Mobile Phones

Sony Ericsson has announced its first GPS navigation capable handset today with the launch of the new K530. While Nokia has been bundling GPS functionality in handsets for a little while now, Sony Ericsson has, until now, not entered the fray.

Partnered with the Sony Ericsson HGE-100 GPS enabler, also announced today, the K530 can give full point-to-point voice navigation. Using the included 'Tracker' sports GPS application, users can record trip speed, distances, and calorie burn while exercising for fitness training. The K530 can also deliver weather forecasts for your current location on demand. The HGE-100 doubles as a stereo handsfree device, playing music and giving directions while in use.

The 3G data capable Sony Ericsson K530 boasts a built in web browser and RSS reader to make use of the high data speeds. Push email with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync is also a welcome addition to a non-smartphone device. A 2.0MP camera is also available, with its 16MB of on board storage able to be supplemented with Memory Stick Micro (M2) memory cards.

With a sporty look, sturdy build, and low weight, the water and sweat resistant Motorola S9 Active Bluetooth Headphones are designed just as the name suggests: with the active amongst us in mind.

The S9s are ear bud headphones with a stiff frame that wraps around the back of your head to hold them in place. There is the choice of three different sized ear buds as standard and between these three sizes, most people will find a comfortable fit. The S9 Active headphones also include a miniUSB to AC charger, the Motorola Bluetooth Stereo PC Adapter, and a manual. Out of the box, the S9 Active's lithium-ion battery took approximately 2 hours to charge from empty to full and delivered 6 hours of music per charge.

The whole unit is made of hard plastic with rubber accents on the inside. While the rear part is quite rigid, the ends were, thankfully, flexible. On top of their sporty look, the S9 Active headphones are very lightweight, tipping the scales at just 32g (1.1oz). Measuring 126mm x 130mm x 48mm (4.96" x 5.11" x 1.88" ) and having thickest part of the headphones - the area around the very back of your head — being only about 6mm thick, this is quite an inconspicuous pair of headphones.

The Sony Ericsson Z320, announced from Berlin, is an upgrade to the company's entry-level portfolio and comes as the successor to the Z310 that is currently available. Updated styling and a retro theme make this handset an individual in a word of plain and simple designs.

Despite the target demographic of the Sony Ericsson Z320, the device has most aspects covered and should be a rather enticing handset for those on a budget. Sony Ericsson bill the Z320 as a compact phone with a simple camera for those impromptu moments, and a 1.3MP sensor is perfect for just that. The 1.8" display makes viewing photos easy, and 12MB of memory will store up to 100 captured moments. A retro-style row of indicator icons on the outside of the flip complements the styling of the handset perfectly, and speakerphone functionality and a WAP browser are also available.