Sony has announced the Sony Ericsson Z610 cell phone this week. The Z610 is a small cell phone that has both style and a unique design.
It’s not all about the design; the Sony Ericsson Z610 has a lot of technology under the hood. 
The 2.0 megapixel camera has a 2.5x digital zoom and allows the user to take pictures and upload them directly to the internet on a blog using the Picture Blog application that comes with the phone. Furthermore, the Z610 supports both music and video playback along with 3D games and 3G capabilities. As if it weren’t enough, the cell phone is also compatible with Bluetooth Stereo and it comes with a 64mb Memory Stick Micro that is upgradeable.
The Sony Ericsson Z610 is a fine piece of technology and it looks very promising. It will be available this fall in Europe.
Sony Ericsson Z610 News Release
Sony Ericsson today announces the Z610; a stylish 3G phone that blends performance with stand-out design. The sleek mirror finish on the front cover gives the phone a jewel-like quality that is complimented by a hidden ‘magic mirror’ display which can only be seen when in use. This striking phone delivers on its good looks: its advanced feature set includes a 2.0 Megapixel camera and broadband-speed 3G connectivity. With such a unique design and a choice of three eye-catching colours – Luster Black, Rose Pink & Airy Blue – Z610 is the clamshell to be seen with.
“The unique design of the Z610 is inspired by nature. We have applied a mirror finish and used a hidden display for the first time to achieve the feel of a calm ocean surface” says Eiji Shintani, Art Director, Creative Design Centre, Sony Ericsson. “OLED technology has enabled us to build in a display that doesn’t interrupt the seductive, reflective qualities on the front of the phone. And given that Z610 is also a highly-specified device, it appeals to the design conscious that need a phone for every day use.”
The magic of the Z610 is revealed when a call comes in or the user receives an SMS or MMS. The hidden external display illuminates, giving the effect that the caller-ID information is floating on the face of the phone itself.
The distinctive design of the Z610 is matched by a feature set that lets the user get the most from their mobile phone. The Picture Blog application allows the user to share photographs with friends and family, via an online ‘blogsite’, within just a few clicks. Simply take a shot with the Z610’s 2.0 Megapixel camera and upload (or blog) the images directly to the site.
The Z610’s 3G capability, coupled with its large 2.0 inch screen, makes video calling and accessing the Internet a pleasure; and with support for Push Email and RSS feeds that deliver the latest news updates direct to your mobile, it’s so much more than a pretty face.
And when its time to reflect, support for Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) allows for generous storage of photos, video clips and MP3 files. This popular and portable storage format is available in memory sizes up to 1GB – that equates to around 2,800 pictures of 2.0 Megapixel quality.
Z610 is available in selected markets from Q3 2006.
Z610 – Features at a glance:
* Imaging & Messaging
o Main screen: 2.0”, 262k colour TFD, 220×176 pixel
o External screen: OLED, 128×36 pixel
o 2.0 Megapixel Integrated Camera
o 2.5 x Digital Zoom for still imaging
o Picture Blog
o Picture Wallpaper
o SVG Tiny 1.1
o Video telephony
o QCIF Video recording and streaming
o VideoDJ™ & PhotoDJ™
o Wallpaper animation
o SMS, MMS (Photo Messaging)
o Predictive text input
o Push e-mail
o Sound recorder
* Music & Entertainment
o 3D games
o Flight mode
o Embedded games
o Java MIDP 2.0
o Music player with support for MP3, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+
o MusicDJ™
o PlayNow™
o Polyphonic ringtones (72 voices)
* Connectivity
o UMTS 2100
o GPRS 900/1800/1900
o Bluetooth™
o Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP) support
o USB 2.0 mass storage
o USB charging
o 64MB Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) in kit. Support of up to 1 GB
o Fast port connector
o Flight mode
o HTML full browser with RSS
o PC Tools and software
* Accessories
CORE ACCESSORIES
o Desk Stand CDS-60
o Travel Charger CMT-60
o Bluetooth Headset HBH-PV705
o Bluetooth Headset HBH-GV435
o Bluetooth Car Speakerphone HCB-100
OTHER ACCESSORIES
o Bluetooth™ Headset HBH- IV835
o Music Desk Stand MDS-60
o Portable Speakers MPS-60
o Bluetooth™ Car Handsfree HCB-700
* Availability
Available: Within Q3 2006
o Available colours:
o Luster Black
o Rose Pink
o Airy Blue
Sony Ericsson Z610 Reviews
GSM Arena reviews the Sony Ericsson Z610 and writes - “Sony Ericsson Z610 will provide you with 3G support, a standard 2 megapixel camera, a music player, and a Memory Stick Micro card slot. Not a bad offer, don’t you think? I am just a bit reluctant about the absence of EDGE and Infrared port. The dust-covered camera lens (a consequence of the lack of protection) and the rather unnecessary state diode in one of the phone’s corners won’t probably excite users either.”
Pocket-lint reviews the Sony Ericsson Z610 and says - “In the flesh though and it’s seems to have been a disappointment all round. Sony Ericsson should be applauded for not skimping on features just because they have made a phone that looks good, and for this the Z610 clearly out-performs any competition in the fashion genre, but as a fashion phone it is as shallow as a catwalk model.”