Backman
11-09-2007, 02:47 PM
Sony Ericsson S500i Review by 3G.co.uk
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See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
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3G's 30 Second Decision
Having had the Sony Ericsson S500i in our mitts for 30 seconds we say ... a mid-range slider, but as a phone with style ambitions, the S500i doesn’t have the X-factor.
The Sony Ericsson S500i Review
Back to nature
With the Walkman and Cyber-shot phones taking a back seat, Sony Ericsson indulges its design whims in the new range of style phones. The S500i slider is the first to flourish
It’s interesting to see Sony Ericsson concentrate fully on the more fashion-orientated side of the market. After bombarding us with Walkman and Cyber-shot phones, the manufacturer has resurrected its T-series along with the new S-series to showcase its designer side.
Of course, Sony Ericsson has dallied with the fashion world with mixed results, with the Z610i mirrored 3G clamshell and, let us not forget, injected the thin gene into the 9.4-inch thick gossamer W880i Walkman phone. But now it’s set to walk the style mile with a new trio of handsets including the metallic-hewn prepay Sony Ericsson T250i, the high-end candybar T650i and the S500i slimline slider.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo2home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo2.htm)
Click for larger photo
Ode to nature
The S500i is the first to arrive and, like the T650i, is inspired by nature. It rocks up in two finishes: Spring Yellow for the ladies and the more sedate Mysterious Green. Our sample came in the latter although it’s predominately black and you don’t enjoy the green effect until you slide it open. The keypad and back of the front fascia show off a fetching emerald green veneer and this does enhance an otherwise lacklustre design. The S500i is also a glow worm with the middle of the joypad and two sidebars pulsing and radiating when you open up the phone. It’s mildly diverting, but nothing more.
Thin and lightweight
Handle the phone and it feels lightweight and slinky (it measures 14mm thick), but its trim figure is let down by a creaky plasticky build. If you didn’t know the S500i’s feature set you could mistake it for an entry-level phone. The spring-loaded slider mechanism claws back some dignity and is pretty slick and responsive.
Themes seem to be an important aspect of the S500i. There are three major settings: Clarity is your original-flavoured Sony Ericsson look and feel, Everchanging is a dark forest theme with animations, while Day and Night uses a carousel menu system instead of the grid. Also, the last two themes send out a vibrating pulse in the main menu every time you select a sub-section. We couldn’t find a way to turn this off, so if it annoys you, then you’re going to have to activate the non-vibrating Clarity theme. Elsewhere, the S500i is pretty lucid to use and navigate around although the keypad feels a little cramped and may not sit well with those of you carrying fat fingers.
As a mid-range slider with style ambitions, you could forgive the Sony Ericsson S500i for skimping on the features. But for this level, this slider makes all the right multimedia noises with a two-megapixel camera, microSD card slot for storage, full HTML web browser and a built-in music player.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo3home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo3.htm)
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See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
Two megapixels
The two-megapixel lens is perched on the rear of the front fascia and you have to slide open the phone to reveal it. Sony Ericsson has clearly marked and allocated the top of the five-way navigation joypad as the only way to fire up the shutterbug. Unfortunately, the lens itself is pretty basic with no auto-focus, macro focus for close-ups or flash of any kind. It shoots in a maximum resolution of 1600x1200 pixels, but there are a few modes and features to tinker with if you’re feeling adventurous. You can take snaps in Panorama (this stitches together three pictures for a panoramic landscape), Frames (this uses, er, pretty frames to tart up the picture) and Burst that shoots four frames in quick succession, which is good for moving subjects.
Elsewhere, the Night Mode comes in handy especially with the absence of a flash; you can alter the white balance and also shoot in negative, sepia and black and white. For such a basic snapper, it’s done incredibly well. Colour representation is vivid, depth is correct and although most detail is refined for a two-megapixel snapper, it does lose focus in places, especially around the edges. White areas can also be prone to overexposure. But it’s worth noting we captured photos in strong outdoor lighting conditions, favourable for a good snap. Because the S500i’s lens is so basic, we wonder if it may struggle under harsher conditions but otherwise, under a point-and-shoot scenario, it takes decent photos.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S550i_photo4home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo4.htm)
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Music player
Sony Ericsson’s non-Walkman phones, particularly from the mid-range upwards, have always had cracking built-in music players. The S500i continues this and although it isn’t Walkman flavoured, its music player has been seen in the likes of the K800i, K810i and the upcoming P1i smartphone.
The S500i also arrives with Sony Ericsson’s famed Disc2phone PC music software that originally shipped with the Walkman handset. Outside of iTunes, it remains one of the easiest and most intuitive programmes around for either transferring your existing computer library or ripping CDs. It’s a cinch to use. Sadly, our review sample didn’t include a MemoryStick Micro (the hot-swappable slot is located on the top of the phone), so you will have to invest in a memory card to get the best out of the player and you can pick these up for about £37 if you shop around. The music player itself is simple to operate.
You can access your music via Artists, Tracks and Playlists and once you’re spinning the music, you can enhance the sound via the five-band equaliser. You get normal, bass, voice, treble boost and a customisable manual setting. Bass is best for beefing up the sound and even though the bundled headphones aren’t the best (these are connected via the POP port, but shamefully don’t come with a 3.5mm remote adapter), the audio performance is lively, with good volume.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo5home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo5.htm)
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Sony Ericsson S500i Specification
Type Slider
Size 99 x 47 x 14mm
Weight 94g
Display 262,000 colours
Resolution 240x320 pixels
Camera Two megapixels
Video recording/playback Yes/ Yes
Video calling : No
Audio Playback MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+
Ringtones Polyphonic, MP3, AAC
FM Radio No
Connectivity Bluetooth, USB
Internal memory 12MB
Memory card slot MemoryStick Micro
Messaging SMS, MMS, IM
Internet browser WAP/xHTML, HTML
Email POP3, SMTP, IMAP4
Java Yes
Gaming Brain Juice, Lumines Block Challenge
GPRS Yes + EDGE
Frequency Quad Band
Talktime 540 minutes
Standby 370 hours
Upside
Despite basic features, the two-megapixel camera performs admirably, while the music player is highly accomplished.
Downside
With a lightweight and creaky construction, the S500i doesn’t feel particularly robust.
Verdict
We can’t deny Sony Ericsson makes easy-to-use phones and the S500i is a fine example with some nice flourishes like the Mother Earth themes and colours. But place it alongside more swoonsome rivals like the LG Chocolate and Shine and the S500i loses the style war.
See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
This review covers the above mobile phone only and does not address the performance of any 3G Network. The score is based on a 3G mobile phone checklist.
Copyright : You are advised that this material is the copyright of www.3G.co.uk and is our own personal view only. (C) All rights reserved 2007. Whist every care has been taken in the preparation of this review, the author nor 3G.co.uk cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of the information it contains, or consequence arising from it.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo1home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo1.htm)
Click for larger photo
See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/30Seconds.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo1.htm)
Click for larger photo
3G's 30 Second Decision
Having had the Sony Ericsson S500i in our mitts for 30 seconds we say ... a mid-range slider, but as a phone with style ambitions, the S500i doesn’t have the X-factor.
The Sony Ericsson S500i Review
Back to nature
With the Walkman and Cyber-shot phones taking a back seat, Sony Ericsson indulges its design whims in the new range of style phones. The S500i slider is the first to flourish
It’s interesting to see Sony Ericsson concentrate fully on the more fashion-orientated side of the market. After bombarding us with Walkman and Cyber-shot phones, the manufacturer has resurrected its T-series along with the new S-series to showcase its designer side.
Of course, Sony Ericsson has dallied with the fashion world with mixed results, with the Z610i mirrored 3G clamshell and, let us not forget, injected the thin gene into the 9.4-inch thick gossamer W880i Walkman phone. But now it’s set to walk the style mile with a new trio of handsets including the metallic-hewn prepay Sony Ericsson T250i, the high-end candybar T650i and the S500i slimline slider.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo2home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo2.htm)
Click for larger photo
Ode to nature
The S500i is the first to arrive and, like the T650i, is inspired by nature. It rocks up in two finishes: Spring Yellow for the ladies and the more sedate Mysterious Green. Our sample came in the latter although it’s predominately black and you don’t enjoy the green effect until you slide it open. The keypad and back of the front fascia show off a fetching emerald green veneer and this does enhance an otherwise lacklustre design. The S500i is also a glow worm with the middle of the joypad and two sidebars pulsing and radiating when you open up the phone. It’s mildly diverting, but nothing more.
Thin and lightweight
Handle the phone and it feels lightweight and slinky (it measures 14mm thick), but its trim figure is let down by a creaky plasticky build. If you didn’t know the S500i’s feature set you could mistake it for an entry-level phone. The spring-loaded slider mechanism claws back some dignity and is pretty slick and responsive.
Themes seem to be an important aspect of the S500i. There are three major settings: Clarity is your original-flavoured Sony Ericsson look and feel, Everchanging is a dark forest theme with animations, while Day and Night uses a carousel menu system instead of the grid. Also, the last two themes send out a vibrating pulse in the main menu every time you select a sub-section. We couldn’t find a way to turn this off, so if it annoys you, then you’re going to have to activate the non-vibrating Clarity theme. Elsewhere, the S500i is pretty lucid to use and navigate around although the keypad feels a little cramped and may not sit well with those of you carrying fat fingers.
As a mid-range slider with style ambitions, you could forgive the Sony Ericsson S500i for skimping on the features. But for this level, this slider makes all the right multimedia noises with a two-megapixel camera, microSD card slot for storage, full HTML web browser and a built-in music player.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo3home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo3.htm)
Click for larger photo
See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
Two megapixels
The two-megapixel lens is perched on the rear of the front fascia and you have to slide open the phone to reveal it. Sony Ericsson has clearly marked and allocated the top of the five-way navigation joypad as the only way to fire up the shutterbug. Unfortunately, the lens itself is pretty basic with no auto-focus, macro focus for close-ups or flash of any kind. It shoots in a maximum resolution of 1600x1200 pixels, but there are a few modes and features to tinker with if you’re feeling adventurous. You can take snaps in Panorama (this stitches together three pictures for a panoramic landscape), Frames (this uses, er, pretty frames to tart up the picture) and Burst that shoots four frames in quick succession, which is good for moving subjects.
Elsewhere, the Night Mode comes in handy especially with the absence of a flash; you can alter the white balance and also shoot in negative, sepia and black and white. For such a basic snapper, it’s done incredibly well. Colour representation is vivid, depth is correct and although most detail is refined for a two-megapixel snapper, it does lose focus in places, especially around the edges. White areas can also be prone to overexposure. But it’s worth noting we captured photos in strong outdoor lighting conditions, favourable for a good snap. Because the S500i’s lens is so basic, we wonder if it may struggle under harsher conditions but otherwise, under a point-and-shoot scenario, it takes decent photos.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S550i_photo4home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo4.htm)
Click for larger photo
Music player
Sony Ericsson’s non-Walkman phones, particularly from the mid-range upwards, have always had cracking built-in music players. The S500i continues this and although it isn’t Walkman flavoured, its music player has been seen in the likes of the K800i, K810i and the upcoming P1i smartphone.
The S500i also arrives with Sony Ericsson’s famed Disc2phone PC music software that originally shipped with the Walkman handset. Outside of iTunes, it remains one of the easiest and most intuitive programmes around for either transferring your existing computer library or ripping CDs. It’s a cinch to use. Sadly, our review sample didn’t include a MemoryStick Micro (the hot-swappable slot is located on the top of the phone), so you will have to invest in a memory card to get the best out of the player and you can pick these up for about £37 if you shop around. The music player itself is simple to operate.
You can access your music via Artists, Tracks and Playlists and once you’re spinning the music, you can enhance the sound via the five-band equaliser. You get normal, bass, voice, treble boost and a customisable manual setting. Bass is best for beefing up the sound and even though the bundled headphones aren’t the best (these are connected via the POP port, but shamefully don’t come with a 3.5mm remote adapter), the audio performance is lively, with good volume.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/S500i_photo5home.jpg (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Sept2007/Sony_Ericsson_S500i_photo5.htm)
Click for larger photo
Sony Ericsson S500i Specification
Type Slider
Size 99 x 47 x 14mm
Weight 94g
Display 262,000 colours
Resolution 240x320 pixels
Camera Two megapixels
Video recording/playback Yes/ Yes
Video calling : No
Audio Playback MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+
Ringtones Polyphonic, MP3, AAC
FM Radio No
Connectivity Bluetooth, USB
Internal memory 12MB
Memory card slot MemoryStick Micro
Messaging SMS, MMS, IM
Internet browser WAP/xHTML, HTML
Email POP3, SMTP, IMAP4
Java Yes
Gaming Brain Juice, Lumines Block Challenge
GPRS Yes + EDGE
Frequency Quad Band
Talktime 540 minutes
Standby 370 hours
Upside
Despite basic features, the two-megapixel camera performs admirably, while the music player is highly accomplished.
Downside
With a lightweight and creaky construction, the S500i doesn’t feel particularly robust.
Verdict
We can’t deny Sony Ericsson makes easy-to-use phones and the S500i is a fine example with some nice flourishes like the Mother Earth themes and colours. But place it alongside more swoonsome rivals like the LG Chocolate and Shine and the S500i loses the style war.
See 3G's best deal on the Sony Ericsson S500i - click here (http://shop.3g.co.uk/sony-ericsson-s500.html)
This review covers the above mobile phone only and does not address the performance of any 3G Network. The score is based on a 3G mobile phone checklist.
Copyright : You are advised that this material is the copyright of www.3G.co.uk and is our own personal view only. (C) All rights reserved 2007. Whist every care has been taken in the preparation of this review, the author nor 3G.co.uk cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of the information it contains, or consequence arising from it.