I spent some time on the show floor Tuesday at the massive Orange County Convention Center checking out the new wares from your favorite handset makers. While many of the devices on display were actually announced at 3GSM or even CES before that, there are some new phones amidst all of the glitz, glass, and flashing lights here in Central Florida:
Sony Ericsson had two new US-bound handsets on display, in addition to their flagship w880i Walkman phone. First up, the z750 is a fashion-conscious clamshell featuring a 2mp camera, tri-band HSDPA data, music player, and glossy finish exterior with OLED display. This model will be available in pink and grey, and I liked it as a solid mid-range flip with a bit of style to it, even if it's not ultra-thin.
The w580 Walkman phone is a slider that comes in white and black, and features a 2mp camera and Walkman 2.0 music player in a 14mm thin package. While I liked the form factor and user interface on this phone, its plastic construction felt a little insubstantial in hand. This may be because I also got to play with the w880i Walkman phone, which somehow manages to feel solid despite its impossibly thin 9mm profile. The w580 is a solid addition to SE's Walkman line, and it will hopefully be available for a decent price through a US carrier later this year. If you've got the cash, however, the w880i - along with the most recent 3.2 megapixel CyberShot model, the k810i - is definitely SE's current gotta-have-it phone.