Mylo (Sony)
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| mylo Personal Communicator | |
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Sony |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Infrastructure and Ad-hoc through 802.11b Wi-Fi |
| Retail Availability |  September 21, 2007 |
| Operating System | Qtopia Linux |
| Camera | None |
| Media | Memory Stick Pro Duo |
| CPU | ARM |
| Display | 2.4 inch TFT 320×240 pixel |
| Dimensions | 123 x 23.9 x 63 mm 150 grams (5.3 oz) |
| Touchpad | No |
- The correct title of this article is mylo. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
The mylo Personal Communicator is a device created and marketed by Sony for portable instant messaging and other internet-based communications, browsing internet web sites (using Opera) and playback and sharing of media files. The pocket-sized, tablet-shaped handheld device has a screen which slides up to reveal a QWERTY keyboard.[1] The brand name 'mylo' stands for My Life Online. Using Wi-Fi instead of cellular networks the mylo is targeted to the 18-24 age group.[2]
By using WiFi networks for internet connectivity mylo provides users the possibility of reducing connectivity costs by avoiding the necessity of using GSM, CDMA or 3G cellular networks which would usually be used for devices of this size and functionality.[3]
Contents |
[edit] History and design
The first version of the Sony mylo was launched on September 15, 2006 and includes 1 gigabyte of onboard flash memory and a Memory Stick Pro Duo expansion slot.
The mylo is 2.5 cm thick, 12 cm wide and 6 cm tall. It sports a 6 cm diag LCD screen with 320×240 resolution. Its form factor is similar to the Sidekick in that it is held in landscape mode and has a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Its initial model colors were a glossy black and iPod like white.
[edit] Software
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The mylo's menu of software applications is grouped by function.
[edit] Communication
The applications in this menu group use the Wi-Fi connection.
[edit] Skype
Includes the features: Dial (Skype -> phone), Call (Skype -> Skype), Chat (instant messaging), and Send (and Receive) Files. Also can receive (phone -> Skype).
[edit] Google Talk
Features text chats (instant messaging) with Google Talk and Jabber contacts. Included is a link to Gmail (WAP version).
[edit] Yahoo! Messenger
The text messaging application also includes a link to Yahoo! Mail (WAP version).
[edit] Ad Hoc Application
This Peer-to-peer lets the mylo share playlists and stream songs directly to another mylo.[4]
[edit] Web
The Opera web browser allows a number of configurations to help minimize the limitations of the small screen (320x240) including Zoom (%), Text Size (Small, Normal, Large) and View Mode (Normal or Fit to Screen).
[edit] Music
The player supports the MP3, WMA (secured and unsecured) and ATRAC audio formats.
[edit] Photo
The viewer supports the JPG, PNG, and Bitmap image formats.
[edit] Video
The media player supports the MPEG-4/AAC video format.
[edit] Text
The text app. is a simple text editor.
[edit] Tools
The utilities in this menu group include the Connection Manager for managing the Wi-Fi configuration, a File Manager and a firmware System Update tool.
[edit] Connectivity
With the USB mode configuration set to the default (MSC) the mylo acts as a USB mass-storage device. You can then transfer music and other files from a PC with the included SonicStage software or by dragging and dropping using a file manager. With the USB mode set to MTP you can synchronize audio files via WMP 10. While connected via USB, the mylo screen displays the USB mode currently in use and suspends whatever program previously was running.
The 802.11b Wi-Fi connection is started either with the Wireless LAN slider button or automatically when one of mylo's Internet applications (i.e., Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Opera) attempt to access the network and an infrastructure mode Wi-Fi connection has not yet been established. The Wi-Fi mode can be switched to Ad Hoc mode to enable use of the Ad Hoc Application.
Access to any T-Mobile Hotspot is free through 31 December 2006[5] for mylo devices which have been updated with the firmware release v1.200.[6]
[edit] mylo models
Sony introduced the mylo with the COM-1 series, with white and black models.[7]
| Model (and generation) | Image | Capacity | Changes introduced | Connection | Original Release date | Launch price (US$) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COM-1 | 1G |  |
1 GB | First release. Available in White or Black. | USB, Wi-Fi | September 2006 | $349 |
[edit] Specifications
As a device, the mylo sports a 2.4-inch 320 by 240 LCD display, 1 GB of flash memory (upgradeable to 4 GB), mini-USB connectivity, a Memory Stick Duo slot, integrated 802.11b wireless networking (supporting WEP and WPA-PSK) security), and a lithium-ion battery offering up to 45 hours of music playback, 8 hours of video time, and up to 3.5 hours of VoIP talk time. Add to that a DC input for charging or running "wired" with the AC adapter, a 10-pin headphone/microphone interface (an adapter is included), a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for composing messages, and a total weight of about 150 grams (5.3 ounces), including the battery.
[edit] Criticisms
[edit] Software
The mylo does not come with pre-installed games.
Marketing materials reference the optional Sony Image Converter 2 software for converting video to an MPEG-4 format however the Sony Style online store shows that product, MSSW-IC2, as being no longer available.
The Photo application has no zoom capability. Further, pictures transferred using the mylo Image Transfer utility are resized to a resolution of 320x240.
[edit] Instant Messenger Options
The mylo has also been criticized for not including the instant messaging services of Windows Live Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger as configuration options.
This may change when Google Talk completes its proposed interactivity with AOL Instant Messenger in the future.[8]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://geek.com/news/geeknews/2007Aug/gee20060808037883.htm
- ^ http://www.smh.com.au/news/phones--pdas/sony-unveils-webinyourpocket-gadget/2006/08/08/1154802879270.html
- ^ http://geek.com/news/geeknews/2006Aug/gee20060808037883.htm
- ^ http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/consumer/computer_peripheral/release/24061.html
- ^ http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061012/lath055.html
- ^ http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=COM1&UpdateType=Updates
- ^ Identifying different mylo models — Official site from Sony
- ^ Time Warner's AOL and Google to Expand Strategic Alliance. Google Press Center. Retrieved on November 11, 2006.
Products
Technologies and Brands: Walkman • CD • Betacam • Video8/Hi8/Digital8 • DAT • MiniDisc • MiniDV • PlayStation • DVD • Memory Stick • Cyber-shot • VAIO • PSP • BRAVIA • LocationFree • Walkman Phones • XDCAM • Blu-ray • α • mylo
Historical Products: TR-55 • Trinitron • U-matic • Betamax • NEWS • Mavica • WEGA • Sony CLIÉ • AIBO • Qualia
Operating segments
Sony Corp. (Sony Electronics in the US) • Sony Pictures • Sony Computer Entertainment • Sony BMG Music • Sony Financial Holdings
Other
Acquisitions: Columbia Records • Columbia Pictures • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (20%) • Aiwa
Joint Ventures: Sony Ericsson • Sony BMG Music • Sony/ATV • S-LCD • STLCD • Sony NEC Optiarc • FeliCa Networks
Key Personnel: Ibuka • Morita • Stringer • Kutaragi • Hirai • Harrison • Lynton • Pascal • Ohga • Idei
[edit] External links
- Sony mylo — Official website
- Sony mylo Review With Video Demo
- Sony Mylo Forums — Mylo Forums
- Sony mylo Review Comprehensive Review
- Sony mylo Video Encoding Guide Using Free PSPvideo9 Software
