S-E K850 and K530 Phones

Sony-Ericsson tonight held a special press event in Berlin that launched several new phones, including multiple devices that will reach the US. The K850i (shown) is a long-awaited sequel to the popular K790/K800 that establishes a number of firsts for the company. At 5 megapixels, the onboard camera is Sony-Ericsson's sharpest to date and features both auto-focus as well as a xenon flash to focus in darker rooms. The bar phone is also one of Sony-Ericsson's first phones with 3G wireless through HSDPA and has the raw Internet speed needed to upload full-resolution photos as well as make video calls (when supported) through a smaller front-facing camera.

The K850i also represents a new approach to loading and storing media, Sony-Ericsson says. For the first time, the company will include a combination storage slot that handles both Sony's Memory Stick Micro format (a 512MB card is included) plus industry-standard microSD cards; a new software utility dubbed Media Manager streamlines sideloading automatically-set content such as smart playlists or podcasts and will also create music suggestions based on mood.

A second K-series phone, the K530i, is also joining the lineup today. The K530 is one of the most affordable 3G phones yet from Sony-Ericsson, the company says. Costs are kept lower through using Europe-only UMTS Internet and a 2-megapixel camera at the back, with a front camera for video calls. New for most of the firm's devices, however, is support for a new GPS receiver titled the HGE-100 that adds navigation support.

The K530 will ship first, primarily reaching Europe and similar markets during the summer; the K850 should be available in North America and the rest of the world in early fall. Prices are unlisted and should vary by the country and provider.

K850i



K530i

By Electronista Staff