Sony Introduces IPhone Killer

I had heard that Sony had an iPhone killer already selling well in Europe. But with no sales presence in the US, there was no guarantee that Apple would suffer any significant sales drop if and when Sony was able to get its version of a multi-function device across the pond and into hands of American consumers. Well, if you own shares of Apple's stocks, it would be a wise move to get out and in a hurry.

In the upcoming weeks, a new partnership will be announced with a wireless carrier that will bring Sony Ericsson's music phones to America. Here are the nuts and bolts of it. Equipped with an FM radio and camera, installed with a complete HTML browser for web surfing and a fitness application. With all of these additions, users would expect a relatively short battery life for the digital device. But in testing, users were able to use the device for up to nine hours of talk time or twenty hours of listening time. The first slider in the Sony Walkman series, the w580i will also have a slot that will raise the storage capacity of the phone to four gigabytes. If that was not enough, it will come at a price that swamps the iPhone. Currently listed at over four hundred dollars, the iPhone will be far more expensive than Sony's w580i that will arrive on shore with a retail price of less than $150. In fact, users that agree to a new two-year contract will be able to get the first edition for less than one hundred dollars with retail prices for non-contractual upgrades to average at around three hundred dollars. One of Apple's major issues with customers has been the fact that the cheapest iPhone has been just under five hundred dollars. While the most equipped version costs upwards of six hundred and fifty dollars making it unaffordable for most of the mass market.

When it was announced that Apple would be releasing a hybrid of the iPod with touchscreen capabilities, anticipation rose to a feverish pitch. With talk of Apple releasing a Nano-scaled iPhone in the fourth quarter of this year, again reviewers are waiting to see if the center of innovation will again produce a hit. But while they wait, Sony will put a major dent in the digital arena.

With a sleek new design that does not borrow from the iPod, Sony's w580i includes a rounded keypad with additional focus keys for applications. A reviewer raved about the smooth design of the Sony device as well as the ease of sliding the dial pad from under the main screen with only a thumb needed. When the slide is in place, pink and green lights illuminate.

The walkman functionality appears to be profound. With superb sound with or without the headphones, the w580i, also comes with a USB port so that users can plug in their hard drive for easy installing of new songs to the music player. You can also install songs directly via the optical drive. The radio capabilities are definitely a worthy addition. Typically with digital players, users are only able to listen to stations via the Pandora network. With this Sony device users have access to their local programming through an antennae installed in the players headphones. Users are able to listen either through the headphones or the handset's speakers.

The browser is a huge plus on the Sony device. Many users of multi-function devices have complained about the inability to perform other tasks when the music player is running. Or at best, a user only being able to perform a limited number of additional tasks. That changes with the Sony player. This device allows you to check your email, surf the World Wide Web, or do anything else you want to do while listening to your greatest hits list. With a true HTML browser, web viewing is a normal experience which cannot be undervalued. The iPhone does include similar capabilities with a larger screen than the w580i device.

The most uncommon feature of the Sony device is its pedometer application. Able to count calories, steps, or miles users will find this addition of great benefit. When inside a special armband, users are able to get a pretty accurate gauge of the number of calories burned during an exercise when users input their weight, age, and height.