Looking closely at this smartphone, one could swear that if you wanted to send a message, you would have to access one of the many Android applications available for its version of the operating system - 2.3 - and use a display-based keyboard, however, that is not the case as the screen slides up and away revealing a full keyboard.
Oneof the many leading smartphones available on the market today, the SonyEricsson MK16A is like any of the other Android-powered phones on themarket, using its 3.7-inch screen for many features. However, the MK16Ahas a surprise built-in, a full QWERTY-style keyboard that slips outfrom the bottom so you can quickly send a message or text and then snapit back together so you can take advantage of its high-contrast colorscreen.
That is the beauty of this phone. Unlike a Blackberry,where the screen and keyboard reside on the same device, this is atwo-piece smartphone that gives you the best of both worlds. You cantake advantage of one of the many thousands of applications that havebeen created to work under Android 2.3, using the full display, andstill use a mini-sized small keyboard to handle your texting and emailneeds.
A surprising feature is its size, the MK16A is driven by a 1GHz microprocessor and yet is only 2.2 inches by 0.5 inches by 4.7inches, weighing an impressive 3.2 ounces. The MK16A is a lightweight,yet it packs a punch such as an 8.1 MP automatic camera, as well as afront-facing lens for videoconferencing or chats. Interestingly, thehigh-resolution camera features an autoflash capability and shoots at720 p so that you can share any video you shoot through an interfacecable with your high-resolution TV screen. Further, the M16A, though alightweight, is still driven by a Qualcomm 1 GHz Snapdragon processorand up to 32 GB of memory so it can handle any chore you ask of it. Forexample, the M16A automatically recognizes you have received a mailmessage or text and notifies you so you can quickly answer it on thebuilt-in QWERTY-style keyboard.
Internal memory available to youis 1 GB, while a microSD card takes care of the memory expansion.Further, since this is Sony Bravia-compatible, the phone automaticallysynchronizes with any other Bravia device and you can see thehigh-definition video messaging or displays through the synced device. Apowerful unit, it automatically recognizes SMS texting, as MMS videomessaging and instant messaging. Not only is there the built-inkeyboard, which is great for higher-speed mails and the like, but thekeypad itself is capacitive so that, if you are in a hurry, you canquickly send a message without snapping open the phone.
A key tothis phone is its access to social media such as Twitter and Facebookand its ability to display what you see there. In addition, the MK16A isa fully independent wireless networking device capable of not onlyusing standards 802.11 a/b/g/n, but also of acting as a high-speedhotspot. And, it will interface with other high-definition devicesthrough a mini-HDMI cable or a USB 2 port. In other words, there's verylittle this phone can't do.
Indeed, it will operates on the fullrange of quad-band frequencies, offering GSM, GPRS/EDGE frequencyoperations on 800, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz, as will as UMTS and HSPAcapability on 800, 850, 1900 and 2100 MHz. These are the frequenciesused by AT&T and T-Mobile but not by a CDMA device, such as thoseoffered by Sprint or Alltel.
The MK16A offers full radiocapability plus access to the RDS service (Radio Directory Service,where the display features not only the station played but also theartist and frequency and, in some cases, if a sideband is offered withroadway service such as traffic, you may also gain valuable trafficinformation).
It also offers an HTML browser as well as DLNA-compatibility, Flash 10.1 and access to Google maps and GPS services.
Asyou can see this is a well-rounded phone that can handle anything youask of it. Instead of needing two devices, such as a tablet and a phone,for that matter
