Sony Ericsson W395

Editor's Review of the W395

Coming from the same Sony Ericsson Walkman family that includes the W302, the W508 and W705, the W395 is a music-oriented handset that works on slider mechanism. It is a compact Walkman handset that measures 96 x 47 x 14.9 millimetres and weighs a slim 96 grams inclusive of the fitted battery. The handset is equipped with a TFT display screen which measures 50.8 millimetres and displays picture wallpapers in 262,000 colours over a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels. It supports ringtones in MP3, polyphonic and AAC formats.The Sony Ericsson W395 works on quad band technology, covering GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900. Because of its worldwide roaming capability, the handset is a reliable partner for users who frequently travel. Its reach, however, depends highly on the user's network provider.

Catering to modern handset owners, the W395 allows users to get connected to the World Wide Web with a built-in WAP Internet browser, complete with OpenWave support. Transferring and sharing files is also possible using the USB cable of the handset. The handset also supports Bluetooth for wireless connectivity with compatible devices such as a printer, a personal computer and a laptop. The handset also works on EDGE technology, ensuring speedier file or data transfers.

The handset offers standard messaging services that include SMS or text that works on Predictive Input. Users can also send and receive picture messages using the MMS or multimedia messaging feature of the mobile phone.

The mobile phone can also function as a portable assistant for busy, business-oriented users. It has the organiser features: a phone book for storing contacts and important contact details, a calendar for scheduling purposes, a calculator for on-the-go computations, a stopwatch, timer and alarm clock, a tasks option, and a vibrating alert option for calls and messages that need urgent attention.

The handset also comes with a speaker phone to enable users to take calls in a hassle-free manner. Navigating through the mobile phone's advanced features is effortless with a dedicated navigation key.

As its imaging features, the Sony Ericsson W395 flaunts a 2-Megapixel camera which comes with a 2.5x digital zoom for a more precise capture of subjects. It also comes with a Photo Fix feature that allows users to enhance pictures taken with the handset. Besides taking still photos, the built-in camera also allows users to record footages. The handset also turns into a portable video player as it plays and streams video clips in widely accepted formats.

Features that promote music listening on the go are the W395's highlights. It comes with a built-in operational Walkman music player, complete with TrackID feature that identifies a song's title and displays other relevant information with its album art feature.

Users can download tracks using the PlayNow feature that offers fast downloading rates. Music listening is at best with the quality sound that the mobile phone's integrated stereo speaker offers. For a private listening experience, the sleek music handset also supports wireless Bluetooth stereo A2DP headphones. Users who prefer to listen to their favourite tunes on-air will appreciate the built-in FM radio of the handset. The integrated FM radio has an RDS feature that offers users access to news updates, weather reports, and other information from their preferred radio station.

An added entertainment feature of this mobile phone is its support for games in Java format. This handset is also embedded with a wide range of motion games for a gaming enthusiast to choose from and enjoy.

The handset allows users to store contacts, messages photos, videos and other files and data with up to 10 Megabytes of memory. The storage capacity is expandable using a Micro M2 memory card.

Users will also enjoy the mobile phone for 8 hours of talk time. It is also capable of staying on standby mode for 480 hours, when working on a fully charged battery.

Observers have criticised the mobile phone for lack of support for email access and Wi-Fi feature. Others have also expressed discontent over the handset's average-performing built-in camera. Satisfied users however say that the Sony Ericsson W395 is a must-have because of its full range of music-focused features, and wide array of competent mobile phone functionalities.