As expected, we've arrived in Las Vegas for CES 2008, the consumer electronics show. As every year, we will provide you with our professional hands-on experience with the new phones and accessories, announced at the event.
As it would take us some time to prepare our materials, please check the status of the article, marked with a number at the end of the title. Every time we update the article with new content (page) we will increase the number indicating that status, so you would easily track the changes.
[LIVEITEMS] Current status: *3 - Phones Text Added. Current status: *2 - Sony Ericsson, Nokia, BlackBerry, LG and Neonode images added. Current status: *1 - Introduction and Motorola images added.
Browse the next pages for our hands-on report. Here, we will post links to all new devices:
To be honest, we were expecting a lot busier show! On the wireless front, there were only four announcements that actually capture our attention – Sony Ericsson W760, Motorola Z10 and E8 and Nokia N95 8GB US version. Everything else is just mid-range and low level uninteresting clutter…
Hopefully more new stuff will come out at the 3GSM Mobile World Congress and CTIA.
As Motorola has two of the four devices worth mentioning, we’ll start with them. Z10 is the successor of Z8, which is currently sold in Europe. We have not done a review on it, but had a pre-production unit for a while and overall not very impress with what it did. Kick-slider is interesting, but asides from that it did not offer anything that the competition didn’t have. Z10 is definitely not the same beast. Our first thoughts were … Moto, you must be kidding - another “kick-slider”? We dig the design idea when the Z8 was announced, but just upping the specs a little did not cut it…
Actually we were not exactly correct. The changes start from the materials used. Instead of the black-yellowish themes (target group 18-25), the metal bodied Z10 is definitely targeting the more mature audiences. The metal looks very much like stainless steel, but in actuality is some type of light-weight alloy. Not sure if because of new material, but the kick-slider is a lot easier to slide up and down. Even though the units on the floor were pre-production and by the time it hits the market this might change, the keypad was still difficult to press, just as it was with the Z8.
According to Motorola, the Z8 was about video viewing, while the Z10 is about video creation. We usually are quite skeptical when a device is label in such way, but after we become acquainted with Z10 video features, we actually agree with Motorola! The phone’s video edition capabilities are quite impressive and include numerous transitions between the videos, subtitles creation (including background and font size options), voice notations, actual video cutting, ability to remove the audio stream from a shot video and substitute it with another sound and many more. Of course, the phone software cannot compete in any way with a professional stand alone PC one, but is the best we’ve seen in a mobile device. Its capabilities would be sufficient enough for most non-professional tasks which most consumers will require.
For video playback, the phone does not support DIVX straight out of the box, but the user has to use the bundles PC software which converts DIVX movies to MPEG4 on the fly. For music playback, A2DP wireless stereo Bluetooth is available. As the Z10 is not music oriented, 3.5mm jack and stereo speakers are missing.
Hands-on with Motorola MOTO Z10:
The other selling point which Motorola tried to push is the fast camera. Again, we will agree with them about the speed. It literally took about 1 second for it to start after the dedicated camera button is pushed. Focusing was about average and depending on the scene took about 2 seconds. Saving the images is where usually most time is lost, and here thanks to the special flash memory used, the speeds are very impressive. The actual camera resolution is also updated from 2 to 3.2 mega pixels. Strangely, even though the Z10 is all about “video creation”, the actual video capture resolution is not VGA (640x480), but only QVGA (320x240).
The extended video editing software is great, but equally important is the ability to actually upload your great works online. For that reason the Z10 comes preloaded with the free Shozu application which allows you to setup your flicker, YouTube and other social media accounts and as soon as you are ready with your video or picture content, they are uploaded automatically to the sites you want.
For those who are interested, the Z10 is the first device to run on the latest UIQ 3.2. The list of new features and improvements is quite lengthy and includes push email, IM, progressive downloads and many others.
The music counterpart of the Z10 was also announced at the CES. The E8 is the successor of the E6 which was introduced a while ago. Gone are the touch sensitivity display and a new unique keyboard and “fast-scroll” wheel is introduced. Again, the differences are quite many and we will not compare the two devices, but will only talk about the E8.
The first time E8 saw the light of day was in Fergie video clip a few months ago. According to Moto that was intentional and designed to create media buzz around the device.
As seen from the pictures, when the display and keypad backlit are off, the whole surface is deep glossy black. If you are familiar with Sony Ericsson K850 or K810 for example, when the camera mode is engaged, several icons light up on the keyboard to indicate the new functionality of several keys – for example flash on/off. On the E8, this concept is taken to the next level and actually the keys on the keypad have different functions depending on which mode the phone is – standard, camera or music player.
The keypad area is completely flush and its surface is touch sensitive. Usually in such case, most manufacturers create some form of haptic feedback. The Moto implementation is also the same, but the way they have done it is almost feels like a real key is pressed. To really appreciate it, we were demoed two phones – one with the haptic on, and one off.
Another novelty is the fast-scroll wheel. It very much resembles iPOD wheel, but is not full circle. To be operated, one has to slide its thumb over it. Used mainly where scrolling in long lists is required, it is not the only such method available. In the middle of the circle is the regular 5-way D-pad. Even after short usage, we really appreciated the increase comfort and speed it offered. In contract to the iPOD, if you want to continuously scroll, all you have to do is to hold your finder in the left or right end positions. If the end of a list is reached, again in contrast to iPOD, the software starts scrolling from the beginning. Everything else is pretty much the regular stuff we expect to see in any contemporary device today. 3.5MM jack, 2GB built-in memory plus microSD slot which allows additional 4GB to be included are available.
In addition to the music and video dedicated E8 and Z10, Motorola also announced a couple of low-end GSM phones. The W230 and W270 are identical in their specifications but the first is a candybar while the latter is clamshell, with indicators on the front. They feature 1.6” 128x128 pixels display, FM radio and microSD, which can store songs for the music player. Both will be available in two variants: 850/1900 MHz or 900/1800 MHz, and the supported African languages hint that these phones are targeted to the developing countries.
Sony Ericsson was the other company besides Motorola which announced several new devices. The most interesting of those was W760. The device is the first Walkman phone with global 3G frequencies, allowing it to be used everywhere in the world.
But this is not the most important feature. Back in 2004 and 2005, a few GSM Motorola devices were introduced which featured GPS. We are not talking about smartphones but regular phones. Believe it or not, the W760 is the first phone after those to have GSP built-in! Unlike Nokia which offers its free Nokia Maps software bundled with all GSP-enabled devices, Sony Ericsson will offer Wayfinder free for the first three months. After that, separate license will have to be purchased. From the scoop we were able to gather, currently SE is in talks with AT&T and T-Mobile and the phones sold in the US by those carriers (if they pick them up) will not have the Wayfinder included. Keep in mind this is just preliminary information!
The third interesting feature is the 3D gaming capabilities. Just like Nokia with their N-Gage platform, obviously Sony Ericsson is trying to get a piece of the gaming entertainment market. Depending on the market, the phone will come with one or more pre-loaded games.
Everything else on the W760 is pretty standard – 512 M2 card will be included in the sales package in most markets. The phone accepts up to 4GB cards, but according to one SE rep they have tried even with 8GB and it still worked.
The other two phones from the manufacturer are from the lower mid-level class and come with the design as their main selling point. The Walkman W350is targeted to the “under 25” crowd for whom, the Flip form factor is something new, and eye-catching. Actually, everything new is well-forgotten old, and it hasn’t seen phones with that form factor for years because other designs such as clamshell and slider replaced it, as more convenient. Still, Sony Ericsson decided that it would bring some interest from the young audience.
Initially we thought it was used in order to place the music keys on it, and the standard keypad when opened, but it actually turns out that the music buttons are “fake” and physically press those under them. Still, we didn’t have any problems with them, working fine. W350 features are nothing unique, and it will be interesting to people who want slim (it is 0.4”) and different (Flip) phone at decent price. It will be available in a few color versions including light blue, two variants of black, and white.
The Z555is a clamshell, also with mid-level functionality that is notworth discussing. Its key features are the design and the new gesturedetection control, which obviously Sony Ericsson will start toimplement in its phones. The front of the phone has diamond-likepattern, and so does its form. This reminds us of the Nokia Prismphones, but here the front panel is not flat but in relief, which isboth pleasant to touch and also looks cool, reflecting the light.
The gesture control this time reminds us of the much more expensiveArte series of Nokia. The Finnish phones offered “turn-to-mute” whereyou turn the phone face-down on the table to mute its ringing sound. Sony Ericsson doesn’t use dedicated sensor but the built-in camera,which is on the front. Just sweep your hand back and forth over thephone’s front side to mute an incoming call and send it to VM, or tosnooze the alarm. This is the first usage of this technology, butconsidering Sony Ericsson’s patent we could expect more advancedfeatures of this type to appear in future models.
It seems that the worlds’ biggest manufacturer will wait for3GSM in February to announce its new products, as at CES the only news fromNokia are the US variant of the N95 8GB and a new color variant of the standardN95.
Hands-on with Nokia N95 8GB US:
After the appearance of the US-bound version of the N95,Nokia now introduced the US variant of the N95 8GB. Compared to the Europeanmodel, it replaces the 2100MHz band with 850/1900 MHz for US’ 3G, and next tothe US N95 it offers 8GB of integrated memory (instead of memory card slot) andlarge 2.8” display, instead of 2.6” one. Please check our Nokia N95 8GB Reviewfor more information.
In addition to the current black and bronze versions, Nokiawill now offer the limited Red variant of the Nokia N95 US. Only 5000 unitswill be produced and will be available in the first quarter, for $599, which is$100 less than the standard colors. “Very nice!”
RIM showcased the two new color variants of the BlackBerry Pearl - Pink for Verizon and Red for Sprint.
LG Scoop was showcased as one of the “new” phones coming to Alltel. In reality, it is not a new device but a variant of the popular Rumor, which Sprint offers. It has the same hardware but runs on software, which gives it a more modern look. We also like the combination of Orange and grey colors for the housing, more than the Black/Blue and White/Grey for Sprint. As the Rumor, the Scoop is a low-cost messaging phone with side-sliding QWERTY keyboard.
In similar manner, the AX565 for Alltel is a variant of what have been available for months as the MUZIQ with Sprint. It is mid-level music-centric phone with dedicated buttons on the front shell, below the external display. It also has the FM transmitter feature which was initially implemented in the Fusic and then in the Muziq.
The AT&T Shine will also be available in two new color variants: Red and Black, both of which will be limited editions.
Neonode, a Swedish manufacturer of Windows CE based devices announced the availability of its latest version N2 on the US market. We did review on it a while ago, so here is the link if you want to read it. The interesting information is that they are preparing another version dubbed N2.5 which will apparently be released by either AT&T or T-Mobile in the US. As seen from the pictures, the N2.5 is considerably larger compared to N2 due to the increased battery life, which was requested by the US carriers (up to 8h of talk time) and if AT&T picks it, 3G radio will have to be fitted in as well.
The actual software will be exactly the same as on the N2, with just minor tweaks, such as shortcuts to the carrier websites.
The company also disclosed that the active development of N3 started three months ago. Don’t expect it soon though, as the release will be probably sometime in 2009.
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Nanko Rusev, a seasoned contributor at PhoneArena, excels in delivering detailed reviews and insightful articles on the latest in mobile technology, helping readers navigate the complexities of new devices and features. His work clarifies tech trends and enables informed consumer choices.
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