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Review: Sony Woos Teens With Mylo Gadget
The device also has no built in e-mail software, though you can pull up messages from Web-based services offered by Yahoo, Google and Microsoft.
The Mylo's other main attraction is its multimedia capability, which can be used when no wireless hotspot is available or while you're chatting and surfing.
  The Sony Mylo, a personal communicator that connects to the Internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot, is shown in this photo taken Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2006, in Sioux Falls, S.D. (AP Photo/Dirk Lammers) (Dirk Lammers - AP) washingtonpost.com Video Mash-Up
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It boasts a gigabyte of internal storage for music, photos and MPEG-4 video files. It also provides a slot to add a Memory Stick, but it's tricky to get open. There's no built-in support for other memory formats.
The photo browser can handle JPEG, PNG and BMP files, but unlike many cell phones, the Mylo doesn't have a built-in camera.
The music player can handle MP3, ATRAC as well as secured and unsecured Windows Media Audio files, but not anything purchased at Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes Music Store.
The placement of a single control for play, stop, rewind and forward is fine, but the volume controls on the lower back of the device are awkward.
Songs can be transferred to the Mylo through a USB cable, but I couldn't test that functionality as Sony didn't include that cable with the review unit. I was able to upload a few MP3 files to the device through Skype and got them to play.
The Mylo also includes a basic text editor that can be used to create a shopping list or take notes during class. Text files can be transferred to a computer through the USB cable or Memory Stick, or sent over the Internet through e-mail or one of the chat programs.
Sony says the lithium-ion battery provides 3 1/2 hours of Internet call time, about 8 hours of video and up to 45 hours of music playback.
The device also allows users to wirelessly hook up with other nearby Mylo owners to trade messages or stream MP3s.
The Mylo is the latest device looking to blur the lines between phones, computers and media players. It's a cute gadget that does what it sets out to do, but is it worth investing in a device that's only fully functional at Wi-Fi hotspots?
Students living and going to class on a Wi-Fi-enabled campus might think so, but $350 is a hefty initial investment even if you're saving on monthly access fees.
The Mylo's future might depend on whether it becomes known as the next cool gotta-have gizmo.
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On the Net:
Sony Mylo: http:/
