The Sony Ericsson P990 UMTS and WiFi smartphone is official
posted October 10th 2005 6:06AM
At last. After all the leaked
photos, Sony Ericsson really had no choice but to
officially announce the Hermione P950 P1000 P990 "well ahead of
availability." This 3G (UMTS) smartphone has the same dimensions as the P910 but adopts the Symbian OS 9.1 and UIQ 3 software platform
while throwing down with WiFi (802.11b), Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel camera with "photo light," video calling, FM radio,
MP3 and MPEG-4 player, and keyboard (QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, or Russian) underneath the flip-down keypad. Web browsing
is accomplished in landscape mode on the 2.8-inch QVGA screen using the new Opera 8 browser and is "prepared for all
major push e-mail clients." The unit ships with 80MB free memory and
a 64MB Memory Stick
Pro DUO card in the box. The P990 will drop in Europe and Asia in Q1 2006. More pix after the jump.
[Thanks, everyone who sent this in]
Awesome! Nearly 75% as much screen resolution and a built-in thumboard / keypad that is nearly as good as a Palm Treo 650.
Will it be available to the US, and when, cause in the official page of SE US do not appear the P990
Sacraficing screen size for a keypad that was only tollerated because it protected the screen, was definately a step backwards, but well done on all the other improvements. By release time I'm expecting something better from SE.
Anybody knows if radio will require to have handsfree set connected ? would be nice if not
Very niceeeee.. it has everything guyss.. bye bye Nokia..
by the way u can apply for alert when the phone becomes available over hereee....!!!!!
http://www.nextmob.com/specs_SonyEricssonP990_290
enjoy!
"Awesome! Nearly 75% as much screen resolution and a built-in thumboard / keypad that is nearly as good as a Palm Treo 650."
Not to mention the 32-bit pre-emptive multitasking operating system, WiFi, 2MP camera with auto-focus, radio, UMTS, video telephony, bluetooth 2.0 and stability that the Treo 650 lacks.
And the company making it still has faith in the operating system it has chosen...
Having just bought a P910a a few months back, I'm a little mad at myself for not waiting. It's got goodies I wish my 910 had - 2MP camera, a pseudo flash, radio and WiFi.
BUT, I didn't have to pay the huge price tag I'm sure the 990 will have. I also dig that the 910 can be a phone or a PDA. The 990 looks like a smartphone and a Blackberry crammed together. Not my style.
I enjoy watching 3gp/MP4 videos on my phone when killing time. Watching something on a 2.8 x 2.8 screen on the 990 would suck.
Even though I haven't gotten into the meat and potatoes of the 910 yet, I think I'll keep it for a good while. As opposed to looking to upgrade when/if the 990 hits the States. I doubt any carrier will pick it up and I'd be forced to buy an unlocked one again anyway.
GSM 850 support is not in the specs and I see no mention of an "a" spec.
Having the flip thing on there when there is a keyboard in place is just poor/wasteful design. The Treo class gets along just fine with no flip and so could the 990.
What's worse is that you loose the 5 way and the soft buttons when the flip is open which is again poor/wasteful design. This is a critical flaw in the device - absolutely critical flaw.
They keyboard looks cramped which is ashame when there are units with slideout keyboards and curved keyboards to get more real estate.
Get a nokia N91 instead -same spec but built-in 4GB drive and smaller
I don't like this rotating lens protection on my K6OO... it often opens accidentally, really annoying... hope it's not the same design here....
What processor is it using?
For all those pimping the Nokias, the have scrap data entry options (no touchscreen or decent keyboard). Yes, that includes the new fangled E series (announced today). I was hoping Nokia would do something impressive but they've dropped the ball again like they did during the time of the t68i. Booo . With nokia out of the running i'm closer to getting the P990.
p990
Why all the P800/P900(Symbian7.0) software can't used in P990(Symbian9.0)?
Why the Srceen turn small?
Why the keyborad build-in?
Why the Cam still used coms?
Why the build-in memory still 64MB?
Why the stylus change to left hand size?
Why the Cam design same as another ES phone?
Why the look like the Blackberry7100?
The only thing that bothers me with this newly presented smart PRDA phone is the price!
It is great indeed!!!
Answers to a number of points made here.
The flip does cover part of the screen. Full screen is 240x320 flip open, 240x256 flip closed. The screen area is identical, but higher resolution. The screen is closer to the top of the phone and its aspect ratio has gone from "widescreen" to "4:3", so more of it is visible flip closed.
Internet browsing can be done in portrait or landscape mode.
Complaints that the device is 1" thick: It's basically identical size and weight to the P900/P910. The only part of the device that is thicker is the joystick button on the front of the flip.
The new operating system is fundamentally different to the P900/P910, so all software will have to be ported or redeveloped.
The built-in keyboard is more robust and bigger than the P910 version - ergonomically better than the flip-back. Why not copy the tried-and-tested design of another device? Maybe it's the best!
I was going to get a HTC Universal (JASJAR/M5000/whatever/XDA pro). I'm certainly holding on until the P990 arrives before making a decision.
The other thing that makes this phone 1" thick is the camera on the back. It's more substantial than the metal affair on the back of the P900: at least this camera has a rotating dust cover.
One notable difference on the P990 with the front flip-removed will be that it will be flusher than the P900/P910.
Both those phones had a bulge over the earpiece end. This means that the phone will be significantly thinner by just under 4mm with the flip removed!
P900/P910 24mm thick. P990 25mm thick. Not a massive difference, but the P900/P910 look thinner because the flanks of the device are somewhat narrowed, i.e. tapered at the edges. The P990 is much more rectangular. It is a much more handsome device with the flip removed.
I agree with all of you and will certainly not buy this one cause of its crappy design! Great software many design flaws. sorry SE. Waiting for revision.
I don't understand how can sonyericsson not notice the important things and do them. Are we progressing or going back in time. After the P800 and P900 and having the full screen, now you are sticking to this useless QWETRY keyboard. it is useless. did not you realize by now that everyone is realizing that it is useless and they are getting rid of it. I mate and more. i like the 2MP and FM radio and above all the WIFI but i hate the disgne. When the flip is on, the earpiece used to always hurt my ears. why didn't you do it in a clamshell desgne that way you will protect the screen and will look as sexy and as fashionable as the V3 or the MPX 220. no one needs a keyboard, you can now connect one through blue tooth, that is if you are always on a keyboard. I buy a new cell phone every 2 months, and till now i did not find my perfect cell phone. the one i am sticking to now is the i mate PDA2. Although all my prodcuts are Sony. VAIO, Cybershot Playstation and more. Again the phone as specs, excellent. but as desinge zero.
I think #71, #72 (Alan Jenney) has hit the nail right on the head with the description so I need not go into anymore details. Bottom line the p990 has a great design (nothing's perfect), Ive been watching the development of this phone its just like someone had a great Idea that took some time getting out of their head. with me the only uncertainty lies with the bug-freeness (can I say that lol) of the applications that will have to be redeveloped for it since the OS is so different from its predecessors. and Re. GPS there is always software for that.
Oh and I forgot - those people who are complaining about the OS - Look how long microsoft's been trying to make a decent OS.. where are they now - just copying from every one- and its not because I don't really fancy their products.
Oh and I forgot - those people who are complaining about the OS - Look how long microsoft's been trying to make a decent OS.. where are they now - just copying from every one- and its not because I don't really fancy their products.
Oh and I forgot - those people who are complaining about the OS - Look how long microsoft's been trying to make a decent OS.. where are they now - just copying from every one- and its not because I don't really fancy their products.
I really want to go withe the SonyEriccson after viewing a friends P910, but need a quadband phone. Thus far only seeinbg triband versions, so I am stilling leaning to the Jasjar/SX66/PDA2K/XDA quadband since that is a must. Hope that SE puts out a P990A version in quadband!
Oh my god!
No way! It just can't be so ugly and dumb designed! All this fakes we've seen this year look much better.
What happened with SE? How can they be so brain dead to lose all key features which made r380-P800-900-910 famous?
No more 5D jogdial. Why? It was unique, brilliant Sony invention. Very handy and easy to use. I used to love it.
Sacrifice screen size(don't confuse it with resolution) for useless baby-sized qwerty keyboard? I can't believe they did that. Yes, the screen's dimensions really became smaller, it's not an optical illusion. Read articles on mobile-review.com, this guys actually have working p990 already.
I want bigger screen! I was hoping we'll see horizontal-oriented UI some day. Like it was on r380, horizontal-oriented in flip-open mode p800 predecessor. R380 was really good. Wide, really wide touchscreen, with big virtual keyboard, so good for reading and surfing, 30% wider then we have in p900. The funny thing is that there is space in p990 case to make screen wider.
Just imaging for a moment: there is no qwerty on p990, and all freed space used by wonderful hi-res screen. Now turn it horizontally...Oh...
It's my biggest disappointment. I can forgive anything but smaller screen.
No more 2.5mm jack. Bye-bye stereo hansfree.
And, tell me honestly, are you ready to say 'bye' to all existing 3rd-party software?
Feature list looks impressive, but graphic and functional desing are terrible.
What SE actually did is took miscelanious parts from wide variety of market most succeful devices which just don't fit together and stuff 'em in p900 case.
SonyEricsson P990 'Frankenstein'.
I'm not gonna touch this freaking mutant.
Good god you lot bitch don't you?
1) It was never going to be any smaller because whatever happened it was going to have a removable flip and a full QWERT KB on the machine, plus they want a large screen for business work (Thats right kids, it's a business phone, and SE care more about how many units IBM will buy than you)
2) It looks great, certainly better than all the other P series (I had a P900 and loved it, K750 right now)
3) Wi-Fi!!! I've been waiting for a phone I liked, IE not Treo or M$ with Wi-Fi for ages, now I can get one and surf from bed (fnar). It's not 802.11G? OH MY GOD GO KILL THE DESIGNERS NOW!! Who cares, no one will notice and if your transferring files that fat, get a USB cable.
4) Who the hell needs a 3Mp cam on their phone? The differences between 2 & 3 are negligable and this 2Mp will undoubtably be better than the K750s (Which rules TBH)
5) Memory sticks - they don't put a big pne in the box because . . . . . . . THEY WANT YOU TO BUY ANOTHER ONE YOU IDIOTS!!!! Same reason the PSP comes with a 64mb, Sony make more money from accesories like camera bags, batteries, extra playsation controllers and replacement remotes than they do for all their other stuff.
6) 80 Mb is enough for any internal files, if you need more, you have obsessive compulsive disorder, uninstall some shit fs.
Whining ninnies.
Does any1 know abt e replacement version of p990i w/o e unused qwerty keyboard? Heard tat it's 2cm shorter in length compare 2 current discussed version. Really hope they can release tis new babe soon as i'm so tempted 2 own e fone when i heard it has removed e irritating keyboard n hope they can remain all e claimed useful spec on fone n improve e screen resolution (ought 2 since e keyboard is removed) n upgrade e cam 2 higher pixel or at least replace e cmos sensor w ccd sensor would be very appreciated.
-max
I really like the look of the k750. The only thing missing is that this is not a 3G smartphone.
If Sony Ericsson could make a phone that looks like the 750, but has 3G and is a smartphone with 2mp camera and bluetooth, I'll buy it.
I don't like the k600/608. It is only 1.3mp and I don't like the design of it.
I am not too hopefull they will have something I want to buy with the features I want.
I am probably going to get the Nokia N70 when it is available in the next few weeks.
John
i let morn than 25 people to left Nokia and the other and bye sonyericsson mobils
becaus
i like Sony so so so much
in all product
i have k700I thank you for letting us
feel beautiful with your product .
i ask you why if i recieve a data from bluetooth the sonyerissson device not show the name of other device
hey guys,
with regards to the phone does it have blackberry capabilities?
The screen should have been the same size as in the P910i
The screen should have been the same size as in the P910i
Guys!! Poeple are selling the p990 out there!!! how come they can do that since it hasnt launched yet!! also, whats the difference between the p990 and p990i and p990c ?
Thanks,
Rami
I've been using SE P800 for a long time now.
I agree they screwed up on design big time. The new specs. are cool but nothing extraordinary bcz. these features have been availble by other competitors for some time now.
To whoever said ANY Nokia is better than this... no Nokia has been better than any P-range Sony Ericsson ever, apart from the Cameras, and even they don't do mp4, so that makes Nokias a waste of space. Oh, and how much talktime do you get on a Nokia bettery, not 13 hours methinks...
To whoever put about P990 not having GPS - software will make up for this, so no hassle there, as I have two GPS programs on my P910. :)
To Sony Ericsson - I like the P910, good phone. P990, need to sort a few things out I reckon, first, why is the screen tiny, if it's really QVGA and that much smaller, get the P910 flip with keyboard on back of flip as others have said, and get a bigger screen in there! Second, FM Radio - about time. For 499 I would have liked that on my P910. Third, 64Mb isn't enough, nor is 80Mb on-chip. If that thing packs a 2MP camera, it'll need a lot more memory. Put it this way - I DO have the 1Gb card for my P910, and the camera on that doesn't touch the P990 specs. Please take heed of this as I would like to see a lot more P-series phones made, they are, and always have been the market leaders in Mobile Telephone Devices. Anyone who witters on here about Nokia, or any other company can make themselves look daft until domesday, because P-series phones are like the difference between the Brazilian National Football Team and those that never quality for the World Cup, they are just incomparable. I even had one woman say to me she would happily dump her partner to marry my P910. Now how many Nokia 9950 owners or Motorola Razr v3 owners can HONESTLY say that? Nuff said.
the phone is one of a kind
ive always liked the SE Pseries. its just that the design on the p990! unfortunately i honestly dont like the keyboard thingy. the keypad was placed underneath the screen which makes the screen look smaller! the screen could have been larger to maximize the 2.0 megapix when viewing video clips or streaming. fm radio, wifi all good! with all the internal features, its all good. just the keyboard suckz!!
Do anyone know about this model Sony Ericsson P990. the last model P910 we can remove the keyboard "completely".
I wonder if we can remove the keyboard on this model . I still like to see the big screen
Other review
This really sucks, I like big screens. the first picture i saw made me crazy to get it, after i saw the picture where the screen is not as big as before, i hate this phone.
Just keep the p910 if you have it. I have seen a video and the p990 is pretty slow, like when opera isn't working properly on the p910.
15: There is a program for smartfones that allows you to control Televisions and other thing with the IR port
oh it was more than 1 page
I would like to know, when exactly this phone is getting launched and for how much?
Its an amazing piece of entertainment and information.