Sony Ericsson w810i Review
Upon first opening the box everything is neatly presented and the handset itself sits in its own little cardboard groove. Underneath this lies all the accessories packaged inside its own small box. Accessories include the charger, usb transfer cable, 512mb memory card and adaptor, handsfree device which includes some in-canal earphones and the proprietary software.
The handset looks decent enough and is satin black with orange accents. It's sleek and the screen is smooth and shiny, which unfortunately also means it's a fingerprint magnet. First looks reveal that Sony have done away with the joystick for this model, and replaced it with a directional pad instead. This means it's harder to navigate, but given the amount of complaints of broken or non-responsive joysticks on other SE models, it's a bit hard to tell whether this is a good or a bad thing. The screen is huge and encompasses around half of the mobile's top surface, however to compensate for this the keypad is exceptionally small and is definitely not made for those with larger, stubbier fingers. There's also no lens cover over the camera on this model - this means it's thinner, but that you'll have to be ultra careful to not scratch the lens while it's in your pockets.
The graphics look fluid and crisp on the w810i, and the interface is easy and intuitive enough to use. There's also dedicated keys to skip to the Walkman function as well as the camera. Navigating is simple using the D-Pad once you get the hang of it, but what's sorely lacking is a button to return straight back to the default screen. Making calls on the w810i is also a breeze, but the volume could be louder. The external speakers work exceptionally well though, and at times seem clearer and louder than while making a normal phone call.
The Walkman function is great in its simplicity. You can transfer tracks onto the phone by using the included software, or you can much more easily just drag and drop the files using explorer. Upon initiation of the Walkman function, the D-Pad immediately assumes playback function keys and dedicated volume buttons can be found on the side of the handset for ease of use. Inclusion of a headphone adaptor also means you can use your own headphones with the w810i, which is a great option to have especially if canal earphones aren't your type. Given the w810i's music bias, it's a disappointment that the handsfree doesn't possess its own set of dedicated playback controls. One would expect that a remote would be a standard accessory to include with this phone. Unfortunately you have to buy this separately which will set you back another $50 or so, and even then the handsfree and playback controls have stupidly not been fused into the one set, but are rather two separate controls on the same cord. At least the w810i redeems itself with a respectable 512mb card included, and can be expanded to up to 4gb - enough space to make a decent playlist from.
So far, so good. But how does the camera rate? SE models with inbuilt cameras have always enjoyed a great reputation when it comes to quality, and the w810i is no exception. Sporting a 2 megapixel camera, autofocus, 4x zoom and flash, the w810i makes a handy little companion when your real cameras not around. The pictures taken by the w810ilook very good for a phone camera. The macro shots are fantastic too. I took a picture of a magazine (photo below) and the words are actually surprisingly quite readable. But mind you, the quality and the flash definitely aren't good enough to replace a digital camera, but it's definitely a start.
Overall, the w810i makes a great multi-function package. It has a bit of everything, and it does everything well. That said, it can't beat dedicated devices in their own field however, so if you're a stickler for great quality photos or an music player to house your 30gb collection in, then you're better off buying a separate digital camera and mp3 player. However, if you're happy with a Jack of all trades, then the w810i is definitely for you.
