Conclusion
Sony Ericsson's w800i is a worthy update to the Walkman legacy started many years ago when portable cassette players were truly the state-of-the-art in mobile music. Packing a robust digital music player and snapshot-worthy camera into a cell phone the size of a large pack of gum is no small feat, and Sony's managed to accomplish this without sacrificing any of what matters most when it comes to music — sound quality. Music sounds great with the included in-ear headset, and upgrading to a premium set of phones — or connecting the w800i to a home or car stereo — will turn your phone into a custom audio system.
The w800i is not currently carried by T-Mobile, Cingular, or any other GSM carriers in the United States. However, the phone is widely available as an unlocked handset compatible with the above carrrier's networks.
It should be noted that Sony Ericsson recently announced a next-generation of Walkman phones including the flagship w950i, which according to SE's website will feature a touchscreen and 4GB of built-in flash memory. Another recently announced phone, the quad-band w300i, will be the first clamshell (flip phone) Walkman model and feature dual displays with music information viewable when the phone is closed.
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