Sony Electronics  

At CES, Sony introduced the second generation version of the Mylo personal communications device. So far, the latest version is getting some solid reviews — much better than its predecessor.  I asked Jennifer Peterson, one of my blog moderators, who is a proud member of Generation Y (the demographic target for this product) to offer her thoughts about it.

I can’t imagine my life offline. From the moment I wake up in the morning I use it to check the news and weather on my RSS feeds. If I need directions or a phone number I find them in seconds by searching the Net. Like thousands of other Internet users, I am addicted to watching crazy videos onYouTube and sharing photos with my friends on Facebook.

People like me who want to stay connected as often as possible would rather not carry around a heavy laptop. Sony has paid attention to our ever-changing technological society, and created a device called Mylo, short for My Life Online. The Mylo device is the perfect size because it fits in my pocket.

This wireless device, which looks similar to the PlayStation Portable, has the key features that any social media communicator would want in a small portable gadget. It is ideal for bloggers who are constantly on the go, but need to stay in touch with their readers.

The Mylo device is perfect for the college student or the teenager in the family. Even a working man or woman who needs the Internet, but not an entire computer, would love the device. The Mylo is another key tool that allows people to connect with one another, in real time.

It can connect to any wireless internet. Users can browse an on-device file that lists hotspot areas with wireless internet such as Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf cafes. Sony has even partnered with Wayport, providing access to free Internet content at more than 9,000 McDonald’s locations across the country.

Once connected to the Internet, you can access webpages by touching the web icon on the screen. This opens up to a web browser, similar to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser. You can also click RSS/Podcast, which shows me everything sites feed to my Mylo. There is even a section for widgets, which can show me YouTube, Facebook, Google News and anything else I would like. With no monthly payment like you would find on a typical PDA, the Mylo device can access any wireless Internet, free of any monthly charges.

The Mylo is also a camera. I can take a picture, edit it on the device, even draw on the photo, save it, then go online and upload the photo directly to my Flickr page or blog post. If I’m at a trade show, using the Mylo, I can connect to the internet take photos of the event, write a blog post, then upload everything to my website or blog. In a matter of minutes, social communicators will be a part of the event.

Communication is another feature on the Mylo. It includes instant messaging programs such as, AIM, Yahoo Messenger and Google Talk. It also features Internet telephone software Skype for making free calls to other Skype users.

 This second generation model has improved significantly since its first iteration, with an easy-to-use touch screen, keyboard, joystick, bright color screen and organization of features. The device has about 1GB of internal memory and a memory stick port to store up to 8 GB of additional media. The battery life supports up to 20 hours of music playback, up to six hours of Skype talk time and up to seven hours of video playback when fully charged.

At the price of $299.99, I invite everyone to go to sonystyle.com or a Sony Style store and check one out.