A closer look at Sony Ericsson's W910 and W960

With six handsets, three new Bluetooth watches, and an array of new accessories and peripherals, Sony Ericsson went for broke with today's announcement (heck, we'd go so far to say that they should've teased even a little more than they did). Obviously that's a lot to digest, so we wanted to zoom in on the W910 and W950 -- the company's newest and fanciest Walkman-branded units -- and take a look at just what it is that sets them apart. Read on for details.

The W910 got hearts pounding as the "Shinobu" before its official announcement, and by all accounts, it seems the hubbub was justified. HSDPA is still rare by Sony Ericsson standards, so we're happy to see it make an appearance here; sadly, though, 2100MHz is the only supported band. The slider users NetFront, which should make browsing a fairly decent experience. Internal storage is a meager 40MB, so the Memory Stick Micro M2 slot will likely see heavy use -- especially when putting that 2 megapixel shooter to use. "SensMe" is a nifty piece of kit that organizes music tracks graphically by tempo and mood to allow the user to circle groups of tracks they wish to add to their playlist. Perhaps the coolest feature, though, is "Shake control" -- flick the phone to change tracks, shake it to randomize the playlist. Word has it Shake can be used for gaming control, too. The W910 ships in the fourth quarter in red and black.

The W960, meanwhile, is Sony Ericsson's music-friendly heavy artillery. How heavy? 8GB of internal storage, for starters (no expansion, but we'll cut it some slack there). WiFi's on board, too -- a first for a Walkman phone -- along with 2100MHz UMTS, so you're pretty much covered in the data arena as long as you're in Europe. Like a lot of phones these days, the W960 advertises a touchable interface for browsing music and other goodies, though a stylus is onboard for finer operations. It gets a 3.2 megapixel cam, and oh yeah -- it's a fully-featured smartphone, too, thanks to UIQ 3.1. Folks coming from a Windows Mobile device will be delighted by the ActiveSync support here, though they may be equally dismayed by the lack of GSM 850. The W960 drops in the fourth quarter of the year; you'll be able to have any color you want, as long as it's black.

[Ismael @ Jun 14th 2007 5:12PM]

That is absolutely amazing, the zoomed up pics made me drool lol! and SHAKE CONTROL (W910)? WIFI (W960)!?! WOW
Btw the W960 will be fully customizable right? Thanks to the UIQ? Sadly i dont like the fact you cant stick a micro in the w960 which can make it easier to transfer data to pcs etc.

Why the hell do they have to start shipping in Q4... why not now ffs!

[Chrisphillers @ Jun 14th 2007 5:37PM]

The N95 is pretty close to this phone (apart from touchscreen), I have my 4gb microsd card. Mind you it physically does look far better - but sadly in q4 it wont be so hot - the iphone will be out and Nokia will have come up with another beast, overtaking the W960.

[MobMan @ Jun 14th 2007 5:44PM]

"The iphone will be out." The iphone is rubbish compared to the w960. 3.2mp camera, hard keyboard, navigation without using touchscreen (via scrollwheel on side), decent software (not what will be rubbish "web apps"), a reasonable price and 3G!

[Brodie @ Jun 15th 2007 12:23AM]

These do have decent specs, but specs alone will not offset the actual functionality and cool factor of the iPhone. Don't believe me, ask any number of MP3 player manufacturers with "great specs."

I think handset makers need to start demonstrating ease of use and great design. I am tired of handsets with great specs that can't do crap in the real world.

[Daniel D @ Jun 14th 2007 5:20PM]

The Q4 thing rly annoyed me too....I mean they look ready to go now! lol

[GiovanniMcAdoo @ Jun 14th 2007 5:29PM]

Damnit SONY!! Now i have to pick between the P1 and the W960. You are really killing me here -_=

[MobMan @ Jun 14th 2007 5:36PM]

Same! I dont know whether to get the p1 or hold out for the w960! I think im going to wait!

[taku @ Jun 14th 2007 5:27PM]

Um, i believe that the W910's only got a 2mega pixel camera.
3.2MP is only on the W960 as far as the Read link page tells.

[Lizzeh @ Jun 14th 2007 5:27PM]

ooo very nice! Makes me wish I waited to buy my phone (the k550i)!

[autumnrvocals @ Jun 14th 2007 5:40PM]

does anyone know any expected release dates?

[Ismael @ Jun 14th 2007 5:45PM]

No but i expect SE employees and people who know to start leaking it within the next month max.

[dave @ Jun 14th 2007 6:04PM]

Release dates are rare for cellphones because they're basically 'the earliest possible after we get operator acceptance'. Don't hold your breath for one.

[Malcolm @ Jun 14th 2007 6:26PM]

Wow! These are both stellar phones! I prefer the W960 for its better camera and large internal memory although it would be nice to incorporate the "Shake Control" on it rather than solely on the W910. I kind of wish I had waited for these instead of buying my N93. O well.

[Tom Bailey @ Jun 14th 2007 7:02PM]

PLEASE say that the W960 has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Ive been trying to justify the N95 to myself, and I just can't, but this would be PERFECT, if it hadn't got a propriatry headphone jack....anybody know?

[Tom Bailey @ Jun 14th 2007 7:18PM]

I'll reply to my own comment...
having looked at the photos, it seems that there isnt a 3.5mm jack. Which is crap.

[daniel @ Jun 14th 2007 7:41PM]

if its anything like other se phones itll be proprietary fastport connector but the in line mic will have a 3.5mm jack on it so you will be able to use your own headphones

[Qualze @ Jun 14th 2007 8:54PM]

The W960 will be shipped with with the standard HPM-70 handsfree which has a 3.5 mm jack. But more importantly it will also be shipped with the new HBH-DS220 Bluetooth Stereo headset that also has a 3.5 mm jack.

Look at the specs for Accessories "In-Box" on this page.
http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=global&lc=en&ver=4001&template=pc3_1_1&zone=pc&lm=pc3_1&prid=8122

I could only find the HBH-DS220 on the Swedish SE site.
http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=se&lc=sv&ver=4000&template=pip1&pid=10976&zone=pp

Looks the same as DS-200, only black.

[tomas @ Jun 14th 2007 7:03PM]

YAY! Two more Sony Ericcson phones to give me the "white screen of death" again.

[Martijn @ Jun 14th 2007 7:16PM]

Tonight I was present at the event in Berlin. Just uploaded three videos to Youtube. The Walkman phones are at first sight very interesting. Nice new software and very good looks. The 910i (slider) is the most fashionable of the two new musicphones.

K850i:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZZ9qr0ftds

W960i:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xAQqEIeLSM

W910i
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhoDLTtOpsI

[Colin @ Jun 14th 2007 8:03PM]

I have wanted a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone for so long (since the w800i), that you can't even imagine how good these look to me. I'm very disappointed though, that no American carriers have a wide selection of Ericsson phones, not to mention the specific one(s) I want. I'm also too afraid to resort to buying the cellphone online without service, since the up-front price is daunting. Anyone have a pointer for me? I'm desperate.

[KodeK @ Jun 14th 2007 9:13PM]

I bought a k750i off eBay about a year ago for $250, no contract (to use with my existing contract w/ Cingular). Great choice. Even though it's only tri-band, I get great service all over SoCal.

[Long @ Jun 15th 2007 3:51PM]

You can find the phones at the independant wireless dealers that sell T-mobile and Cingular service. They have unlocked GSM phones that you can purchase with a contract. In SF there are tons of them that can get you the phone that you want.

[Champs @ Jun 14th 2007 8:27PM]

I'm getting pretty sick of everyone calling it Sony. For all the attention to detail that angry people have, they never seem to be able to get the name of the company right. It's not that difficult. Give it some effort. Please?

[Manuel @ Jun 15th 2007 9:46AM]

You own sony? or what is the problem with you, personally i don't give a shit hoy they call it

[Manuel @ Jun 15th 2007 9:49AM]

You own sony? or what is the problem with you, personally i don't give a shit hoy they call it

[Manuel @ Jun 15th 2007 9:49AM]

You own sony? or what is the problem with you, personally i don't give a shit hoy they call it

[K_G @ Jun 14th 2007 9:02PM]

Colin: It depends on what services you need and how much you talk. I've been rocking SE's via a unlocked phones from Ebay and a prepaid T mobile SIM for about 10 months now. Instead of the paying the $40 with taxes service plan for a 2 years to get the free phone that I didn't really like or want (total 2 year cost, $960), I spent $300-ish for unlocked W810i and then $100 prepaid card with T-mobile that gets me 10 cents a minute and last for 1 year (or 16.6 hours of calls per $100 card)...10 months later, I'm just to about to run out my first $100 card. So far, I've spent only $400 on 10 months of service and I have a phone I really like...and after two years my average monthly cost will likely end up some around 60% of what I would have spent for a standard 2 year plan with crappy free phone I didn't want. Now I don't have internet on the phone because my prepaids usually don't handle that but I don't need it. So I may not be milking every bell and whistle on the phone but I'm real happy and I had my W810i for about six months before any US carrier started to offer them. So do the math on your calling patterns and price out your current plans for what they would be under prepaid. Your upfront costs are higher but your total costs may be lower in the long run (if you not a big talker).

[Husar @ Jun 14th 2007 10:14PM]

The specs arent entirely true as stated in this article, on the aussie sony ericsson site they give these for the W910:
http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=au&lc=en&ver=4000&template=pip3&zone=pp&pid=10982
so it supports, EDGE, 850, 900, 1800, 1900, HSPDA and UMTS 2100
But anyhow i wish that they will upgrade the screens on these phones to 16 million colour ones.

[GiovanniMcAdoo @ Jun 15th 2007 11:20AM]

What about the w960?

[kristianm @ Jun 15th 2007 1:55AM]

W960i does --NOT-- have HSDPA, just tri-GSM and UTMS.

[Dude @ Jun 15th 2007 12:46PM]

Chrisphillers @ Jun 14th 2007 5:37PM

The N95 is pretty close to this phone (apart from touchscreen), I have my 4gb microsd card. Mind you it physically does look far better - but sadly in q4 it wont be so hot - the iphone will be out and Nokia will have come up with another beast, overtaking the W960.
^Where'd you score a MicroSD 4GB? I've been looking for one for my N95, but not only could I not find one, I read that the N95 is compatible wth 2GB max, but you're saying it recognizes all 4 gigs?

[MobMan @ Jun 15th 2007 3:17PM]

I guess you must be form the USA. Unlike the USA, we Europeans get decent phones and aren't completely sucked in by the media. One thing, which it is impossible to argue otehrwise, is that the iphone will suck functionality wise; pretty much no applications, because apple are only opening up "web apps", and there will be no hard keyboard. Just because Steve Jobs said it, don't mean its right. I used to think teh USA knew about gadgets, but the population obviously don't. Most gadget fans in the USA are completely influenced by the media, which is emphasized by the fact that Engadget seems extremely obsessed with the iphone. The iphone is a pile of crap; just because appl emakes it, it isn't decent. The UI qill suck, and the functions suck as well. Thus, anybody who purchases an iphone is:

a) A retard, who thinks he knows about technology, but doesn't
b) A retard, who thinks hes "cool" by purchasing it.

I can gurentee, that if one were to look at the demographic of people using the iphone, they would have a significantly less IQ that those using symbian UIQ phones. The only intelligent person using an iphone will be Steve Jobs; he's amazing at tricking the general public.

If you ask anyone with the iphone a thing about electronics, they won't have a clue. Ask them what a transistor is, and you've lost them. Anybody with the faintest idea of techmology and electronics would not purchase an iphone. The iphone is a device produced for the unintelligent masses. After all, most of the population is unintelligent. If one was to go to Harvard, for example, I bet that far less people would have an iphone, when compared to a less academic university.

[Chris @ Jun 15th 2007 11:28PM]

Most asinine, assumption filled rant I've read all week.

[Chris @ Jun 15th 2007 11:31PM]

I must add that people claim that Apple fans are condescending but this post takes the cake.

[callisto9 @ Jun 18th 2007 5:08PM]

wow, for someone who attacks the intelligence of people who buy certain cell phones, you sure can't spell your way out of a paper bag. oh, the irony. ;)

i love sony ericsson phones and have owned the W810 for awhile now. to date, i can't find a phone that beats it, for my needs. wi-fi would be nice though as i'll not be paying at&t data plan anytime soon. i only wish they'd put 850mhz capability on all their phones for us "retards" in the US. LOL

[Riot Nrrrd� @ Jun 24th 2007 2:24PM]

I went to Caltech, know very well what a transistor is and am still pondering purchasing an iPhone V2 (i.e., when it comes out in Euro-friendly form with 3G and HSPDA/UTMS). Put that in your crack pipe and smoke it, MobMan.

As for the W910i/W960i - speaking as an existing S710a/K790a owner that likes to use SMS more than talk to people, any phone that doesn't have some sort of QWERTY capability (either via hardware keyboard or virtual/touchscreen version a la the iPhone's, at the very least) is out and out retarded. I will never buy one of these SE phones again, despite the nice jump in features over my K790a.

[kate @ Jun 16th 2007 1:30PM]

Hate the foreign generalizations about the USA. This is much cooler than the iphone. The specs are better and the price probably will be too.