Putting you in touch with the world
A touchscreen and stylus is the perfect way to operate this 3G phone with massive, 4GB music storage and fast, full-colour, full-screen Internet.
A touch of class
The large touchscreen, with stylus and handwriting recognition, will release you from the frustration of a tiny keyboard – using this phone is pure pleasure.
See what you hear
Album art support shows you which of your thousands of tracks you’re listening to, and music recognition helps out when you hear something new.
Ready, steady, surf!
Don’t hang around - download the music you love direct to your phone, fast. Transfer tunes to your computer easily via high-speed USB.
REVIEW:
Measuring 106х54х15 mm, the smartphone can claim the title of a “slim” handset, in the manner of the latest tendencies. Many complain about the phone being too wide, but it’s not quite right. As a matter of fact, it’s wider than all other handsets, which set the pace in this field, by a centimeter or so. This difference is needed only in order to make sure that the phone will exactly fit your palm and rest against it – otherwise you won’t be able to deal with JogDial properly and won’t fully experience all advantages of managing this device single handedly. Pay attention to the fact that almost all models, equipped with a scroll wheel, have always been wide – this regards the first models by Sony as well (Z7’s width is 50 mm). Sufficient width is essential for a device of this kind, so it will perfectly fit your hand – actually, Sony Ericsson W950i width could have been shortened to the measurements of a standard bar phone: the space, left inside the handset and some ways for improvement modules arrangement provide this possibility. As a comparison one can remember that the width of devices representing P line-up exceeds 50 mm. The handset’s weight is 112 grams – not so much for a product of this class.
The stylus, included in the kit, is quite handy; however this only factor one can get upset with is orange color, applied to some parts of this item. Fastening of the stylus is well-made – it’s firmly fixed in the slot
The right side of the handset holds the music key, which can be set up for bringing up either the radio or the media player, similarly to the other products of Walkman line-up. Here one will discover the double-key for adjusting volume, although it’s not used frequently, since the device features JogDial, where you can easily change volume when working in any mode. At the same time this key can be of some use, when it comes to rewinding– in fact there is no other way of performing this function in this phone. By the way, this button is also used for switching between radio stations.
At bottom there is a Fast Port interface connector, therefore the model supports all available accessories. The microphone is also located here. Finally, one will find the holes for applying a strap at this end of the shell.
Music capabilities. Let us start describing the handset’s functionality with this very aspect, as it’s the main reason why the device materialized. Sony Ericsson W950i is the first device equipped with 4 Gb of flash memory, and moreover, the first smartphone coming from Walkman line-up. Starting from these peculiarities we may consider it as the top model of Walkman product line.
For a start you need to upload your own music collection to the device, in order to perform this, use Disc2Phone application – it copies all files to the folder, containing music. Besides, this program may be applied to moving contents of your CDs, since all files stored on compact-disks are automatically converted into MP3. In case you want to set up the music collection on your own, you will just require copying files to any folder, or creating a new one. Nesting level doesn’t affect a thing here, as the device check the memory without your help. Having finished copying, you will need to update the music library – this is performed via a special function – the handset locates all files and folders, and then gets the necessary data from ID3-tags. Supported audio formats - MP3, AAC, AAC+, E-AAC+, WAV and m4a. There are no limitations on bit rates; you can also upload files with VBR.
In the music library, all saved tracks are classified by the following characteristics:
Artists – the application displays general list of artists in alphabetical order, one can conduct a fast search here;
Albums – sorting by albums’ titles, search function is available as well;
Tracks –general list of all tracks, sorting is conducted by tracks’ titles or ID3 tags;
Genre – sorting, which uses various music styles, like Hip Hop, Jazz, Blues as criteria.
Mood – there are five types of mood available (None, Happy, Sad, Relaxed, Energetic). This an additional parameter that can be manually set by user, so the sorting may be applied to both the general list or particular mood lists;
My playlists – these are playlists, made up by user, that can be created both on the device and on PC, while viewing contents of the flash memory in USB Mass Storage mode; the handset also locates then when updates the library;
Auto playlists – this option is familiar to many Windows Media Player users; here you can set certain criteria, which will be used for dynamic creation of playlists. E.g. you can choose genre, then state personal rating of tracks value (not less than 5 start for example), and enter a key word – a playlist, featuring the listed parameters will be instantly created.
As you seen, the media player’s capabilities are maximally closed to the players, intended for desktops. However there is an additional option here - viewing Albums, which can be browsed in the appearance of: only titles; titles with pictures (vertical list), pictures only (3x3 grid). Switching between the appearances is performed in one touch.
PDF:
The second application is going by the name of PDF+, and as its title implies, it servers as a PDF files reader. One can view these documents both in standard and landscape modes. Actually, this applications has been available for various versions of OS, including platform 60, for several year already. Nokia installed this program on a number of its devices (only a trial version), on the contrary, Sony Ericsson P990i kit features a major version of the application. On the whole PDF+ works pretty fast, and successfully deals with files both in English and documents, written in various character sets (though as applied to pdf, the word of “character set” sounds foolish). Separately, this applications costs around 25 USD.
QuickOffice :
One more third-party application, which was selected by UIQ as a standard for the third edition and comes along with the kit (there is a version for the previous editions if UIQ available, its price is 50 USD). The program itself is an editor, which recognizes and capable of opening and editing files of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint
RSS Feeds:
It’s a RSS reader, which successfully fulfils its main function. You may add any channels on your own, and also update all feeds in one touch. Everything is plain and clear here – those, who haven’t used this technology before, will become fond of it with the help of this handset.
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One of the issues that has arisen serious debates, is absence of not only a frontal camera, but of the main one too. I assure you that lack of camera doesn’t affects the handset’s capability of accepting video calls, since you can set any picture or video clip, which will be shown to your interlocutor. But the reason why the device isn’t armed with a camera may cause idle gossips.
Though the explanation is as always simple – the company isn’t aiming at creating competition among its own line-ups. Since Sony Ericsson P990i is equipped with a camera, has WiFi onboard and slightly differs in price, taking into account difference in measurements as well, W950i would be an obvious favorite, if it had a camera. And the second reason lies in the fact that in the near future a product with an integrated camera, based on M600/W950i may appear on the market, because there is already a slot for a camera module in the handset’s shell.
On the other hand, absence of camera doesn’t gives up this device for lost, but on the contrary targets it at a certain niche. Remember, how many people a while ago complained about presence of camera, which they have to pay for, but don’t use? Specially for these consumers, the manufactures have started producing variations of models with and without camera modules. And here we face the same strategy – the handset is positioned as a solution for those, who are fond of listening to music and in need of high functionality of the device, but don’t take up photography. It is not a big share of the market; actually this is stressed by the handset’s price. All students and schoolboys, who are whining that they badly need a camera in this device are not the target audience. It may sound strange, but this very model is aimed at people, who used Walkman brand 15-20 years ago, in other words at the people of middle age. And even though the manufacturer doesn’t clearly imply it, the model isn’t made for the youth audience, to tell the truth this isn’t a common way of positioning Walkman series. From this it follows that Sony Ericsson W950i doesn’t meet the title of “all-in-one” device – on the whole, it’s just another smartphone, but without a camera.
Evidently, that the model won’t become as popular as Sony Ericsson P990i (in terms of these particular segments, not the entire market), but it will reach a fair level of sales and increase offer due to being more highly tailored. The concept of providing big built-in storage makes this direction very promising, as the company can introduce models equipped with 6,8 and 10 Gb flash memory in a short space of time if required. Development of models, powered by hard drives is currently underway, but the market is more likely to get these models in next 18-20 months at best, because they are not mass products, and even more still have some considerable flaws, high development cost and following service.
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