Sony's new mylo (2) now official

The mylo is back, and this time it's gotten serious. The once humble, even kind of laughable device has been upgraded with specs respectable enough to make former naysayers sit up and take notice. Check it out:

• 800 x 480 3.5-inch (resistive) touchscreen display!
• 1GB internal storage, mini-USB
  
• 1.3 megapixel camera, 802.11b/g, colored info-LEDs
  
• WMA / PlaysForSure DRM, MP3, AAC, ATRAC, and MPEG-4 codec support
• Flash Lite 3 (capable of playing back YouTube videos, for example)
• Netfront-based browser, AIM / Gtalk / Yahoo IM support
• Skype support, podcast and RSS aggregator (!), and an expandable widget panel with access to Google, YouTube, Facebook and other web 2.0 sites
  
• Attachable face plates ($20) and cradle ($30) options
• Free Wayport WiFi access at your local participating McDonald's until December 31, 2010
• 5.1 x 2.5 x 0.8-inch footprint

Unfortunately you still can't add your own apps to the device, making it far less compelling then, say, the similar but far better equipped Nokia N810 -- which goes for $180 more. It's shipping this month for $300, "BS" key included for no additional charge.

Gallery: Sony Mylo 2 now official

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[Bravo @ Jan 6th 2008 7:32PM]

Wow that looks really awesome!!! I think i might get one

[Jm @ Jan 6th 2008 7:33PM]

those are the only features??

[jamma @ Jan 6th 2008 7:36PM]

Only?!

This is an iPod touch, with expandable memory, a camera, a proper browser, skype and a keyboard!!!

[Jm @ Jan 6th 2008 7:41PM]

is it touch screen?? the MYLO

[jamma @ Jan 6th 2008 7:43PM]

read the first bullet: it is touchscreen

[Jm @ Jan 6th 2008 7:45PM]

im officialy blind

[Finityman @ Jan 6th 2008 7:34PM]

Very nice. Looks very promising.

[mabedan @ Jan 6th 2008 7:37PM]

a simple question.
what this device have more than ipod touch? (except from flash support)

it doesn't run 3rd party apps (ipod touch will run them officially after february)
it has only 1 Gb
the interface is the past generation
so what makes people buy this and not ipod touch?

[jamma @ Jan 6th 2008 7:47PM]

A physical keyboard, skype support, expandable memory and a camera will make it a lot better for some people, but don't get me wrong, i love my iPod touch

[L @ Jan 6th 2008 7:50PM]

A leaps and bounds better screen. 800x480 is about 2.5 times the resolution of a iTouch.

And 800 pixel wide screen is a necessity for SURFING, instead of zooming and panning endlessly.

[Guzzie @ Jan 6th 2008 7:52PM]

Nobody bought the first one. Unless they throw a GSM Radio in there I don't think many people will be buying this one either. The price point is far too high for what it is. At least this one has AIM support though.

[mabedan @ Jan 6th 2008 8:06PM]

its actually the price of this thing that makes me wonder the most

[PEZ @ Jan 6th 2008 10:21PM]

Why are you bothering to compare the two? Are you seriously asking this question, as if you have NO IDEA? Do some research - this is what the internet that Al Gore ivented is fore.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 6th 2008 7:45PM]

So, still no Bluetooth eh?

[bob e @ Jan 6th 2008 7:46PM]

Is this a phone too, I am confused.

[mike @ Jan 6th 2008 7:50PM]

Skype and otehr voip

[awdark @ Jan 6th 2008 7:49PM]

Think theres any way around using the free WayPort access on another device? It sure sounds nice to get access until 2010. Im not always at a McDonalds but it just seems nice to have the option to connect and just use it for a little while.
O_O excellent for internet addicts.

[dead7ree @ Jan 6th 2008 8:03PM]

Looks like a nice device I would like to pick up.
Does anyone has SNR (signal to noise ratio) for this device? As for the music player, Toshiba Gigabeat T series and Sony Walkman NWZ-A818 or NWZ-S series have have industry's best SNR. If this Mylo2 matches these two products from Toshiba and Sony Walkman, then I am going to pick this one.

[Kelly Koch @ Jan 6th 2008 8:19PM]

Ok, to clear some stuff up real quick.
I work for SonyStyle and sat in on a training a couple days ago. This new mylo is freakin sweet.

And they will support 3rd party widgets. It will come with a YouTube and Facebook widget, and has a cool indicator light on the side that lights when something is updated (ie. someone posts on your facebook wall).

Another thing that nobody mentioned is the backlit keyboard. There's a sensor that detects when its dark and turns on the backlight.

[Jm @ Jan 6th 2008 8:30PM]

awsome

[ratnikh @ Jan 6th 2008 8:23PM]

So... when you press the "BS" key, it flashes pictures of Sony products on the screen, their logo and slogans, and loads up their website?

Intriguing.

[haloz24 @ Jan 6th 2008 8:34PM]

Definitely thinking of picking this up. But I am not sure which to get black or white.

[Reader @ Jan 6th 2008 8:34PM]

I want... So bad...

[aaron @ Jan 6th 2008 8:56PM]

Before everybody goes nuts wanting this thing, let me make it clear to those who don't read the article...



THIS IS NOT A CELLPHONE!!!!


Uggh..

[Perry L @ Jan 6th 2008 9:29PM]

They should have put a VGA cam on the front to enable Skype video chat.

These products from Sony still show 'silos' where product groups do not talk to each other. How could PSP get Skype and not this thing?

I read a Mylo 2 review complete with battery tests earlier today but I forgot where I saw it.

[TZK @ Jan 6th 2008 10:37PM]

The only person going "nuts" is you. Even your grandmother knows its not a phone. If you are looking to educate, look from within first.

[survey_says @ Jan 6th 2008 8:57PM]

i dont wanna sound stupid or whatever..


but can someone explain to me like the "main" point of this. i mean the device looks cool and all.. but what do you use it for.

+music
+video
+internet
+skype
+widgets

like is it basically an multimeadia device?

[haloz24 @ Jan 6th 2008 9:22PM]

pretty much

[Perry L @ Jan 6th 2008 9:38PM]

For lots of people, this is what they use their laptops for all the time.

A little gizmo like this is safer and more portable.

The review I read said the Google Redaer and Docs did not work. I hope Sony fixes that soon.

[TZK @ Jan 6th 2008 10:38PM]

WOW! You answered your own question!

[Perry L @ Jan 6th 2008 9:23PM]

I really like it. I wish it incorporated PSP functionality. With games, this would be a killer. Now iPod Touch will just kill Mylo and PSP - watch out when the native game come out on the iPod Touch and iPhone.

[Dennis @ Jan 6th 2008 9:26PM]

So he says the Nokia N810 is better?

[Perry L @ Jan 6th 2008 9:29PM]

The Nokia is bigger and has GPS for $100 more. It also has a really strong community bringing new apps all the time.

[fh @ Jan 6th 2008 9:34PM]

Or you could get a Nokia N800 for $230 and a 16gb SDHC for $80: Only $10 more than the Mylo, beats out the iPod Touch 16 by $90. Includes everything the Mylo and Touch offers (minus Mylo's hardware keyboard), but totals in 16gb of storage (expandable to 32gb), plus incredibly extended software support.

Probably the biggest difference is the free Wifi until 2010, but you'll have to spend a lot of time at McD's for that.

[Perry L @ Jan 6th 2008 9:39PM]

Death by Big Mac for free wifi? Pass.

Actually, who am I kidding. I love their breakfasts and $99 burgers.

[Al @ Jan 7th 2008 1:39AM]

Woah, where do I get a 16GB sdhc card for $80?

[fh @ Jan 7th 2008 1:43AM]

Search Newegg for "16gb sdhc"

[Scott R @ Jan 6th 2008 11:02PM]

I like. Regarding the comparisons to the N800...take a look at the dimensions spec. This thing is 5.1 x 2.5 x 0.8 vs the Nokia N800's 7.3 x 5.7 x 3. This thing offers easily pocketable 800-pixel-wide web browsing! I've long considered an 800-pixel-wide screen the dream size for a portable device. Now for the questions/complaints:
1) No Bluetooth? If I can *only* use this in a WiFi area, that kind of sucks.
2) How good/bad/fast/slow is the web browser? That 800-pixel-wide screen won't matter much for browsing if the browser itself sucks.
3) It looks like the touchscreen is only there for pressing those soft buttons on the edges. Why not just make those hard buttons? And what's with the stick? That looks like it could be uncomfortable to use.
4) No possibility of developing apps for it? That's a big negative.

[David Tenser @ Jan 7th 2008 4:43AM]

The N800 dimensions (in inches) are: 2.95 x 5.67 x 0.51

[Johan S @ Jan 7th 2008 12:44AM]

Sony, doesn't get it.

What's the point of this crappy device?? It's $300. It's only 1 GB. It doesnt play games. It doesnt have cell phone capability (browsing when away from accessible wifi is the whole point of why I would need a portable browser).

Someone above said this is the problem with product silos within companies. Clearly Sony must have this thing going on. It's really simple Sony .. make me a phone with GPS, and that 800x480 touchscreen .. Reduce it's width so there is no margin between the LCD edge and surrounding (if iPhone managed it why cant you -- phones shouldnt be overly wide). Decent camera would be nice too.

[Poom @ Jan 7th 2008 5:48AM]

It's you who doesn't look properly. This thing has a MS Duo port at the right. Most devices don't even have 1GB memory if it has a mem card port.

Also, it's not a cellphone. Go check the N810. It's also not a cellphone. Do you know what MID stands for? Mobile Internet Device. Where have you been? -_-" Jeez

[MrGuru @ Jan 7th 2008 2:07AM]

they need to make this a phone and stop playing around. wi-fi is still not available everywhere yet. and i dont like mcdonalds.

[mike @ Feb 18th 2008 12:13AM]

Why make it a phone, if you want a phone go buy one. This is a computer. Jesus Christ, soon you'll want it to get you take out and screw your wife for ya.

[Eric I @ Jan 7th 2008 2:20AM]

This seems pretty cool. I have always wanted something that I could whip out and search the net when I am eating lunch around campus. Yeah too many times being bored out in some hallway waiting for a class to begin. The price is reasonable and since it can play AAC I will be more than willing of letting my nano take a breather. The actual keyboard is a VERY nice thing. Skype sounds nice but not really a must have, this mylo is also a WHOLE lot prettier than the older model. Dang that thing was just plain bad on the eyes.

Yeah the ps3/spiderman/sony type of font gives it a feeling of being fast...Know that sounds pretty dumb but I cant shake the feeling of it being a fast device.

[akatsuki @ Jan 7th 2008 10:55AM]

Sony is just a company that can't quite get products right, and it kills me. This is close, but frankly they should merge the Mylo and the PSP, add a hard drive instead of the UMD, and have a killer product that does everything. Hell, toss in GPS, give it a slick interface, and they could clean up the integrated device, PMP market. They have the know-how and capabilities, but just aren't equipped to aggressively push the envelope.

[Davis Ahmadi @ Jan 8th 2008 4:28PM]

Why dont they add GSM, GPS, Bluetooth and FM Radio to make this the perfect device.

[zorac1229 @ Jan 9th 2008 3:23PM]

The Nokia N95 is still better.

[Killeroid @ Jan 10th 2008 11:34PM]

The mylo nows looks like something i would want to spend money on. Hopefully, sony wont ignoe it lik it did the original mylo and provide constant/periodic updates with more and more features.

[USAEAM~_0 @ Feb 2nd 2008 11:15PM]

Ok i get it the mylo is a love or hate device but how bout the name? i know im not lovin it so how bout the Sony G.O.L.E.M? Get Online Like Easy Mac........and there you go world cool and catchy let it spread like wild fire. USAEAM ~_0

[dans @ Feb 28th 2008 3:52AM]

STUPID!
How do you imagine Skype voice calls when the camera is on the back of the screen? Either you won't see or you won't be seen by your opposite.