Sony Ericsson in partnership with Italian Ducati has decided to launch special edition of Ducati-designed clamshell - Sony Ericsson Z770.

Looks like with housing design and specifications Sony Ericsson Z770 and this new Ducati edition are the same, but the Ducati edition brings the extras like: a Ducati themed case, videos, Ducati Bluetooth headset - HBH DS 220, screensavers and other Ducati related content.

Ducati Phone will be available in Italy starting from mid-June 2008 through TIM network.

For more information about Sony Ericsson Z770, please check this post.

[Source: m-one over at SE-World]

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Looks like that the next announcement of the upcoming handsets from Sony Ericsson is going to be at CommunicAsia on 17th of June and besides of the rumored "Paris" and "Bei-Bei" (Sony Ericsson G702) there is going to be at least 3 or 4 handsets to be announced (Maybe including even recently leaked "Cyber-Shot" branded Sony Ericsson C300).

So stay tuned for more news about the upcoming handsets, because, I think there are going to be some more leaks until 17th of June ;)

Quite interesting preview of the upcoming Sony Ericsson Paris form Mobile-Review.com...

The phone more known as “Paris” has been the talk of the town for quite a while now – tidbits of precious info are leaked one after another, and generally most people are starting to imagine that the Paris is the flagship among UIQ products, or, at very least, Sony Ericsson’s most capable offering on this front. But that’s pretty much all wrong and in this short write-up we are going to dispel all myths and give you a good idea of what the Paris really is, who it is designed for and what its pros and cons are. (Note: hereinafter we are going to use the images of the Paris made by someone going by the name “gliatiotis”)

UIQ-powered devices have always been the most fashion-conscious solutions from Sony Ericsson – there has never been many, so they’ve always tried to ship the maximum in every phone of this breed. The debut of the G700/G900 has changed things – now this class of products aims at the mass-market, and especially those who are put off by “smartphones”, claiming they need a handset only with some set of features they need. In this sense, the G-series can cater for the needs of just about any user with the G502 (a feature phone) and a slew of smartphones, specifically the G700/G702/G900/G902. It would be very unwise to assume that the Paris, being a Web-centric smartphone, will end up in the P range and with a lowish index at that. Based on the system Sony Ericsson has been applying to its latest and greatest solutions, it’s clear that the Paris will take the spot about the G900, for these two are in fact twins in terms of hardware, although the former sports more powerful software and a different form-factor.

Read More...

Wap profile of the new "Cyber-Shot" branded device - Sony Ericsson C300 has been leaked in the Internet.

Looks like device is yet another Mid-End phone, but from "Cyber-Shot" line-up, which means that the device will feature enhanced camera capabilities. Unfortunately there is not much to learn from this profile, except of the screen pixel resolution, which is 240x320, the Internet Browser, which is NetFront 3.3 and Bluetooth availability...

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You thought that upcoming Windows Mobile Sony Ericsson X1 wasn't enough powerful for super smartphone? If it's so, I guess you were wrong...

The matter is that Sony Ericsson X1 gains more and more power before its release. As it turns out, instead of the 128MB of RAM and 256MB of Flash memory, Sony Ericsson X1 will be equipped with double of them: 256MB of RAM and 512MB of Flash memory, which is proofed by recently posted "White Paper" of the device and of course that means that with a 528 MHz CPU, 256MB RAM and 512MB Nand Flash memory, smarphone will be operating much faster...

But that's not all. The "White Paper" gives some new info about its battery lifetime. In standby mode X1 will be able to work about 580/833 hours (GSM/UMTS) and in talk time mode about 10/6.5 hours (GSM/UMTS), isn't that incredible?

So, already powerful Sony Ericsson X1 is getting more and more powerful and with those new specifications, I guess X1 will be one of the most powerful Windows Mobile based smartphone on the market... I can't wait for it...

Sony Ericsson has announced its partnership with the Transsyberia 2008, and the organizers of the Transsyberia released the first participants from 13 nations.

Aside from the title patronage „Transsyberia Rally 2008 powered by Sony Ericsson“, Sony Ericsson of course also has the suitable outdoor cell phone, which will show its special features during the 4347 miles of off-road adventure from Moscow to the Mongolian capital, the new Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-Shot-Cell-Phone.

Axel Kettenring, General Manager of Sony Ericsson Germany, explains the engagement of the company:

“Sony Ericsson perceives themselves as a brand which offers experiences. The Transsyberia Rally is the ideal event to experience this firsthand. You’ll be ‘hard- driven’ to find a better companion than the C702 Cyber-Shot-Cell-Phone, which was designed for outdoor operation. Due to its particular characteristics, like the aGPS, and the dust and splash water guard, the cell phone is predestined for this use.”

About one month before the registration deadline an international starting lineup is announced. Armin Schwarz, rally professional and former European Champion is present again. After the rally in 2007 ended for him with an accident right before the finale, Schwarz wants to steer towards victory with his new co-pilot this year. Andy Schulz, the very experienced, two-time Dakar winner, is the navigator. With these two the Porsche AG is sending a high level German team in the Cayenne S Transsyberia to the starting line, which will surely be counted amongst the absolute favorites. From Italy comes the established team Tognana/Cassina, who placed second last year. The Swedes are newly attacking with Peder Silfverhjelm in Toyota and Mirko and Bojan Risovic are driving for Bosnia-Herzegovina into the Russian and Mongolian vastness in a Land Rover. Switzerland is also participating in this challenging rally with Aurele Bachmann and Damien Blanke in Mitsubishi. Now that there’s already a participating group of professionals and amateurs registered, it promises to be an exciting Transsyberia Rally 2008 powered by Sony Ericsson. More information, as well as the registration for the rally (until May 23rd, 2008) at www.transsyberia-rallye.com.

At the Transsyberia Rally professionals and amateurs can experience an unequaled adventure. On July 11th 50 teams will be tackling the trying journey from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar – always towards the East for about 4349 miles. The Ural Mountains, the swampy Siberian Lowlands, the up to 12,136 feet high passes of the Altai Mountains, and the offshoots of the Gobi Desert, are only some of the obstacles the participants have to overcome on their journey from the Russian to the Mongolian capital. The marginal infrastructure in many parts of the route, doesn’t only compel to numerous overnights in tents, and the abdication of any comfort to a large extent, but also to some detours, in order to, for example, ensure the fuel replenishment for the vehicles.

Before the participants reach their destination Ulaanbaatar on July 25th, they have to complete various special stages, which go on for hundreds of miles. During these, even die-hard professionals come up against their limits. The participants not only need the ability to correctly read the terrain during river and swamp crossings, but the appropriate tactic is also in demand, because at the Transsyberia Rally speed is not the key to success.

All vehicles have to feature series-production standard, only those technical changes which are permitted by the regulations are allowed. “We don’t want a technological arms race, or teams which have to compete with budgets in the millions”, so Richard Schalber, off-road expert and manager of the Transsyberia Rally. That’s why the participation fee of € 2.500,00 for 14 days (if registration occurs by May 2nd, 2008) is relatively low.

Long rumored and long awaited Symbian UIQ smartphone from Sony Ericsson codenamed Bei-Bei has been leaked over the FCC, yap, it's true, this device is not even announced yet and it's already has been filed at the FCC :) and it means, that we got some more news about this device...

First of all, at last we got the commercial name of the Bei-Bei and it's Sony Ericsson G702 (Submitted example is G702c and looks like it's intended for Chinese market), which means, it is web oriented smartphone, to be short short - "Generation Web" line-up/G series has been expanded with yet another smartphone...

As we already know, Sony Ericsson G702 is based on new Symbian UIQ 3.3 and supports new Opera Mobile 9.5 with widgets, Web Feeds and Adobe Flash Lite 3 (Hooray, Flash is coming back to UIQ)... It also includes a built-in GPS module with Google Maps and WayFinder... The camera is 3.2 mp, unfortunately I don't know anything about Auto-Focus, but I think it's not presented, as well as flash light... The device is equipped with a Touch Screen display and supports Bluetooth, built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, both 3G and EDGE, and HSDPA (It's strange but, I don't see the front camera for Video Calls). G702 is intended to work in quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 HSDPA 2100 networks.

Sony Ericsson G702 also supports quiet rich multimedia capabilities, the new touch friendly UI as in G700 and of course there is going to be the software for mobile blogging or software like TrackID, Notes (As in Sony Ericsson G700) Organizer and e.t.c.

As you can see on the picture, the look of the housing is some like girlish and I hope that there will be more choices (If you remember, there was a black version too), because to be honest, I don't really like it :)

I think you'd agree that, for today, the most awaited phone from the the announced phones from Sony Ericsson is recently announced XPERIA branded smartphone Sony Ericsson X1. This device is the first truly high-end phone and combines almost everything what we might expect and need from a device of this class. But do you know what is more interesting than this phone alone? It is the XPERIA class, because as Sony Ericsson promises, all XPERIA branded handsets will be high-end smartphones and the X1 is only the beginning.

But what kind of smartphones will present to us XPERIA class? As we already know, Sony Ericsson X1 is a Windows Mobile loaded smartphone and many of us thought that XPERIA would be Windows Mobile based smartphones class. I mean, one time I really thought that the XPERIA class was a new line-up of the Windows Mobile smartphones (I don't know why, but I really did). But no. It looks like that, I and many other people were wrong and the reason of this is a French article which contains interview with Pierre Perron, CEO of Sony Ericsson France.

There is one interesting question in this article (I've translated it via online translation service, so sorry if there are some mistakes :D):

Mobifrance: XPERIA X1 is Windows Mobile loaded smartphone. Will all models of this range work with this operating system?

(Original: Xperia X1 embarque Windows Mobile. Est-ce que tous les modèles de cette gamme fonctionneront avec ce système d’exploitation ?)

Pierre Perron: No, Not only Windows Mobile, we work with all operating systems. We even have significant shares in the UIQ platform. However, with Xperia, we will address the users “Experiencers”. These demanding customers which wish all technology and the innovations in their handsets without compromise. The range Xperia will be enriched with other smartphones running Windows Mobile or Symbian or UIQ or others who will complement this range.

(Original: Pas uniquement, nous travaillons avec tous les systèmes d’exploitation. Nous avons même des parts importantes dans la plateforme UIQ. Toutefois, avec Xperia, nous adresserons les utilisateurs «Experiencers». Cette clientèle exigeante qui souhaite toute la technologie et les innovations dans leur terminal mobile sans compromis. La gamme Xperia sera donc enrichie d’autres smartphones sous Windows Mobile ou Symbian ou UIQ ou autres qui viendront compléter cette gamme.)

I don't know how about you, but for me it's great news. I really like Symbian UIQ platform and it would be great if the next phone from the Xperia range will be based on Symbian UIQ. Just imagine Symbian UIQ running on a handset like X1. It would be great, wouldn't it?

So the answer to the question: What's going to be next handset from XPERIA range? Looks like it can be anything, not only Windows Mobile loaded smartphones...

Looks like Sony Ericsson has updated color scheme for the upcoming Sony Ericsson R306 (Coffee Black version) from Radio line-up. The change was made with device's front color, it's now totally black instead to a light brown before and now it's obviously looks much better than before.

For more details about this handset, please click here.

Japanese Acrodea Inc. and Sony Ericsson reached an agreement for Acrodea to provide VIVID UI and VIVID Panorama to Sony Ericsson mobile phones and executed a master license agreement. Based on the agreement, Sony Ericsson will be able to release globally mobile telephone terminals installed with Acrodea products.

VIVID UI is a user interface platform developed by Acrodea for mobile phones, and represents innovative middleware that can integrate various types of multimedia content, such as still pictures, 3D graphics, animation effects, and video. VIVID UI enables mobile phones that can be readily customized with graphically enhanced menus and standby screens. The VIVID UI authoring tool incorporates features for creating menu transitions through a visual context, as well as for menu content emulation. By using this tool, handset manufacturers and content providers can easily create compatible content with a wealth of expression.

Jointly developed by Acrodea and Morpho, Inc., VIVID Panorama consists of middleware for camera functionality. VIVID Panorama permits the user to create panorama photos (images extended in one direction for a wider or taller viewing angle than ordinary photos) easily by operating the mobile handset with a built-in digital camera like a camcorder and panning the desired range. Although previous handsets have been equipped with panoramic photography functions, the “panorama-like” photo involved stitching together each, individually taken photo. The panoramic image-generating technology of VIVID Panorama is fully automated on the basis of the video data captured. The process is rapid and completed in real time. Users may immediately preview the panorama photo taken. This convenience is an additional feature of VIVID Panorama.

So, that means that, future Sony Ericsson handsets will have more powerful, beautiful and user friendly User Interfaces...

P.S. Here is a simple video of the Acrodea's VIVID UI...

American Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Sony Ericsson's new device from recently opened Radio line-up - Sony Ericsson R300, which means, upcoming radio phone will soon be available for Americans too...

Sony Ericsson R300 is a one of the first phones in the Radio line-up (Second one is Sony Ericsson R306) and is distinguished with enhanced radio capabilities. It's equipped with loud mono speaker and features AM/FM radio with RDS, Radio recording, Enhanced audio experience, (volume boost and 3D sound enhancement), Radio inspired design, Radio dedicated keys, Radio alarm clock, Record radio as ringtone, TrackID™ and PHF with AM&FM antenna.

The dimensions of this device is 101 x 46 x 12 mm and weights 75 grams. R300 is equipped with 1.8" 65k color TFT display, with 128 x 160 pixel resolution, 0.3 mp VGA camera and supports Bluetooth technology and USB mass storage for connectivity.

Sony Ericsson R300 will be available in Antique Copper and Steel Black color variants.

For more details please check this post...

Interview with Christopher David at JavaOne 2008.

If you live in Taiwan, you should know that, Sony Ericsson is opening a new flagship store in Taiwan (Grand opening will be tomorrow, on the 10th of May).

Besides of this beautiful store, the interesting thing is the board with a list of the Sony Ericsson device prefix explanation.

From this listing we can learn the meaning of the several prefixes. It looks like that a prefix "G" (If you remember, it's a recently announced line-up of the Sony Ericsson's new devices. The G series were opened with couple of UIQ smartphones: Sony Ericsson G700 and Sony Ericsson G900) means "Generation Web" and as you already know, it contains not only smartphones, but usual phones with enhanced capabilities for Internet usage (Like, recently announced Sony Ericsson G502). The explanation of the "P" is "Pro" (Frankly, I always thought that the meaning of the "P" was PDA :D looks like it's a new meaning) and good news is that there gonna be new devices from P series and it will not be replaced with X series.

What means prefix "X", I guess everybody already knows, it's a high-end "XPERIA" branded line-up with most awaited, Windows Mobile based - Sony Ericsson X1. Prefix "R" means Radio line-up with enhanced Radio capabilities, "W" means old and kind "Walkman" branded line-up and "C" is a new line-up of the famous "Cyber-Shot", C series were opened with couple of new handsets - Sony Ericsson C702 and C905. Prefix "S" has a new meaning "Snapshot" (Old was "Slider"). "T" is a "Style" line, and at last the new prefix "F".

Depending on this list, unannounced prefix "F" means "FUN" and looks like its opening expected in June on the Singapore event, but what exactly means FUN for Sony Ericsson I don't know. Maybe it's a combination of the music, photo shooting/video recording and web browsing, or maybe it's even gaming? Maybe it's an upcoming gaming platform like Nokia's "N-gage" or even long awaited PSP Phone (Or PSPhone)... Hmmm, I don't know :) I guess we need to wait and see...

Anyway, for me, new brand names and new series are only welcome (especially from Sony Ericsson), because it brings some novelties and the novelties is what we always need.

Sony Ericsson Store:

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Those pictures, which were posted by mhg2000 over at My-Symbian.com,
are showing the live look of the long awaited Symbian UIQ smartphone from Sony Ericsson codenamed "Paris" (Also known as Sony Ericsson P5).

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SEMC Blog has published new live pics of the upcoming smartphone from Sony Ericsson known as "Bei-Bei"...

As you can see, unlike the recently leaked pictures, this prototype has a different color scheme, this time "Bei-Bei" is in White+Red colors...

Shiny Media video preview of the new Sony Ericsson G502.



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Sony Ericsson Mobile Communication announced plans to release a new technology that, for the first time, bridges the Abobe® Flash Lite™ and Java ME™ development platforms. The new technology and tools, referred to as Project Capuchin, make it possible to combine the richness of Flash Lite and Java ME technologies allowing developers to utilize the best attributes of both software stacks to create content-rich mobile applications. Sony Ericsson has plans to make the technology available during the second half of 2008 and will demonstrate Project Capuchin enabled applications at the JavaOne Developer Event in San Francisco, May 6 – 9, booth 718 in the Pavilion.

"Sony Ericsson is excited to introduce our new bridging technology to the global developer community as it further strengthens our relationship with this community and underscores our ongoing commitment to support an open, healthy and thriving mobile ecosystem,” said Rikko Sakaguchi, SVP and Head of Portfolio and Proposition at Sony Ericsson. “We are dedicated to exploring opportunities that enable us to provide innovative and energized user experiences. To achieve this, we work with world class partners and technologies, on both platform and product development."

Project Capuchin will provide developers with an intuitive tool to create applications with a cleaner user interface (UI) without sacrificing the strong, feature rich and widely deployed Java ME infrastructure, including secure, well-developed content distribution. Project Capuchin’s bridging software will empower two distinct developer communities to leverage their respective expertises to create the next generation of highly engaging and immersive mobile content.

“Adobe is pleased to support Sony Ericsson’s Project Capuchin. Using Adobe Flash technology as one part of this new bridging technology will ensure further innovation for mobile users when Flash developers gain access to the Java applications’ functionality and intelligence allowing them to create applications with the ultimate user experience,” said Gary Kovacs, general manager and vice president for Mobile and Devices at Adobe. “It is encouraging to see Sony Ericsson’s intention in making the technology available to the wider community.”

Project Capuchin will allow pure Flash Lite content to be encapsulated in Java ME applications with the help of Sony Ericsson Developer World tools, making content created by Adobe Flash technology appear as Java ME applications.

More advanced capabilities will allow Flash Lite technology to handle an entire presentation layer and make it possible to create Java ME applications where some or all UI components are defined in Flash.