Sony Ericsson's new entry into the burgeoning fashion phone market segment is the Z520, an elegant clamshell format, quad-band GSM handset. Unveiled at the recent CommunicAsia trade show, the Z520 was designed to support a busy social or working life. Its external screen displays the caller's picture if it is associated with their number. An ingenious light effect, which uses blue lights built into the phone's perimeter, lets a user know who's calling by flashing one of eight light patterns, which are paired with melodies. All of these effects are linked to the user's phonebook contacts. The phone's camera can take pictures or video clips with the handset open or closed. The camera lens is on the same side as the external screen, which acts as a reference viewfinder, so a user can easily frame shots. The 1.8-inch display shows full-resolution pictures when the phone is open. Images can be linked to contacts, shared locally using infrared or Bluetooth, or sent to people as multimedia messages. The Z520 is expected to be commercially available in the third quarter.
