The Netview browser if it's the latest one is not that bad, however, you could run Opera Mini on any SE phone, and SE has links for Opera as a 'software' application that can be downloaded. I even have a GMAIL app on my SE.....
"I mean they don't even have 3.5 jack on their WALKMAN phones"
This is a mis-understood. SE phones come with a proprietary jack for charging, audio in/out, and as an antennae for FM. This short cord, connects to a 3.5mm jack. They also have headphones and handsfree that attach directly to the phone. I've had phones and other devices with 3.5 jacks, they loosen up, they don't hold tight to the phone and sometimes there are variances on the left/right connections, the SE jacks DO NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES, and you can use ANY headphone you like if you wish. And if your phone didn't come with the short connector, they cost under $5 at many web retailers. They have a great bluetooth stereo solution anyway.
The same thing goes for the bluetooth stereo wireless headset they have, HBH-DS980 - people complain that it doesn't have a micro USB connection for connecting. However, it can be charged with the same charger that charges any SE phone. It's a good solid connection thanks to the 'prongs' on it. It's not going to be accidently pulled out.
I am fond of SE phones and have one now. However imho, it will be very difficult for SE to survive with the dismal 3Q results, and layoff announcements. They have a strong Java 8 platform for most of their phones, but the Xperia their flagship phone, got Windows instead of SE's UIQ which was used on their high end/smart phones. UIQ, itself has announced massive layoffs. While everyone was excited when the X1 was announced, the use of WinMobile and the delays were a turn-off for many customers. We could almost say that SE has failed to differentiate their phones from anyone else, as the UIQ phones were the only ones with touch screens and it seems that SE didn't have enough faith in the UIQ platform to use it for the X1.
SE's phones are bought by people who like the camera models which are very good, or the walkman stuff which is good for the casual music/pod listener. People who are really serious about music get iphone/ipods since they think that is the only thing out there. SE's market was mostly Europe, and Apple's released the iphones there. SE has a number of mid-range models that have Desktop RSS, GPS and Video conferencing on the Java platform, but they suffer from battery issues when these items are actually used. All their phones have push email, syncML, and Exchange. Full contact information (home + business info, personal info) and fully sync with Outlook (and some with Lotus). And even non-Walkman branded phones have the Walkman application in them. ATT is offering streaming video (HBO, Comedy Central, MLB Gameday, etc) on some SE models along with XM radio.. They don't have the money to advertise the superior base functionality of thier phones to many others on the market.
If people move to iphones for music, and only care about the SE camera phones and their low-mid range designer phones, there isn't much place for SE to make money even if SE customers turn over their phones frequently.
The watches are more than just caller id, they are bluetooth remote controls for the music players that support the remote control spec and they will vibrate to tell you that you've left your phone behind. They will notifiy you of SMS, picture messages, calls, email and calendar events. see this youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4YEhkTDRVY
SE makes great phones. Even the A200 platform phones like the Z750. SE was screwed by someone at ATT or ATT's commitment to Apple's phone and the money it would generate. IMHO. SE's worse technical policy was the slow move to cover UMTS/HSDA bands, and the worse business policy by their sales department who negotiated the contracts with ATT for which phones they would sell.
Why do I say this? The Z750 (and probably other SE phones) has had so many of it's features crippled by ATT's requested firmware changes; here, let me count the ways for you:
1. Video phone calling - crippled (yes, it has 2 cameras in it) 2. GPS - crippled - it's A-GPS 3. Blogging from camera as a 'send to blog' - crippled 4. RSS Desktop - crippled (has as many features as an iPhone's) 5. Podcasts (video and audio) - crippled can only be uploaded from desktop app when phone is connected 6. Exchange ActiveSync - crippled 7. iSync - crippled (YES, debranded it does, and it has SyncML, too) 8. Email push client - crippled (unranded works with ANY pop or imap server, and can filter out unwanted domains, etc from the 'push') 9. Network Sharing function obsured, phone can be part of office network via USB or Bluetooth 10. Choice between GSM & 3G vs GSM only; blocked, resulting in terrible battery life as the phone tries to be 3G all the time. 11. ATT has also blocks 3G tethering for the phone at the network, but allows EDGE tethering. 12. FOTA (Firmeware Over The Air) updates crippled. 13. Confusion on the size of the M2 Micro that the phone supports; but it's 8G, but some apps misread the file/space sizes
It makes you wonder, the SE people who designed it had the right idea, that a small compact phone with these features would be killer, then the sales department comes back from the client, and says, they like the case, everything else is to be disabled.....and design me another phone with a fancy case....
My 16yo daughter asked me to NOT get her one of these. She says she's not smug enough for it. So I got her another SonyEricsson to replace her SonyEricsson that finally broke after 4 years. (all the old cables work in the new phone, too) Wish it had lasted a bit longer then I would have gotten her the upcoming new SE Walkman w/3G....
You have got to have a $45/mo Enterprise data plan with this iphone for it to be useful, and some of the other services cost additional on top of that. No current ATT customer should be purchasing it with upgrade pricing, they'd be crazy to change any existing data plans for the current ones.
IMHO: it doesn't matter how low the price is or goes. The vast majority of machines in people's homes now, CAN NOT RUN VISTA. They KNOW they can't run it. They will only upgrade when they think that they need a new computer.
Retail packages are for geeky people who either build machines or upgrade machines, but even we know, it is NOT a matter of tossing in $50 of ram into a P4 box. VISTA isn't XP where even a PIII with enough ram (512mb or greater) can run it decently.
XP is going to die a very slow death in the real market, not when MS says they won't support it anymore come 2009. Most people are fairly happy with XP which they just got used to. VISTA caused a lot of people to change (or at least consider) to MACs or Linux in my circle of friends.
There's no reason not to buy a under $500 laptop and put a linux distro on it.
And I wanted to see someone kneeling at the thing typing and where the monitor is located, did they change it out for a small one that could be mounted on the back of the seat or what? they never showed the keyboard placement either.
"All of these new nettops have me intrigued. I'm looking for a small, quiet and cheap PC to replace my aging tower in my home office, and all it really needs to do is load Microsoft Office, check email and surf the web. Is there a particular nettop that's better (or a better value) than another? I know it's a rather new segment, but hopefully someone has taken a chance on one already. Thanks!"
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