Sony Ericsson score 358M EUR loss in Q1, but have a new high-ender in store for us this May

The company has just announced all the Q1 details and they are quite bleak at first sight. With the economic turmoils the gadget-making business doesn't seem like something to take part in right now. But then again that holds true for almost every manufacturing branch these days.
Sony Ericsson report 358 million euro in losses before taxes this quarter and that's without counting all the restructuring charges. In case you're wondering, the "restructuring" included 2000 employees getting laid off, and there will be another 2000 on the chopping block soon, with 200 million euro more to be spent for "restructuring charges".
Despite the efforts Sony Ericsson market share is shrinking to 6 percent as compared to the 8 percent they had last quarter.
This is a direct result from 36% less shipments they accomplished this quarter than a year ago. It's quite in tune with their predictions for the global mobile market shrinking 10% this year. As we reported yesterday, Nokia is taking a pretty big hit too.
It's not all gloom and doom however - all this is within Sony Ericsson's predictions and they have plans in motion to ride out the rough patch. Their cost saving program for the first half of 2009 completed with 300 million euro saved and the restructuring charges were 113 million less than the estimates.
A new cost saving program targeting 400 million savings will go in operation and is to be completed by about the same time next year. Furthermore, they have 1.1 billion hard, cold cash in the bank (due to the positive net cash flow) so rumors of bankruptcy are unfounded.
Sony Ericsson have further plans to battle the losses - namely their Entertainment Unlimited product lineup, which focuses simultaneously on music, imaging, gaming and content services. The first Entertainment Unlimited phone to hit the market will be the Sony Ericsson W995 with Idou following in the second half of 2009.

Sidekick LX gets a new upgraded 2009 version

T-Mobile announced an upgrade of their Sidekick LX from 2007 - it's called... well, Sidekick LX. The 2009 edition has a beefier display, 3G connectivity, GPS chip, 3.2 megapixel camera and updated OS.
The renewed T-Mobile Sidekick LX sports a 3.2-inch WVGA display, a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash, microSD expansion slot (1GB card in the box), 3G support and built-in GPS receiver. The handset will also be noticeably thinner than its hefty predecessor, but follows the same design - though now it's also got a bigger battery.
The Sidekick LX has an updated Danger OS, which is now tightly integrated with all popular social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Photobucket.
The Sidekick LX 2009 is expected to hit the shelves on 13 May in T-Mobile USA network as far as we know. The new handset will be priced at 200 US dollars (150 euro) on a contract basis.

Nokia report 90 percent less profit in Q1, but sell 5800 like hotdogs

Nokia reported their financial status at the end of Q1 this year and it does not sound good. The biggest phone manufacturer at this stage has 90% profit drop, 27% sales drop and the Finns even started to cut some slack positions. Sure sounds like an economic downturn, doesn't it?
Yep, the financial crisis didn't spare the current number one mobile phone manufacturer - Nokia. They announced their Q1 financial status and there are huge drops in every one aspect.
First and most terrifying is the profit drop - the current profit calculates in 122 million euro compared to the Q1 2008 when it was 1.2 billion euro. It's 90% down.
Next are the sales of course. This year Nokia made 9.28 billion euro, but in Q1 2008 the company succeed to make 12.7 billion euro. The difference is 27% down.
In time of crisis the first step is job cutting and here it comes. Nokia gave the axe to 1700 employees worldwide only in March.
But, hey it's not as bad as it sounds. The company shares rose with 8 percent in the last months.
Nokia also claims that in the last quarter they sold 2.8 million units of the popular touch-based 5800 XpressMusic and that they would have sold many more had not they been a bit underpowered. As of now they will be shipping a million 5800 units every month.
Nobody really knows when the economic downturn will end, but Nokia still stand their position as a top manufacturer with 37% market share (2% down compared to Q1 2008).

iPhone 3G

t's finally here - the iPhone 3G. No, we mean that literally. It's finally at our office and boy, are we excited! GPS, HSDPA purring under the new iPhone hood with a hefty number of software enhancements.
But all them software goodies are available for the first-gen iPhone too - so is it worth the fuss? It may as well be, but we never know before we take it out for a spin.






Key features:
3.5" 16M-color TFT display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels
Quad-band GSM support
Tri-band UMTS support with HSDPA
Built-in GPS receiver
Wi-Fi
8 to 16GB of onboard storage
Accelerometer, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor
2 megapixel camera
Silky smooth user interface with multi-touch user support
Unsurpassed web surfing experience
Push email with MS Exchange support
AppStore access for direct application download and installation
Redone rear
TV-out port
Main disadvantages:
No video calls over the 3G network
The handset wobbles on hard even surfaces
There are a number of messaging downers
Camera has no auto focus, nor video recording… nor any settings at all
Safari browser doesn't support Flash and Java, doesn't have a download manager
Bluetooth support limited to headset use only (no A2DP or file transfers)
No office document editor
No copy/paste functionality
You cannot sync Notes and TO-DOs
No memory card slot (but knowing Apple there will never be one)
Now, since we'll be heavily comparing the old and new iPhone, how about the following arrangement - the first one we'll call Number One and the newbie will be Number Two. Sorted. Wait a minute, no good? Crap, we knew it. OK then, the first one will be the iPhone 1G (as in "generation" of the device), while the new one will still be iPhone 3G (as in "generation" of the wireless network). That might sound inconsistent, but it's short and we like it this way, so before you go ballistic in the comments section, remember Number One and Number Two.

Motorola VE465

Carrier: Alltel
Retail Price:$279.99 or via ebay
Contract Price: $49.99
Hot Feature: Slim Flip
The Motorola VE465 is a basic clamshell with 1.3 MP camera, video capture, IM, expandable memory slot up to 4GB, and MP3 player.



Quick Glance Specs

Data
EVDO,1xEVDO,1xRTT
Keyboard/Buttons
Standard 12 button
Phone Design
Clamshell
Smartphone
-
Talk Time
43.5 hours (270 minutes)
Touch Screen
-
Features
4x digital zoom, video capture, self-timer, brightness, white balance controls
Bluetooth
Yes, stereo v2.0 Supported Profiles: HSP, HFP 1.5, DUN, OPP, FTP, PBA, A2DP, AVRC, BPP, BIP
Operating System
-
Wi-Fi
-
Network

Technology
Unknown
Frequencies/Bands
Data
EVDO,1xEVDO,1xRTT
Size/Design

Antenna
Internal
Dimensions
3.9" x 1.8" x 0.7" (99 x 46 x 17.8 mm)
Headset Jack
2.5 mm
Keyboard/Buttons
Standard 12 button
Phone Design
Clamshell
Side Keys
Yes
Smartphone
-
Weight
3.8 oz. (108 g)
Battery

Standby Time
288 hours (12 days)
Talk Time
43.5 hours (270 minutes)
Type
940 mAh
Display

2nd Display
96x80 CLI CSTN 1.05"
Colors
65K
Resolution
176x220 pixels 1.9"
Touch Screen
-
Type
TFT,Monochrome,LCD (Color)
Camera and Video

Features
4x digital zoom, video capture, self-timer, brightness, white balance controls
Flash
-
Live TV
-
Megapixels
1.3
Streaming Video
Yes
Video Sharing
-
Data Messaging

Instant Messaging
Yes
Predictive Text Entry
Yes
Text Message Templates
Yes
Text Messaging
MMS,SMS
Music and Multimedia

FM Radio
-
GPS Navigation
Yes
Music Player
Yes,MP3,AAC,AAC+,WMA,MIDI,AMR,AMR-NB
Speaker Phone
Yes
Connectivity

Bluetooth
Yes, stereo v2.0 Supported Profiles: HSP, HFP 1.5, DUN, OPP, FTP, PBA, A2DP, AVRC, BPP, BIP
Data/Fax Capability
Yes
E-Mail Client
Yes
Infrared (IR) Port
-
Java Applications
-
Memory Card Slot
TransFlash,MicroSD
Operating System
-
PC Sync
-
Pop Port
-
USB Port
Yes
Web Browser
Yes,Openwave
Wi-Fi
-
Organizer

Alarm
Yes
Calculator
Yes
Calendar
Yes
To-Do List
-
Voice Recorder
Yes
Phone Book

Capacity
1000
Multi Numbers per Name
Yes
Photo Caller ID
Yes
Ringer ID
Yes
Ringer Profiles
-
Voice Dialing
Yes
Other Features

Adjustable Text Size
-
Flight Mode
Yes
Hearing Aid Compatible
Yes,M4
Multiple Languages
Yes
Polyphonic Ringer
Yes
Push-to-Talk
-
Vibrate Alert
Yes

Samsung Finesse

Carrier: MetroPCS
Retail Price:$349.99
Hot Feature: MetroPCS's 1st touch screen

The Samsung Finesse r810 touchscreen with Widgets brings many more of your favorite features to MetroPCS. With a virtual QWERTY keypad you can access the web, or text your friends. Other key features include a MP3 music player, stereo Bluetooth technology, and a 2.0MP camera with video capture.




Quick Glance Specs

Data
EVDO,1xEVDO
Keyboard/Buttons
Touchscreen
Phone Design
Bar
Smartphone
-
Talk Time
3.5 hours (210 minutes)
Touch Screen
Yes
Features
Video capture
Bluetooth
Yes, stereo v2.0 Supported Profiles: HSP, HFP 1.5, (DUN,) OPP, FTP, PBA, A2DP, AVRC, BPP, supports FTP-client, OPP for vCard only
Operating System
-
Wi-Fi
-
Network

Technology
CDMA
Frequencies/Bands
850, 1900
Data
EVDO,1xEVDO
Size/Design

Antenna
Internal
Dimensions
4.56" x 2.29" 0.49" (116 x 58 x 12.4 mm)
Headset Jack
3.5 mm
Keyboard/Buttons
Touchscreen
Phone Design
Bar
Side Keys
Yes
Smartphone
-
Weight
3.63 oz. (103 g)
Battery

Standby Time
300 hours (12.5 days)
Talk Time
3.5 hours (210 minutes)
Type
Lithium Ion
Display

2nd Display
-
Colors
262K
Resolution
240 x 400 pixels 3.2" diagonal
Touch Screen
Yes
Type
TFT,TFD,LCD (Color)
Camera and Video

Features
Video capture
Flash
-
Live TV
-
Megapixels
2.0
Streaming Video
-
Video Sharing
-
Data Messaging

Instant Messaging
Yes
Predictive Text Entry
Yes
Text Message Templates
Yes
Text Messaging
MMS,SMS
Music and Multimedia

FM Radio
-
GPS Navigation
Yes
Music Player
Yes,MP3,AAC,AAC+,MIDI
Speaker Phone
Yes
Connectivity

Bluetooth
Yes, stereo v2.0 Supported Profiles: HSP, HFP 1.5, (DUN,) OPP, FTP, PBA, A2DP, AVRC, BPP, supports FTP-client, OPP for vCard only
Data/Fax Capability
-
E-Mail Client
Yes
Infrared (IR) Port
-
Java Applications
-
Memory Card Slot
TransFlash,MicroSD
Operating System
-
PC Sync
-
Pop Port
-
USB Port
Yes
Web Browser
Yes,Full,HTML
Wi-Fi
-
Organizer

Alarm
Yes
Calculator
Yes
Calendar
Yes
To-Do List
-
Voice Recorder
Yes
Phone Book

Capacity
500
Multi Numbers per Name
Yes
Photo Caller ID
Yes
Ringer ID
-
Ringer Profiles
-
Voice Dialing
Yes
Other Features

Adjustable Text Size
-
Flight Mode
Yes
Hearing Aid Compatible
Yes,M4
Multiple Languages
Yes
Polyphonic Ringer
Yes
Push-to-Talk
-
Vibrate Alert
Yes

Sony Ericsson T707

Sony Ericsson T707 is a new addition to the T-series but it's nothing like the T-series as you know them. Not only is it the first flip in the bunch, it also has a different brief than virtually any other T-series handset. Codenamed Elle, Sony Ericsson T707 will be trying to please the ladies but maybe it's not as simple as just sticking that less-a-gadget, more-an-accessory label.




As one of the product designers claims, the Sony Ericsson T707 was inspired by rainbows and the array of paintjobs it will be released in will make sure it won't go unnoticed. The light effects, the stealthy external screen and the ripple-and-circle patterns inside give this otherwise modest mid-ranger a distinct personality and visual appeal.

Key features:
Quad-band GSM and 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 megapixel camera with Cell-ID geotagging
2.2" 256K-color TFT display with 240 x 320 pixels resolution
Secondary monochrome external display (36 x 128 pixels)
Scratch-resistant surface for both displays
Bluetooth with A2DP
Hot-swappable M2 card slot (up to 16 GB)
FM radio with RDS
Basic multi-tasking support
Gesture control
Light effects with 5 colors, assignable to contacts
Smart dialing
Threaded messaging
Main disadvantages
Camera doesn’t have auto focus or LED flash
Low-res video recording (QVGA@15fps)
External display not legible in sunlight
Keyboard lacks adequate typing feedback (might be changed in final product)
The light effects are too dim (might be changed in final product)
No document viewer
No video-call camera (W508 has one)
No accelerometer sensor (W508 has one)
Sony Ericsson have put quite some effort into advertizing the T707 as an all-around stylish package that's even fit for the tennis star Maria Sharapova as seen from the numerous photo ads.

BlackBerry Bold 9000

There we go folks, it's a BlackBerry grand slam at the arena and we're set for another ride with RIM's finest. We guess this here Berry is neither Curve-hot nor Storm-inventive but it's Bold enough to say little and do much. Even without being the latest or greatest of RIM devices, the Bold 9000 is clearly the pinnacle of what BlackBerry stands for.





Moreover, the Bold 9000 is hardly a groundbreaking device outside the BlackBerry world but to Berry buffs it may be about as good as a mobile phone gets. Sporting flawless connectivity, a magnificent screen and one of the most comfortable QWERTY keyboards we have seen, the Bold 9000 is at the very least a great business gadget. Well then, it's business as usual on our end too so the BlackBerry Bold better get ready for one of our out-and-out reviews.

Key features:

• 2.6" 65K-color TFT landscape display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels
  
• Comfortable four-row full QWERTY keyboard
  
• Quad-band GSM support and tri-band 3G with HSDPA
  
• Wi-Fi and built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
  
• 2 megapixel camera, LED flash
  
• 624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
  
• BlackBerry OS v4.6
  
• Responsive trackball navigation
  
• Hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 8GB)
  
• Excellent build quality
  
• DivX and XviD video support
  
• Good web browser
  
• Office document editor
  
• 3.5 mm audio jack
  
• Nice audio quality
  
• Smart dialing
  

Main disadvantages:

• No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
  
• Mediocre camera
  
• No FM radio
  
• The web browser is unstable when browsing through Wi-Fi
  
• No video-call camera
  

The BlackBerry Bold 9000 doesn't pack ridiculously high-end multimedia or other fancy gimmicks to make a big splash outside the BlackBerry realm. Yet it does combine all the features that the brand loyals were dreaming to see on a RIM handset for quite a while.
GPS and Wi-Fi rarely coexist on BlackBerry handsets but the Bold is not the first ever anyway. The screen is not the greatest feat in terms of resolution either but it sure is a sight to savor. That Berries have always been among the standard-setters in QWERTY keyboards goes without saying. So, is it all about having both 3G and WLAN on a single BlackBerry phone?
Could be, but there must be more to it. So, starting on the next page we'll unbox and spin the BlackBerry Bold 9000 for you. We'll press them buttons and flip that trackball and hope the handset lives up to its name.

Sony Ericsson W508

The Sony Ericsson W508 walks and talks midrange though by no means does it keep a low profile. What we have here is the full Walkman package at a bargain price and the rest of the W508 specs may as well be irrelevant if music is the first thing on your list.
A true Walkman at heart, the W508 takes after the Sony Ericsson W980 in many ways and even adds a dash of color to the Walkman experience - in fact, the StyleUp covers make it a regular chameleon.


There are eight StyleUp covers to choose from and the W508 always ships with a spare one in the box. And in case you wonder what's with all those paintjobs, let's not forget the W508 is in a twin predicament and has an identity to assert against the T707.

Key features:

Quad-band GSM and 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 megapixel camera
2.2" 256K-color TFT display with 240 x 320 pixel resolution
Secondary monochrome OLED external display
Scratch-resistant surface for both displays
Touch sensitive external music control keys
Hot-swappable M2 card slot (up to 16 GB), 1 GB included
Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP)
Walkman music player with Shake control and SensMe
FM radio with RDS
Gesture control
Accelerometer for screen rotation
Basic multi-tasking support
Smart dialing
Threaded messaging
Exchangeable StyleUp covers

Main disadvantages

Camera doesn't have auto focus or LED flash
Low-grade video recording (QVGA@15fps)
No web browser screen auto rotate
No document viewer
The Sony Ericsson W508 is a friendly phone that has many ways to interact with you - TrackID to find the track you've just overheard at the caf?, SensMe so you can pick songs based on your mood, Shake control to change tracks at the flick of the wrist plus touch-sensitive music buttons and even Gesture control to mute calls with a wave of your hand.
The proprietary audio jack and the single, lonely loudspeaker are points against W508 but support for 16 GB M2 cards and FM radio with RDS are guaranteed to keep you rocking from dusk till dawn.
3G goodies like video calls and HSDPA for high-speed browsing are here, complemented with the nice web browser. The lack of document viewer is a bit of a letdown but not really a feature a Walkman can't do without.
So without further ado, the Sony Ericsson W508 is in for a proper hardware inspection. Join us on the next page, as we go through our checklist.

Nokia Photo Browser is now out for Symbian S60 smartphones

he cool photo browser available until now only for 5800 XpressMusic is finally released for the S60 3rd Edition. It gives the users a whole new experience while managing and enjoying their images.
Nokia Beta Labs released today the Photo Browser for all handsets running Symbian S60 3rd Edition with FP1 and FP2. There are two versions of the installation package - one for the accelerometer-featured devices and one for those without accelerometer. You can download both of them from the Beta Labs web site.


The Nokia Photo Browser was currently available only for the touch-based Nokia 5800, but now most of the N-series users can enjoy it. Well, it won't be exactly the same without the touch-screen, but at least it'll be prettier than the current gallery.
The new app has 3D interface and uses beautiful effects while browsing. In case you haven't seen what the Photo Browser is capable of, you can check the demo video bellow.

Google Maps also released an updated version of their mobile application for Symbian as well. The v.3.0.1 version updates the auto-restart location, backlight timeout, the location updates and some other fixes and changes. As usual, you can download it from here. The new version is available for Windows Mobile-based devices as well.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic in silver

The original announcement of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic promised three color versions: Red, Blue and Black. Up until now only the red and blue ones have been available, but the grey-striped one will finally hit the shelves as well and here are the live shots to prove it.









Call it Black, call it Black/Silver, or call it Grey if you prefer. Whatever it is, the main thing about the new color of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is that it looks much more serious now. The red and blue stripes of the well-known versions are now silverish.
Except for the more decent look of the Black/Silver Nokia 5800 XpressMusic behind the new clothes there's still the well known all-in-one multimedia monster.
There's the 3.2" touchscreen, the Wi-Fi support, the built-in GPS receiver, the great music player, the powerful stereo speakers and all the other goodies that turned Nokia 5800 XpressMusic into one of the most anticipated and desired handsets announced lately.
The price hasn't changed as well so according to the Nokia UK store the new color version of 5800 will be selling for 249 GBP (around 280 euro or 370 US dollars) like its different colored siblings.

LG GC900 Viewty 2 turns official the Smart way, no xenon though

LG Viewty Smart (known as Viewty 2) is now official and very similar to the current LG flagman - the Arena. S-Class UI, 8 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS awaits you in the 12mm only thin body.
The popular LG Viewty has finally jumped into the next generation with its successor. Previously known as simply LG Viewty 2, the device is now cunningly called LG Viewty Smart.
The new LG Viewty Smart packs a 3-inch capacitive touch-display with WVGA resolution, an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and D1 video recording, accelerometer, 3G support, Wi-Fi and GPS. It runs on the new S-Class 3D user interface and most probably will have the multi-touch functions. Dolby Mobile technology along with the DivX/XviD support is also on board.





It's business as usual for LG, which showcased the LG Viewty Smart behind glass at the MWC 2009, but didn't really bother to reveal any more details about it. Instead they focused on the LG Arena.
As you can see the similarity to the LG Arena is quite obvious except for the better camera with Schneider-Kreuznach optics and the lack of huge storage. Unfortunately the rumored xenon flash is not present, instead the Viewty Smart has a LED one.
Just like the KM900 Arena, the GC900 Viewty Smart is only 12mm thin but its weight is even less - 90 grams.
The LG Viewty Smart practically leaked on the German LG blog but the information about it was quickly removed with a promise of publishing it officially soon. We guess it's going to be soon, as according to the leaked Orange UK release schedule it's due for market availability in June.