Ask Emory: Sony Ericsson K790a Availability

Hey PowerPage:
Have you heard when the Sony Ericsson K790a Cyber-Shot mobile phone will be available in the United States and which carriers will have it?
It seems like a worthy, EDGE-compatible successor to the T6XX line. If you can get a review unit, I’d like your opinion.
HJC

Mobile phone guru and PowerPage associate editor Emory Lundberg replies after the jump…
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Hey PowerPage:
Have you heard when the Sony Ericsson K790a Cyber-Shot mobile phone will be available in the United States and which carriers will have it?
It seems like a worthy, EDGE-compatible successor to the T6XX line. If you can get a review unit, I’d like your opinion.
HJC

Mobile phone guru and PowerPage associate editor Emory Lundberg replies:
Dear HJC,
Ah, the K790a. I haven’t heard anything, but it is always unlikely that the United States operators will be carrying it. If you skipped the K700 and K750 for some reason, now would be a good time to pick up a K750 since they’re so cheap unbranded and unlocked.
Most of the 3MP camera-phones are going to run around US$800-$900 without a contract when they’re first released (make sure you wait for the price-point insanity of the Nokia N80 — if that handset comes in at under US$900 I’ll be floored!)
If you can get it in the “a” version that will let people on Cingular actually use those Orange 850Mhz GSM towers they’ve been building. If you’re on T-Mobile and therefore able to use any ol’ world phone you can pick up on the open market, the K750i (US$275) is worth a look as a great T610, T61x upgrade.
Not only does it have a 2MP camera, but it also supports removable storage, so you can treat it like a backup iPod when you’re stuck at the DMV or the Doctor’s office.
Sony Ericsson is pretty good about selling unlocked handsets to US customers, I was able to buy my P910 from them directly for less than US$500. My Sony Ericsson rep hasn’t sent me anything what-so-ever about this device.