The joint venture between Sony and Ericsson, which has its North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park, has unveiled its first mobile phone.
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, founded last October, unveiled the T61d on Monday, calling it the first mobile phone designed for TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access).
According to Webodopia, “TDMA works by dividing a radio frequency into time slots and then allocating slots to multiple calls. In this way, a single frequency can support multiple, simultaneous data channels.”
Nicky Csellak-Claeys, a spokesperson for Sony Ericsson, said the T61d was developed in North Carolina, where the London-based company employees about 700 of its 4,000 people.
Sony Ericsson says the T61d allows consumers to stay organized and keep connected while also offering personalization options.
“The Sony Ericsson T61d is designed for those who expect their mobile phones to keep up with their busy schedules,” Bo Larsson, corporate vice president and general manager for Sony Ericsson in North America, said in a statement. “The T61d is perfect for the on-the-go person who needs to stay organized and connected, but also requires a phone that has a bit of personality for customization to express their own tastes.”
With five-way joystick navigation and a large display, the T61d doubles as a personal organizer, allowing users to store up to 500 contacts with multiple numbers per name. In addition, users may set reminders, save appointments, use the phone as an alarm and save dates with the calendar and “To Do” list. PC synchronization capability enables transfer of calendar and contact data between the PC and the T61d.
The T61d also provides users the opportunity to make voice-activated calls with its “Magic Word” feature and supports two-way text messaging and mobile chat, Sony Ericsson says.
The company adds that the T61d is the first Sony Ericsson TDMA phone to meet FCC and operator requirements for integrated compatibility with TTY, a special device that allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired to communicate by typing messages back and forth to one another.
The T61d also supports a wide variety of accessories, including “SmartBack” accessories, which fully integrate into the back of the phone, giving users such benefits as a retractable portable hands-free or built-in FM radio.
The phone is expected to be available in the third quarter of 2002, Sony Ericsson projects.
Sony Ericsson: www.sonyericsson.com
