 262,144-color display, an audio recorder, video recording, a speakerphone, video calling, polyphonic ringtones, messaging and e-mail, a music player, USB mass storage, 3G support, PC syncing, modem support, and geotagging for photos.
The C510 should be available in the first quarter of this year in silver and black. Exact U.S. availability hasn't been announced, but one version of the phone, the C510a, will be quad-band GSM with support for both North American and European 3G bands.
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Get the C905 in pink
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)In addition to unwrapping its new C510 Cyber-shot on Tuesday, Sony Ericsson also announced an upgrade to its existing 8.1-megapixel C905 Cyber-shot model.
Starting in mid-February, C905 owners can download a software update from Sony Ericsson's Web site that will bring new features to the camera phone. They include smile shutter, a feature that will automatically shoot a picture when the camera detects a smile, and direct integration with YouTube and Snapfish for faster and more convenient uploading of photos and videos. The upgrade also will add WayFinder 8 for GPS navigation and that will let you see an entire text conversation.
Sony Ericsson also announced a new version of the C905 in tender rose (aka pink). It will be available in the first quarter of this year.
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