Compare Sony Ericsson W705 Contract Mobile Phone Deals
An Attractive Music Phone
Opinions regarding the Sony Ericsson W705 mobile have been rather mixed. On one side, users rave about its sleek exterior, nifty screen, and lightning fast internet. On the other, music lovers lament the lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack and small storage space. Let’s take a closer look and see what it has to offer.
Appearance:
The phone’s appearance is definitely a strong point. While some may complain that it looks a lot like many of Sony’s other phones, you have to admit that its shiny aluminum exterior, shiny buttons, and easy slide-out number pad make it a very pretty phone indeed. It comes in both silver and red, and at only 98 g, it is small enough to fit in palm of your hand or your back pocket. Unlike other small phones of its kind, it also doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy.
The 2.4 TFT 262K colour screen is also a nice feature. It’s agreed all around that the user interface is an improvement over other Sony models. The most noticeable feature is the shake control. Want to shuffle your songs? Simply hold down the walkman button and give your phone a shake. You can also flip through your favourite playlists by wrenching your phone sharply to the left or right. The only downside to this is that the walkman button is quite small, which makes it difficult to hold down, especially while shaking the phone.
Sound:
The Sony Ericsson W705 packs a punch when it comes to providing you with lots of music-related goodies. Along with the Walkman music player, you can also play with the FM Radio RDS and Bluetooth A2DP stereo as well. You also get lots of interesting playlist programs, such as TrackID, PlayNow, and SensMe. Unfortunately, the TrackID falls somewhat short, as many have complained of it not being able to register speech. The aforementioned shake control makes browsing through your music showy and fun. As befits any decent music phone, the sound quality is unfailingly crisp and clear.
However, its lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a huge disappointment to some, especially when so many other phones seem to have embraced the idea. If you don’t have a problem with using Sony issue premium headphones, however, it might not be too much of a disappointment.
Camera:
Its 3.2 megapixel camera doesn’t offer much: its 3 x digital zoom and LED photo light do very little to make up for the poor quality of the photos. Many end up grainy in lower light due to the lack of flash, and pictures tend to turn out blurry unless you’re standing stock still.
However, the video related options may make up for this. Along with being able to record and play clips, you can also stream videos, make face-to-face calls, and even keep a video blog. One of the best known features is that the video playing feature is also Youtube compatible, which is a definite plus.
Internet Connectivity:
The phone’s prompt internet is another strong point. Its quad-band technology allows you to stay connected almost anywhere, and you have so much to choose from: 3G HSDPA, Bluetooth, USB, EDGE, and WiFi. Users will enjoy being able to browse their favourite RSS feeds and podcasts, as well as using the GPS function to get around. Browsers include the Access Netfront and WAP XHTML as well as various web feeds.
Texting enthusiasts will also enjoy the SMS, MMS, IM, and predictive text. The Exchange ActiveSync allows you to synchronise your email, contacts, and more without trouble. Unfortunately, transferring music from your computer to the phone may be something of a hassle.
Memory:
With 120 megabytes of memory, the phone’s storage space isn’t its most impressive trait. However, you can add up to four additional gigabytes from a micro memory stick. Despite the plethora of programs and functions, the battery life is fairly lengthy. Talk time consists of ten hours of GSM talk time, four hours of UMTS talk time, 350 UMTS of standby time, and a whopping 400 hours of GSM standby.
Verdict: While its flashy exterior, nifty shake controls, high quality sound, and speedy internet connection are all desirable traits, the phone’s inconveniences are a bit too prominent to be completely ignorable. However, many consider its strengths to outweigh its faults.
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