Siemens C35i Cell Phone

When looking for a cell phone every one of us wants different qualities and specifications. Some of us look for a hybrid of a palmtop and a cell phone, some of us look for design, others for the most durable phone ever or for a (very) long lasting battery. But one thing all of us look for is the size. The right size. In most cases it simply means small. Not too small though - accessing the 'keyboard' shouldn't be handicapped by microscopic keys.

When I first saw my mom's new Siemens c35i I loved it. It looks good, keeps the very pleasant - at least to my eye and hand - line of the newest Siemens phones. Materials used to manufacture it seem to be of good quality. All in all it is a handsome phone. And not too girlish, which means a man can use it without this shameful feeling of using something designed for women. Unisex would be a good word to describe it.

The phone is small, though incorporates a good display and a keyboard of just the right size. Though the buttons are a bit too tiny for my big fingers. No problems there though. I still can easily use them. And the phone has an external antenna which is a very high priority with me (if you want to know why check out my Nokia 3210 review).

Summing up the design is flawless. Of course one can argue that you can't discuss taste. Ok, you can't but this phone as it is should appeal to most people.

The other thing that really impressed me was the lightweight battery of this phone. Not only is it small and weights almost nothing, but it also lasts forever. I am close to believing its even more powerful than the one I had in my beloved Nokia 5110. Siemens'es engineers deserve a pat on the back for their great job with this battery.

Now what I did not like about the phone. And there's lots of it. Firstly the keyboard makes it somewhat difficult to navigate throughout the menu items. Keys have dots instead of arrows - and though I don't consider myself a 'slow' person - I needed a few seconds to figure how to use them. The display isn't as marvelously comprehensive as it is the case with standard-setting Nokia phones. When using Nokia you intuitively know where to look for the option you want to use. Here I had to read the manual. It was the first time I have ever read a manual for a cell phone.

It's clear that Siemens tried to make the display as attractive and comprehensive as possible. Why shouldn't they? But to me their efforts went amiss. And I think there are too many things displayed on the screen and that there are in all the wrong places. (But yes I am a Nokia-lover and I always compare other phones to the small Finnish marvels). One thing I did like was the animated dog. A very cool addition.

The menu itself seems to be a perfect example of making simple things complicated, complex and idiotic. Why would I need 3 phone books? What happened to the SMS-log? Where is the place I use to add new numbers to my phone book? Why does it take forever to find anything in the menu? I have no words for it. I can only suggest Siemens engineers bought a Nokia phone and saw how a menu should be done. Or just buy the menu off from Nokia. Just do something with it.

Score: 3 stars. Why? For good looks are not all. You have to look for a partner that offers something more than looks. As with people that with phones. It has to be easy to use. You have to understand what it wants from you. You have to know how to get the most out of it. And with Siemens c35i it just costs too much time and fuss. Three stars is a balanced note, but I am going to hinder it with not recommending the phone. Buy it only if you are used to other Siemens products. Nokia-fans are going to suffer immense torture using this phone. It's just not worth it.