Described as a “business partner with a conscience,” the Sony Ericsson Aspen received its introduction yesterday. What’s up with that “conscience” thing? Well, the business-oriented smartphone comes in as a part of Sony Ericsson’s GreenHeart line, which primps environmentally-conscious features on top of your regular productivity package.
Taking a page right out of the S60-based E-Series, the handset bears all-too-obvious physical similarities with the Finnish company’s popular business handheld, the Nokia E72. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – especially when executed this well (in the looks department, at least).
The Sony Ericsson Aspen boasts both a QWERTY keyboard and a resistive touchscreen atop its candybar frame. Display measures 2.4 inches, with 240 x 320 resolution. It uses a similar panels-based UI as the Xperia X2 (with plenty of preinstalled choices), allowing you to change the look and presentation of the homepage on the fly.
Details of the device include a 3.2-megapixel camera, aGPS, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio, support for both 3G and Wi_Fi, microSD card expansion (4GB included), a boatload of apps (Google apps, social messaging and more) and the usual Windows Mobile niceties (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, IE, Office Mobile). It also comes with Sony Ericsson’s Media Browser and Play Now features. Being a GreenHeart phone, there’s a good amount of eco-conscious fares too, including the GreenHeart panel, power-saving mode, Eco-mate app and power-saving accessories.
The Sony Ericsson Aspen is slated for availability in select markets beginning in the 2nd quarter. It comes with a choice of two colors – iconic black or white silver.
