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Sony Ericsson's messaging phone runs Windows 6.5.3
2010-02-02 Article Rating:  / 1
Sony Ericsson announced its third Windows phone, a messaging-centric device that's being promoted as part of a environmentally-conscious GreenHeart range. The Aspen has a 2.4-inch touchscreen display, a QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, and an FM receiver, according to the company.
Sony Ericcson's initial Windows phone was the Xperia X1, sporting a custom "Xperia panels" interface and a touchscreen that made it one of the first handsets to sport 800 x 480 pixels. This was followed by the Xperia X2, which had an upgraded camera and was released internationally last September. With subsequently announced devices such as the Xperia X10, Sony Ericsson appeared to have shifted its focus to Google's Android software stack, leading some to wonder about the company's commitment to Windows Mobile. Fears were laid to rest, however, when Sony showed off the X2 -- running Windows Mobile 6.5.3 -- at last month's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Later, an announcement on the SonyStyle.com website said the X2 would be "coming soon" to a GSM carrier in the U.S.
The Aspen is clearly designed as a messaging-oriented phone, similar to the RIM BlackBerry, or to other Windows phones such as HP's iPAQ Glisten, Samsung's SPH-i350 Intrepid, and a variety of others. Like these competitors, the device has a QWERTY keyboard on its front panel, combining that with a relatively small display (2.4 inches and 320 x 240 pixels in this case). Unlike various earlier messaging phones, however, the Aspen also includes a touchscreen, says Sony Ericsson. With an undisclosed processor and memory complement, the Aspen is said to offer assisted GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, an FM receiver, and a 3.2 megapixel camera with self-timer. Other hardware features include stereo speakers, speakerphone capabilities, an accelerometer for screen rotation, a microSD slot (a 4GB card comes with the phone), a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microUSB port, according to Sony Ericsson. Telephony consists of quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and either dualband or triband UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA at 900/2100 or 900/2100 MHz, the company adds. Sony Ericsson says the Aspen will include Skype software for VoIP, plus clients for CNN, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube websites. The phone also offers an Adobe PDF reader, Google Maps, and Microsoft's Office Mobile software, the company adds. According to Sony Ericsson, the Aspen will provide eight hours of talk time on UMTS networks and 10 hours on GSM. Standby time is 450 hours on GSM or 600 hours on UMTS, and the phone provides 12 hours of music playback, the company adds. Weight is spec'd at 4.58 ounces (130g), and dimensions at 4.6 x 2.36 x 0.49 inches. Finally, the Aspen's "GreenHeart" credentials apparently involve recycled plastics, water-based paint, an energy-efficient display, and a manual that's provided electronically instead of on paper. Sony Ericsson claims these alterations reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions of the phone by 15 percent. A video promoting the Aspen Further information Sony Ericsson says the Aspen will be available "in selected markets" during the second quarter of this year, in either white or silver. More information may be found on the company's website, here. More information on Sony Ericsson's GreenHeart program may be found here. Related stories:
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Now, in the Aspen (right), we have Sony Ericsson's third Windows phone, again featuring Windows Mobile 6.5.3. Rather than using Xperia panels, the device includes "professional" and "lifestyle" interfaces that are said to have been crafted using 
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