by : Raina Kelsey

After some complaints from users about the Sony Ericsson's P series, the manufactures have launched a new handset with firmware upgrades - the Sony Ericsson P1i. The handset deviates from other traditional devices under the genre, and comes in a compact form factor. And this is intelligently done through the exposed QWERTY / numeric board. Instead of a plastic finish, the handset has a matte metallic finish around the edges with a piano black gloss around the sides and front. While at the back (where the camera lens is stationed), there is the a different rubbery texture, in black.

One of the significant changes in Sony Ericsson P1i is that Sony Ericsson did not include a full QWERTY keyboard on the P1i, but instead put all the letters and numbers in 20 keys. And most of the keys rock left and right to serve the purpose. The center portion of the keypad has numbers in red laid out just like a regular numeric keypad for use in the phone application. While such alignment does save a lot of space, it also involves some getting used to of it. For typing now becomes two way step - first choosing the keys and then choosing the direction to rock.

Feature wise, the Sony Ericsson P1i is rich as well. It offers many connectivity options. For cellular networks, the handset offers a triband GSM phone and is 3G-enabled. Other wireless options include wireless LAN and Bluetooth. The operating system for Sony Ericsson P1i is Symbian 9.2 with the UIQ 3.1 interface. The best way to navigate the Menu is by tapping the screen with a stylus. Other highlights of the phone includes applications to open and edit documents, business card scanner program, 160MB built-in memory, 3.2-megapixel camera, music player with FM radio and many PIM functions.