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Sony Ericsson Aino's new firmware update is all about the two S's: stability and stamina
Alright, Aino owners, listen up: firstly, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Secondly, we thought you might like to know that Sony Ericsson has recently released a firmware update for your phone that should make it a bit more livable. Improved system stability and better battery life are both promised, but that's not all -- it's said that you can also expect the WiFi and Bluetooth to work better at the same time (keep in mind they're both running at 2.4GHz, so interference between the two is a well-understood problem). Oh, and there are new features, too: support for MIME type mpeg4-generic videos, the Bubble Town 2 game, and 3 new Sony Ericsson-designed themes. All told, not a bad haul.
Sony Ericsson Satio back on sale, software update available
It may not be at the top of everyone's wishlist this holiday season, but it looks like those particularly taken with Sony Ericsson's smartphone are now back in luck after a brief suspension of sales. Of course, there's also now a software update available for current Satio owners, but details on it are fairly light apart from word that it improves "handset speeds and battery usage" and that it "fixes previous software issues." What's more, while retail availability may be a bit hit and miss as things get back up to speed, it seems that at least Phones 4u in the UK is now already selling the updated version of the phone, and it's even reporting strong sales from over the weekend.
Sony Ericsson's Satio gets new firmware but not yet back on sale, Aino never affected
We've got an old-fashioned Sony Ericsson-gate developing this winter with some clarification and new information on two of the company's highest-end phones of the season, the Aino and Symbian-powered Satio. First up, as we've updated in our original post, the Aino was never pulled from shelves -- we've been able to confirm this with Sony Ericsson spokespeople directly, which also satisfactorily explains why it was never pulled from the US SonyStyle site. Secondly, good news for Satio owners affected by the phone's issues: there's a new firmware out there for unbranded units, which suggests that units that are already in the field might not need to be recalled despite Sony Ericsson's admission that the power-down problem can't be fixed over the air. For what it's worth, we've been in touch with Carphone Warehouse today and they haven't yet put it back on sale -- so it's hard to say just how closely related the new build is to the most damning problems facing the phone right now. Owners who've upgraded: what have you noticed so far? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony Ericsson acknowledges touchscreen issues on Aino (update)
As if the Aino's odd name wasn't handicap enough, Sony Ericsson's taking another hit on its high-end Remote Play-capable full-touch (but Symbian-free) phone today with news that it's got a dodgy touchscreen. It's unclear exactly what's wrong or how it's ultimately going to get resolved, but several British retailers -- most notably behemoth Carphone Warehouse -- have elected to yank it from shelves until they've gotten confirmation that the mothership has fixed the problem. A company spokesman notes that "Aino has sold in limited numbers in the UK, so this issue affects only a very small number of customers," which is a backhanded way of saying "for once, we're incredibly lucky no one wants this thing" -- though considering that the Satio's on hold now, too, "lucky" might not be the right word for it. For what it's worth, Sony's US SonyStyle store is still hawking Ainos for $600, so part with that six-pack of Benjamins at your own risk. Update: It appears that we somehow misread the source on this story. While the Satio has been pulled from stores, the Aino has not been taken off of shelves. The company clearly acknowledges problems, but SE isn't taking action to remove the device from retail outlets.
SonyStyle unleashes Sony Ericsson Aino in the US for $600
Though it may not have the most elegant name in the world, we've got to give Sony Ericsson's Aino credit for at least one thing: it's officially launching in the US, unlocked, just a few short months after being announced. You'll be paying a stout $599.99 for the privilege of putting one in your pocket, but in exchange, you'll get an 8.1 megapixel sensor, Remote Play support, tri-band HSPA, and WiFi on a 432 x 240 display. You're not just getting the phone for that outlay, though: SE also throws in a stereo Bluetooth headset, dock, and an 8GB microSD (yes, microSD, not Memory Stick, mercifully) card. It's still showing as backordered on SonyStyle's website, but you should be able to find this in stock both online and in Sony's stores across the land very shortly. Follow the break for the full release.
Sony Ericsson Aino now Remote Playing with European PS3s
We know Sony Ericsson's PS3-lovin' Aino would be hitting European shelves at some point during the month, and now Sony itself has stepped forward to confirm that the handset is on sale. We're hearing that it's selling for £399.99 ($639) sans a contract, and just in case you're wondering why you and your PlayStation 3 should care, the Aino is capable of turning your console on and off, browsing the XMB user interface, accessing DRM-free content on the HDD, shopping for items in the PS3 Store and watching live TV via PlayTV. Hit up the read link for all the nitty-gritty, and be sure to hit your British friend up if you're stuck yearning here in the States.[Via Joystiq]
Sony Aino phone launches today with limited PS3 Remote Play capabilities
Let's get this out of the way at the top: No, Sony's Aino phone, which touts limited PS3 Remote Play functionality, can't access any of the PSN or PSP games you may have hoped it would. However, a recent Playstation.Blog post revealed the crosstalk capabilities imbued within the mobile device (which hit store shelves today) -- while it may lack ludo-logical punch, it's packing some impressive multimedia tools. After registering your Aino with your PS3, you'll be able to use your phone to access the XMB, browse the internet, watch any non-DRM'd media on your console, send and receive PSN messages, shop in the PlayStation Store and watch TV shows using the PlayTV service. Best of all, you can use your phone to turn your PS3 on and off, which should prove handy when you attempt to convince your roommate that your entertainment center is haunted.
Sony Ericsson Aino and Satio hitting the UK on October 7
It's not like we didn't know this already, but Sony Ericsson has now officially confirmed an October UK release for its latest pair of handsets. The half-Swedish, half-Welsh mobile empire has set the seventh day of the tenth month of whatever year this is as the date for a nice little corporate get-together and unveiling of whatever little details haven't been seen or pored over by now. The Aino slider hopes to capture fans with its slender looks and PS3 Remote Play skills, while the Satio (formerly known as the Idou, pictured) works the multimedia phone crowd with a 12.1 megapixel cam and a 3.5-inch 16:9 display. The latter was recently handled by Engadget Spanish, who found it underwhelming and somewhat sluggish -- but rest assured, we'll be getting a lot more fingerprints on these touchscreen devices in the coming weeks.
SteelSeries Aion limited edition Zboard keeps MMO addicts stuck in the basement
You've got to hand it to 'em, SteelSeries knows its market. Following up on its array of WoW-themed gear, the company has just issued a new limited edition Zboard aimed at to-be Aion gamers, which just might be "the most anticipated MMO of 2009." As with most of the outfit's MMORPG-centric keyboards, this one also packs a colorful motif, a swath of dedicated action keys, menus and chat commands, full customization of each key and quick-access "emote keys for greeting, intimidating, or taunting your opponent." In related news, the firm is also dishing out an Aion Asmodian mousepad, which may or may not be superior to the stained napkin you're currently using to raid on. Both units are available for pre-order right now at $19.99 and $14.99, respectively, and we hear that UPS totally delivers to dingy basements for a nominal fee. [Via Coolest-Gadgets]
Sony Ericsson's Aino smartphone smiles for the FCC's cameras
We've already seen Sony Ericsson's new Aino smartphone (and its wireless headphones) pass through the FCC once before, but we've only just now been treated to the first proper photo shoot of the device, including the usual peek under the hood. What's more, the new filing also offers yet more (fairly indisputable) evidence of the existence of a US 3G version of the phone, and those interested can get another look at the phone's manual if you missed it last time around. Hit up the read link below to dive in.
Sony Ericsson Aino's PS3 Remote Play capabilities get detailed -- no games, just media playback
Sony's got a lot of housekeeping to do before it can quell the infighting long enough to produce a proper PlayStation phone, but the upcoming Aino's PS3 Remote Play features sound like a tentative first step. According to a Q&A posted on the Euro PlayStation blog, the upcoming slider handset will be able to use Remote Play to connect and control a PS3's XMB through the internet, but you won't be able to play PS1 games like you can on the PSP -- you'll be limited to media playback, browsing the PlayStation Store, and chatting on PSN. Yeah, it's kind of a missed opportunity, but at least we can hope future handsets will expand on the capability a little, just like the PSP had remote PS1 game playback added in after the fact. We'll find out when the first Ainos ship in the UK in October. [Via Joystiq]
Sony Ericsson's 'Aino' is almost a PSP phone ... but not really
The long rumored PSP phone may still be far away (or never coming, for that matter), but at least Sony Ericsson plans on bringing some of the PSP's functionality to its "Aino" phone. Though the Aino won't feature UMD support (where have we heard that before?), it will allow for Remote Play functionality, essentially granting the phone remote, limited access to a linked PlayStation 3. Sony Ericsson's Lisa Canning told the Euro PS blog that the first Aino will be arriving "early October in the UK, with the rest of Europe to follow," though no release Stateside has been announced yet. Aside from the missing UMD playback ability, no indication is given whether or not it will support PSP Minis, but unfortunately no games can be played through the Aino's Remote Play functionality. We're still not sure if a PSP phone is ever going to come out -- we are sure, however, that we stopped holding our breath for one a long, long time ago.
Sony Ericsson Aino's wireless headphones get FCC approval, Aino gets a user manual
It isn't every day that a phone includes wireless stereo headphones in the box -- yes, that's right, we said wireless -- so when we saw the Sony Ericsson MH100 earn its FCC wings, we stood up and took notice. The MH100 is a color-coordinated A2DP clip-on with a 3.5mm jack and remote controls, making it the perfect complement to the Aino's advanced multimedia capabilities (including PlayStation Remote Play support, if you recall), and it's nice to know that you won't have to shell out for one of these suckers on top of the untold hundreds of euro you're dropping on the phone itself. Speaking of the Aino, though, maybe the more interesting find in the FCC filing is the inclusion of the phone's user manual, where you can get the lowdown on Remote Play, the built-in Facebook client, and details on the interface for that glorious 8.1 megapixel cam. Actually, large portions of the draft manual seem missing or half-assed, so we're guessing we'll see this get a lot more interesting by the time they pack the phones for retail.
Bring popcorn: Youserbase reviews Sony Ericsson's Satio and Aino smartphones on video
Sony Ericsson has been teasing us with its hottest for some months now, the Satio (nee Idou) and the Aino, two media-heavy smartphones that are inching closer to international release. They still aren't confirmed for American shores, but until then we can enjoy a series of lengthy videos covering the two courtesy of Youserbase. How lengthy? We're talking almost 75 minutes of discussion and tentative fingering over nine parts, showing off nearly every nook and cranny of the phones' (decidedly dark) user interfaces. While there aren't any huge surprises here, the vids give good feel for the responsive performance of the UI -- and of the occasionally not-so-responsive integrated browsers. We've included just the first two installments here after the break, but if you don't have anything planned this morning feel free to click on through for the epic and sweeping series. [Via USEB] Read - Satio video review Read - Aino video review
Sony Ericsson posts $299 million Q2 2009 loss, PlayStation-integrated phone (probably Aino) coming Q4
The good news, if you want to call it that, is that Sony Ericsson's most recent quarter loss is not as bad as its epic $382 million tab prior, and at this point there's no talk of further en masse job cuts. That said, this new report isn't exactly sunshine, and the Q2 results show a 213 million Euro ($299 million) net loss. Product shipments were around 13.8 million, down 43 percent compared with last year. Some blame is attributed to the focus on mid-tier feature phones in lieu of a greater smartphone push -- SE says it's working to correct that direction, but its higher end devices won't hit until fourth quarter. One interesting note is that one of those late-year handhelds is said to "integrate with PlayStation," but before you get excited over the oft-rumored PSP phone, we'd venture to say it's more likely that description's referencing the Remote Play-supporting Aino. From what we can tell, there's no indication of what's in the cards to improve Q3, so we won''t exactly be surprised if the story repeats itself three months from now.
Access your PS3 anywhere with the Sony Aino cell phone
Sadly, the Sony Aino mobile phone isn't the fabled PSPhone, but it does support one feature from the handheld device. Using the phone, you will be able to access your PS3 via Remote Play and, because the device is 3G enabled, you won't have to rely on Wi-Fi access. Once connected, you'll be able to stream movies, images and music from your hard disk drive. Europeans will also be able to access PlayTV, allowing them to view, pause and rewind live television, as well as setting programs to record from afar. There's no indication of whether the phone will have access to the PlayStation Network store or the friends list, but that would be the icing on an already tasty cake. Having this feature on a cell phone makes perfect sense -- hopefully this is something that will become a lot more prevalent in the future. Who knows, one day we might see a Remote Play iPhone app. We'd love that. [Via Engadget]
Sony Ericsson adds Yari and Aino to its multimedia line
Launch details for the Satio was the 800-pound news gorilla out of Sony Ericsson today, but slotting in right underneath that set are another couple of phones that are still very much in the higher end of the range -- the Yari and Aino. The Yari slider (pictured left) is being billed as a gaming device, featuring gesture-controlled actions in the same vein as the Wii (and for the record, that's Sony Ericsson's comparison as much as it is ours). It features a 2.4-inch display, GPS, and support for the company's PlayNow services; it'll be available in the fourth quarter for about €400 ($558) unlocked. Next up, the Aino takes some cues from the Satio with a relatively large 3-inch touchscreen -- but also tosses in a numeric slider for good measure. It's got an 8.1 megapixel cam, Sony Remote Play support, GPS, HSPA, and a scratch-resistant mineral glass display; it'll be ready to rock in the same timeframe as the Yari in black and white, though we don't have pricing stats just yet -- needless to say, it'll be more than the Yari.[Via SEMC Blog]