Sony has released mylo (stands for “my life online”) - a communication and entertainment gadget. Mylo runs on a Wi-Fi broadband connection which are often found on college campuses, and public areas around the world.

Sony’s mylo is targeted towards users whose main form of communication is instant messaging. I thought that speech was the primary form of communication, but evidently not anymore. Mylo allows users to surf the Internet, use instant messaging (IM), send e-mails, view images, and listen to music.

Mylo is all about fun. The gadget doesn’t have any applications that could be used for work. Sony states it’s “the fun parts of a computer in the palm of your hand”.

Mylo is a pretty sleek looking device and it can easily slip into one’s pocket or purse. It features a slideout keyboard for quick and easy typing. Mylo has a 2.4-inch LCD screen which is a nice size for this device.

Sony’s Mylo communicator come in black or white and features these instant messengers: Google Talkâ„¢, Skype, and Yahoo! Messenger. The product comes as-is, and doesn’t require any monthly fee or activation of service.

Mylo is indeed a pretty neat way of being connected to your computer without actually being there. It is free to use, so you can reduce costs of sending text messages via your cell phone, for example.

The browser included in mylo is a full HTML browser, so you see it all as if you were at your computer.

Mylo allows you to add up to 90 of your friend’s avatars and allows the creation of 9 different identities for the user. The device also quickly scans for a wireless network to connect to. Skype users can also use the mylo to make Internet calls for free.

Mylo comes with 1 GB of flash memory which allows a decent amount of music to be stored and played on the device. Its battery life is a strong 45 hours, so you can enjoy talking, instant messaging or listening to music for a long time.

Sony states that it will sell the mylo for $350 (US) beginning in September 2006. Included in the purchase is a microphone, a set of stereo headphones, a USB cable and a protective case.