The Sony Ericsson Walkman range is also known as the W-Series range and consists of music-oriented mobile phones with dedicated music software first seen on standalone MP3 players.
The idea is that instead of taking two devices with you on the go, the Walkman range eliminated the need to carry a separate MP3 player.
Walkman phones come in many different shapes and sizes, more recently the manufacturer has also added new color schemes to the range to appeal to consumers, the most successful seems to be the Sony Ericsson W580i Pink Edition, this phone was the best selling paid as you go device in the run-up to the festive period.
The Sony W910i has also had a makeover from its usual black casing and has been launched in a deep red and Vodafone exclusive Havana Gold version.
The latest addition to the W series is the new Sony Ericsson W960i, which follows in the footsteps of the latest release, the Sony W910i. Both phones have a very different design, as the W960i is a touch screen device that allows access to the menu system simply by touching the screen and navigating, the SOny W910i is a slider phone that reveals a keyboard hidden underneath when opened, some Consumers prefer this design simply because the keys are protected while the phone is in the closed position.
The Sony Ericsson W960i has a 2.6-inch touch screen with advanced handwriting recognition. Its specification is comparable to Apple’s iPhone. The W960i is a 3G phone, which means fast web browsing and fast downloads. With Wi-Fi, the W960i can also connect to your wireless network at home or in the office. It has a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash and video recording. There is also a video camera called VGA. The W960i has one of the best music players ever seen on a mobile phone and includes the new Shake Control system for skipping music tracks first seen on the W910i. It’s incredibly easy to use and makes use of the large touch screen.
As with all Walkman phones, you can download, stream, store, and play music on your mobile device. There is 8 GB of storage space for MP3s and also an FM radio.
The Sony Ericsson W901i also features the latest Walkman software with Shake Control. Shake the phone to the right to go forward one track or to the left to go back. A double shake will rearrange the current playlist. The W910i also features SenseMe, a technology that analyzes music stored on your phone and intelligently assigns a mood based on the tempo and style of the music. Then you can create a new playlist according to your mood. Tricks aside, the W910i has a lot more to offer. It’s a 3G slider phone with a 2 megapixel camera, video calls, HSDPA and a large 2.4-inch screen, but it weighs only 86g and measures just 12.5mm thick. It also looks good. Other features to note are HSDPA (3.6 Mbits/sec) for high-speed music downloads, web browser, FM radio with RDS, stereo Bluetooth and up to 9 hours of talk time per battery charge.
The choice between these two music phones essentially comes down to the amount of storage space needed and the camera specification of which the W910i has slightly less to offer, however it is reflected in the price of the phone, the only another factor that separates these devices. is the overall design, some prefer the slide version while others the classic candy bar format.
Regardless of what these two phones look like, they’re both very sophisticated music-playing devices that leave many indie players out in the cold.
