Sony Ericsson W595

Editor's Review of the W595

Measuring 100 x 47 x 14 millimetres and weighing 104 grams, the Sony Ericsson W595 is a music-focused mobile phone that works on a slide opening system. The W595 comes in four vibrant colour combinations of cosmopolitan and red, active blue and turquoise, jungle grey and turquoise, as well as ruby black and red. Users are able to view the 58.88-millimetre QVGA screen when the handset is either in its closed or open slide positions. The handset displays its users' selected picture wallpapers on 262,000 colours at a 320 x 240-pixel resolution.

The Sony Ericsson W595 is a quadband network mobile phone that covers UMTS 2100 and GSMs 1900, 1800, 900 and 850 network bands. Users are offered Internet connection through the Access NetFront Web browser. The handset is powered by EDGE and HSDPA technologies, which provide its users with high-speed file transfer rates and fast Internet connectivity. Connecting with other compatible devices to transfer and share files is easy through the USB cable connection or the Bluetooth wireless connection.

The phone supports the standard mobile phone messaging systems such as SMS with Predictive Text, multimedia messaging, as well as instant messaging and e-mail using the handset's Internet connectivity. As for its organiser features, there is a phone book, an alarm clock, a stopwatch, a timer, a calculator, a calendar, notes and tasks, and a PictBridge printing option. For fitness conscious users, you will find a step counter called Walk Mate. The mobile phone also has a sound recorder as an added feature.

The W595 is part of Sony Ericsson's lineup of music phones. As such, the Sony Ericsson W595 can pass for a portable audio player, with features that allow users to listen to their favourite music with easy-to-use music interface and top sound quality. Why not the TrackID system that displays relevant information about the song that they are listening to, including song title, song artist and the music album where the track can be found. Users can also view the colourful album art that the handset displays.

Additionally, the Sony Ericsson W595 also has the SensMe feature for users to create their own music playlist according to their selected categories, such as music type, style and mood. Another feature of the music phone is the Mega Bass technology for a more powered music experience, as well as PlayNow for easy and quick music downloads from the Internet. There is a shake control system that allows users to move on to the next track they want to listen to simply by shaking the handset.

The Sony Ericsson W595 works on Bluetooth stereo A2DP, therefore, music-loving users can enjoy a wireless music experience. The W595 also gives users the option to listen to tracks using the built-in FM and AM radio, with on-screen RDS that shows radio information. Users can access the music keys even when the casing is in its closed position.

Another top feature of the Sony Ericsson W595 is its integrated 3.2 megapixel camera to capture still photos and record videos. To ensure quality shots, the W595's camera comes with a 2.5 x zoom and camera settings that users can opt to tweak. There is also support for video playing and streaming. The W595 keeps its users amused with the pre-installed Guitar Rock Tour game. Users may download other games in 3D and Java game formats.

You can store files of up to 40 megabytes in its built-in internal memory. A Micro M2 memory card may be used to expand the handset's storage capacity. The mobile phone offers around 9 hours of talk time, or 385 hours of standby time when used on a fully charged battery.

As downsides, users point out that the Sony Ericsson W595 does not come with a 3.5mm jack. Others say that while the camera functionality is a good feature, it lacks the important aspect of a flash. The handset also tends to get warm when it is being used, according to some complaints.