Satio slide with 12 megapixel camera
The overall design feels well engineered and the camera slide, typical of Sony Ericson, is a highlight. Results from the camera certainly looked impressive, but it is too early to draw any real conclusions.
Multimedia - Images
The familiar Sony style is most evident in the multimedia applications. One of the nice touches is the seamless integration with web albums - in the demo it was Picasa, but it seems likely that others will be added.
YouTube application
The Satio has a copy of Google's YouTube application for S60 5th Edition pre-installed allowing you to easily watch YouTube video. Playback in full screen mode is fully supported.
Image / multimedia homescreen
This is the image / multimedia homescreen. Here you can flick through images (up and down) in chronological order. A lot of work has been done to make these transitions feel as natural as possible and it's certainly one of the areas where eye candy makes a real difference.
Multimedia - music
The music application (agin in the familiar Sony style) includes support for audiobooks and podcasts as well as the usual music categories / divisions. PlayNow acts as a digital music store in select markets. The Satio looks set to be on of Sony Ericsson's most complete music offerings. The only let down is the absence of a 3.5mm audio - something that you do find on some Sony Ericsson Walkman phones...
Application Launcher
Applications include DataViz's RoadSync (Microsoft Exchange Sync), Google (quick access to Google application), Adobe PDF and Quickoffice.
Homescreen - applications
The application page / panel of the homescreen allows quick access to your most common application. It is fully customisation. Note the inclusion of Conversation Message - an app for allowing SMS in a chat like interface.
WorldMate on the Satio
The ever popular WorldMate running on the Sony Ericsson Satio.
Homescreen - people / contacts
One of the five homescreen pages / panels is for people (contacts). The pages acts like a speed dial, but with multiple contact options (calling, messaging, email and so on...). You move between the screen by swiping or choosing the appropriate icon from the top of the screen. It vaguely reminded me of the application 'tab' concept in UIQ 2 devices (P800).
Wisepilot - navigation
Entertainment applications
The entertainment applications include the usual suspects; notable is the presence of TrackID for recognising music from recorded audio.
Wisepilot - Find
Wisepilot has the usual search and PoI functionality typical of mapping applications.
Standard S60 Calendar application
Although many of the Satio's applications have been customised there are still a number of very familiar looking S60 applications. It's a testament to the customisation elsewhere that is one of the few areas where people will immediately recognise S60.
Need for Speed
This games was dropped on to the Satio without any tweaking, but still ran very quickly. It has impressively smooth graphics and shows off the power under the Satio's hood. The Satio has an OMAP 3 chipset with a dedicated graphics co-processor. Need for Speed uses the accelerometer to control the steering direction.
Homescreen - images
Flicking through images on the homescreen.
T9 input
As on the 5800 this is probably the easiest text input method. As with the QWERTY keyboard the haptics are good - with a lighter touch than is found in other devices.
QWERTY keyboard
Entering text on the standard S60 5th Edition keyboard takes a bit of getting use to, but the haptics on the Satio are particularly good, which helps improves matters.
Sony Ericsson Satio launch event
The over riding theme of the Satio is that it combines all of Sony Ericsson's consumer offering 'in one place'. Walkman and Cybershot segmentation does not apply.
Facebook
No phone is safe without Facebook these days...
Event Q & A
The Ainu and Yuri were also launched at the event.
Satio from the side
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Satio colours
Silver, black and red.
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Camera mode
Wisepilot - map
Wisepilot in map mode. Note the inclusion of traffic camera warnings.
PlayNow Arena
Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena will be used to deliver digital content to the Satio. This includes music, video and an application store.
Previewing music
Homescreen with music player shortcut
You can choose to 'minimise' the music application - it will then be displayed on the Satio's homescreen.
Google Maps - street view mode.
Google Maps in street view mode looks excellent on the Satio's large screen.
PlayNow Arena
Satio in the hand
The Satio felt sleek and light to handle. Something of a contrast to the heavier phones typical of this form factor. The screen is excellent, but its the overall Sony Ericsson 'style' that makes the phone feel attractive. Such things are very subjective, but Sony Ericsson certainly has a dedicated set of fans, which should mean the device does well. It is, technically, very capable and Sony Ericsson have put an enormous amount of effort into customisng the phone.
Picasa Albums Integration
The integration includes the ability to view and add comments to photos stored in Picassa web Albums - an impressive level of integration similar to Nokia's Share online.
Music - album art
The Sony Ericsson styled music player with custom shortcuts and a bread crumb trail indicating what is currently playing.
Facebook integration
The Facebook application on the Satio. The person in the middle is you, with the surrounding circles representing your friends. The circles change state when there are new status updates or messages.
Google Maps
Google Maps running on the Sony Ericsson Satio.
