Sony Ericsson W550i Walkman Camera Phone

You know that when Sony Ericsson decided to license the 'Walkman' name from Sony Corporation for a brand new and undisclosed mobile, something good was about to surface. That something was subsequently unveiled in the form of the W800i, Sony Ericsson's first camera phone that was purposefully designed as a lifestyle gadget with telecommunication capability. The W800i was put together in light of the popularization of MP3 players and a booming industry of online music stores. As more and more consumers take to the streets with hundreds, if not thousands of digital tracks in audio gadgets of different shapes and sizes, it became apparent that the lifestyle of modern day city dwellers is veering fast towards that of digital entertainment, even when they are on the go. Knowing the inconvenience brought about by an increase in gadget count for these users, the arrival of the W800i was very timely to say the least. Although it was not the first camera phone to boast of MP3 playback functionality, it was however the first camera phone to leverage on the Sony 'Walkman' branding and along with it, the first 'Walkman' camera phone featuring a dedicated MP3 media interface, controls and impressive audio quality; for a phone.


Two months on and the latest Sony Ericsson handset to be given a 'Walkman' makeover is the new W550i. There are many similarities between the two models, chief among which is the user-friendly MP3 playback interface, the signature orange theme, and a couple of carefully placed 'Walkman' logos to give it its distinct digital audio playback persona. As for form factor however, the W550i comes in a different twist, literally. Based on the now defunct S600i that drew its own principle design from Sony Ericsson's first swiveling handset, the S700i, there are two modes of operation available to the W550i. Before we delve further into the handset though, let us brief you on the technicalities of the new W550i 'Walkman' camera


Sony Ericsson W550i Technical Specifications
Network frequency Triple Band GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900

Antenna Integrated

Display 262K colors TFT
176 x 220 pixels

Storage 256MB Onboard Shared

Address book Stores up to 1,000 contacts
Supports Photo ID

Messaging SMS
EMS
MMS
Email
Instant Messaging

Imaging 1.3 megapixels CMOS Camera
LED Flash Strobe
Video Recording

Alerts 40-channel Polyphonic Ringer
Vibrator
MP3 Ringtones Supported

Radio FM Radio

Hands free talking Yes

Java Support Yes

Mobile Internet Access WAP 2.0

High Speed Data Transfer Class 10 GPRS

Data Exchange Bluetooth
Infrared
USB Data Cable

Software Alarm
Calendar
Notes
Tasks
Calculator
Picture Editor
Image Viewer
Flash Light
Stop Watch
Voice Memo
Video Player
World Clock

Games 3D Worms Forts: Under Siege 3D
3D Extreme Air Snowboarding
Midway?s Gauntlet

Battery Rating (Standard Battery) Stand-by Time: Up to 375hrs
Talktime: Up to 8hrs

Weight 120g

Dimensions 93 x 46.5 x 22.5 mm (L x W x H)