The t68i Replacement is Here

interdigitate writes "The new T610 was been unveiled today by Sony Ericsson. This is the t68i replacement and its supposed to improve on it in every aspect. It has a 16bit color screen, Polyphonic ringtones, a built in digital camera, GPRS, Bluetooth (ofcourse), and most importantly it has Synchronization which should mean it will work with apple's iSync! " So... pretty. Must... resist.

Comments

Unfortunately...

[Anonymous Coward]

The telephone aspect of the phone had to be removed to save space.

Re:Unfortunately...

[McWilde]

Yeah, I was wondering how polyphonic ringtones, a built-in camera and 16 bit color display are "supposed to improve" a telephone. For me if it goes [BEEP] it's probably someone trying to reach me, I can read their name or number in black and white just fine. If I have nothing better to do I'll pick up and talk to them.

Re:Unfortunately...

[Anonvmous Coward]

"Yeah, I was wondering how polyphonic ringtones, a built-in camera and 16 bit color display are "supposed to improve" a telephone."

Have you ever had your cell phone go off and have like 5 people check their phones?

If you're curious how it makes it a better phone, I can explain the ringtones aspect of it. With the T68 you can group people into different categories and give them different ring tones. So if my gf calls, I can make it ring with a song, but if my job calls I have it ring silently. The neat thing about that approach is that I can make the 'NO-ID' calls silent.

The next step would be to use .WAV files or something like that (I hope that's what polyphonic implies...) so you could have better control over the ring. Not sure what the mass market appeal is for something like that, but I already have my email notifications set up with unique sounds for the people I actually want to hear from.

I think that in general, the sound aspect of interfaces is not given as much attention as it should.

Re:Unfortunately...

[bezza]

Polyphonic ringtones is sort of like MIDI for phones.

There are phones that do the .wav thing and I cannot wait to get my hands on one of those. I think it would be hilarious to record myself saying "bring, bring" and have that play when the phone rings.

Read the specs

[rf0]

Looking at the Specs half way down there is apparently DRM (Digital Rights Management). Does this mean that I can't have WAV's as ringtones now? :P

Rus

Re:Read the specs

[Sheetrock]

By DRM, I think they're referring to the protection on a user profile of files (not that you'd store many on here), messaging ID, and e-mail account. It probably implements enough of their DRM API to sync with things like Palladium when it comes out later to sufficiently protect a computer sync of the phone's databases over infrared (assuming that's an addon to this model) as well.

It's a good thing in this context.

Re:Read the specs

[b96miata]

Or you could get any phone from sprint that supports pcs vision. Qualcomm makes a free tool to convert wav's into ringers you can download right to your phone (they're bigger than midi ringers of course) Anyone who's into cool new phones and wants a service that won't charge you an arm and several legs for data use should check out the above. I don't wanna count the hundreds of dollars I'd owe if I'd used the same amount of data on at&t's network that I have on my $10 unlimited data plan.

Re:Read the specs

[stratjakt]

DRM isnt an evil term. You've read too much slashdot.

When you use a password on an secure connection to your banks website to transfer funds, that's a form of DRM.

Putting a BIOS password on your own machine so noone but you can boot it up, is DRM.

You have digital stuff, you have rights to it, you want a way to manage access to it, that's DRM - Digital Rights Management.

The problem isnt the fact that stuff can be secured, the problem is the question of ownership. The RIAA/MPAA members think they own the songs on the CD you bought. MSFT thinks it owns all the IP on your desktop, etc.

It's not the technology at fault, it's the IP system and the many vague definitions of 'ownership'.

Saying DRM is evil or wrong is like saying "ping" is a hacking tool.

Re:Read the specs

[Gannoc]

DRM isnt an evil term. You've read too much slashdot.

Incorrect.

Digital Rights Management was defined as a way to people to maintain their "Rights" (as in copyrights) digitally.

Maybe Sony is expanding the term to include general security so down the road people think "Oh, DRM! Great, now I can use online banking! Its just like SSL!", and will ignore the fact it means you'll only be able to play that mp3 for 48 hours until it self-destructs.

Re:Read the specs

[stratjakt]

>> you'll only be able to play that mp3 for 48 hours until it self-destructs.

That's just one application, and a bad one IMO. You could use the same technology to make sure that noone else can listen to the memos you dictate to a device.

It's the use of a technology that's right or wrong, not the technology itself. Like console modchips. Use them to play japanese games in america, good. Use them to pirate games, bad.

It's the completely one-sided view of technology that has us wind up with stupid laws like the DMCA.

Re:Read the specs

[cmoney]

There's DRM already in place on their current phones. It simply stops you from forwarding on content that you paid for.

For example, if I buy a $.99 ringtone from say T-Mobile and download it to my current T300 (or T68 or 7210 or 3650, etc), it stops me from then putting that ringtone into an MMS and forwarding it to my girlfriend.

However, if I download a free ringtone that I wrote myself, I can forward it on as much as I like.

Same goes for background images and I'm guessing games as well.

This isn't as bad a Verizon's Get $hit Now though!

But...

[Kshu]

How about a model that lets you chat via IRC? That one I'll buy for sure.

Re:But...

[horza]

With the size of the screen, and the speed of typing on a numeric keypad, it doesn't sound useful for IRC except in the deadest of channels. Even with a normal monitor the text flies off the screen in around a second when the conversation gets heated. If you are really such a masochist, I guess you can load in a Java applet that tunnels over port 80 to a gateway you are running at home.

Phillip.

Silent is good

[cindik]

I'm very happy to see more wireless communications which don't require people to be chattering all the time. If they're too bored to watch the movie, participate in church, watch the play, etc., now they can busy themselves silently.

OTOH, is this going to be banned from theaters and other venues where cameras are prohibited? At what point do we end up with unenforceable "no camera" rules?

Re:Silent is good

[Hal-9001]

At what point do we end up with unenforceable "no camera" rules?

Forget about unenforcable--most "no camera" rules are rubbish. I can understand "no flash photography" because the flash damages ancient artwork or distracts performers, but passive recording of an image causes no real harm. The only damage that could result from passive photography is the dilution of intellectual property, but that is an abstract, socially-constructed danger--there is no real damage to property or safety.

please please please

[rhs98]

I have a t68, and hope to god they have fixed the awful speed of the predictive text messaging. It is truly slow, and not much difference if any from the t68i.

Here's hoping

Re:please please please

[Darren Winsper]

I found there was a considerable difference in the T68i version. The T68 was intollerable, but the T68i is just fine for me.

Finally!

[Mindjiver]

Finally a decent phone from Sony-Ericsson. Hopefully this will help to stop Ericsson from bleeding to death.

Too bad I can't afford this. But maybe it's just as good as I would just destroy it after too much beer.. =)

Wow! 2Mb!

[Joel Rowbottom]

Wow! Up to 2mb of memory available! I almost wet myself, I could store almost two floppy disks on there!

(oh, wait...)

Polyphonic ringtones

[BWJones]

Please!!!! No more ringtones. How many more versions of electronic renditions of Beethovens 9th do we have to listen to ?

Re:Polyphonic ringtones

[DrewCapu]

Personally, I've preferred that good ol' piano tune that Yosemite Sam had Bugs Bunny play: e d c d c c e g f a C# C# a a. (... no silly, rabbit! like this!)

When (clueless) people ask if it's a wrong note in there I just tell them, "No! I just don't want my phone to explode :P"

this is why S-E is so far in front of Nokia

[hype7]

The thing I love about Sony-Ericsson, and the reason why I will continue to buy their phones over Nokia's which I otherwise prefer to use, boils down to this:

Bluetooth.

S-E are putting it in a lot of their phones; Nokia are putting it in very few. You haven't seen how cool Bluetooth is until you run iSync with a mac, or get Romeo controlling your mac from the other side of the room through your phone.

It's very cool :)

-- james

Re:this is why S-E is so far in front of Nokia

[Anonymous Coward]

Well I have been using My T68 for controling my Powerpoint and Kaynote presentations for two weeks. The new 12" Powerbook G4 and a T68 is a wounderful combination. No cables needed I i dont have to spend almost $100 on a remote! And when i get back to my office my desktop computer automatically logs me back on our intranet (and of again when I leave).

It is really amazing! Jonas Sallings Sony-Ericsson Clicker and S-E phones really rule! Now I just have to decide if to buy a P800 or a T610 not an easy choise :)

A most disappointing "feature"

[no_such_user]

From the specifications:

Features
o DRM (Digital Rights Management)

Again, when did DRM become a *feature* for end users? And exactly what are they using DRM for here... ringtones?

Re:A most disappointing "feature"

[Mr_Silver]

And exactly what are they using DRM for here... ringtones?

Forward-locking. In other words, if you download an application, ringtone, logo, icon or something else you can't forward it onto your friend. You can't physically get it off the phone (via IR, Bluetooth or PC Link).

DRM in games (as in timeout expiration) is nothing new and doesn't require a DRM enabled platform for it. You simply get the server to pass an identifer in the JAD file which details the download time. The JAR file can use this to work out when an application will expire.

This works for any Java enabled phone.

Open Source & synchronization

[MnO-Raphael]

the T610 is fully compatible with any computer. Your phone books and calendars will stay synchronized and updated

Sounds promising, but is this also true for the various open-source calendar software? I've tentatively been looking for non-Windows synchronization software for my t39m without any luck.

Re:Open Source & synchronization

[phil-trick]

Well, look no further than:

Multisync @ Sourceforge

Works great with my T68 and evolution.

Phil

Hoped they improved...

[usmcpanzer]

the antenna strength. I shutter when someone walks into my store to buy the t68i. It looks cool, everyone wants a color screen phone, but about two thirds of them are returned. Horrible reception compared to the Nokia gsm phones.

**This is with AT&T's new GSM network.

I used to think Bluetooth was useless

[jht]

Then I got a T68i last fall. Now I have a Bluetooth adapter for my Mac, a Jabra Bluetooth headset, and a Palm Tungsten T. Amazingly, it all Just Works together. I can sync the Mac to both the Palm and the T68i, use Bluetooth to copy themes and ringtones to the phone, leave the phone buried in my pocket and use the Palm to dial it (I keep more of the database in my Palm than I do in the phone - I only keep the 50 or so most likely numbers in the phone), and just use the Jabra to talk.

Once set up, Bluetooth is actually pretty neat stuff. Personally, it's now a feature I will look for going forward in phones, computers, and accessories.

This new T610 phone looks interesting, but I'm not sold on cameras in my phones. I'd rather save the size and go small.

Re:Swell....

[binaryDigit]

and man does that new phone work fine! I just called your wife and phone sex is better than ever was :)

Well luckily for you they increased the size of the microphone hole another .5mm to allow for your increased sexual satisfaction.

Re:Verizon

[Smitty825]

Verizon (and Sprint) uses a different network standard (called CDMA) than AT&T (and Cingular/T-Mobile) do (GSM). To avoid a vi/emacs level flame war, let's not discuss which one is better :-)

There is a model very similiar that is coming out for Sprint (and other CDMA providers). It looks the same, but it doesn't include the built in Camera. It does have bluetooth, though. It is called the T608.

Verizon has quasi-announced that they aren't going to be supporting any new bluetooth phones, until they can charge for the data transfered between the phone and the external device (according to a Verizon Insider on HowardForums.) They get there own version of this phone called the T606, which supports BREW, but does not have the built in camera or bluetooth support.

If you go to Phone Scoop, they have pretty informative pieces on each of these phones...plus a giant preview of all of Sony Ericssons new phones!

It still looks ugly

[VEGx]

It still doesn't look anything as nice as Nokia. It has Bluetooth, aye, but is it a requirement to look bloody ugly to have a bluetooth? :/

No screen protection?

[MBraynard]

That's a really pretty screen and I fear it getting scratched up against my pen or pocket knife. Why wouldn't it have a flip over protector?

The BEST thing about Bluetooth is the Mac!!

[adzoox]

Have you seen Romeo and Sony Clicker?

They let you control iTunes, Keynote, PowerPoint, DVD Player

Sony Clicker has a proximity sensor, applescripts lauch like check mail and iTunes play when you walk in the room

Romeo lets you use the joystick on the phone like a mouse

One is availible from www.versiontracker.com the other from www.macupdate.com

You might also want to consider...

[SunnyElLoco]

the new Nokia 3650 (came on sale here two days ago). I just bought one and I must say it's the nicest phone I've used. It comes with all features of the T610 (minus DRM) and then some. The most important features in my opinion of the 3650 that T610 lacks are: more memory (3.4MB internal memory + memory card, mine came with 16MB card, vs. 2MB of T610), bigger screen (176x208 vs. T610's 128x160) and video capture. Also the 3650 looks nicer than the T610 IMHO. On the other hand T610 is smaller and lighter at least on paper, although I have to say that the 3650 is by no means "heavy".

Other than that there are many similarities between the phones. Both are tri-band, run the Symbian OS, both have a camera, bluetooth, infrared, Java, e-mail etc.etc.

Of course these are just my opinions, but you should at least check out the 3650 if you're considering the T610.

Re:HOW???

[zuhl]

Here is some shareware to control PowerPoint and Keynote from your S-E.

http://homepage.mac.com/jonassalling/Shareware/

Pretty slick stuff. You can also control iTunes with it as well. And it has a "proximity sensor" so when you and your phone are out of range, iTunes will pause. When the phone comes back in range, iTunes starts playing again. It's all mac-based right now. Bunch of AppleScripting going on in the background as well, I believe.

t68i sucks

[flats]

I have a t68i, and I can't wait until my contract is up in a month or two so I can renew and get a Nokia phone. (So I don't have to pay full price for the phone)

I bought the t68i based on features before actually testing the phone.

1) It was slow until I got a refurbished model which is faster.
2) The microphone is WAYYY too sensative, nothing but background noise! My girlfriend hates it when I'm in a car or airport.
3) Bluetooth-schmootooth, there's nothing THAT cool about it yet...sure there's a few tricks, and maybe sync-ing address books is all right...but there's not enough practicality in it yet.
3) The antenna is horrible, you put a finger on it and the strength goes down a notch or two. And that's not just because it's GSM...I've used my phone in 10 different cities by now...some have better signal than others, but the antenna is putrid.
4) Not a rugid phone. Anytime it has ever been dropped, I'm worried I'm out of luck!
5) Anytime I go out of range, it takes more than 5 minutes to re-establish -- it's faster to turn the phone off and turn it back on -- what kind of crap is that?

I can't wait to get a nokia phone again, I've been searching eBay -- but I want to test the phone first.

It might be feature-rich, bluetooth, and a good battery -- but as a phone IT SUCKS!