SONY ERICSSON: Breaks the three-pixel barricade with new bells and whistles
Jim Jamieson
Province
What is it? Sony Ericsson K790 Cyber-shot camera phone
Price: $249, with a three-year contract
Why you need it: A legitimate option for those point-and-shoot types who don’t want to carry two devices.
Why you don’t: A waste for more serious photographers who want more features or those who mostly want to talk on their phone.
Our rating:
Phones and cameras have been a challenging mixture since mobile-handset manufacturers started rolling the devices out several years ago.
Insufficient image resolution and lame camera features have made phone cams seem like too much of a compromise.
Sony Ericsson isn’t the first to break the three-megapixel barrier in a camera phone, but its K790 is one of the best in the new high-resolution category.
The K790 is the first handset to carry the Cyber-shot brand name, so you know partner Sony isn’t taking that lightly. The unit features an integrated 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus, high-intensity Xenon flash and BestPic — where the camera takes nine separate pictures after the shutter clicks, allowing you to pick the best one.
Featuring a bright, five-centimetre LCD display and a sliding shutter cover, the K790 can — like most stand-alone digital cameras — transfer pictures directly to a photo-capable printer via USB cable.
The phone component includes Bluetooth wireless capability and uses Sony’s Memory Stick Micro memory card. Also included are a music player, gaming and an FM radio.
The K790 is expected to launch in Canada at the end of October with Rogers Wireless.
© The Vancouver Province 2006
