It’s quite intriguing that Sony Ericsson has named their first phone to boast of PS3 connectivity after a popular Finnish name, Aino. The assumption here is that hopefully people–game lovers, especially–will spread the word about it. 

Boasting of a physical keypad and touch interface, the Aino can arguably compete with the multimedia prowess of the iPhone and Samsung i8910HD, thanks to its integration with Sony’s PS3.

Don’t get too excited though, as this new mobile phone is not a PSP phone of any sort.

Needless to say, the Aino probably will get big draws thanks to its PS3 connectivity which is possible both over Wi-Fi and 3G networks. However, setting this up can be a bit convoluted because of codes.

Searching for a PS3 device is just as familiar as searching for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. One capability of this feature is the ability to watch a movie from the Aino. But users have more trouble with the 3G connection, so it is probably still recommended to pick up a PSP Go instead for remote playback.

Also of noteworthy mention here is the revamped Sony’s multimedia menu, which is accessible by the touchscreen alone.

A high-end mobile phone cannot be complete without a camera these days, and the Aino does not disappoint; it’s got an 8.1 megapixel camera. The camera features LED flash, autofocus, geo-tagging, face detection, and others. Media can also be accessed via the keypad.

The 3-inch touchscreen is responsive and is rich in color and graphics. Sony also offers Media Go which permits users to download multimedia content straight off the PC to the Aino via Wi-Fi. Live TV recording is also another noteworthy feature.

Sony seems to have noticed too that every kid on the block is using SD cards these days. This new smartphone becomes more at home thanks to its move to SD cards rather than the proprietary Memory Stick. The Aino can support up to 16GB.

Overall, this $470 featurephone has a nice layout  along with noticeable ease of use. But multitasking poses a problem when connected via Wi-Fi. The camera also works very slowly.

Nevertheless, it offers a lot and is a good stepping stone for integrating mobile phones with the PS3. (Duane D)

Source: Gadgetlite, Yugatech