Device Convergence means the iPod might be in trouble
When I get a new device (get means purchase) I like it to replace two or more devices I currently have (or wish I had). Here is a great example.
Sony Ericsson is producing a line of
Walkman phones that compete with the
iTunes phones from
Motorola. The latest phone (not available in the US, per normal) is the
w950 - a 4Gb flash phone with a touch screen and stylus. It works as an MP3 player (4Gb is the same as an iPod Nano), video player (competing with the iPod Video), and a smartphone (running Symbian 9). The previous model from Sony Ericsson, the
w810, included a 2 megapixel camera. Maybe the next phone from them will put the camera back in. Either way, look at the devices you can replace with the w950:
- MP3 player (same amount of flash memory as a $250 iPod Nano - 4Gb)
- FM radio with RDS (RDS is the text broadcast with the signal telling you the song titles)
- PDA functionality - touch screen and stylus with handwriting recognition (I've used Symbian 6 for three years and have been very impressed)
- Blackberry-like push e-mail (just like the Blackberry but supporting multiple e-mail solutions)
- add the camera back in and you've got a poor but acceptable point and shoot camera
This is a great offer! Especially since you can normally buy phones at a discount with a plan. I'm not buying anything until my free
Blackberry isn't free anymore, but phones like this are very tempting.
Watch a video of the w950 in action
I like the listening to music (which can be streamed over BlueTooth to headphones) and composing e-mail. I also liked that the presenter dissed Mariah Carey!
-- Matt Ranlett