subject: Fresh For 2010-the Sony Ericsson Zylo [print this page] Having recently focused much of their attention on updating their current ranges of business handsets and smartphones, Sony Ericsson have now revamped their ever popular "Walkman" range of handsets with the introduction of two models, the Spiro and the handset we will be looking at which is named the Zylo.
The Sony Ericsson Zylo is a neat looking phone which is a slider styled design. Measuring 103 x 52 x 11.5 mm and weighing 115 grammes, the phone is compact enough but still remains fairly standard in terms of dimensions. The screen incorporated on this model measures 2.6" and displays a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. Constructed from a scratch resistant material and capable of display 256 thousand colours, an accelerometer chip is fitted allowing for auto rotate function when the phone is tilted. The actual design of the handset is a curved affair which is pleasing on the eye as well as making the unit comfortable when it is in hand. Being a Walkman phone means the unit features a few more buttons on the front than you will find on other handsets, however this is essentially a portable audio player and a phone thus the extra buttons are warranted to perform the everyday music functions.
The main draw of the Zylo is its Audio player functionality coupled with its social networking features. One of the standout features with regard to music is the range of file formates that it supports. The usual suspects are all present including MP3,eAAC+ and WAV but the addition of a relative newcomer in the form of HD FLAC is the one that will raise a few eyebrows. This high quality format doesn't reduce the audio quality the way other formats do, resulting in lossless audio, a very important feature for true music fans. Sony Ericsson however have not fitted a 3.5mm headphone jack, meaning the use of your own headphones can only be facilitated with the addition of a 3.5mm adaptor. The software used to play your track is Sonys Walkman Player v4.0. This system makes organising and using your files a simple affair, allowing you to browse by genre, artist or album, as well as giving you the option to create your own playlists. SenseMe is also incorporated, which selects your files for you according to the type of tempo you want to listen to.
For people wanting to stay away from the host of smartphones available, the Sony Ericsson Zylo will certainly appeal, especially if you want to use the handset as a good quality audio player, which if is the cases makes this phone almost an essential purchase.
