Sagem Tackles A 3G Contract Phone

Sagem takes time out from its prepay exploits to have a punt at the contract market, with the sleek my850V Crystal.

Features

- 3G
- Two-megapixel camera
- Built-in music player
- Stereo Bluetooth
- Expandable memory

Despite being a major player in the UK prepay market, many of you may not be aware that Sagem has also dabbled in the contract arena. Well, once in 2005, with the myX6-2 on Orange. Now, the French manufacturer is having its second stab at this monthly gig with the stylish 3G my850V Crystal clamshell; this time exclusively on Vodafone.

The my850V is undoubtedly Sagem’s most desirable handset since the myX-8 (a fantastic handset shamefully ignored by the UK operators). It’s a sleek clamshell that flaunts a smoky mirrored façade, slightly reminiscent of the Sony Ericsson Z610i. Unfortunately, this means the front exterior is open to attack from fingerprint smears, but its sultry, dark navy veneer conceals the worst offenders. This reflective, minimalist front is disturbed by a small monochrome LCD, touch-sensitive controls and a faint Vodafone logo.

The my850V is more expertly built than Sagem’s normal prepay offerings and is lightweight and compact for slipping into the pocket. Open up the my850V and you are met by an ergonomically designed keypad with lots of space and large keys, and you get dedicated buttons for video calling and firing up the music player. Overall, it’s a joy to thumb. The QVGA-quality display is also bright and sharp and, because the my850V is a network exclusive, the user interface is Vodafone flavoured. However, you won’t encounter any problems working your way through the UI.

For a mid-range 3G phone, the my850V makes all the right feature noises – a two-megapixel camera, built-in music player and support for Stereo Bluetooth. But the phone is severely let down by a pretty under-furnished box. For a phone that’s primed for mobile music playback, you’re not supplied with any earphones, a microSD card for storage, a USB cable to transfer your music files or a software disc. We suspect it is Vodafone’s way of forcing you to download songs from its Live! Portal, but you will have to purchase the relevant accessories from www.sagem.com to get started. You also have the option to download the WellPhone XT software.

Transferring your existing digital library involves a drag-and-drop technique; a 4MB file takes about one and a half minutes over a USB connection (of course, you’ll have to pay extra for a USB cable). Along with your tunes, you can also manage your contacts, calendar and other multimedia via this easy-to-use software.

The music player is pretty basic with only repeat, shuffle and playlist creation modes, but with no headphones, it was difficult to test its audio performance over the phone’s speakers.

Similarly, the two-megapixel camera is rudimentary, shooting in a 1200x1600-pixel resolution and offering a few effects and 5x digital zoom. Picture quality is a bit shabby with images blighted with posterised hotspots and over-exposure. It’s good enough for wallpapering and MMS, but not for printing. Elsewhere, you’re privy to Vodafone’s 3G services including video-calling, RadioDJ, Mobile TV and its new internet service.

The Sagem my850V’s slinky design and decent 3G features are let down by a half-hearted package bereft of the basic accessories to get the music player pumping.