Sony Ericsson Elm preview: First look

Introduction

The Sony Ericsson may be green at heart but it sure looks like a red hot package complete with imaging, connectivity and novel design. Makers are keen to ride the green wave and phones are rushing to catch up. It seemed Sony Ericsson's GreenHeart had a slow start. But after a nice and easy rehash and the no-frills Naite, the GreenHeart is getting a speed boost with the Elm and the Hazel. Eco-friendly materials are combined with top-notch features and the already must-have social networking.

Sony Ericsson Elm official photos

The Elm is not the standard feature phone we've got used to seeing from Sony Ericsson. Its true power is well hidden inside and the exterior makes sure the Elm will take more than a casual look. This candybar packs all the connectivity you will ever need - Wi-Fi, DLNA, GPS receiver, Bluetooth, 3G support with HSPA and microSD card slot.

Sony Ericsson Elm at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100, GPRS/EDGE class 10, HSDPA 7.2Mbps
• Form factor: Candybar
• Dimensions: 110 x 45 x 14 mm, 90 g
• Display: 2.2" 256K-color TFT display, 240 x 320 pixel resolution
• Memory: 280MB integrated memory, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• UI: Proprietary Flash-based UI
• Still camera: 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection, smile detection
• Video recording: VGA @ 30fps
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi with DLNA, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, GPS receiver with A-GPS and Wisepilot trial
• Misc: Splash-resistant body, accelerometer sensor for screen auto rotation, SensMe, Noise Shield, Clear Voice and Intelligent Volume Adaptation, social networking integration with homescreen Widget Manager, HD Voice Ready
• Battery: 1000mAh BST-43 Li-Pol battery

Surely, the specs above reveal the Elm's intention to give you a square deal besides the eco-friendly factor. In this quick preview we'll be trying to look beyond the promises the Sony Ericsson Elm is making. The handset we have is far from mature software-wise but the hardware is all there and the finish looks good. The trademark Sony Ericsson Flash-based UI is at its usual best but some of the promised extras will obviously have to wait for a more final unit and a proper review.

The Facebook integration is no news since the C901, but the Elm is keen to bring more - Facebook, Twitter and MySpace all a click away on your homescreen, courtesy of a novel widget system.

Sony Ericsson Elm live shots

Since none of those are available on our test sample, we guess widgets and social networking will perhaps be the final touches to the Elm - and some of it will even be left to carriers themselves. But there's still enough stuff to check about an ambitious handset with a small environmental footprint and a long spec sheet.