The mylo 2 was officially announced back in January at CES 2008, and with the exception of the widgets download site Sony released in February it’s been a pretty neglected platform since.  Sony positioned the mylo 2 as a contract-free communication and internet browsing device, but strong competition among mobile carriers and falling prices of on-device unlimited cellular data connections meant phones such as the Sidekick kept the limelight.

Sony’s price cut is apparently valid until January 31st, 2009.  That gives them plenty of time to announce a new version – the Sony mylo 3, just as a suggestion – at CES 2009.  With the long-awaited Nokia N810 WiMax Edition finally launching on Sprint’s XOHM network, it’s possible that Sony might follow suit and put high-speed wireless broadband in their mylo replacement.

[via Pocketables]

Its more like a community effort, Sony will only release a few every so often to keep things going, but they are really depending on the community of Mylo COM-2 users to really get the ball rolling. Right now they have a world clock, calculator, calendar, and a couple others up, more as they come in from users like you.

Sadly though, they are only available for COM-2 owners, they won’t work on the COM-1. So, go get you some widgets, or start developing, click the via link to get to the Mylo Labs.

[via Sony]

The coloured LEDs to indicate different events are still there, but now there’s Flash Lite 3 for online video (such as YouTube and Google Video), a Netfront-based browser, IM client (supporting AIM, Gtalk and Yahoo! IM), Skype, podcast client and RSS aggregator.  Sony have also jumped on the widget bandwagon, with the mylo 2 compatible with web gadgets from Facebook, Google and more.  As for media, it’ll play back WMA/PlaysForSure DRM, MP3, AAC, ATRAC and MPEG-4 files.

Connectivity is either USB 2.0 (with a standard mini-USB port) or WiFi, and Sony have agreed free Wayport WiFi at participating McDonald’s until December 31st, 2010. 

The mylo 2 ships this month for $300.

Sony

AnythingButIpod [via Pocketables]

Their conclusions?  Well, not wishing to steal their thunder but I don’t think it’s too surprising that viewing graphics-laden sites like MySpace (after all, kids don’t look at anything else online than MySpace any more, do they) isn’t particularly successful on a 2.4 inch display.

LAPTOP MAGAZINE Sony Mylo review [via engadget]

A WiFi alternative to the Sidekick, the Mylo is a slick little devil with a slide-out keyboard and ultra crisp display.  The photos also give an idea of how the packaging will look, confirming that it will support Skype voice calls and Google and Yahoo IM. 

Hands-on with the Sony Mylo [Engadget]

Linux powers Sony’s new Mylo WiFi handheld [Linux Devices]

The mylo Personal Communication Device Enables Social Networking in the Wireless World

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 7, 2006 –Sony is launching its first WiFi broadband communication and entertainment device to capitalize on the growth of wireless Internet access. The new mylo™ personal communicator is capable of operating in any open 802.11b wireless network, often found on college campuses, in public spaces and within private homes around the country.

This product is designed for people who use instant messaging as a primary form of communication and networking for their social life. The name mylo stands for “my life online” and the communicator lets you use instant messaging, browse the Internet, listen to music, send emails and view photos concurrently.

Small enough for a pocket or purse, the slim, oblong-shaped device features a 2.4 inch color LCD (measured diagonally) with a slide out QWERTY keyboard for comfortable and quick thumb typing.

The device, available in black or white, comes embedded with popular instant messaging services: the Google Talk™ instant messaging service, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger™. These services are free and the product does not require initial computer setup or a monthly service contract.

“The mylo personal communicator puts the fun parts of a computer in the palm of your hand,” said John Kodera, director of product marketing for personal communication devices at Sony Electronics. “It’s ideal for people who want to stay connected to their online friends and family, but not be weighed down by a PC or buffeted by charges for IM and texting on cell phones.”

Get Up, Get Out and Get Online

The pocketable design encourages users to get up and away from their desks and roam available wireless networks. The product includes JiWire’s hotspot directory listing more than 20,000 WiFi networks in the United States. so you can find a hotspot near you.

The mylo personal communicator boots up in seconds and can scan for available wireless networks right away. The “What’s Up” screen serves as the hub, storing up to 90 of your friends’ avatars so you can quickly see who’s online. You can store up to nine online identities per person which allows you to first choose who you want to chat with then easily initiate conversations using your preferred application.
The embedded HTML browser lets you quickly connect to full Web pages on the Internet. You can also send and receive text emails with web mail services like Yahoo!® Mail and the Gmail™ web mail service.

The communicator comes with Skype™ software built into it, allowing registered Skype users to make free Internet calls with the 113 million other Skype users worldwide. For a limited time, Skype is offering free SkypeOut™ calls from United States and Canada to most phone numbers in the United States or Canada.

Stop, Look and Listen

While you chat or browse the Internet, the 1GB of the flash memory on the mylo personal communicator lets you enjoy your music too. It supports the playback of MP3, ATRAC® or WMA (secure and unsecure) files. The mylo communicator has a built-in speaker for listening to music so you can share your music with those around you. You can also view MPEG-4 personal videos by transferring files via USB cable or with Memory Stick Duo™ media. You can also store JPEG pictures from the Internet or your digital camera.

Providing networking possibilities without a wireless network, the mylo personal communicator detects when it comes into the presence of other mylo units. With the ad-hoc application, you can share play lists and stream music between mylo communicators one at a time.

Gotta Keep Up

To support all of this functionality, the mylo device uses a lithium-ion battery that offers up to 45 hours of music playback, around seven hours of chatting and web surfing and more than three hours of continuous Skype talk time. It comes with a microphone, stereo headphones, a USB cable and a neoprene case.

The mylo personal communicator will be available in September for about $350 online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail) and at authorized dealers nationwide. For more information about the product, go to http://www.sony.com/mylo.

The Sony Mylo came out of nowhere, and thanks to Brian Lam of Gizmodo for giving up his spleen just so we can get a first glimpse of the device. The media player supports MPEG-4, digital audio, and pictures. It also features WiFi connection and a QWERTY keyboard, which is great for instant messaging via Google Talk and Yahoo Messenger (Sorry, no support for AIM). You can use Mylo as a wireless Skype phone or browse the web using Opera browser. It’s a shame that Mylo doesn’t offer cellular connectivity but the open standard is a breath of fresh air.

The Mylo has 1GB of flash memory as well as a Memory Stick Pro Duo slot. The screen size is 2.4-inch LCD featuring 320 by 240 pixels. There’s no mentioning of battery life. The retail price is $350 and its expected to arrive in September.