Sony Ericsson S710a Smartphone
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- Screen Size (Diagonal): 2.3 inch
- Installed Memory: 32 MB
- Design: Mobile
- Style: Smartphone
- Network Type: GSM 850 GSM 1800 GSM 1900 GPRS GSM EDGE
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A Charming Phone
Pros
Great reception, head turning design, camera, nice screen, solid construction, user interface, connectivity
Cons
slightly bulky, microphone placement, non-tactile keypad, slow operating system performance
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A standout, full-featured phone that should provide gadget heads with plenty of options.
My last cell phone was a Sony Ericsson T616 on AT&T's network. I hated the phone. It was small and had nice features, but it had poor reception, a lousy screen, a user interface that was elegantly designed but poorly executed, and a camera that was anything but usable. I wanted a new phone, and after reading some reviews, I turned to the S710a, a phone that's also a camera and media viewer.
The S710a is a phone that does it all in one elegant package. It is the Americanized version of the S700i, and shares a similar feature set differing with a tri-band 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM radio, removing the FM radio, and adding EDGE data. Key features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, 32 megs of memory on the phone, and Memory Stick Duo slot to add more. The full feature set is on Sony Ericssons website at http://www.sonyericsson.com.
Availability of the S710 may be limited as the phone is already a couple years old, so if you want one, the best place to check is eBay. If you want to keep your current GSM service provider, you will want an unlocked phone. Branded phones may be unlocked through some services for a fee.
Currently, the Sony Ericsson W600 provides a more available alternative, sharing a similar feature set except the W600 has 256 megs of memory, includes a quad-band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM radio, is a little smaller and lighter, and places a loop antenna on the outside of the phone.
My Initial Experience
My favorite part about getting a new toy (phone or otherwise) is the unwrapping experience. It's too bad I didn't open the box, the Cingular agent did. Oh well. In side the box was a software CDs, a Memory Stick/CF card reader, a mundane headset, a 32 meg Memory Stick Duo card for the phone, several manuals, pamphlets and warranty information, a wall charger, a myriad of plastic bags, and a little place where the phone used to sit.
Now on to the bullet points.
Pros:
Great Reception
Compared to my old T616, this phone picks up reception like a sponge. Where I received little or no reception from the T616, I could receive 2 or 3 bars from the S710a. The phone can usually pick up reception when other phones on the same network can not. The call quality is quite good as well. Understand, it's still a cell phone, but calls are understandable, clear and loud. Furthermore, Bluetooth reception is very good and can maintain a reliable connection with my computer for long distances (10m or so). Data connections are also very quick thanks to the EDGE radio.
Design
The spinner design is very distinctive and can be confusing for people who have just been exposed to the phone. The spinning mechanism is also addicting. Even after the phone for several months, I still find myself playing with it. One handed operation can be more awkward with the spinner design than a candy-bar or clamshell phone, but I seemed to get used to it pretty quickly. (Additionally, dialing a call with one hand can be made easier by using the voice dial feature.) Overall, the black body/silver or grey accent design is very attractive and sleek. The illuminated buttons are lit with an cool blue and are very readable. The phone itself tends to illicit the head-turning response.
Camera
The 1.3 megapixel camera is nice, especially compared to camera phones currently on the market. The camera creates pictures with a decent color balance, exposure and low grain in well lit conditions. In lower lit conditions, the camera performs less solidly, combining long shutter times, high grain and hit or miss color. Overall, the camera is very usable in many situations and creates nice pictures for viewing on a computer monitor. Don't expect these to make nice printouts. The video camera is a nice feature, picking up audio well and compressing the image to a small yet viewable MPEG-4 video. Both are very easy to use and require no navigation to start up, simply slide the front lens cover open while the phone is unlocked.
Screen
The screen is brilliant. It is viewable in any lighting situation, very bright, and well saturated. There are some concerns about the screen not being protected due to the spinner design. So far, my screen has not received any scratches under average use and seems to be constructed out of a very tough material.
Construction
The phone has a great feel. When opening and closing the phone, spinning mechanism has a satisfying click. Although the phone is heavy, it is well balanced. The only thing that lacks in its construction is the rubber flap covering the headset and power ports on the bottom of the phone. Fortunately for me, mine fell off after about a month of use. I'm pretty sure I like the phone better without it on.
User Interface
The Sony Ericsson user interface is very usable and intuitive. It's menu is understandable and quickly navigable. The address book application is robust, providing for a multitude of information fields on each entry. Animated icons are a nice touch.
Connectivity
This is one connected phone. Combining Bluetooth, IR and optional USB data, this phone can connect to pretty much anything using pretty much anything. Additionally, the Tri-band GSM radio allows the phone to be used internationally.
Cons:
Slightly bulky
The phone is a little bigger than most phones on the market. This is not a major complaint, but I think I'm spoiled from my T616's miniscule size.
Microphone Placement
The microphone is in a bad location - right between the right soft key and the "C" button. Right handed people may find themselves rubbing the microphone against their cheek or too far away from their mouth. It tends to happen to me from time to time.
Non-tactile keypad
Due to the spinning design, the keypad is flush with the surface of the phone, limiting the ability to press keys by touch. This problem is easily solved by looking down at the phone, but in the beginning it can be a little unusual to use.
Slow performance
Probably the biggest complaint about the phone is it's super slow performance. Occasionally the phone lags behind my inputs significantly, but usually I have to wait for a second before entering another input. This is only a problem when switching between menus, programs or functions.
Overall, this is a solid phone that's pretty enjoyable to use. It's camera is the major selling point, but I've been most happy with the phone's reception and the design of the phone. This phone is perfect for the gadget head who wants a device that can deliver a lot of features while not sacrificing any of the important stuff.
The S710a is a phone that does it all in one elegant package. It is the Americanized version of the S700i, and shares a similar feature set differing with a tri-band 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM radio, removing the FM radio, and adding EDGE data. Key features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, 32 megs of memory on the phone, and Memory Stick Duo slot to add more. The full feature set is on Sony Ericssons website at http://www.sonyericsson.com.
Availability of the S710 may be limited as the phone is already a couple years old, so if you want one, the best place to check is eBay. If you want to keep your current GSM service provider, you will want an unlocked phone. Branded phones may be unlocked through some services for a fee.
Currently, the Sony Ericsson W600 provides a more available alternative, sharing a similar feature set except the W600 has 256 megs of memory, includes a quad-band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM radio, is a little smaller and lighter, and places a loop antenna on the outside of the phone.
My Initial Experience
My favorite part about getting a new toy (phone or otherwise) is the unwrapping experience. It's too bad I didn't open the box, the Cingular agent did. Oh well. In side the box was a software CDs, a Memory Stick/CF card reader, a mundane headset, a 32 meg Memory Stick Duo card for the phone, several manuals, pamphlets and warranty information, a wall charger, a myriad of plastic bags, and a little place where the phone used to sit.
Now on to the bullet points.
Pros:
Great Reception
Compared to my old T616, this phone picks up reception like a sponge. Where I received little or no reception from the T616, I could receive 2 or 3 bars from the S710a. The phone can usually pick up reception when other phones on the same network can not. The call quality is quite good as well. Understand, it's still a cell phone, but calls are understandable, clear and loud. Furthermore, Bluetooth reception is very good and can maintain a reliable connection with my computer for long distances (10m or so). Data connections are also very quick thanks to the EDGE radio.
Design
The spinner design is very distinctive and can be confusing for people who have just been exposed to the phone. The spinning mechanism is also addicting. Even after the phone for several months, I still find myself playing with it. One handed operation can be more awkward with the spinner design than a candy-bar or clamshell phone, but I seemed to get used to it pretty quickly. (Additionally, dialing a call with one hand can be made easier by using the voice dial feature.) Overall, the black body/silver or grey accent design is very attractive and sleek. The illuminated buttons are lit with an cool blue and are very readable. The phone itself tends to illicit the head-turning response.
Camera
The 1.3 megapixel camera is nice, especially compared to camera phones currently on the market. The camera creates pictures with a decent color balance, exposure and low grain in well lit conditions. In lower lit conditions, the camera performs less solidly, combining long shutter times, high grain and hit or miss color. Overall, the camera is very usable in many situations and creates nice pictures for viewing on a computer monitor. Don't expect these to make nice printouts. The video camera is a nice feature, picking up audio well and compressing the image to a small yet viewable MPEG-4 video. Both are very easy to use and require no navigation to start up, simply slide the front lens cover open while the phone is unlocked.
Screen
The screen is brilliant. It is viewable in any lighting situation, very bright, and well saturated. There are some concerns about the screen not being protected due to the spinner design. So far, my screen has not received any scratches under average use and seems to be constructed out of a very tough material.
Construction
The phone has a great feel. When opening and closing the phone, spinning mechanism has a satisfying click. Although the phone is heavy, it is well balanced. The only thing that lacks in its construction is the rubber flap covering the headset and power ports on the bottom of the phone. Fortunately for me, mine fell off after about a month of use. I'm pretty sure I like the phone better without it on.
User Interface
The Sony Ericsson user interface is very usable and intuitive. It's menu is understandable and quickly navigable. The address book application is robust, providing for a multitude of information fields on each entry. Animated icons are a nice touch.
Connectivity
This is one connected phone. Combining Bluetooth, IR and optional USB data, this phone can connect to pretty much anything using pretty much anything. Additionally, the Tri-band GSM radio allows the phone to be used internationally.
Cons:
Slightly bulky
The phone is a little bigger than most phones on the market. This is not a major complaint, but I think I'm spoiled from my T616's miniscule size.
Microphone Placement
The microphone is in a bad location - right between the right soft key and the "C" button. Right handed people may find themselves rubbing the microphone against their cheek or too far away from their mouth. It tends to happen to me from time to time.
Non-tactile keypad
Due to the spinning design, the keypad is flush with the surface of the phone, limiting the ability to press keys by touch. This problem is easily solved by looking down at the phone, but in the beginning it can be a little unusual to use.
Slow performance
Probably the biggest complaint about the phone is it's super slow performance. Occasionally the phone lags behind my inputs significantly, but usually I have to wait for a second before entering another input. This is only a problem when switching between menus, programs or functions.
Overall, this is a solid phone that's pretty enjoyable to use. It's camera is the major selling point, but I've been most happy with the phone's reception and the design of the phone. This phone is perfect for the gadget head who wants a device that can deliver a lot of features while not sacrificing any of the important stuff.
