August 09, 2006
Sony is launching its first WiFi broadband communication and entertainment device. The new Mylo personal communicator is capable of operating in any open 802.11b wireless network, in public spaces and within private homes.
The name mylo stands for “my life online”. Sony's device provides instant messaging, browse the Internet, listen to music, send emails and view photos concurrently.
Small enough for a pocket or purse, the slim, oblong-shaped device features a 2.4 inch color LCD (measured diagonally) with a slide out QWERTY keyboard for comfortable and quick thumb typing. With 1GB of the flash memory, the mylo supports the playback of MP3, ATRAC or WMA (secure and unsecure) files.
It features a built-in speaker and can view MPEG-4 personal videos by transferring files via USB cable or with Memory Stick Duo media. You can also store JPEG pictures from the Internet or your digital camera.
The device comes embedded with popular instant messaging services: the Google Talk instant messaging service, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger. These services are free and the product does not require initial computer setup or a monthly service contract.
The product includes JiWire’s hotspot directory listing more than 20,000 WiFi networks in the United States. The mylo personal communicator boots up in seconds and can scan for available wireless networks right away.
The “What’s Up” screen serves as the hub, storing up to 90 of your friends’ avatars so you can quickly see who’s online. You can store up to nine online identities per person which allows you to first choose who you want to chat with then easily initiate conversations using your preferred application.
The embedded HTML browser lets you quickly connect to full Web pages on the Internet. You can also send and receive text emails with web mail services like Yahoo! Mail and the Gmail web mail service.
Providing networking possibilities without a wireless network, the mylo personal communicator detects when it comes into the presence of other mylo units. With the ad-hoc application, you can share play lists and stream music between mylo communicators one at a time.
The mylo device uses a lithium-ion battery that offers up to 45 hours of music playback, around seven hours of chatting and web surfing and more than three hours of continuous Skype talk time. It comes with a microphone, stereo headphones, a USB cable and a neoprene case.
The mylo personal communicator will be available in September for about $350 online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores and authorized dealers nationwide.
Perhaps it will be useful for uploading 7 Megapixel stills or 640x480 videos shot from Sony's H-5 ($500). GigOm and Engadget have more.
(thx for the heads up, JB! -kc.)
