Sony Ericsson has announced today the introduction of its new W508 Walkman phone, which is aiming at delivering the most interactive mobile experience through its included Shake and Gesture control, TrackID and SenseMe, not to mention the handset's extra Style-Up cover. The new device, set for demonstration at CES 2009, comes in colors ranging from Metal Grey, to Forest Green, Sunny Orange, Architectural Purple or Mysterious Graffiti.

“The W508 Walkman phone builds on our iconic Walkman range and the successful W380.” said Alexandre Cardon, Global Product Marketing manager (music) at Sony Ericsson. “For those who like to express their style and individuality through their mobile phone we’ve brought our creative design team in to design stylish changeable covers so that W508 offers a truly interactive and individual experience.”

The new Sony Ericsson W508 allows users to become their personal DJs through the simple flick of their wrist, as the device features Shake control and Gesture control, which also enable volume changes or set the shuffle function only by a quick shake of the phone. Moreover, the phone's alarm can also be switched to snooze or mute by simply sweeping the palm, no need to fumble for the off button.

Common Walkman features such as SensMe are also included, allowing users to listen to favorite songs to match their mood. The device also features touch keys on top, enabling play, stop and skip tracks. Other features of the phone include a 3.2-megapixel camera, HSDPA, Bluetooth stereo, Web browser, FM radio with RDS, Video streaming, USB mass storage, and a 1GB M2 card. The internal memory of the phone rises up to 100MB.

The W508 features a 2.2-inch, 262,144-color TFT, scratch-resistant screen which provides a 240 x 320 pixel resolution, complemented by a 1.1-inch monochromatic OLED, scratch-resistant external screen offering a 128 x 36 pixel resolution. The phone supports HSDPA 850/1900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 standards.

The battery is able to offer between 2 and 10 hours of talk time depending on video call, UMTS, or GSM/GPRS, and up to 24 hours of music listening, as well as up to 400 hours of standby in UMTS or GSM/GPRS. The size of the device is 93.5 x 50 x 14 mm, while its weight does not overpass 98 grams.

The company announced that the new Sony Ericsson W508 Walkman phone would become available in the second half of the year. No information on the price of the device has been unveiled.