Smartphone fanatics have never had it this good. Both Nokia and Sony Ericsson recently released the latest edition of their cult smartphone devices – while Nokia came up with a revamped Communicator (the E90), Sony Ericsson decided to give its P series a makeover with the P1i. I had the opportunity of using both these phones for a while and I must say these are cult devices packing in a host of functionalities. Here's my opinion on what features make these rivals and what makes each score over the other.

Appearance
Looks have started making a difference even in the enterprise phone segment. So it is hardly surprising that both Nokia and Sony Ericsson made significant design changes. However, Sony Ericsson seems to have taken a more radical approach, getting rid of the flap that was a part of the earlier P series. It has also changed the key structure. The Communicator is sleeker than ever before but retained the same form factor albeit in a red outfit – opening to reveal a larger screen and keypad. The style conscious would prefer the lighter and sleeker looker P1i.
Winner: P1i

Multimedia
Although targeted at the the business user, both devices have extremely good multimedia support. Large screens and great sound (if you use earphones) make both phones a terrific deal for those who love watching movies on the move. To choose between the two, I would say that the P1i edges out the E90 in this department. This isn't really surprising, given Sony Ericsson's reputation for churning out great multimedia devices.
Winner: P1i

Interface
The E90 beats the P1i hands down in interface. In its closed form, it is a fully operational Series 60 smartphone with a standard phone keypad. Flip it open and it reveals a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard, ready to be thumbed and typed on. The P1i stumbles here though; despite having an excellent touchscreen, the packaged stylus is too dainty for quick writing and the semi-QWERTY keypad with two alphabets on each concave-shaped key takes some getting used to. Trust me, if you happen to have large hands, you're im for an uncomfortable experience. Nokia's decision to make the E90 external a routine Series 60 version connected to Windows Mobile 6 OS, was a masterstroke, as it shortens the learning curve significantly.
Winner: E90