Apple, meet Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson W910
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)When Apple first unveiled the iPhone's nifty accelerometer (the fancy part that rotates the display's orientation when you tip the phone), it was only natural to assume that the feature would eventually be used for gaming. And with today's announcement of the iPhone software developer's kit, we saw just that. Scott Forstall, Apple's vice president of iPhone software, showed a game called Touch Fighter that involved moving the iPhone like a steering wheel. Other games will follow, including titles from Sega and Electronic Arts.
It all looks very cool but as a cell phone guy, I think it's important to note that similar technology is available on existing cell phones from Sony Ericsson. The Sony Ericsson W910 uses a "shake control" motion sensor that allows you to manipulate the phone's functions by moving the phone itself. Like the Sony Ericsson W580, you can change music player tracks by flicking your wrist, but the W910 takes the technology into gaming as well. Instead of using the navigation controls or keypad buttons to play a game, you can tip the handset forward, backward, and to either side. It's a lot like a Wii controller and quite similar to what Apple demonstrated today. At the CTIA show last autumn, I tried playing a game called Marble Madness, which requires you to move a marble through a series of ramps without falling off the edges. And one more thing: the motion sensor also detects which way you're holding it the phone and then automatically changes the screen's layout from portrait to landscape.
I know what you're saying; you're asking me how I can even compare the W910 with the iPhone. You're correct that in many ways the iPhone is superior; its gorgeous display is much more conducive to extended gameplay. But as far as the screen-tipping technology goes, Sony Ericsson is no slouch.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
ISHEEP OF AMERICA, GROW A BRAIN!
Wait, it does, the junk pile.
my iPhone. I'm not asking you to love my iPhone ok? It works well, I have
NEVER dropped a call on my phone, I DO think they are the best thing since
sliced bread, and the internet experience on the iPhone (although slow on
EDGE), is in fact better than any other "smartphone" on the market. It's a
better product than most, just like Apple's computers and OS. Apple users are
smug for the same reasons that people who drive nice cars (Mercedes-Benz,
BMW, etc) are. THEY ARE BETTER PRODUCTS. Sure, you can drive a Ford, and
yes they are cheaper, and yes they will take you to the same places, but how's
the experience? Do you enjoy driving your '96 Taurus wagon? I hate to turn
all philosophical here but it's a valid point. I enjoy using Apple products in
the same way as I like driving a nice car.
like children do, they use the PHONE feature, you know the one where you use
your MOUTH to talk? If you want to text like a prepubescent moron, then the
iphone isn't for you, . . get one of those super mature hip phones with the
GIANT keyboard on it. You'll see, after your an adult for a few years and out of
high school or college, . . texting ALL DAY LONG will lose some of it's luster,
that is if you decide to jump in and join the adult community.
internet.
great, and now i'm wasting my time writing this comment.
Buy at your own risk.....
dont knock it til you try it
You said typing (text) is a lot easier and faster than a qwerty. If you meant a traditional phone keypad, I'd agree that screen typing may be quicker, but compared to a phone with a FULL qwerty keyboard, no way. Ever try using your phone with gloves or worse, when you have paint, ink(I'm in the commercial printing trade), or pizza-greasy fingers?
I played with my sister-in-laws Touch for over 2 months, and I have demo-d the iPhone many times, and I use a touchscreen PC (full PC, industrial build and use)at work, so don't think the complaints are unwarranted iPhone bashing.
I really wanted to like the iPhone, really wanted one, was following its development long before it was released, but it's not a panacea, it was made by humans, and has flaws.
If Apple keeps everything else the same, but can figure out how to put a slide out keypad (a la HTC Mogul, etc.) on it, me and a whole lot of other people are there man.
We'll be waiting for Ver 2, or should I say the iPhone for Business.
Instead of kneeling in front of Jobs enjoying his creme du jour you ought to point out some real reasons you adore the iPhone instead of the obvious regurgitated rhetoric that CNET writers, AT LEAST, get paid to write! You don't even have an iPhone! Dust off your knees. Jobs would like to bless you from behind since you've done such a good job for him! At least, you can feel like you've purchased an iPhone too! Better yet, you can keep waiting for a real cellphone. I suspect that's exactly what you're doing because inside that puny brain, even YOU know better!
- Just what I would expect
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by bjbradford
March 12, 2008 6:59 AM PDT
- Lol Tony,
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Reply to this comment
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(19 Comments)Just what I would expect from a liberal, a personal attack. You missed my entire point and got caught up in trying to discredit me and my point of view, just like the liberal facist I thought you would be. I never said that Iphone was that great. I am just stating that future advances in technology are based on the technology that "works" today. Everything Apple does not work but some things work a whole lot better than the PC world. I prefer linux and open source projects but I'm sure you have a problem with that to. Like the fact that the future liberal facist government can't control content or tax it. You should understand our economy enough to realize that we are all influenced by marketing BS and must do the research to find the truth about anything.