Sony Ericsson W800i Cell Phone
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- Installed Memory: 34 MB
- Connectivity: IrDA, Bluetooth, USB
- Performance: Tri Band
- Design: Mobile
- Style: Candy Bar
- Network Type: GSM 900 GSM 1800 GSM 1900 GPRS
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Dancing Down the Street
Pros
Small, MP3 Player, FM radio, Good Voice Quality
Cons
ORANGE, Screen cracks too easily.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
This is a very good Phone/MP3 Player/Camera All-In-One-Small-Package if you take good care of it.
Once a year something very special happens. It is almost better than Birthdays! My Mobile phone contract runs out, and I am blessed with the opportunity to acquire a new phone! Even better, my partner and I are on two different contract cycles, so every April and September we go shopping.
Whoever came up with the idea of a free new phone every year is a genius. I get a new toy every year. And it makes life easier for the mobile phone manufacturers. Now, they no longer have to make phones with durability. The expected life cycle and warranty only seem to last a year. Gone are the days of my trusty Nokia 6120, which still works today!
Enough about that, lets talk about the Sony Ericsson W800i.
Initial Impression
Mobile phone shops love customers. For each contract they sell, they get a commission. Because of this, they are all desperate to give you the latest and the greatest. In August '05 I looked over a few possibilities, latest Nokia, Latest Samsung, and so on. Suddenly, attached to the wall, there it was; a bright orange and cream beacon of light. It was so ORANGE that I couldn't look at it, I despise that color… So Instead, I actually took the time to read the specs. The first thing that caught my eye was the 2.0 Megapixel camera. Next up, 512 MB memory card. Wow, I didn't care about the rest anymore, even the fact that it was orange. I HAD to have it!
The phone came in a very neat box, with all the usual: AC adaptor, earphones, CD, and USB-Phone cable. The manual was the first I had seen in ages that did not resemble a novel. This was a good sign about the phone's ease-of-use.
The phone fits in my hand perfectly, I would like to thing more perfectly than it does in my boyfriend's hands, but he knows that is just because it is MINE. It is under an inch thick, and less than 2"x4". That is just about the perfect size to fit in a ladies purse or back pocket. So far, So GOOD.
Features
2 Megapixel Camera
Removable Storage
Bluetooth and Infrared
MP3 Player
FM Radio
Tri-Band GSM
Video Messaging
Games
Voice Activated Dialing
This phone also comes with all the usual standard features. (Calendar, calculator, alarm, etc.)
The screen is big and crisp enough, and the menus are intuitive and easy to navigate. There is a 5-way toggle key, which can be used for navigation and selecting. It also comes in handy for games! Aside from the usual numbers, there is one more key that is notable, the Walkman key, carrying the Walkman trademark. You can press this key at any time to navigate into or out of the MP3 player.
I would go on forever if I were to review all the features individually, so here are a few of my favorites, and a few of the phone's downfalls.
Voice and Signal Quality
It seems that voice quality is no longer the deciding factor in buying a phone. I can't say that this one is better or worse than any of my previous phones. Calls are almost always crisp and clear, and the phone keeps a good signal. That is good enough for me.
Camera
When this phone came out, it was the only 2 Megapixel camera available free with contract. I won't lie; this is why I chose this phone. The camera quality is very good. Pictures are always crisp and clear, and in focus.
In low light situations there is a powerful lamp (Which also doubles as a Flashlight) and a strong flash that can rival many of the original 2 Megapixel Cameras. There is no optical zoom, but the LCD screen for viewing the pictures is more than big enough, and you can view and zoom pictures easily.
The video quality is as poor as one would expect, but the audio is always clear, and it does a good job picking up noise in a variety of situations. It probably uses the same technology as a speakerphone, where voice comes over just as clearly at 1 food as it does at 8 feet.
Music
Phones that play music are nothing new. This one just does an exceptionally good job of it, mainly because of the 512 MB removable Sony Memory Stick Pro. You can have quite a collection of songs, in MP3 or AAC format. However, unlike my Nokia 6680 it will not accept any other formats.
The speaker is on the back of the phone. The worst setback of this is that you need to put your phone face down to listen to your music. This has led to a few too many scratched screens. Also, while watching video clips, it is hard to watch and hear at the same time.
The obvious solution is the supplied stereo headphones. To me, they are the most comfortable in the world. They are the small bud type, inserted into your ear. The main difference is that they came with three different sized rubber adaptors, so you are guaranteed a perfect fit. The soft rubber sits snugly in your ears, blocking out external sound and providing crisp, clear audio for conversations and music. I have only met one person who doesn't like the headphones, and he has particularly large ears! For me, they are so comfortable that I can dance down the street and they wont fall out.
The built-in FM tuner also works well. It uses the headphones as its aerial, and can be played through the headphones, or loudspeaker. However, if you don't have the headphones on you, it is useless.
You can listen to the music or radio while using all of the phones features except for voice conversations. If you do get a call halfway through your play list, you can simply go back to it with the Walkman Key.
Compatibility
My old Toshiba Satellite Laptop does not have Bluetooth, so I had to rely on the USB cable and Software suite to connect the two. After a series of new hardware installations the connection worked perfectly, allowing me to add more songs, and move all the pictures to my laptop. While the menus were not as easy as the Nokia transfer, they took up less computer resources.
As it is an unlocked Tri-band phone, I have been able to use it throughout my travels without any issues. The only SIM it wont accept is a 3G one from Three Mobile in the UK.
Another setback, the power adaptor, a British one, does not state that it can handle the voltage from other countries, so we borrowed a friends US Sony Ericsson power adaptor, which was rated 100v-240v just to be safe.
Battery Life
In an average week the whole playlist gets listened to about twice, and about 10 pictures are taken, most with flash. There is also about 60 minutes of voice calls, and about 30 off messaging/browsing online The phone never gets switched off. For the first few weeks the phone did live up to its battery expectations, only getting charged every 3 or 4 days. However, now it needs to be charged every other night. If you are going to listen to your whole collection of 150 songs, or take more than a few flash photographs a day you will need to charge it nightly. It only takes a few hours for a full charge, so it can be used to its full extent.
Problems
About 3 months into the contract the 5-way toggle key started acting up. My theory is my other half has been playing too many games. If you are going to be playing games on this phone, save your thumb, and the longevity of they phone by using the keyboard keys!
In December the second major problem happened. The phone was in my bag, along with my digital camera, and another phone, and a few other things. Took the phone out to answer it, and the LCD screen had cracked. After the initial amusement of looking at the swirling colors of a broken LCD, I realized it was actually a big problem. I could no longer use the phone.
While I cant say that nothing happened to my bag in this time, nothing else in it was at all damaged. The Sony Ericsson also showed absolutely no signs of outward damage, the protective layer over the screen did not even have a scratch.
My partner took it back to Phones4U, my contract provider, and asked them to fix it. They quoted him GBP120 for parts and labor. Atrocious! After pointing out to Phones4U that there was no outside sign of damage, it was clearly a phone defect. They reluctantly agreed to replace the LCD screen, which took them all of about 10 minutes! Now, the phone works perfectly once again!
So, words of wisdom, be very gentle to the Phone. Don't put it in your back pocket if you sit down, don't play too many games, and don't dance down the street and make a fool of yourself!
Whoever came up with the idea of a free new phone every year is a genius. I get a new toy every year. And it makes life easier for the mobile phone manufacturers. Now, they no longer have to make phones with durability. The expected life cycle and warranty only seem to last a year. Gone are the days of my trusty Nokia 6120, which still works today!
Enough about that, lets talk about the Sony Ericsson W800i.
Initial Impression
Mobile phone shops love customers. For each contract they sell, they get a commission. Because of this, they are all desperate to give you the latest and the greatest. In August '05 I looked over a few possibilities, latest Nokia, Latest Samsung, and so on. Suddenly, attached to the wall, there it was; a bright orange and cream beacon of light. It was so ORANGE that I couldn't look at it, I despise that color… So Instead, I actually took the time to read the specs. The first thing that caught my eye was the 2.0 Megapixel camera. Next up, 512 MB memory card. Wow, I didn't care about the rest anymore, even the fact that it was orange. I HAD to have it!
The phone came in a very neat box, with all the usual: AC adaptor, earphones, CD, and USB-Phone cable. The manual was the first I had seen in ages that did not resemble a novel. This was a good sign about the phone's ease-of-use.
The phone fits in my hand perfectly, I would like to thing more perfectly than it does in my boyfriend's hands, but he knows that is just because it is MINE. It is under an inch thick, and less than 2"x4". That is just about the perfect size to fit in a ladies purse or back pocket. So far, So GOOD.
Features
2 Megapixel Camera
Removable Storage
Bluetooth and Infrared
MP3 Player
FM Radio
Tri-Band GSM
Video Messaging
Games
Voice Activated Dialing
This phone also comes with all the usual standard features. (Calendar, calculator, alarm, etc.)
The screen is big and crisp enough, and the menus are intuitive and easy to navigate. There is a 5-way toggle key, which can be used for navigation and selecting. It also comes in handy for games! Aside from the usual numbers, there is one more key that is notable, the Walkman key, carrying the Walkman trademark. You can press this key at any time to navigate into or out of the MP3 player.
I would go on forever if I were to review all the features individually, so here are a few of my favorites, and a few of the phone's downfalls.
Voice and Signal Quality
It seems that voice quality is no longer the deciding factor in buying a phone. I can't say that this one is better or worse than any of my previous phones. Calls are almost always crisp and clear, and the phone keeps a good signal. That is good enough for me.
Camera
When this phone came out, it was the only 2 Megapixel camera available free with contract. I won't lie; this is why I chose this phone. The camera quality is very good. Pictures are always crisp and clear, and in focus.
In low light situations there is a powerful lamp (Which also doubles as a Flashlight) and a strong flash that can rival many of the original 2 Megapixel Cameras. There is no optical zoom, but the LCD screen for viewing the pictures is more than big enough, and you can view and zoom pictures easily.
The video quality is as poor as one would expect, but the audio is always clear, and it does a good job picking up noise in a variety of situations. It probably uses the same technology as a speakerphone, where voice comes over just as clearly at 1 food as it does at 8 feet.
Music
Phones that play music are nothing new. This one just does an exceptionally good job of it, mainly because of the 512 MB removable Sony Memory Stick Pro. You can have quite a collection of songs, in MP3 or AAC format. However, unlike my Nokia 6680 it will not accept any other formats.
The speaker is on the back of the phone. The worst setback of this is that you need to put your phone face down to listen to your music. This has led to a few too many scratched screens. Also, while watching video clips, it is hard to watch and hear at the same time.
The obvious solution is the supplied stereo headphones. To me, they are the most comfortable in the world. They are the small bud type, inserted into your ear. The main difference is that they came with three different sized rubber adaptors, so you are guaranteed a perfect fit. The soft rubber sits snugly in your ears, blocking out external sound and providing crisp, clear audio for conversations and music. I have only met one person who doesn't like the headphones, and he has particularly large ears! For me, they are so comfortable that I can dance down the street and they wont fall out.
The built-in FM tuner also works well. It uses the headphones as its aerial, and can be played through the headphones, or loudspeaker. However, if you don't have the headphones on you, it is useless.
You can listen to the music or radio while using all of the phones features except for voice conversations. If you do get a call halfway through your play list, you can simply go back to it with the Walkman Key.
Compatibility
My old Toshiba Satellite Laptop does not have Bluetooth, so I had to rely on the USB cable and Software suite to connect the two. After a series of new hardware installations the connection worked perfectly, allowing me to add more songs, and move all the pictures to my laptop. While the menus were not as easy as the Nokia transfer, they took up less computer resources.
As it is an unlocked Tri-band phone, I have been able to use it throughout my travels without any issues. The only SIM it wont accept is a 3G one from Three Mobile in the UK.
Another setback, the power adaptor, a British one, does not state that it can handle the voltage from other countries, so we borrowed a friends US Sony Ericsson power adaptor, which was rated 100v-240v just to be safe.
Battery Life
In an average week the whole playlist gets listened to about twice, and about 10 pictures are taken, most with flash. There is also about 60 minutes of voice calls, and about 30 off messaging/browsing online The phone never gets switched off. For the first few weeks the phone did live up to its battery expectations, only getting charged every 3 or 4 days. However, now it needs to be charged every other night. If you are going to listen to your whole collection of 150 songs, or take more than a few flash photographs a day you will need to charge it nightly. It only takes a few hours for a full charge, so it can be used to its full extent.
Problems
About 3 months into the contract the 5-way toggle key started acting up. My theory is my other half has been playing too many games. If you are going to be playing games on this phone, save your thumb, and the longevity of they phone by using the keyboard keys!
In December the second major problem happened. The phone was in my bag, along with my digital camera, and another phone, and a few other things. Took the phone out to answer it, and the LCD screen had cracked. After the initial amusement of looking at the swirling colors of a broken LCD, I realized it was actually a big problem. I could no longer use the phone.
While I cant say that nothing happened to my bag in this time, nothing else in it was at all damaged. The Sony Ericsson also showed absolutely no signs of outward damage, the protective layer over the screen did not even have a scratch.
My partner took it back to Phones4U, my contract provider, and asked them to fix it. They quoted him GBP120 for parts and labor. Atrocious! After pointing out to Phones4U that there was no outside sign of damage, it was clearly a phone defect. They reluctantly agreed to replace the LCD screen, which took them all of about 10 minutes! Now, the phone works perfectly once again!
So, words of wisdom, be very gentle to the Phone. Don't put it in your back pocket if you sit down, don't play too many games, and don't dance down the street and make a fool of yourself!
