Sony Ericsson depletes stash of product names, announces slim T700 phone

Yippee, it's T700 day at Sony. First they launched the DSC-T700 digicam, now the T700 cellphone. The T700 candybar is mostly phone though with a smattering of camera just for kicks. We're talking quad-band GSM and UMTS/HSDPA 2100 with 4.5-hours of 3G talk and a 3.2 megapixel camera with cell-id geotagging and photo light. It measures just 10-mm thin with Bluetooth A2DP, stereo speakers, 2-inch TFT LCD, and 512MB of Memory Stick Micro (M2) storage tossed in the box. Available in "select markets" in Q4 for what's expected to be a middling price tag.

[Cash @ Aug 7th 2008 3:27AM]

Hey check it out, a sweet new 3G phone that can't do 3G in the U.S.

Say SE, just a thought here, but when you are bleeding market share as badly as you are, you might want to consider releasing attractive products in more then "select" markets.

Just a thought.

[trancer @ Aug 7th 2008 4:12AM]

good point. but who knows, they might come out with a US-friendly version, just like the did with the T610 and T616, which the T700 happens to look like. i'd buy it ;-)

[Shaun @ Aug 7th 2008 5:18AM]

why would SE release all their phones in usa when they dont even have good coverage of 3G?

[Auras @ Aug 7th 2008 5:22AM]

It works on AT&T and T-Mobile so...

[Cash @ Aug 7th 2008 6:11AM]

AT&T's 3G operates on the 850/1900 band, not the 2100 which the EU uses.

So unless T-Mo operates on the 2100 band...

[Abuzar Baloach @ Aug 7th 2008 7:23AM]

T-mobile 3G operates on 1700/2100mhz...

[Dave Chappelle @ Aug 23rd 2008 12:52PM]

why are people bashing this?

so what, SE has taken a fk load of market share from Nokia over the past few years, with the inclusion of XPERIA this year Sony should really be starting to pull out of this short term fall, personally i think this phone is pretty decent looking, and heck its got great features.

BTW. these phones are damn reliable. SE FTW!

[who? @ Aug 7th 2008 3:28AM]

Anyone care to venture a guess at how much this would cost me contract-free? I was thinking around 300-400USD, but I hope I'm mistaken.

[albtms @ Aug 7th 2008 5:07AM]

I'd wager it'd be less than that, considering $300-400 can get you one of their higher-end Cyber-Shot phones. I think this is basically their W880 phone minus the Walkman functions. Maybe $200 or less?

[j @ Aug 7th 2008 3:28AM]

why can't they make it thin and touch-screen at the same time? = =

[joewhat @ Aug 7th 2008 6:20AM]

They can...well, not they, but HTC can... The TouchDiamond is same thickness (11mm) and size and has a VGA Touchscreen and with the new ROM it's actually fun to use...

[Rick @ Aug 7th 2008 3:33AM]

reminds me of the Whiz mobile phone from GTAIV...and therefore, i must have it.

[Evan W @ Aug 7th 2008 3:35AM]

Another Sony Ericsson with everything I want but can't have, surprise.

[Jonny @ Aug 7th 2008 3:49AM]

What is the current thinnest cell phone out right now?

[who? @ Aug 7th 2008 4:26AM]

Well, you take two cups and poke a hole in the bottom of each of them, then attach them with a length of string. Voila! A paper (cup) thin phone!

[albtms @ Aug 7th 2008 5:07AM]

I think the last time I checked, it was some Samsung phone that's a ridiculous 6mm or something. I do know they have phones less than 10mm, but they're trying to outdo themselves, apparently.

[Mobius_1 @ Aug 7th 2008 4:00AM]

Still with a proprietary connector... The one on my K800i is annoying me greatly, as it becomes a little less secure after a while of use, and the add-on stuff are expensive, much more so than normal 3.5mm headphones

[Daza @ Aug 7th 2008 10:38AM]

You can get a converter to take the proprietary headphone jack and turn it into a 3.5MM one for $1.50. Seriously, with free shipping. Try http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7099 - I ordered 2 and got them send within a week or so.

[Geir E @ Aug 7th 2008 2:20PM]

They could exchange it with a mini usb and a 3.5" at any given time...

[Jakob Henner @ Aug 7th 2008 4:32AM]

What's next? The T700 mobile phone?

[xValentine @ Aug 7th 2008 4:54AM]

That is indeed gorgeous.

If only it has a larger screen.

[Lionheart @ Aug 7th 2008 5:35AM]

Seems like the perfect phone for me. I'm still using a 2.5 year old K750i, but now it's finally starting to show its age. Wanted another SE phone and the W890 really seemed like the best choice, until I found out it didn't have a (flash) light at all...

This one seems to match the W890 in all features, look even better and DOES have a light, so it's great! Sure its sound might not be as good, but I can always buy a better pair of earphones. :)

[reakt @ Aug 7th 2008 6:06AM]

It's called T700 because it's an updated version of the T610 - one of their first and most popular models ever, released in 2003 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T610
I think it looks awesome!

[Rayan @ Aug 7th 2008 6:17AM]

iphone friendly .. ?

[David @ Aug 7th 2008 6:15AM]

I can't wait for the T1000...

[Freakin Ijit @ Aug 7th 2008 6:52AM]

http://www.terminatorchronicles.com/stills/2007/07/terminator-t-1000.jpg

Be careful what you wish for!

[NightBlade @ Aug 7th 2008 6:17AM]

Looks nice.

[gagahput3ra @ Aug 7th 2008 6:40AM]

It fuckin' looks like T610

[Cassini @ Aug 7th 2008 6:35AM]

This is a really nice looking (and very thin!) phone. But that photo above prompted me to start thinking about something I want to see change.

And I suppose my following comments are more for the manufacturers to read as feedback (just in case any of them do happen to read the comments in this thread). And I realize that what I have to say might not matter to some, but it does to me and many others.

One trend I wish mobile phone manufacturers would get away from, is placing the recharging/data port on the sides of phones - that's the most inconvenient and illogical (and quite frankly, annoying) location to place this port. Why don't they put them on the bottom where they belong so that desktop chargers (DC's) can be made and used?

I could never stand owning phones that had those ports on the side. It's so goofy to have the recharging/data cable sticking out of the side of the phone. The Blackberrys have it on the side; so do the Blackjacks; other phones I've owned have it there, and who knows how many other modes do, too.

I know many people - me included - always like having a desktop charger (DC) available to use with their phones instead of just using a cable alone. I don't like using cables alone to recharge my phones for the following reasons:

1.) The cable always ends up sloppily strewn across a desk or nightstand, which is annoying to deal with (I hate cables). Not to mention, it looks sloppy and incredibly tacky.
2.) The cable always slides off and onto the floor when it's unplugged from the phone because the cables are light and at those times, there's nothing providing resistance to make the cable stay put. It gets annoying having to crawl back behind a desk or nightstand to pick it back up again every day, and I'm not interested in resorted to dumb solutions like using paperweights, tape, or velcro in order to keep the cable from sliding back onto the floor - that's just absurd.
3.) Using a cable demands that a person lay their phone down which increases the phone's tendency to be scratched as it slides or partially spins around with the cable tugging on it from the side.


But having a DC eliminates all of the above. A DC brings the following benefits:

1.) For most devices, it's optional. A person doesn't have to buy it; and if they're traveling, they don't have to take it along if they don't want - they can just take the cable. Either that, or they can buy a spare cable for when they travel and leave the DC plugged in at home at all times. Bottom line here: it increases a person's choices.
2.) It reduces footprint size (as opposed to laying your phone down) when resting on any flat surface.
3.) It requires only one hand to plug the phone in for recharging or data syncing.
4.) It keeps the phone up at a nice angle for easy viewing.
5.) It keeps the phone from getting scratched.
6.) And it doesn't look tacky or unkempt on a desk or nightstand.


Now why do I mentioned all of this? Well, in addition to wanting to point out how DC's benefit consumers, I mention it because the only way we get these benefits, is if the DC's are made. And even if a manufacturer fails to make a DC, that doesn't mean that other accessory companies won't step in and make them. So options are there, but it seems that these DC's are most commonly made only if the recharging/data port is on the bottom of the device. Yes, I've seem some DC's that were designed to address a few phones that had the port on the side, but these chargers not only look stupid, they're clumsy to work with, and far and few in between, and the whole design from the phone to the charger just doesn't make sense.

Windows Mobile phones (touchscreen models and some of the Smartphone models) have the port on the bottom of the device. iPods and iPhones have it on the bottom. Most every mobile device (including many cameras, camcorders, and other media players) that can work with a DC or docking station of some sort, has the recharging/data port on the bottom. This is so they can be docked and docked easily, and so the DC's can be designed and manufactured more easily and at a cheaper cost. Recharging/data ports on mobile or handheld devices have to be somewhere, and placing them on the bottom makes the most logical sense on all levels.

I have an eye for industrial design, aesthetics, and usability issues, so I have a tendency to speak up about these things.

Manufacturers, please begin placing these ports on the bottom of your devices, if you haven't already. It's far better and more logical from design, usability, and flexibility standpoints. Besides, making and selling desktop chargers/docking stations (whatever you want to call them) is just another way for you to please your customers, meet their needs, build loyalty, and make more money. It's a win-win.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Aug 7th 2008 7:27AM]

I read DC and I thought Direct Current. Then I went to the top of your post and stopped reading.

[Niz @ Aug 7th 2008 7:32AM]

you are right i agree I have the Nokia N82 the charging port is on the side, and there is no dock / there is no point in one, im still wondering why they chose to do it, i thought it might be because of car holders hold phones on the bottom but they have the gaps on the bottom for the charging port.

[Hung @ Aug 7th 2008 9:50AM]

Yeah, I mean with desktop char

BAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

[BratPAQ @ Aug 7th 2008 9:18AM]

T700 because its the 700th SE phone released this year? move the port to the bottom, thatll be T701, add a joystick and that will be T702, etc. a new model for every changes in feature. it makes owning an SE phone boring.

[RedGhost @ Aug 7th 2008 9:26AM]

New blackberrys that are compatible with charging docks sit upright and have two connectors at the back.

[Cassini @ Aug 7th 2008 10:05AM]

That's true. I was going to mention that in my initial post, but I thought it would distract from what I was saying.

But at least the new Blackberrys give us that charging option.

[Turtle @ Aug 7th 2008 10:26AM]

When is Sony-Ericsson going to ditch that bullshit connector? I stopped buying their phones because those snap-fit connectors always get mashed and eventually stop making reliable contact. ATTENTION PHONE MANUFACTURERS: USE A MINI-USB LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE!

[Cassini @ Aug 7th 2008 12:37PM]

You make an excellent point - something I wholeheartedly agree with and forgot to add to my post. '86 all those proprietary connectors!

All charge/data ports should be mini-USB. And I don't even prefer the newer micro-USB. I'd rather just stick with the mini-USB - they're small and solid enough.

[M @ Aug 7th 2008 3:19PM]

Totally agree! My T610 and T616 would charge intermittently because the two contact surfaces would not mate properly!

Palm has made some good flat charging contacts, but SE's ones have just given me problems.

[Victor Agreda Jr @ Aug 7th 2008 12:04PM]

Hasn't Sony always named everything after robots from our apocalyptic future overlords?