The Sony K750i is like a Transformer, “more than meets the eye.” Read more…

Specs:
	Bluetooth 1.1, works for Bluetooth File Exchange, for loading files onto the transflash, and for using as wireless modem.
	USB, for loading files onto the transflash and as modem.
	Battery Performance: 2 out of 3
	Network: GSM, (Cingular, TMobile).  Antenna Strength: Good
	GPRS for modem connection over bluetooth or USB.
	MP3 and AAC capable, proprietary stereo headphones, mono speakers, no iTunes (yet)
	iSync compatible: Yes.
	Address Book functionality for SMS & Caller ID over Bluetooth
	Address Book Photo Sync: No
	Remote control via Bluetooth: Yes
	External Memory: Yes, Sony Memory Stick Duo
	Camera: Yes. 2 Megapixel

Look and Feel:

When you first pick it out of the box, open the back to pop in the battery, the plastic material feels a bit
chintzy.  Maybe for me the problem was that I just came from using the Motorola E398 that has such a nice feel to it.  But I’ll reserve judgment until I actually get to use the phone.

The keys are straight forward, two soft keys just below the display, separated by a shortcut key.  Then the control stick
with “back” on the left and “C” for clear on the right.  Below that are just the standard number keys, some doing double duty for additional phone functionality.

On the right side, you have the camera shutter button and the volume control, that doubles as the zoom function when the phone’s in camera mode.  You can easily see that the phone is meant to be held long-wise horizontally when in camera mode, like a traditional digital camera.  On the left side, you have a play/pause button, that launches media player, as well as the rubber door for Sony’s Memory Stick Duo (slightly smaller than the regular memory stick, but somehow holds more).  Don’t worry, the K750i comes with a little adapter to make your Duo stick into a large memory stick if you want to add / remove content that way.

After charging it up and turning it on (the button’s on the top, next to the infrared (IR) port—see photos), instantly, you find yourself with a big grin on your face—akin to the first time you turned on a Mac or installed Tiger.  A fun video quickly explains the functionality of the phone, as well as quick tips that make it easy to get acquainted with where everything is in the menu system. Boy, what a nice and intuitive user interface!

For instance, the guides explain that when you press the “*” key and then the top right soft-key, you put the K750i into key lock (for when you put your phone in your pocket and you don’t want a key to be pressed accidentally).  Don’t worry, in case you forget this combination, a little key is noted on the star button. Do the same key combination to unlock the phone. When you hold down the “#” key, you put the phone in silent mode; hold it down again to go back to your previously set volume profile. There’s also a reminder of this function on the key: two eighth-notes (for the musically inclined) with a line through them.

Setting Up with the Mac

Setting up the K750i with the Mac is a breeze, especially since almost all the iSync functionality is built in (only address book photos are missing).  On the phone, push the control stick in to reveal the main menu. Navigate to the bottom right setting which is “Settings.”  from there you’ll get a new menu with a number of tabs at the top.  Push to the right to the last tab, which has a little “sync” icon on it, and you’ll get a menu called “Connectivity.”  The first option listed is bluetooth; select it.  From there, select “Visibility” and make your phone visible.  From there, you should follow the typical steps on your Mac.

You’ll note during your setup that an additional feature for using the K750i as a remote will appear.  Select it if you’d like to use the phone as a bluetooth mouse, to control your DVD player, or even Keynote.

More to Come…

Day Two of the test of the Sony Ericsson K750i will discuss more of my personal experiences and Day Three will sum up my feelings about the phone.  If you’d like to see some additional shots of the phone, check out the image gallery (you can also see all the images on the site if you click the tab in the top right corner of any page). If you have any questions about the K750i as I’m trying it out, click on the “Add Comment” button below or email me. And please check back soon…