So you're salivating over Sony-Ericsson's kitchen sink, the P990i. Like what's been done with the Blackberry Pearl, here's some info to help you decide if this smartphone really is for you.

Know Availability. The P990 was released last August 14.

Learn the Specs. A great thing about Sony-Ericsson is that they usually give the full specs of their products. Here's what they have on the P990i. Here's a shortlist for your convenience:

• Screen: QVGA (240x320 pixels), approximately 256k color TFT
• Memory: 60MB
• Network: Quad-band GSM (900, 1800, 1900, and UMTS)
• Camera: 2 megapixels
• Connectivity: 802.11b Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (with A2DP support), and Infrared
• Expansion: Memory Stick Duo/ Pro Duo slot
• Size: 114 x 57 x 25 mm (4.4 x 2.2 x 1 inches)
• Weight: 150 grams, or 5.3 ounces

Read a Review. All About Symbian comes through with an in-depth review. It seems the P990i suffers from performance issues and requires firmware updates, a shortcoming echoed by some Amazon customers.

Find Out Where to Buy. Very few, if any, service providers are subsidizing this phone, probably because of its steep price and a deep feature set that makes it hard to market to a particular group of people. You can purchase the device from Amazon and Expansys. CNET features a list of other online retailers. Expect to pay on average $700.