Sony Ericsson W300i

Introduction

As a Walkman phone, the new Sony Ericsson W300i from Cingular offers a viable alternative to a separate MP3 player. Praised for its design and functionality, Walkman phones such as the W600i and W810i have become best sellers, integrating features and functions without the limitations imposed on many other music phones.

As a mid-level clamshell, the W300i offers many of the features of high-end devices, in a reasonably-priced package. Closest to the previously launched Sony Ericsson Z525a, some may despair the lack of a Push-to-Talk option. Regardless, with speakerphone, conference calls, caller ID and voicemail also all available, the phone meets most call standards.

The W300i covers the basics in organizational applications, featuring a Calendar, Task list, Alarm Clock, and Notepad. Other handy tools include such old favorites as the Stopwatch, Timer, and Calculator. With a full entertainment package and standard organizational applications, this phone should keep users both on time and on track during hectic times, and blissfully occupied during downtime.

Design

The design is perhaps somewhat controversial - some may find it cheap, while others will think it light and whimsical. On one level, it's a case of personal taste, but on another level, the phone has a pretty nice look for a mid-level device, incorporating a two-tone color scheme and an external screen.

When the eye first strikes the W300i, the first thing it will most likely pick up is the color orange. Where other phones might feature blue or green exterior LCD screens, the W300i goes for a vibrant orange to match the metallic orange highlights on the body of the phone (which of also happen to match Cingular's logo).

Contrasted against the black faceplate on a silver frame, the orange highlights grab the eye with a warmth that some may find lacking in blue or green. On the other hand, personal taste is personal taste, but while some might not find this color scheme to their liking, the design itself is at least, somewhat unique. (In addition to "Shadow Black," the phone is also available in "Shimmering White."

The overall look of the phone is further enhanced by a black faceplate, which could be classified as "dull" in the sense of "not shiny." This lackluster texture may satisfy those users who find glossy surfaces a bit too ostentatious (or just too reflective), as well as users who just don't care. The W300i also features a handle-like protrusion at its hinge, which creates an interesting, yet comfortingly symmetrical, shape.

The most striking aspect of the phone's design in general may be its weight: at 90 x 47 x 24 mm and 94 g, it's light enough to juggle (if one is so inclined as to juggle valuable electronic devices, which is not recommended). Some might call the overall design effect "cheap," while others might find that this design makes the phone conveniently light and somewhat unique.

The phone is a rounded-rectangular clamshell, with a 101 x 80 px external LCD screen placed slightly lower than center, a placement which allows for a comfortable distance between the screen and the VGA camera lens, positioned up towards the hinge. Those who are often frustrated by easily-accidentally-pushed side buttons will be relieved to find no real side buttons along the edges of the phone.

Tucked safely away near the hinge on the side of the phone dwell the infrared port on the right and the shiny orange Walkman controls on the left. The back of the phone features another black faceplate covering about two-thirds of the surface, and the speakerphone up towards the hinge. The power / USB / headphone port is found on the bottom of the phone in the usual place.

Opening the phone reveals not a standard number pad, but a series of three circular columns, not unlike spread-out piles of overlapping coins. The look makes for an interesting, futuristic alternative to the average keypad, and, despite all fears to the contrary, the arrangement makes for easy, mistake-free dialing. The standard five-way keypad for navigation sits above the number pad. This pad is relatively small, which sometimes causes problems with navigation.

Another concern is the power button, which is so tiny as to be mistaken for a groove near the bottom of the keypad. However, like the number pad, it proves to be surprisingly easy to push, despite all appearances. A similar button parallel to the power key summons the Walkman menu.

Users might at first be tripped up by the "clear" button, which, unlike on other phones, cannot be used to scroll back to the previous screen. A separate "back" button takes care of such matters. The adjustment may be awkward at first, but soon becomes second nature.

Situated above the keypad is the 128 x 160 px TFT internal screen. The only other noticeable interior design feature is the somewhat skinny "neck" where the hinge connects the upper and lower parts of the phone. Users may decide for themselves whether or not this look is to their liking, but it does give the phone another unique design feature along with the orange highlights, dull-textured faceplates, and nonstandard keypad.

Overall, the design of the W300i is a little boxy, but with enough unique features, like the rounded-out number pad and the non-glossy surface, to make the phone more interesting than bland. Some users may have trouble with some of the small buttons on the phone, especially the 5-way navigation keypad, but on the whole the W300i's unique look gives satisfactory charm to a mid-range handset.

Out of the box, the Sony Ericsson W300i comes with a Standard 900 mAh Li-Ion Battery, Charger, Headphones, Quick Start Guide, and User Manual. While the headphone cable adapts to fit most sets of headphones (in addition to the headphones provided in the box), users may have to buy a USB cable specifically designed for this phone.

Camera

The W300i does record video, a feature that so far has not become a necessity on mid-range phones. The video camera then, is a nice touch, and while the resulting video files may not be Hollywood quality, they do satisfy the demands of spur-of-the-moment video-recording fun.

Excepting the video camera, the phone's VGA camera leans towards the standard for a mid-range phone. The camera takes pictures in the standard sizes: Large (640 x 480 px), Medium (320 x 240 px), and Small (160 x 120 px), as well as an "Extended" size of 1280 x 1024 px. The camera offers neither flash nor the ability to take self-portrait photos via the external screen. Only two quality options are offered: Normal and Fine. As can be expected with a mid-range camera, images are hardly print quality.

The zoom lens offers 1x, 2x, and 4x magnification, whereas brightness can be adjusted along various intervals between +/- 2 points. Zoom is adjusted via the up / down keys on the 5-way pad; brightness by the left-side Walkman buttons. Color effects are rather limited but satisfactory: Regular, Black and White, and Sepia cover the bases, while Negative and Solarize add some different fun options. A self-timer is included.

One nice feature of the camera is the Shoot Mode, which allows the user to take Normal, Panorama, Frame, and Burst shots. Panorama Mode guides the user in taking three aligned photos, which it then blends together to create a connected, extra-long shot. Frame Mode caters to the user who enjoys putting pictures of a friend's head on the bodies of Elvis, the Mona Lisa, or a bearded hippie. Other frames work in the more traditional sense, decorating the edges of the shot with theater curtains, an abstract spiral, or a desk stacked with paperwork. There are nineteen frames in all. Burst Mode takes four rapid-fire shots, perfect for capturing madcap action or for the work of aspiring fashion photographers.

Unlike cameras on many other phones, the W300i's camera does not feature sidekey-activation. The shutter is triggered by either a softkey or the enter key on the 5-way keypad. The digits on the number pad also serve as shortcuts for various camera functions.

The aforementioned video recorder alternates with the still camera via the side buttons of the 5-way keypad. The video quality, like the picture quality, is as can be expected from a lower-end camera: perfectly fine for fun and spontaneity, but probably not a replacement for a separate digital video recorder. Users may choose between short, low-quality recording for purposes of video messaging, and longer, higher-quality recording for eventual transfer to a computer. Small (128 x 96 px) and Large (176 x 144 px) video sizes are available. Night Mode and special effects are available just as they are on the still camera.

Video or still images may be saved either to the phone or to a separate memory stick. Multimedia messaging is available for sending photos and video to friends and family.

As the VGA camera is on the lower-end of the technology scale, serious photographers will have to look to a separate camera for their needs. For those who do not rely on their phone as their primary imaging device, the W300i's camera satisfactory meets requirements for general fun, from snapping photos to send to family members to capturing the spontaneous antics of a couple of friends on video. Furthermore, the inclusion of a video recorder is a nice touch not often found on mid-range phones. In sum, the W300i's camera rates about average with bonus points for the video recording feature.