CHUCK your MP3 player. The Sony Ericsson W980 Walkman phone is here.
With it, Sony Ericsson has pulled out all the stops in creating a great looking phone that doubles up as a mighty competent MP3 player.
Sony Ericsson W980 Walkman phone
$798 without contract, from authorised Sony Ericsson dealers
Designed to function like an MP3 player when closed, this clamshell oozes style.
Its front has a glass-like finish, lending a classy touch. A lit transparent plastic strip at the bottom pulsates to the beat of your music.
For music playback, the W980 has five touch-sensitive buttons that give a reassuring buzz when you hit them. The buttons can be locked easily with the slider at the side of the phone.
The W980 tries to go one up on typical MP3 players: You control music playback by simply shaking the phone.
Hold down the play button and flick it to the right for the next track or left for the previous track. Give the phone a shake to shuffle tracks.
You can even adjust the volume by moving the phone up and down. Sounds gimmicky but it is a whole lot of fun.
A more useful feature is the FM transmitter. While the playback isn't exactly audiophile quality, it is clear enough.
It is when I plug in the earphones that the W980 truly shines.
Sony Ericsson claims that the W980 enables 'music to sound like the original recording'.
Well, I am no audiophile but I must say that when it comes to music quality, it can more than hold its own against other cellphones - in fact, even against MP3 players.
From bossa nova tracks to rock numbers, different genres of music are handled with aplomb. Tones are well-balanced and vocals come across warm and clear.
Rock songs sound dynamic and, best of all, I can pump up the bass without worrying about distortion.
It helps that the supplied earphones are the in-ear type, which cuts out unwanted ambient noise.
There is 8GB of storage which should hold about 2,000 or more MP3 songs at 128kbps - the standard compression rate.
It doesn't have a memory slot, though, so if you're a compulsive MP3 tunes hoarder, look elsewhere.
For shutterbugs, the W980 has a 3.2-megapixel camera, which takes surprisingly good pictures.
My only disappointment is that the phone feels sluggish when I am searching for my contacts.
Also, the earphones, charger and data connector all share the same port, so I can't listen to music while charging the phone.
FINAL SAY
A good all-rounder especially strong in music playback. Highly recommended.
This article was first published in Digital Life, The Straits Times on Oct 8, 2008.
