Sony Ericsson's W810i Walkman cellphone now with EDGE and quadband GSM

We're still waiting on the English press release but Sony Ericsson is launching their W810i Walkman phone today at CES. It's pretty much the W800 only now supporting EDGE and Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900, USB 2.0, and dedicated music buttons in the joystick like the W900 -- exactly what you were asking for.  Like the W800, you get a 512MB Memory Stick in the box, a 2 megapixel camera, 3.5-milimeter headphone jack (still via included dongle we think), Bluetooth, and 1.9-inch 176 x 220 pixel screen. Said to be shipping before March for an as of yet undisclosed price.

[Thanks, Antonio and Luis]

[Jason G @ Jan 4th 2006 10:33AM]

nice! finally my next phone to replace my S710a (still wish the screen had better resolution though)

[Optimus Rhyme @ Jan 4th 2006 10:57AM]

This is great news! I've wanted to pick up a new phone for a while, but unforunately all the new ones we get in North America are either sliders or flip phones, and I want a really nice candy bar one. This is finally that phone!

[Gordy @ Jan 4th 2006 11:06AM]

I really like this phone. Heck, I don't have a phone now...this could be the first--once I get over my 'full access' issues.

[Dan @ Jan 4th 2006 11:10AM]

This is the phone I've been waiting for. Thank you.

[Jason @ Jan 4th 2006 11:14AM]

any word on a carrier picking this phone up? i loved my t610 and if i can get my hands on this one i will be much happier. god i hate verizon and their phones...

[Nathan @ Jan 4th 2006 11:14AM]

This might finally convince me to upgrade from my (now) crappy old T68i

[ThePredator @ Jan 4th 2006 11:24AM]

#4 - well since it says EDGE and GSM - this will not be Verizon - so it will be Cingular or T-Mobile....if its Cingular then it will compete with the SLVR iTunes phone

[Delta737 @ Jan 4th 2006 11:25AM]

I read somewhere that it won't have a FM Radio (at least, it isn't mentioned anywhere by SE). Now that would be a real dealbreaker for me :-(

[Delta737 @ Jan 4th 2006 11:26AM]

Oh, and another question. Will this be released in the US only, or also in Europe

[paul34 @ Jan 4th 2006 11:28AM]

#1 I was thinking the same thing (Even though I just got my S710a a few days ago), but really I have to say I've been spoiled by the resolution of this phone - I mean, why not? :) I don't think I can go back to "regular" form factor phones anymore with regular resolution :-p



Come on, SE, release the successor to the S710a already!! (fix the stupid lagging menus) And no, the W900 doesn't count...

[Jeff A @ Jan 4th 2006 11:28AM]

I was just about to buy the W800. Now, I am going to wait for this great phone.

[AFD @ Jan 4th 2006 12:19PM]

Quad-band, finally! Not quite as plain looking as the K750i, which looked very nice in my opinion, but I'm really glad to see they're releasing the W810i in black.

[joshman @ Jan 4th 2006 12:22PM]

#9 As far as Sony Ericsson sees it they have released the successor to the S710 it is the W600i. It might not be a huge stride forward but it does have some improvements over the S710. The main improvement is the Menu system, there is now little to no lag at all. The same goes for the Z520. The Walkman feature is a huge improvement over the S710's media player. The W600 has double the memory, Walkman menu system, and now I can use any aftermarket headphones with the included adapter. The only downside to the W600 is the little smaller screen, which does allow the phone to be much smaller, and smaller buttons. Overall I believe it is a better fun than the S710, is it a huge improvement? No, but is is an improvement.



Now about the W810i, this is exactly what I have been waiting for from Sony. I sold my S710 thinking the W600 would be a huge improvement, it wasn't. And now that I have the W600i, I would happily replace it with this phone. I originally liked the W800 but the lack of 850mhz frequency and a joystick instead of a menu button kept me from getting one. This looks like a great phone, I just hope they make it in white.

[Warbles @ Jan 4th 2006 1:28PM]

Hehe. That keypad must be recycled from old T610/T616s.



#9, SE was going to release a sucessor to the S710a (which was basically going to be the W550i/W600i except without the Walkman software), but apparently decided against it, since it's disappeared from SE's global website.

[C-Note @ Jan 4th 2006 2:12PM]

I should have known SE would come out with a 850 band W800 immediately after I bought my W600. Does anyone know how long you have to return a phone to Cingular?

[Charlie @ Jan 4th 2006 2:36PM]

NOOOOOOO, f^&king A! I just bought a new phone last week. Damn sony and CES!

[Anthony @ Jan 4th 2006 2:45PM]

Love this phone, could be my k750i replacement. Hope it has a real headset jack but I doubt it. Hope it supports bluetooth a2dp so we can stream the music in stereo. Quad band and edge is awesome though.



#6 not sure about Cingular as don't they still have a deal exclusive to Nokia for candybar style phones [and therefore can't sell another brand's]?

[USTommyMC @ Jan 4th 2006 2:48PM]

Finally!!! The only thing that kept me from replacing my T637 with the W800 was the lack of EDGE support. I've been out of the country for a few days without Net access but I'm sure happy to this thing.

[USTommyMC @ Jan 4th 2006 2:49PM]

Finally!!! The only thing that kept me from replacing my T637 with the W800 was the lack of EDGE support. I've been out of the country for a few days without Net access but I'm sure happy to this thing.

[asli @ Jan 4th 2006 3:29PM]

umm sorry if this sounds stupid but those earphones look nice... what are they? they look like a pair of in-ears that are much better than crappy earbuds.

[bigrock @ Jan 4th 2006 3:34PM]

"#6 not sure about Cingular as don't they still have a deal exclusive to Nokia for candybar style phones [and therefore can't sell another brand's]?"



i don't know how much that rings true, as they sell the ROKR and that audiovox smartphone that are both candybar. from what i know, they definitely require the 850 band, which is probably why the w800 was never picked up by cingular.

[Yem @ Jan 4th 2006 4:00PM]

FINALLY indeed. Love the form of my T610 but have been waiting for:



1) Faster GPRS (EDGE)

2) More storage for SMS messages

3) MP3 support

4) Useful camera



The K750i came close - just missing EDGE/UMTS. Now this. Ditching the joystick is just icing on the cake :-)



Now to get someone to buy one for me!

[Bobgorila @ Jan 4th 2006 4:43PM]

Hold on.... still no USB 2?



Filling up the 512Mb card in my k750i is pretty damn painful over USB 1.



Also, the buttons around the joystick look pretty messy to me. Could they not have just put > buttons on the side with the play/pause key like how the ROKR E2 does things?

[Anthony @ Jan 4th 2006 4:43PM]

#18, you are right, maybe the deal ran out. I thought at one point they had that deal [or at least lots of people talked about it].



I hope both TMobile and Cingular get this phone as it looks to be a wonderful handset.

[Anthony @ Jan 4th 2006 6:52PM]

The ear buds are the HPM-70 accesory from SE. They come included with all walkman phones http://shopwireless.sonyericsson.com/shop/1/model/252470/accessory/249690



Also check out more stuff here: http://forums.se-nse.net/index.php?showtopic=2540

[hedges @ Jan 5th 2006 1:02AM]

The sony website is up and running with the announcement in English. 3.5mm jack and USB 2.0 are a go. It sounds like A2DP is not. THAT sux. Otherwise I'd be standing in line XBOX 360 style for this one. The ROKR E2 will be sportin' A2DP and SD, but will only have the 1.3MP camera. I think that's a compromise I'll have to make.

[Anthony @ Jan 5th 2006 1:17AM]

Nothing about a2dp or any specific bluetooth profiles are mentioned. I think for this to be generation 2 for their walkmans phones SE would need to include a2dp.

[Thomas Ricker @ Jan 5th 2006 2:27AM]

Press release is out now -- it is indeed USB 2.0. We still don't know if this is Bluetooth 2.0 or 1.x with A2DP profile support.

[Dull @ Jan 5th 2006 9:45AM]

Its a good looking phone. Nice Black & Orange. The Music controls are a nice addition. But, it doesn't look like there is a cover on the camera. Hopefully thou they fixed the indoor photo problems that the 750i & W800 have. I hate those blues lines across the pictures.

[yuwadee @ Jan 5th 2006 10:01AM]

Well, anybody have a comment comparing w810i with w900i? I'm in the middle of buying one of theses so...

Thanx,



A

[Anthony @ Jan 5th 2006 11:27AM]

You are right no lens cover like the k750 w800, it's got glass covering the lens like the w900. Which you can easily clean without scratching the lens.

[Kevin Kadow @ Jan 5th 2006 10:31PM]

I don't see any details on dimensions and weight, looks significantly larger than the SLVR?



Sony is really getting all the mileage they can out of the "Walkman" name,

[Anthony @ Jan 6th 2006 10:40AM]

I expect it to be the same size as the k750/w800 [3.94" x 1.81" x 0.79" / 100 x 46 x 20 mm]

As far as the walkman name, it used to be synonymous with music until Sony slacked and let Apple/iPod become the flagship. I think it's great they are trying to get it back.

[TJ @ Jan 6th 2006 4:30PM]

The W810 WILL HAVE FM radio!

[Lucke @ Jan 7th 2006 4:30AM]

Yes, there is an FM RDS radio as in the W800.



There is also a lightsensor to regulate the display light intensity. And the display is *very* bright.



The display is 1,9 inch versus the W800 1,8. Doesn't sound like much but is more notable than you might think.



I say extremely nice (my new workhorse phone).

[Geez @ Jan 12th 2006 5:45PM]

Man! Every time I think I know what phone I want to get, they go and create a better one! I only like candybar phones, so first, I wanted a W800. Then, T-Mobile launched EDGE and so I wanted the same features in a phone but with EDGE. So, the Nokia N70 was my choice and I have just been waiting for the prices to drop on it. And now...here comes the W800 with EDGE ala the W810! Man oh man how am I ever going to decide between the N70 and W810! The W810 isn't a smart phone, but it does pretty much everything you could ask of a phone. Decisions, Decisions...

[Wonderkid @ Jan 16th 2006 4:13AM]

I got to play with the W810i after bumping into a top SE chap at Apple's recent Keynote broadcast at the BBC in London. He was holding an 810 in his hand. a) It is lovely b) It is small c) The screen is very bright d) The controls are nice e) The interface is cool, in that Flash can be used, and I saw a very nice Flash based GUI.

[John F @ Jan 17th 2006 7:27PM]

I think that's the same company that said they had 4.3 million dollars in a Nigerian bank waiting for me to inherit from some long lost friend I've never heard of.

[joe @ Jan 18th 2006 2:20PM]

the lens has no cover? so what do you do to keep it safe?

[Ryan @ Jan 23rd 2006 1:05PM]

Any update? I am hoping this comes to Cingular, and I can return the W600 i just got

[lee @ Jan 24th 2006 12:03PM]

this phone is pure brilliance, a few things missing but on the whole looking good,

i need this phone now!

[Ryan Phelps @ Jan 27th 2006 12:03PM]

Chances are no carrier will have to pick this up and Sony will probably sell it unlocked just like the W800, though I did see a quick flash about Cingular...

[di?annick @ Jan 28th 2006 6:17AM]

hi ladies and gentlemen i need buy this phone
at low priceSony Ericsson's W810i Walkman cellphone

[ctrev @ Jan 28th 2006 8:59AM]

when is it going to be released!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when will i be able to buy it in stores!!!!!!!
i want this amazing phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!