Skip to main content

Sony Ericsson teases Walkman music phone with heavy Facebook integration

sony-ericsson-live-with-walkman

Sony Ericsson is bringing back the Walkman music phone, this time powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Oddly, storing and playing music doesn’t seem to be the focus of the phone at all, despite being called the “Live with Walkman.” The new phone has only 320MB of internal storage and a 2GB SD card. You won’t be able to fit much music on it. 

“Live with” appear to be the key words here. A Sony Ericsson press releases emphasizes “deep Facebook integration” as the phone’s top feature. Users will be able to share content with one another using Facebook. The phone will also have a Media Discovery Application, which will include Facebook recommendations from friends. Of course, being a Sony device, the company’s Qriocity music service is the focus. 

“Consumers want smartphones to deliver a rich and social entertainment experience,” said Nikolaus Scheurer, Head of Product Marketing at Sony Ericsson. “Rather than a one dimensional music experience, they want instant and seamless access to new content, combined with the ability to share and connect with their friends. The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman provides exactly this, in a powerful package with great style.”

Those who want these music services will have to make some compromises. The “Live with Walkman” only has a 1GHz processor, 3.2-inch screen, 480×320 resolution (quite low), 5MP rear camera, VGA (640×480 pixels) front camera, and about 2GB of storage space.

Still, we’re excited to try out some of the phone’s features. Hopefully it’s given a good price. No details on a U.S. launch have been announced. 

Editors' Recommendations

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Music Unlimited launches on Android; Sony gives PS3 users 6 months of free access

Sony is getting serious about its new Music Unlimited service, powered by its Qrocity library of 7 million songs. Like Microsoft's Zune Pass, the subscription service lets you stream an unlimited amount of music on your computer and other devices for $3.99 - $9.99 per month. The service launched in the U.S. this past January, but its progress has been slowed by Sony's network problems during the month of May. Eager to regain its lost time, Sony has launched the service on Android and is giving PS3 users a free pass to try it out.
A Music Unlimited app for Android smartphones running Android 2.1 or higher is now available on the Android Market. It is compatible with all of Sony's Xperia phones, including the Xperia Play, and comes with a free 30-day trial of the service. However, those who have a PS3 are getting a much longer free trial. As a bit of a thank you, PlayStation 3 users get a 180-day (six month) free trial of the service. To take advantage of the trial, look for the Music Unlimited icon under the Music icon on your PS3 dashboard.
Have you used Music Unlimited? Would you rather buy your music a la cart or do you like services like Zune Pass, Rdio, Rhapsody, Mog, Spotify, and others? Let us know!

Read more
Sharp unveils crazy swivel clamshell Android 3D waterproof phone with a 16MP camera
sharp-aquios-clamshell-android-cameras-colors

If you thought phone design was beginning to get a little boring, have no fear. Today, Sharp has announced the Aquos Phone The Hybrid 007SH, a Android phone that is much more than a touchscreen. Blending smartphone and feature phone design with some impressive specs and new features should certainly draw some attention to Sharp. The device runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), has a full number pad and directional pad, a 3D-capable 3.4-inch screen with an 854x480 pixel resolution, a completely waterproof design, a swivel on the touchscreen so it can close to display the screen on the outside, and a 16MP camera on the back. Oh, and it comes in several designer colors.

We don't know the processing power, internal storage, or RAM, but we do know that the device will show 3D without glasses, much like the Nintendo 3DS and some upcoming Android handsets. It also has an infrared port, a Micro HDMI display, Blu-ray connectivity, a Micro SD slot, a digital TV tuner, and can act as a digital wallet using RFID and Felica (sorry, no NFC). Unfortunately, don't get too excited. It was announced in partnership with SoftBank, a large telecommunications company in Japan.

Read more
Google pulls PlayStation emulator from Android Market
psx4droid-android-playstation-phone-sony-google

Google has pulled PlayStation emulator app PSX4Droid from its Android Market, citing violation of its Content Policy, reports Pocket Gamer. But the app's developer, ZodTTD, suspects the removal is likely due to the imminent release of Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, commonly known as the 'PlayStation Phone.'

"Psx4droid v2 was pulled by Google due to 'Content Policy violation,'" writes ZodTTD in a Twitter post published on Wednesday. "Trying to determine what can be done."

Read more