Sony Ericsson Aino review: I know fun

05 November 2009
Sony Ericsson are on the move recently and the Aino is very much part of the agenda. But living in the shadow of the Satio and X10 is not much fun we guess. So, the Sony Ericsson Aino is keen to live a double life...

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  • d
  • dwijef
  • PGA
  • 06 Nov 2009

whoa! that was mouth watering. almost.
i enjoyed the review. the part about o2 cocoon made me a slight detour to the cocoon review. i can't believe i never heard of the cocoon before! it's almost amazing.
okay, back to aino. you guys made me craving for this stuff, but as i read further, think i'll stick to my original plan: the W995.
yes, it's a good device, but i still see myself poking at the phone's main menu to no avail. maybe (just maybe) someone will eventually manage to provide a hack to the ui to make it full touch? is it possible?
well anyway, i'm waiting for the successor of aino if they can make this baby a full touch. as they said in their new campaign, whats next? but then, there's this xperia...
so now for me will be w995, and then aino successor, if they ever build one.
se (still) rocks!

    • s
    • sam
    • 3X%
    • 06 Nov 2009

    darko, 05 Nov 2009The combination of extra stuff like cradle and headset help... moreZdravo imenjace. :)
    Well here's what i think..almost certainly, they won't bleed to death. I think that the odds are just the opposite. It's important to see that SE will never reach the previous market share levels. I even think that their shear selling numbers are gonna drop even more. But that is not they are after any more. They are reducing and restructuring their selves and cutting the portfolio drastically, towards quality and efficiency. I mean, they're gonna release just 8-10 high and mid range products next year. Look at it this way..see nokia as a toyota. Huge portfolio, massive profit and revenue and greatest sale figures. That was just a year and a half ago. And today? Both nokia and toyota are suffering massive losts despite their still greatest selling figures. (Toyota is still world's no.1 in that category individualy, not to mention nokia) Nokia's quarter lost is over 800 million euro!
    So, the mass orientation doesn't mean succes automaticaly. You have to be an ever growing mastodont to back up the low marges of cheap phones, and expenses of wide range portfolio or you end up loosing money. So what SE is doing is to become a BMW or even porche if you like. They have the sony and ericsson giants r&d's as a backup for making independent, powerful and innovative products and that is a major advantage for a true profitability. They are learning from apple which sells just around 25 million iphones per year and making a huge profit.

      • e
      • eve
      • FX1
      • 06 Nov 2009

      fabulous by far!!!

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • PAq
        • 06 Nov 2009

        Lollylost100, 06 Nov 2009As to the WiFi problem, it should work with 3rd party java ... moreYeah I need more explanation from you. As I just bought PS3 slim last week. Thanx to GSMarena for this review. I can't hardly wait for SE Yari Review too.

          • R
          • Richard
          • uE5
          • 06 Nov 2009

          how u make a video call without any secondary camera ?

            • L
            • Lollylost100
            • pYN
            • 06 Nov 2009

            As to the WiFi problem, it should work with 3rd party java apps. The method that works on my W995 is: Delete operator internet settings, turn on WiFi, Run java application. It will ask what connection you would like to use to connect to the internet. Select PS, and in the next windows make a new internet account with full stops (.) in the fields. Select it as the internet connection you want to use, and now the phone should use WiFi intead of GPRS/3G. (I will post clearer steps later on, I don't have much time just now)

              • C
              • Connie
              • f4F
              • 06 Nov 2009

              Like the others I want to thank GSM Arena for giving the best cell phone reviews on the internet. This phone is probably the best phone for people who's lives revolves around their PS3. The accessories included in the Aino package are good too. But Nokia includes a standard 3.5mm jack even on their very low end phones, SE cannot even provide that on their high end devices without some type of adapter.
              SE might be able to steal some market share from Motorola with this phone, but it will not affect the sales of Nokia, Samsung or LG phones at all.
              Good luck SE I hope time is on your side, and you can come up with competitive phones in 2010.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • Uij
                • 06 Nov 2009

                remote play is sweet, and thanks to firmware 3.01 open remote play is open again and we can get the PS3 it on the PC again..

                imagine it on your cell, that is insane

                good work SE and GSMarena

                BTW i heard something about a PS3 app for X2, it was some remote control or i think even gamepad that worked through Wifi with the PS3

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • PNF
                  • 06 Nov 2009

                  Virtual, 06 Nov 2009If you do it via Bluetooth I don't think so. It would be th... moreYes, but one of the major draw cards of the Aino is to stream from the PS3 remotely from "anywhere", so for example if I was on the train coming home from work (well out of BT range) and I wanted to watch a TV show I had recorded using playTV. Whatever that file size will be charged to my phone plan, if this is the case, streaming content from the PS3 to the Aino on a daily basis will prove to be a costly exercise and effectively limit perhaps the best feature of the phone.

                    • a
                    • aino before
                    • ft4
                    • 06 Nov 2009

                    thanks for the review gsmarena

                      • V
                      • Virtual
                      • 5%X
                      • 06 Nov 2009

                      Anonymous, 06 Nov 2009Question. When streaming content from the PS3 to the Aino ... moreIf you do it via Bluetooth I don't think so. It would be the same as using an USB connected to any other cellphone.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • PNF
                        • 06 Nov 2009

                        Question.
                        When streaming content from the PS3 to the Aino via 3G, considering potential media file sizes, will this cost a small fortune? or will streaming from PS3 be somehow exempt? I fail to see how the latter will be monitored though...

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • uC4
                          • 06 Nov 2009

                          Good package in the box, will get it today. Thank you for the review. I dont care about the wifi and surfing part, stylish and nice. WooHOO!

                            • d
                            • darko
                            • S3c
                            • 05 Nov 2009

                            The combination of extra stuff like cradle and headset helps the phone to be compareable with competition. Then it has really a nice and sleek design to add to that. So if stores show the complete kit to the customer this will be a selling hit, but if stores just show the phone beside any other then it will fail.
                            Unfortunately I think that the second scenario is more likely.

                            I hope for SE's sake this phone will be ahit, the company shows new and cool handsets that are truly innovative but if the ones released this fall do not sell then SE will perhaps bleed to death :(

                              • R
                              • Raj
                              • qp4
                              • 05 Nov 2009

                              JAG, 05 Nov 2009this have never ever been more than SE arena, look at the r... moreNokia Number 1? Maybe for now, but if you look at the recent chart Samsung is catching up FAST! This is coming from an N97 owner as well.

                                • d
                                • dara
                                • 3Z5
                                • 05 Nov 2009

                                if they've putted at least hvga resolution (480 x 320) on the screen and full touch support(the fact that default browser doesn't work over touch while downloaded 3rd party opera mini does is just unbelievable)..this would be the best non-smartphone right now.

                                  • J
                                  • JAG
                                  • Pcx
                                  • 05 Nov 2009

                                  MWC, 05 Nov 2009The 3.5 jack 'is' there, but on the bluetooth headset. No n... morethis have never ever been more than SE arena, look at the reivews, look at the priority they give to SE phones.

                                  if they make manny reviews of Nokia Phones is because they have give them the place NOKIA deserves, NUMBER 1, u stupid f*ckin loser, poor SE fan boy

                                    • M
                                    • MWC
                                    • wfE
                                    • 05 Nov 2009

                                    Anonymous, 05 Nov 20093.5 mm head jack is there gsm aerana must check The 3.5 jack 'is' there, but on the bluetooth headset. No need for the 3.5 on the phone if you have wireless technology available, so you must discount this when talking about the down side GSM!!!!

                                    No DIVX, who cares, media go is a sound technology that is available on the handset/computer which will transfer and condence any movies you transfer. I generaly get 4 videos on my SE to the 1 that would normall be on there (usually the condence ddown to about 200mb)

                                    and Media home..... WOW. Wireless transfer on the handset is the TRUE media device. Screw Shokia!!

                                    And for the remote play comment at the start, for anyone with a PS#, its not just DLNA!!!! You can actually start downloads throught the PS3 store, chat with friends on there.... AND the best part of all, with PLAY TV from Sony PS3, you wll be able to watch your TV through the Aino over wifi or 3g!!!

                                    THIS PHONE IS GOING TO BE CRAZY!!!!

                                    And for the commment saying this is SEARENA...... cast your mind back when NokiaArena was running about 3 months ago!! loser

                                    Remote Play

                                      • R
                                      • Raj
                                      • qp4
                                      • 05 Nov 2009

                                      I can see it now, "Hey honey you want an aino?"

                                      Lol, anyways good effort by SE if the Kurara is true then SE is really taking themselves serious.

                                        • s
                                        • sidneylopsides
                                        • nGI
                                        • 05 Nov 2009

                                        Couple of points:
                                        wifi does work for java apps, you can't "set it", the internet settings will use local connectivity if available, the mobile network if not. It's automatic.
                                        Video is recorded in mp4 with AAC sound.
                                        There is kinetic scrolling in the touch media, you can even see it at the very beginning of the UI video.
                                        There is an FM radio in the handset as well as the bluetooth headset, so a wired headset or speakers works for FM too.