Price Range: $192.17 to $305.35

Experience instant satisfaction

This sleek clamshell phone is powered with the latest technology to give you lightning-fast data transfer. Why wait for future?

The user can enjoy listening to their favourite radio station on the integrated FM radio with RDS. The RDS features on the radio provides the user with visual information that is given by the radio station & may include breaking news headlines, weather reports & information on the song that is being played on the radio station. The RDS feature is an informative & visual source of information which the user can gain whilst they are listening to the music being played. The built in media player allows the user to play music & watch video on their Sony Ericsson Z710i in different formats. The phone comes complete with an easy access PlayNow™ feature which allows the user to access games & music which are ready to be downloaded onto the Z710i. The user can have fun creating their own ringtones with the help of the MusicDJ™ feature which comes with a selection of beats, rhythms, bass control & instrumental sounds.

Compared with the W710i, the Z710i’s exterior features are both improved and somewhat disappointing at the same time. We’ll start with the bad news first. We dinged the W710i for its bland external display and we’re going to have to do the same with the Z710i. Like its predecessor, the display is very large (1.5 inches) but the monochrome resolution means it doesn’t support photo caller ID. It also won’t act as a viewfinder for self-portraits, but Sony Ericsson redeemed itself this time around by adding a self-portrait mirror to the camera lens just above (there’s still no flash though). You can change the backlighting time, and though the brightness isn’t customizable the display remains visible in direct light.

There are a few extra features that are worth pointing out. The phone handles EDGE connections for fast internet access and has a full screen web browser, so you can realistically use the phone for mobile web access, although obviously this isn’t going to be as easy as browsing the web from a PC. The phone handles MP3 and AAC format ringtones, and has Sony Ericsson’s PlayNow facility for downloading new ringtones. There’s also a polyphonic ringtone composer if you want to try your hand at making your own MIDI ringtones. The phone is quadband for worldwide use, and frequent travellers can make use of flight mode (offline mode). The Z710i is equipped with a full range of personal organiser functions (notes, tasks, alarm clock, business card exchange, calendar, calculator, file manager) and a voice recorder.

Camera
* Camera - 2-megapixel
* Digital zoom - 2.5x
* Picture blogging
* Video record

Music
* Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
* Media Player
* Music tones
* PlayNow™

Messaging
* Email:
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Connectivity
* Bluetooth™ technology
* Infrared port
* Modem
* Synchronisation PC
* USB mass storage
* USB support

Price Range: $299.99 to $345.60

Made for the actively mobile

An active lifestyle needs an active phone, and this one’s got it all: music, communications, imaging and all the essential active accessories.

The Sony Ericsson W710i is a Walkman phone in a clamshell format. It’s designed for an active lifestyle, with rubber inlays to improve grip, a belt clip and a sports armband. The W710i even has a motion sensor to measure time, speed and distance when you run, and a step counter for walking. Central to the W710i are its music player functions. The music player is stereo and can support a wide range of formats including MP3 and AAC. Audio quality is high, with Mega Bass™ to enhance bass frequencies. A stereo headset is supplied, which enables the RDS FM radio to operate. Alternatively a Bluetooth stereo headset can be used.

The phone comes with dual screens which allows the user to see what music they are playing when the phone is in the open or closed position. The external screen is a STN type greyscale display which has a screen resolution of 128 x 128 pixels. The W710i has a clear & colourful internal TFT display which provides 262k colours & a screen resolution of 176 x 220 pixels. The Walkman™ music player is highly useable & provides the user with an extremely high quality performance & sound. The user can tune into their preferred radio station with the use of the built in FM radio with RDS. The FM radio RDS feature allows the user to enjoy having a text information service provided by the radio station. The radio station can provide information on the song that is being played, the current news & sporting headlines.

Sony Ericsson is still easing into the flip phone game, and the W710i is just the second Walkman flip phone after the Sony Ericsson W300i. But where the entry-level W300i skimped, the W710i delivers in both its high-end features and its accessible design. On that note, the W710i has a smart form factor with a unique white and gray color scheme. Admittedly it’s a tad boxy, but it’s not a design we’d grow tired of. And while it borders on bulky (3.4 by 1.9 by 1 inches; 3.6 ounces) it’s easily portable, it has a solid construction, and it feels comfortable when held to the face for talking. A small looped antenna juts out at the top of the handset.

Camera
* Camera - 2-megapixel
* Digital zoom - 2.5x
* Picture blogging
* Video record

Music
* Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)
* Media Player
* MegaBass™
* Music tones
* PlayNow™
* TrackID™

Messaging
* Email:
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Connectivity
* Bluetooth™ technology
* Infrared port
* Modem
* Synchronisation PC
* USB mass storage
* USB support

Price Range:

A modern classic – compact yet comprehensive

The elegant clamshell design will fit comfortably into you hand. Open it, and there’s everything you need for communications, imaging and entertainment.

The Sony Ericsson Z550i is also a clamshell like its competitor the 6131. It is a GSM Tri-band phone while Nokia’s 6131 is a GSM Quad-band phone. The Z550i is smaller and thus lighter weighing just 93 grams with dimensions 87.5 x 45.4 x 20 mm. The Z550i has a 256K TFT color screen on the inside and a mono-display on the outside. The external mono-display does well displaying the time, name of the contact or number of the incoming call, FM Radio Station, and alerts (message, missed call, reminders, etc.) The contrast of the inner screen is good and looks very pleasant to the eyes. The screen is smaller compared to the 6131, that’s because of the comparatively small dimensions of the clamshell.

The phone has dual screens & the external screen provides the user with a useful external monochrome display. The external screen displays the time & date along with calendar reminders. The internal display provides 262k colours on a TFT screen which measures 1.9 Inches. The phone comes with wallpaper animations, screensavers & themed colourful displays which allow the user to create a personal feel to their phones displays. The Z550i camera phone comes with a 1.3 megapixel digital camera feature complete with 4 x digital zoom. The user will find the camera feature fun & extremely user friendly with some very useable editing features. The user can use the video record feature if they need to capture the moment in motion. The user can stream video onto their Sony Ericsson Z550i & the phone comes with a Video DJ™ feature which allows the user to create a video sequence by simply combining different video clips together & incorporating sound for a perfect finish.

The front of the phone houses the 1.3 megapixel camera lens and an external display set in landscape mode, similar to the one used on the Z610i. A self-portrait mirror is located just above this display. Located on the right hand side of the phone are the volume keys, while on the left is the memory card slot situated behind the battery cover. The card is still hot-swappable, but you’ll have to remove the battery cover first. The proprietary Sony Ericsson Fast Port can be found on the bottom edge of the handset, which does double duty for plugging in the charger and USB data cable. Finally, on the back of the handset you’ll find the loudspeaker and battery cover with the same brushed metal finish as the rest of the phone.

Camera
* Camera - 1.3-megapixel
* Digital zoom - 4x
* Video record

Music
* Media Player
* Music tones
* PlayNow™

Messaging
* Email:
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Connectivity
* Bluetooth™ technology
* Modem
* Synchronisation PC
* USB mass storage
* USB support

Price Range: $319.99 to $319.99

Express, excite, impress!

Change covers, ringtones, images and light effect to truly customize this versatile clamshell with sleek design and an impressive array of features.

The Sony Ericsson Z520i is a small & sophisticated camera phone which comes with a clamshell opening mechanism. The phone is light for the user to hold & carry around which only weighs 94 grams. The Z520i has a looped antenna which also works as a sleek & stylish hand strap loop. The Z520i is available in a choice of two attractive & subtle colours which are chalky white & sandy grey. The phone comes with easily removable front & back covers which can be replaced with an optional extra of Style Up™ covers. The Style Up™ covers come in different colours & with different textured finishes to create a personal feel to suit the users taste. The Z520i comes from the same family as the Sony Ericsson Z530i which is also a beautifully designed clamshell phone but is very different in design & features.

The MP3 player supports both MP3 & AAC formats, as well as MPEG4 video and is reasonably good, but with only 16 Mbytes of shared memory available you won’t be able to store more than about 3 tracks. MP3/AAC ringtones are supported, and the Z520i has a cool feature that lets you have any combination of ringtones, images and lighting effects when you receive a call.

Flipped open, the Z520i continues the all white theme, and the blue backlit keypad is an extremely nice touch. A flashy feature is the light effects, which notify you of incoming calls, missed calls and new messages. For example, when the phone rings, and you flip the Z520i open to answer the incoming call, the area surrounding the keypad lights up and flashes to the music of your ring tone. These lights can be adjusted to settings such as Waterfall, Heartbeat and Fountain. Call us easily amused, but in the day and age where mobile phones are seemingly fashion statements rather than communication devices, we liked this feature.

The covers are changeable - currently available in chalky white or sandy grey. You can also customise the phone with ringtones, Java games, animated wallpaper and themes. The Z520i supports all types of connectivity with other devices: Bluetooth, USB, infra-red and a new connection type called Fast Port that enables faster data transfer from phone to PC and PC to phone and also serves as a charging port. Other features of the phone include a web browser, high-speed data, quadband support and a picture phonebook. Battery life is average.

Camera
* Camera - 0.3-megapixel (VGA)
* Digital zoom - 4x
* Video record

Music
* Media Player
* Music tones
* PlayNow™

Messaging
* Email:
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Connectivity

* Bluetooth™ technology
* Infrared port
* Modem
* Synchronisation PC
* USB support

Price Range:

Stylish simplicity

Easy messaging keeps you in touch. A camera lets you catch the moment. And it’s not all about inside. The Z250i proves that looks count too.

The Z250i allows easy messaging to keep users in touch. A camera lets users catch the moment. And it’s not all about the inside. The Z250i proves that looks count too. Furthermore, the phone was designed to please the eye - and for ease of use. Open up your Z250 clamshell and find a large keypad and themes that keep your screen clear and readable.

There’s a VGA camera for capturing those moments to remember. And there’s a slide show feature, so you can show your photos to your friends and family or just play them back to yourself and enjoy. Alternatively the Sony Ericsson Z250i supports Multimedia messaging so you can send them with an appropriate text.

Use the Sony Ericsson Z250 to capture memorable moments when you’re out with friends and share your shots in an engaging way with the special slide show feature; just set the show rolling, gather round with your friends and enjoy your pictures straight from the phone. With enough room to store up to 200 images, there’s plenty of room for all of those impromptu photo moments. It takes just one click on the Z250i to reach a collection of features that can help organise your life. Whether you want to send a message, access the camera or get straight to your phonebook, with the multi-way navigation key you’re just a click away. Although the Sony Ericsson Z250i weighs in at just 90 grams, it’s certainly no light-weight. It has enough stamina for up to 7 hours talk time and up to 300 hours standby.

Camera
* Camera - 0.3-megapixel (VGA)

Messaging
* MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
* Predictive text input
* SMS long (Text Messaging)
* Sound recorder

Connectivity
* Infrared port
* USB mass storage

Communication
* Polyphonic ringtones
* Speaker phone
* Vibrating Alert
* Video call