Sony Ericsson W890i
14 MAR 2008
Launch price
from £free
Stuff says
Sony Ericsson’s slinkiest Walkman phone is just as iconic but now has a sharper multimedia tang
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Stuff.tv hot buy
The new Sony Ericsson W890i Walkman phone has some big ‘ole shoes to fill. Its predecessor, the W880i, not only mainlined the Walkman clan with a hefty dose of desirability, it was the only phone to nab an exalted place on Stuff’s 2007 Cool List.
The W890i maintains its predecessor’s devilishly gossamer frame but adds some new multimedia muscle. It riffs to 3.6Mbps-flavoured HSDPA download speeds, flaunts a 3.2megapixel snapper and rocks using the latest Walkman player.
Keypad overhaulIt’s also been given a subtle cosmetic makeover. The W880i’s angled corners have been softened, but the most notable revamp is the keypad. The previous ‘tiny tab’ arrangement caused much consternation among the fat-fingered but, although it appears cramped, the new layout is more traditional and much easier to thumb.
The W890i is fitted with Sony Ericsson’s third generation Walkman music player and sports the intuitive multimedia menu first seen on the excellent W910i. Its audio performance, especially when topped-up with Mega Bass, is still dynamic, while the new look Media Manager software now marshals all of your multimedia clobber along with your music and CD-ripping.