re: GSMBOX on the new Sony Ericsson Releases
Comment on the T68iand the missing WAP 2.0
... almost everything is already known about it ... it confirmed everything we knew except for the addition of a WAP microbrowser in version 2.0
Where the heck is WAP 2.0 ... from anybody?
Comments on MMS:
Both Nokia and Sony Ericsson have included MMS but it is not know when the networks will adequately support it or, more importantly, how much it will cost. Pretty is pretty, but it is all designed for a mass market, not for a priviledged group with good economic prospects. The hardware is there, and of good making, probably the software will arrive but will we want it ... it certainly seems difficult to conceive of when GPRS and MMS are still in the puberty stage of a technology that is faster in word than in deed. The ball now passes to operators and content creators: the only one to make the others ready for an invasion of colour and sound...in movement!
>> Sony Ericsson Changes The Cards Of 2002
Massimiliano Bucciol
Translated by Miranda Drew
GSMBOX
March 6, 2002
Yesterday in Milan Sony Ericsson presented the products that will be seen at the next CeBIT, including two new products, other than the noted T68i. As it now seems the habit for important worldwide manufacturers, Sony Ericsson also decided to anticipate the big event of CeBIT to present their new products for 2002. Not only terminals, even though those are rightly the most anticipated products, but also accessories related to connectivity, where Bluetooth, the technology that the collosal Japan-Swedish company has always believed in, is the boss.
The much anticipated T68i could not have been absent. It recently appeared on the web, but almost everything is already known about it. After the great success of the T68, its evolution will be able to repeat the challenge seeing the considerable improvements made, especially from the software viewpoint. Hardware improvements are not lacking either, and we will examine them. Aside from the above product, absolute new items were the futuristic P800 Smartphone, the Z700, the Bluetooth accessories HBH-30 and HCB-30, and the PCMCIA GC75 card, along with the new CommuniCam MCA-20, created ad hoc for the T68i.
Starting from the last, it confirmed everything we knew except for the addition of a WAP microbrowser in version 2.0. Therefore it provides MMS, triband, Bluetooth, GPRS, HSCSD, and mail management through POP3, IMAP4 and SMTP protocols. It has the usual 510 names in the phone book plus those on the SIM card which are manageable from the telephone, an IrDA port and dimensions of 100 x 48 x 20 mm with a weight of 84 grams. The only differences from the “old” T68 are: the aesthetics of the speaker, blue backlighting for the keyboard, improvement of the YES and NO buttons on the keyboard, which are now less shaky than before. The speed of the menu and SMS composition (a grave error in the T68) is much improved. The software, as you know, has been considerably updated, but you could have the same on the T68 for free (!!!) in about a month or so. The price has not been revealed, but it will certainly be around 650 euros. We only need to wait for the end of March.
An accessory for the T68i is the CommuniCam MCA-20 with dimensions of 46,5 x 48 x 25 mm weight of 22 grams. The pictures that it takes, using the telephone it is connected to as a colour viewfinder, have a resolution from 80 x 60 pixels (200 photos memorisable in the camera) in JPEG format to 640 x 480 pixels in VGA (14 photos memorisable in the camera). As you know, the photos taken can be associated with a name, and when this person calls, their picture will be seen along with their name. Also the new CommuniCam will be in stores starting from the month of March.
An interesting product is the new Smartphone. It is what the future related to 3G will be. The Sony Ericsson P800 seems to lack nothing, having even a digital camera on the back (As in the Nokia 7650, here the merging of two worldwide giants is evident.) The Smartphone has a large touchscreen display of 4096 colours and 208 x 320 pixels, connectivity for Bluetooth; GPRS; MMS; triband; a Symbian 7.0 operating system; e-mail management; visualisation of files in Powerpoint, Word or Excel; association of a photo to the phone book so the photo is shown when the person calls; and a Java2ME platform. For the oriental market the P802 can also communicate in Chinese. The P800 will not be available to buy before September at an unknown price, but not far from 750-800 euros.
Showing similarities to the Sony CMD-Z7, the Z700 (whose name is reminiscent of older Sony models) is dedicated to gaming, with a colour display (16, or probably 256 colours); polyphonic ring tones, and two games inside: Charlie's Angels and Men in Black. The famous jog-dial is present, as in the Z7, but the phone also supports the Java 2ME platform and Bluetooth. The dimensions are 91 x 50 x 24 mm and the weight is 95 grams. The Z700 is “only” dual band, with a WAP microbrowser in version 1.2.1. The phone book contains 510 contacts, plus those on the SIM card. It is possible to manage email and the batter offers from 50 to 200 hours in standby and from about 3 to 8 hours in conversation. The GPRS will be a 4+1 or, probably 4+2. Also this telephone should arrive in September with an unknown cost (450 euros?)
The list concludes with two Bluetooth accessories and the PCMCIA card. The HBH-30 is the new smaller and reduced weight earphone (28 grams) with a standby of 90 hours and 4 hours of conversation. The HCB-30 is a vivavoice kit for the car which takes advantage of the car radio for listening to phone calls in the vehicle. The PCMCIA GC75 card is a (Type II) triband modem card with GPRS technology for connecting to PCs to navigate and manage email, with a range of other applications.
As we can deduct from what Sony Ericsson has shown, it is not the best time for mobile telecommunications and they know it. The competition with Nokia for complete leadership of the market is at the maximum and very evident. The products (see the P800/7650) are very similar and the manufacturers cannot do much without adequate support from the operators. In fact, both Nokia and Sony Ericsson have included MMS but it is not know when the networks will adequately support it or, more importantly, how much it will cost. Pretty is pretty, but it is all designed for a mass market, not for a priviledged group with good economic prospects. The hardware is there, and of good making, probably the software will arrive but will we want it.
Does anyone remember WAP or the first GPRS (not that they are much faster now or cost less)? UMTS still seems far away. Motorola has recently come closer, but Sony Ericsson has not mentioned it, and, it certainly seems difficult to conceive of when GPRS and MMS are still in the puberty stage of a technology that is faster in word than in deed. The ball now passes to operators and content creators: the only one to make the others ready for an invasion of colour and sound...in movement! <<
- Eric - |
