by Playfuls Staff |
8th August 2006
Sony is launching its first WiFi
broadband communication and entertainment device to capitalize on the growth of wireless Internet
access. The new mylo personal communicator is capable of operating in any open
[more] 802.11b wireless network, often found on college campuses, in public spaces and
within private homes around the country.
This product is designed for
people who use instant messaging as a primary form of communication and
networking for their social life. The name mylo stands for "my life
online" and the communicator lets you use 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. The device, available in black or white, 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 pocketable design encourages
users to get up and away from their desks and roam available wireless networks.
The product includes JiWire's hotspot directory listing more than 20,000 WiFi
networks in the United States,
so you can find a hotspot near you.
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.
The communicator comes with Skype
software built into it, allowing registered Skype users to make free Internet
calls with the 113 million other Skype users worldwide. For a limited time,
Skype is offering free SkypeOut calls from United
States and Canada
to most phone numbers in the United States
or Canada.
While you chat or browse the
Internet, the 1GB of the flash memory on the mylo personal communicator lets
you enjoy your music too. It supports the playback of MP3, ATRAC(R) or WMA
(secure and unsecure) files. The mylo communicator has a built-in speaker for
listening to music so you can share your music with those around you. You can
also 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.
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.
To support all of this
functionality, 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.
