Sony Mylo review (black)

A true killer could be the Mylo's lack of VPN or 802.1x support. A number of college campuses run open wireless networks, but for security purposes, they still require users to log on to a VPN to access the Internet, so without this type of support, a huge chunk of the Mylo's appeal could be nullified.

We also think the Mylo's going price of $349 is rather high. Sony says part of the appeal of the device is that you pay only a one-time fee and don't have to worry about the monthly service charges you'd incur for a cell phone. However, we're willing to bet that college students aren't going to completely ditch their mobiles for this; VoIP/Skype calling hasn't reached that point of saturation yet. Finally, Sony annoyingly restricts you to the use of its proprietary Memory Sticks.

Outlook: We don't deny that the Sony Mylo offers some great features. It looks to be solid messaging device, with some nice extras, but let's be honest. In this day and age, college students will still want a cell phone. Are kids really going to carry around two devices? Why not just get the T-Mobile Sidekick 3? Still, we'll reserve final judgment till we've had a chance to fully check out the device. The Sony Mylo will be available for preorder in late August and is expected to start shipping in September, but we hope to have the final product in our hands within the next couple of weeks, so check back soon for a full review.