CES 2009: SonyEricsson Adds 3G Camera Phone, Music Phone

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, January 8, 2009

LAS VEGAS — Two new 3G cellphones introduced here by SonyEricsson include the company’s most affordable Cyber-shot camera phone to date and a Walkman-brand music phone.

 Both models feature quadband GDM/EDGE data technology and W-CDMA HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) technology, which operates in the U.S. 850/1,900MHz bands and foreign 2,100MHz band.

 The 3.2-megapixel Cyber-shot C510 camera phone is also the company’s first phone with Smile Shutter technology, which will also be added to the currently available 8.1-megapixel C905. The model will be available in the first quarter in black and silver models at an unannounced price.

 Cyber-shot camera phones incorporate technologies used in Sony’s Cyber-shot digital cameras. Cyber-shot technologies appearing in the C510 include face detection, auto rotation, HP’s Snapfish application and the ability to upload photos via cellular to YouTube.

 The top-end C905 Cyber-shot camera phone, which features Wi-Fi and DLNA certification, will get Smile Shutter and several other upgrades, which current owners will be able to download beginning mid-February. Other upgrades available at that time include YouTube uploading, Snapfish and Wayfinder 8.

 The new Walkman-brand 3G phone, the clamshell W508, features eight interchangeable covers and the SenseMe, Shake and Gesture controls, and TrackID technologies available in other Walkman phones.

 Shake control lets users skip tracks, raise volume or set the shuffle function by shaking the phone. Gesture control lets users mute an incoming call or snooze the alarm clock by sweeping their palm above the handset without having to look for a button to press. SensMe selects songs to play based on a user’s mood, and the TrackID service with text search lets users find the name of a song they like in seconds.

 The W508 will be available in the second quarter at an unannounced price.