Sony Ericsson W880i

1 February 2007 phonehome Sony Ericsson 0

Welcome to early 2007, and Sony Ericsson has just released a phone that is so thin it could arguably be used as a bookmark. The W880i is the ultimate ‘thin’ Walkman, measuring just 9.4mm thick and finished in a stunning brushed stainless steel. It is a masterclass in ‘slim-tech,’ weighing only 71g, making it one of the lightest 3G phones ever made. In the UK, this is the ‘evening phone’—the one you take to the club because it won’t ruin the line of your skinny jeans. It is a premium, sophisticated bit of engineering that looks like it cost twice as much as it actually does._x000D_
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On the technical front, the W880i is a 3G-enabled (UMTS 2100) powerhouse that brings high-speed data to a remarkably small form factor. The screen is a 1.8-inch QVGA (240 x 320) TFT display with 262,144 colours. Despite its small physical size, the pixel density is so high that the ‘Walkman 2.0’ interface looks absolutely incredible—crisp, vibrant, and incredibly fast. The real engineering miracle, however, is the keypad. The buttons are tiny, vertical metal ‘slivers’ that look like they’d be impossible to use, but they actually have a very positive, tactile click that makes texting surprisingly easy once you stop being afraid of them._x000D_
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The music experience is, as expected, world-class. Sony Ericsson includes a 1GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) in the box, which is enough for about 20 full albums. The ‘Walkman 2.0’ software is the best in the business, offering album art, easy playlist management, and a surprisingly effective ‘Mega Bass’ equaliser. Because it’s a 3G phone, you can also download tracks directly from your network’s portal at decent speeds. It features a 2-megapixel camera on the back, though it lacks autofocus and a flash to keep the profile thin. It’s a decent ‘daylight’ snapper, but this is a music-first machine._x000D_
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Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 2.0 (with A2DP for wireless stereo) and the standard ‘Fast Port’ for the headset. One of the most impressive technical feats is the battery life; despite being so thin, the 950 mAh Li-Po battery provides up to 425 hours of standby time, which is practically unheard of for a 3G phone of this size. The W880i isn’t just a phone; it’s a piece of high-tech jewelry. It proved that you didn’t have to carry a brick to have a premium 3G and music experience. It is the definitive ‘super-slim’ of the decade, a technical and aesthetic triumph for the Swedish-Japanese duo.