Sony ericsson P910i Review

The Sony Ericsson P910i is the latest in Sony Ericsson's P-series of phones that combine PDA-style functionality with advanced mobile phone technology. The front keypad can be removed to reveal the huge internal display, offering a touchscreen facility and handwriting recognition using a specially designed pen, as well as a full QWERTY keyboard. The P900i doesn't just look like a PDA, it has many PDA-style functions. For example, its email manager can be synchronised with Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes, and can handle attachments including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. At the same time, it includes an integrated video camera, MP3 player and downloadable Java™ applications. With a range of connectivity options including Bluetooth™, the P910i provides an excellent platform for working (and playing) on the move.

Physically, there is not much to differentiate the P910i from the P900, except that the keypad has been replaced with larger buttons that give a more positive response. The P910i is slightly thicker and weighs in at 5g heavier, but at 155g it is no heavier than the current generation of 3G mobile phones.

The P910i uses the same Symbian operating system as its predecessor and shares many of the features of the P900. However there are quite a few new features that make this phone more than just a minor upgrade. First thing to mention is the new QWERTY keyboard. The numerical keypad flips down to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard on the reverse side. The user now has a choice of text entry methods: QWERTY keyboard, predictive text using the normal keypad and handwriting recognition using the screen and stylus. The user interface can be driven by touching menu icons on the screen or with the jog dial on the side of the phone.

On flipping down the keypad, the full size of the LCD screen becomes apparent. The screen has been upgraded from 65,000 colours on the P900 to 262,000 colours. When you consider the enormous resolution of this screen (208 x 320 pixels), you have virtually the best display on any mobile currently available. Only the Sharp GX30 can match this screen, and that phone has a fraction of the features available on the P910i.

Another new feature is push email. Emails get sent automatically to your phone - there's no need to download from a mailserver. You can synchronise email with your PC via the Bluetooth connection.

The final change of note is the increase in the internal memory from 16 Mbytes to 64 Mbytes, which is very welcome, given the functionality of this phone.

The battery life of the P910i is slightly worse than the P900, but should still give a decent number of days use between charges, depending on how much use is made of the PDA-style functions.

All things considered, the P910i is a substantial improvement over the P900 and pushes the capabilities of the P-series forward significantly.

Features of the Sony Ericsson P910i include:

• Colour display (262,000 colours; 208 x 320 pixels)
• WAP 1.2.1 (GPRS), built-in web browser
• High Speed Data (HSCSD - up to 28.8 kbps)
• E-mail (compatible with MS Outlook and Lotus Notes)
• Integrated VGA digital camera (640 x 480 resolution)
• Integrated camcorder
• Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) & Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) - send pictures, sound and video like text messages
• MP3 audio & video (MPEG4) player
• 24-voice polyphonic ringtones and MP3 ringtones
• Pen-based user interface & handwriting recognition
• Symbian operating system
• Picture phonebook
• Speakerphone
• 64 Mbytes memory plus external Memory Stick Duo™
• Downloadable polyphonic & mono ringtones
• Bluetooth™, infrared, USB & RS232 cable connectivity
• Stereo headphones
• "Flight mode" option for use on aircraft
• 3D games & downloadable Java™ applications
• Wallpaper & screensaver
• Calendar, contacts, voice memo, synchronisation with PC
• Size: 115 x 57 x 26 mm
• Weight: 155g
• Battery standby: 400 hours
• Battery talktime: 13 hours
• Tri band