Overview:

After a rocky start, in the market the Sony Ericsson Aino has looked to offer more than your average phone, being PlayStation compatible and featuring everything we’ve come to expect from a new phone- good camera, plenty of storage and bits to keep us interested. Let’s take a closer look at Sony Ericsson’s gaming phone.

Review:

First impressions of the Aino is that it is a regular touchscreen handset, but get it in your hands and you’ll be nicely surprised in finding it’s also a slider phone.

The large screen gives the Aino a bold look, and is good for, oh say, playing games for instance.

Luckily the Aino is the first phone from Sony Ericsson to bring PS3 connectivity to a phone. While this is indeed a step in the right direction for Sony Ericsson, don’t go listing your PSP on eBay just yet.

The Aino features Remote Play which allows you to control and view content on your PS3, which until now was a feature exclusive to the PSP.

In short, that Aino makes use of PS3 multimedia functions more than providing you with all your PS3 favourites on your handset. Still, that’s impressive enough to warrant some gamer interest.

Another point of interest is the whopping 8.1 megapixel camera, placing it at the upper end of the mobile snapper spectrum.

There are 5 picture-taking resolution options available including 1080p 16:9.

Camera settings include flash, macro mode, autofocus, a self-timer and an infinite focus mode for long distance shots.

Photos can be shot with a simple tap on the screen which is a nice touch, and after you’ve captured the moment, you can utilise an array of editing effects including red-eye reduction.

The Aino also comes with GPS support, so you can rely on Google maps to get you to that obscure pub your mates are hanging out at after work.

We mentioned before that the Aino was both a touchscreen and slider phone, but how does this marriage work?

Well, the touchscreen can only be used when the slider is closed, and even then it can only be used with the phone’s 3D media browser.

Being a multi-media friendly handset, the Aino’s music player comes with features such as aeroplane mode, playlists and EQ presets, which each have different art icons, keeping the music interface fun.

As with the W995, the Aino also comes with Shake control which means you can wave the phone in the air to shuffle between tracks.

There is also an FM radio, but sadly no standard 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’re required to use Sony Ericsson’s earbuds with proprietary connection.

Another interesting feature on the Aino is the search function on the bottom corner of the home page, which allows you to connect to the world’s favourite website; Google.

Available for free on a £25 a month plan from MobileShop.com, the Sony Ericsson Aino is a PlayStation fan’s phone.

The Gaj-It Verdict:

Design: 8/10
Usability: 7/10
Features: 8/10
Value: 8/10

We Say:

We like how Sony Ericsson has finally decided to integrate its gaming and phone technology in the Aino, and there is a lot on this phone to keep you interested. It comes with everything you expect from a smartphone, plus a bit more. If you’re a gamer, the Aino may get you excited, and for the rest of us, there are still music and photo features abounds.