MUMBAI: The latest entrant in the gizmo world is Sony Ericsson W580i Walkman phone which has be launched in the US with wide availability including AT&T stores, regional operators and national retailers.

This affordable mobile phone in a slim-slider design created with music lovers in mind is packed with the advanced Walkman 2.0 media player, hidden 2.0 mega pixel camera, mood lighting and new multimedia and fitness features.  

Starting in October, the W580i will be available nationwide at AT&T stores. It can also be purchased through AT&T’s Website and at participating retail channels including Best Buy, RadioShack and Amazon.com with AT&T wireless service. In addition, the W580i is offered at other regional mobile operators throughout the country and other online outlets such as SonyStyle.com. The W580i comes in varied colors such as Style White, Urban Grey and Boulevard Black.  

Catering for music buffs is is Shake Control, a new feature exclusive to the W580i. Consumers can navigate the W580i’s simple Walkman menu to select and play tracks, or use Shake Control through which one can skip through songs with a quick flick of the wrist, jumping to a random song in shuffle mode or the next song in an existing play list. The phone also comes equipped with a pedometer, stopwatch and calorie counter to help the health conscious stay on track.  

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, North America head of marketing Karen Morris states, “Sony Ericsson’s Walkman phone line continues to redefine the mobile music experience with eye-catching, innovative devices at every price point. Already, the W580i has received rave reviews for the all-around high quality of its design, ease of use and Shake Control, which is an effortless way to control and play your music. With nationwide availability through AT&T and other retailers, music lovers today have an affordable way to enjoy their music on the go, but can also take advantage of the phone’s high-quality camera, fitness and multimedia features.”