small wonder

Sony Ericsson last month released its 5th-generation P-series smart-phone, the P1i. Having tried it out, I am convinced the 'P' stands for powerhouse.

Fast forward The P1i offers significant improvements in design, speed and performance from its predecessors - the P990, M600 and the W950 models. Measuring 106mm x 55mm x 17mm, the P1i is about 25 per cent smaller than the P990, which makes it easier to grip and slip inside your pocket. One-hand typing is a breeze with its alphanumeric keyboard, on which most keys represent two letters of the alphabet. To select letters, you press on one or other side of the relatively large keys. It also has a touch-screen for data input with a stylus.

Remote control The P1i is a 3G and tri-band GPRS mobile phone that supports Bluetooth and 802.11b Wi-fi connectivity, a set-up geared for fast Web browsing, data downloads or e-mail usage anywhere a connection can be made. The handset runs the Symbian operating system and supports a wide range of push e-mail services, including Exchange ActiveSync and BlackBerry Connect. It also allows for remote wiping of e-mail and personal information manager data; something critical if the phone is stolen or misplaced.

Room for improvement But even a powerhouse device such as the P1i could use a few more features. It lacks built-in global positioning and support for higher-speed HSDPA 3G networks and a 802.11g Wi-fi connection - all of which are standard with Nokia's N95 smartphone. The P1i also has only a 3.2-megapixel camera, compared with the N95's five-megapixel snapper. But this is just nitpicking.

The P1i costs HK$4,680, or less if purchased with a subscription plan.