Sony Mylo Challenges Nokia 770

An anonymous reader writes "Tomshardware says Sony's Tiny Mylo Internet Communicator is out. "The first page of MobilityGuru's July 2006 review of Nokia's 770 WiFi powered Internet based communicator was titled "In A Class Of Its Own." One Month later the title is no longer correct. With the recent announcement of its Mylo (for My life online) personal communicator Sony joined the battle for the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of people whose major means of communication is instant messaging and Web based phone calling."" I've got a 770 on my desk right now (review forthcoming) so I'm curious to see other takes on the genre.

Comments

Duh.

[grumpyman]

Does this Sony Mylolife preinstall with its rootkit?

Re:Duh.

[krewemaynard]

There will be three models: one with a rootkit preinstalled, one with an exploding battery, and a Premium Edition that will have both and will phone home right before it explodes.

Re:Duh.

[Simon80]

Flamebait? Take a look at this /.article. How about thisthis article on the UX180P: "The machine runs Windows XP Professional, service pack 2 (no Tablet OS for Sony, they seem allergic)". That last point was weak, but I think I've made enough of a case here: Sony makes cool hardware, and then they screw it up with the software that they ship with. If anyone is being flamebait, it's them.

Or perhaps this is the link the author wanted...

[ctid]

More informative article at Tom's Hardware

Hmmm, 800x480 display vs 320x240.

[hattig]

I wonder which one is better in general use. The 770's large legible crisp 800x480 colour display, or a PDA-esque 320x240 colour display. The former is good for web browsing, the latter is pretty awful. Now if Sony price it significantly lower than the 770 they might have a chance.

Never mind it is Sony that makes it, a company that can do no good these days.

Re:Hmmm, 800x480 display vs 320x240.

[dan828]

On the plus side, it'll have much better battery life than the Nokia 770. That is if the Sony battery doesn't burst in to flames at random moments.

Re:Hmmm, 800x480 display vs 320x240.

[Shadowlore]

Now if Sony price it significantly lower than the 770 they might have a chance.

From TFA:

The Mylo will be available in black or white for around $350 in September.

Tiger Direct lists the 770 at 379. I'd say that 350 is not significantly less than 379, particularly given the clear advantages of the 770.

Re:Hmmm, 800x480 display vs 320x240.

[schmiddy]

The Nokia 770 is, from what I can tell, just short of incredible -- runs Linux, nice big screen, and they've just released a new firmware. Only trouble is, for some mysterious reason, despite advertising the 770 on CNN, Nokia has strangled the supply of them. I'm absolutely baffled why they'd do this, but check Froogle -- the only place in the US that has them in stock for a non-inflated price is TigerDirect (the AdminPal link on Froogle is misleading), and for a price of $380+shipping, a bit steep for a tablet that's more than a year old now. I've looked in vain for a B&M store carrying them. CompUSA had them listed previously for $350 with free shipping, but they were never ever in stock for either delivery or in-store pickup anywhere in the country.

Even Nokia's USA page has listed them as being out of stock for at least the past few weeks. I'm a bit baffled why Nokia would do this to a product that has such huge geek appeal and a lot of grassroots FOSS software ported to it. My only hypothesis is that the US cellular companies that Nokia's in bed with are trying to push their bullshit data plans, and aren't happy about the emergence of tablets with WiFi that cuts them out of $50/month subscriptions.

Nokia, if you're listening, I'd been dying to snatch up a 770 for a reasonable price for the past few weeks, but due to your incompetence I'm settling for an Axim which is cheaper, faster, smaller.. but with Windows Mobile bullshit that offsets those advantages.

Re:Hmmm, 800x480 display vs 320x240.

[A. Lynch]

Yep, I bought one at the CompUSA here in Rochester, NY.

The guy looked at me, and said, "You know it doesn't run Windows, right?"

I politely asked him to just ring me up.

Umm, good?

[saihung]

The strongest competitor in a market segment that no one wants and where no one is buying. Bravo, Sony? On the same note, I've just designed what may be the world's best hydraulic pogo stick. I'll be rich!

Re:Umm, good?

[mauricef]

Well, I don't think "no one wants" an internet tablet. I want it at least. My Palm Zire 72 and iPod both recently died. I was desperately looking to find a new device to unite the functions of my PDA, iPod, and phone anyway, so I wouldn't have to wear cargo pants or a messenger bag constantly just to carry all my electronics. The Nokia 770 is by far my "dream machine" and I'm buying one as soon as my next paycheck comes. It's $50 less than a Palm Zire equipped with WiFi, only $50 more than a video iPod, has 4 times the pixels and 4 times the internal memory of my Palm Zire, has immediate access to the 1.4Gb of mp4 videos and aac audio I already have saved online through gmail, send text messages or sms messages and talk to people for free without any kind of cell phone plan, plus the operating system isn't written by an evil monopoly.

As a graphic design student who needs the ability to draw, sketch, and show his digital artwork on the go, who would rather type than write notes for classes, who deeply distrusts cellular providers, and who has wireless internet coverage at school, work, home, and all his favorite hangout spots, I think the Nokia 770 is ideal.

Comparable?

[juuri]

Hardly.

Nokia: 800x480 screen resolution.
Mylo: 320x240 screen resolution.

When will these companies learn to view the modern web with any sort of comfort you need, at the very least 640x480.

What doesn't pass muster as a phone?

[ctid]

I thought that both the Nokia 770 and the Mylo were wireless information access devices, not phones?

Why?

[OSSRocks]

Why would sony release something like this and NOT release a generation 2 PSP with all of this capability? :( not that the PSP is the greatest thing ever but still why have to handhelds like this and not one kick ass one that has all this.. ?

Already done, but better

[The_Pariah]

Too bad you can do the same thing, AND get a phone, with plenty of the PDA-based cell phones (smart phones). And spend the same amount of money on the hardware.

Palm Trio, Motorola Q, etc.... And you don't have to be near a free/open WiFi spot.

Next to UMD and Betamax, Worst....Sony....Product....Ever

770 challenger? I think not.

[DemonWeeping]

I've been blogging about the 770 since shortly after it's release and know it pretty intimately. the Mylo has no chance as a direct competitor. The 800x480 touchscreen just isn't there on the Mylo. Neither is Bluetooth or (a hackable) USB host port. The 770 is for mobile web browsing. The Mylo is for teens and tweens who want to chat with their buddies after their mothers told them to go to bed.

Really... saying the Mylo is a competitor to the Nokia 770 is like saying a Honda Fit is a competitor to a Rolls Royce. Sure, they're both cars. Sure, it's not likely people will own both. The target markets, however, are very different.

I have a new UMPC blog, by the way. Therein is a four part head-to-head comparison of the TabletKiosk eo UMPC and the Nokia 770.

Re:770 challenger? I think not.

[DemonWeeping]

I use my 770 for extensive web browsing, VOIP using Gizmo Project, ssh, GAIM, and Email. Since blogging takes up so much of my free time now, having a full web browser in my pocket for research is a great help.

Your question was: What ISN'T it good for? Well

• You're not going to do a lot of gaming on it, but you can do more than you could on a mobile phone.
• If you're out of WiFi range, make sure your phone has a Bluetooth DUN support and a compatible data plan.
• The RS-MMC card is a bit of a limiting factor, but I still have three full-length movies re-coded for my 770 on my 1GB card.
• The addition of swap native to the 2006 OS is a great improvement, but don't expect to have a couple Flash heavy sites, the VOIP client, and the RSS reader all open at once.

In short, the Nokia 770 is not a REPLACEMENT for a laptop - it's a much more mobile EXTENSION to one. Does that answer it? I hope so.

Much too small

[maynard]

and the resolution sucks. Which brings up a few points: recently /. had an article on the Samsung Q1 vs. the Newton MP 2100, i.e. a modern UMPC vs. a ten year old brick with great software. Both the Nokia 770 and the Q1 offer nice 800x480 color screens, WiFi, USB, Bluetooth, etc. The Newton has two pcmcia slots which can take cards to offer similar i/o capabilities.

So, other than predictable hardware improvements over the last ten years, why is it that both the Linux handheld 770 and XP Tablet edition Q1 suck so bad at the software? It just seems like we're taking a huge step back in usability in order to gain that "convergence" factor between desktop and handheld. Is it really worth it? After looking at the Newton and comparing it to these competitors, my feeling is that Mameo on the 770 and XP on the Q1 just don't come close to meeting the functionality of a handheld. Convergence seems not worth the trouble. Desktop PCs will always be faster than a handheld, and software bloat always seems to meet -- and exceed -- recent hardware advances. When will handhelds ever have the CPU horsepower to "converge" with their desktop brethren?

The Newton is dead. Documentation and source at Apple are long lost. Perhaps a good alternative would be a small system based on Smalltalk using Squeak. Better yet if it could be hacked paint directly to the framebuffer, rather than using X on the handheld.

*shrug* - just a thought.

with nokia you have sdk

[asapien]

Well, if you want to hack around the nokia has an sdk so you can write your own software. I'm betting the sony is a closed system, where you can web browse but I bet you can't run your own software on it. The same problem the ps3 will have, now that MS is releasing an sdk for making games on both xboxlive and pc, with a system for sharing. But the nokia is even better, its all for free, so you have not just a gadget, but a software platform.

770 has a keyboard

[wowbagger]

The 770 has a keyboard - you can either use the onscreen keypad with the stylus, use handwriting recognition with the stylus, or use a full-screen keypad with your thumbs.

Why would I *want* to have a fold-out keyboard (one more moving part to break) to access itty-bitty keys (more breakable things)?

And lastly - if you *want* a real keyboard, get a Bluetooth keyboard and you are all set.

That's cos it's not a phone

[Colin Smith]

No really, no cellular phone ability...

Re:Story link is borked...

[Total_Wimp]

So you aren't stuck with Windows Mobile, having to pay for any good tool to use on it, or installing freeware that barely works.

The thing is, the device in question does what the Mylo does out-of-the-box without any seperate software. My view of Windows Mobile is still somewhat mixed, but the messaging, web browsing picture view and music listening have been pretty good without the hassle of getting more software.

Caviate: The iPod succeeded where others failed because it was super easy to use and super slick. If the Mylo fits this mold, it'll probably find it pretty easy to beat Windows Mobile. Windows mobile is pretty good, but definately not "slick". However, if it's kind of like the PSP (also pretty good, but not slick) then I don't see how a person could justify spending 350 clams on it.

BTW, I consider the 770 to be practically a different category. It's a nifty web device with a nice sized screen, but no keyboard. You'd never use it in place of an iPod and only for very limited messaging, but you could comfortably sit on the couch or in a coffe shop and enjoy a nice browse session. I think comparing the two is a bit of a stretch.

TW

Re:This thing is actually quite nice..

[Bob Loblaw]

What *is* clear is that you don't have a 770 because nearly every comment you made about the 770 is false.

You can play videos at CIF.
http://www.internettablettalk.com/content/view/156 /2/

You can use the 770 like a speaker phone quite nicely with the Gizmo software.

It doesn't have a lot of built in memory but it is sufficient. You can also expand the flash memory via the RS-MMC port.

You can also connect it to a specially powered USB hub and connect USB media/peripherals not to mention Bluetooth peripherals.

But the real beauty of the 770 is that the platform is open and Nokia encourages people to hack away on it. They *want* people to customize it and make new apps for it and help devs along with a development platform for your PC (Scratchbox) and a forge-based software repository (garage.maemo.org).

These are things I don't see Sony doing any time soon and this that add real value and lifetime to the 770.

A short comparison with specifications

[povvell]

Here's a short comparison I made between the two products with a side by side specification chart of them both. The Sony comes out somewhat weaker in many areas.

Another closed device ?

[S3D]

I don't see any plans for free SDK, or open developers community, no support for open source and freeware applications. It's not even close to Trolltech Geenphone.

no por mio

[smartfart]

There is no way I'd buy one of these... the screen's about half the size of the 770, the whole thing is laid out like a game console, and it's made by Sony. Three strikes in my book... I'm keeping rebekah (my 770), thanks.

Oh, and RTFA says that it's got about a third the functionality of a 770, to boot. Ugh.

Re: "dropping all support" - WTF?

[wowbagger]

Dropping all development support for it however was a bad idea.

What do you mean, "dropping all development support"? They just released a new software image, the maemo.org site is very active, the Nokia developers are regularly posting both to the Nokia forums as well as to the freedesktop forums for both basic X as well as Cairo and GTK.

If that is "dropping all development support" then I would certainly like to see what you consider active development.

And as for you assertion that

...the new OS version breaks more things than it fixed....

- again, I don't know quite what you mean. If you mean "many packages are not available for the new build" - then yes, but most of them have been ported. Or do you mean the second 2005 code drop - which was buggy, and was replaced by the 2006 image. Otherwise, I have the IT2006 build loaded, and it improved many things and I haven't really found anything that it "broke". Please give specifics.

Re:Pretend you're someone contemplating a purchase

[Bob Loblaw]

I fully admit that what I described is not a selling point for the vast majority ... there a dozens of other selling points that would appeal to the general public. I was just answering your question. If you need something that acts as a USB host out of the box for most devices then the 770 is certainly not ideal. You are best to look elsewhere. However, you likely won't find it in Sony's offering and it will likely be 4-5x the cost like the OQO. However, if the market was big enough, it would be a no-brainer for a company to offer, to those people who don't want to deal with that stuff, something 770 specific to power USB devices and software to support many common devices.

The 770's strength is in its flexibility and openness. Some people need to be given one option to choose from and that defines what they need if the marketting is strong enough. Other people want a tool that is a good fit for most jobs and want something that will evolve beyond what it was initially built for to fit future needs. I would say the 770 is an affordable tool that fits most jobs well and you can stretch its functionality quite far.

I use mine regularly for:
- SIP voice chats and IM
- quickly checking my Gmail or a web site
- portable digital photo album for friends
- mp3 music player
- Bluetooth GPS compatible map viewer
- jotting down some notes
- drawing a sketch for later drafting
- viewing a calendar and recording appointments
- ebook reader (its high pixel density and button layout makes it *fantastic* for this)

I am very happy with the functionality during the tasks above and I find having this funtionality (that *does* fit in your back pocket) great. I find that $400 is a reasonable amount for the above list. Others may disagree.