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Join me as I take a look at the battle that’s brewing between the heavyweight in the mobile world: Nokia and Sony Ericsson, both of whom want you to buy THEIR mobile phones!

Nokia - Going Tubin’

A lot of hopes are pinned on a brand new Nokia phone that’s due out soon, the Tube. It’s significant, because it’s going to be Nokia first EVER full touchscreen mobile phone. Yep, they plan to take on the iPhone with it! To that end, they’ve been in development on a brand new version of their Symbian-based operating system, called S60 Touch. It is said to boast full touch control, massive 3+ inch screen, a VERY high spec camera, and all the usual Nokia user-friendliness.

However, recent shots of it, and test users’ opinions have said it’s not THAT nice to use. And whilst it may aim at the same touch control mechanism as the iPhone, it seems somehow clunkier, according to reports; the Nokia Tube’s just not as smooth, or as fluid as its rival from Apple.

Sony Ericsson - power users of the world rejoice

So, if the Tube is going to be a bit of a let-down, what have Sony Ericsson got up their sleeves? Well, it seems they have a quadruple-header of REALLY high-end mobile phones coming up. First up is a Cyber-Shot camera phone known only by its codename of ‘Shiho’. It’s not been confirmed exactly what spec it will have, but if the rumours are to be believed, it will have AT LEAST a 7.2 megapixel camera, with 3x optical zoom. Combine that with the Cyber-Shot gubbins, and it will make for one awesome camera phone. If Sony Ericsson are going to rule the camera world with the Shiho, then they aim to rule the music world with their new really, really high end Walkman phone, so secret that we don’t even know its new codename. All we know is that it was called ‘Maria’, and was based on a totally new version of Symbian UIQ, making it a proper iPhone-Killer. We don’t know exactly how powerful it will be, but one thing’s for sure; it will be powerful!

They pale in comparison, though, to Sony Ericsson’s BIG pair of heavy-hitters. In the Windows Mobile world, and aiming to crack America, we have the stunning X1, an all-metal, super-powered mega-smart-phone. And then, alongside that, will be the mobile phone that the world and its dog is waiting for: the Sony Ericsson Paris, rumoured to be the upcoming P5. Whilst we don’t know the full specs of this monster yet, we DO know it’s UIQ-powered, with an incredibly-fast processor, 5 megapixel camera, sliding QWERTY keypad, built-in GPS, and an exclusive, metal body. Certainly cool enough to kick the Nokia Tube into a cocked hat. Not that it won’t have competition, though, because rumored to be out this year is another newbie to the world of mobile phones: the new 3G iPhone.

The Sony Ericsson K800 is a mobile available in dimensions of 105 x 47 x 22 mm that gives a very delightful experience of messaging and capturing pictures with a very high resolution. The display screen is the right platform for viewing of the clicked pictures as there is sharp increase in the resolution of the pictures and videos that are recorded.

This handset works on 2G as well as 3G networks. So, it is possible for the user to avail everything that a third generation phone can deliver - starting from Internet access & surfing of the web to making high-speed downloads. Email access and wireless transfer of data and files are also possible in the K800i. The display screen is where one can read all the messages received. The 240 x 320 pixels screen is also good for playing fascinating games that drive away all fatigue and tensions from one’s mind.

This Sony Ericsson phone is preloaded with games such as FotoQuestFishing and MiniGolf. A wallpaper or screen saver when saved on the screen of the handset give a very impressive look to the mobile.Connectivity of the K880i is established with extra options such as GPRS, HSCSD, 3G, Bluetooth, Infrared and USB port. Bluetooth is excellent for wireless transmission of files from one device to another. Its presence in the handset serve the purpose of sending files to other gadgets. File transfer can also be accomplished with Internet connections, where a person can send mails with attachments to it.

The Sony Ericsson K800i is good for entertainment purposes as well. The music player can run music in all the popular formats. The FM radio is good for listening to the latest releases of songs and also for keeping oneself updated with recent happenings. The 3.15 MP camera is excellent for capturing sharp pictures with a resolution of 2048×1536 pixels. This camera also has video shoot capability. The battery of the mobile delivers a standby time of 350 hr and a talk time of 7 hr. The Sony Ericsson K800i has 64 MB internal memory and weighs 112 gms.

Not a great deal is known about Sony Ericsson and Nokia’s upcoming attempts to build an iPhone Killer, a mobile phone with full touchscreen access, that will put the Apple offering in its place. But let’s take a look at what IS known…

Nokia Tube - Series 60 goes all touchy-feely

Nokia have a long history of building smartphones on the great UIQ Series 60 interface. When you look though the list of previous mobile phones that use that, it’s both long and impressive, with a lot of names you may well recognise:. N91… N80… N95… N82… N73… well, the list goes on, but what’s clear is that it IS a beautifully slick and user-friendly interface. But it’s never been able to support touchscreens…

Until now, that is, because Nokia recently officially announced that they’re working on a fully touchscreen mobile phone, powered by a brand new Series 60 ‘Touch’ interface. And it will be called the Nokia Tube. The look of the interface will be instantly recognisable to anyone who’s used a Nokia before, but with bigger icons, it’s going to make it a doddle to use with your finger. It’s rumoured that’s not QUITE an iPhone beater, but we’ll have to see…

Sony Ericsson Superphone - so good, no-one even knows what it’s called!

Meanwhile, the other competition for the iPhone Killer crown comes from Sony Ericsson. But the thing is, y’see, no-one actually knows what the new mobile phone’s called. All we know is that it WAS known recently as the Sony Ericsson Maria, although that name seems to have gone by the wayside. But, it’s as good a name as any, for now! It’s alleged to run the newest version of the UIQ touchscreen interface, optimised for finger control and multitouch, and will take the fight straight to the iPhone. Just a shame, that Sony Ericsson won’t tell us about it, and no-one knows what it’ll look like. I’ll hazard a guess, though. Like an iPhone.

So, with all this in mind, with new top-end mobile phones coming out, should Apple be worried? Well, maybe. The Nokia Tube, unfortunately, doesn’t look like it’s going to steal its crown. The dark horse, the Sony Ericsson, might though. But then, both of them have to face the fact that there’ll be a NEW 3G iPhone this year. And it may well kick them both in the head…

Join me as I tell you a love story to rival Romeo and Juliet. Well, ok, it’s not that epic, if I’m brutally honest, and it’s not actually about me falling in love with anyone, but it is a story about mobile phones, and how someone can fall in love with a gadget. It’s the love story between me and my trusty Sony Ericsson P1.

Smartphones - why Sony Ericsson rule the world

There’s a particular class of mobile phone that I’ve always loved, ever since I got my first one about 5 years ago, and that’s smartphones. Those fabulous go-anywhere, do-anything devices that act as far more than just mobile phones. They’re your music player. They’re the internet in your hand. You can download software onto them to make them do more things than you’d ever imagined mobile phones could do. For the last 5 years, I’ve never looked back, and every mobile phone I’ve had has been a smartphone.

Or, more to the point, it’s been a Sony Ericsson smartphone. Way back then, I got myself a Sony Ericsson P800, and their P-series has become the only range of mobile phones I’ll have from now on! From the P800, I moved to the P900, then the P910, then the P990, right up to the present day, where I have my newest mobile phone, the new apple of my eye, the Sony Ericsson P1. And it’s that one that I’ve fallen in love with.

Sony Ericsson P1 - the king of smartphones

When it comes to features, the Sony Ericsson P1 is packed with ‘em! Starting with the camera (the thing people always look at when they look at mobile phones), you get a gorgeous 3 megapixel beastie, producing lovely, pin-sharp photos, and it’s a doddle to link up the Sony Ericsson P1 to your PC, to transfer them across. The same goes for music (since music is the second thing people ask about, with mobile phones), letting you transfer your music collection across with ease. Internet duties come courtesy of the built-in Opera 9 browser.

But this is all just pointless waffle, since good mobile phones are measured on how they make you feel. So, how does the Sony Ericsson P1 make me feel? Well, quite frankly, it’s amazing. It’s powerful, it’s beautiful (with an amazing aluminium and glass black finish), and it just flat out rocks. So get one. Now. Trust me, you won’t regret it. It’s available now on O2, Vodafone, and various networks.