Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Sony Ericsson announced their flagship phone, the P990i way back in 2005. It was eagerly awaited for nearly a year before it finally appeared, and frankly, it wasn't worth the wait.

The P990i is the upgraded version of the very successful P910i PDA-style smartphone, and incorporates a number of new features, including 3G, WiFi, an upgraded camera and an FM radio. In fact, the P990i has just about every imaginable feature. It's the ultimate phone! Or is it?

As soon as the P990i was announced, it was obvious that Sony Ericsson had taken away one of the most popular features of the P910i - its huge screen. The P990i has a smaller screen, with a full QWERTY-style keypad in the lower half of the device. This design has split the P-series community. Some like the new design, or are willing to tolerate it: many hate it. The P990i also has a downgraded version of the popular jog-dial control. The P990i has a 3-way jog dial instead of the 5-way jog dial used on the older model. This was done apparently in response to user feedback, but judging from the user reviews below, it's another unpopular decision.

The design of the P990i incorporates a conventional numeric keypad which can be flipped open or removed to reveal the full QWERTY alphanumeric keypad beneath. In addition to key-based data entry, the p990i has a touch-sensitive screen with a stylus to operate an onscreen virtual keyboard. Most users seem to prefer this to the real keyboard. The phone also has support for handwriting recognition. The 3-way jog dial can be used for scrolling and selecting and most phone functions can be accessed without opening the flip.

The P990i uses the Symbian 9.1 operating system, making it into a powerful multi-tasking device. Sony Ericsson intended the P990i to be a genuine mobile office, and the device really does come close. An advanced contacts and calendar application is incorporated, which can be wirelessly synchronised using WiFi/Bluetooth. With every conceivable type of connectivity included (3G, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, USB, infrared and Fast Port) you can connect to any other device and use the phone as a high-speed wireless modem to connect your laptop to the internet. The USB connection supports mass storage and drag and drop functionality.

The P990i is the first 3G P-Series, and it supports the full range of 3G functionality, including video calling as well as fast internet access. There are two cameras on the P990i: a forward-facing

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Product reviews: Sony Ericsson P990i smartphone?
We want to hear your view. Write now!