Sony Ericsson W715

Editor's Review of the W715

Adding to Sony Ericsson's lineup of Walkman music phones is the W715, which resembles the features of the W705 model. It is a compact mobile phone that weighs 98 grams and measures 95 x 47.5 x 14.3 millimetres. It stands out with its stylish casing colours of luxurious silver or galactic black, and works on a slide mechanism. The mobile phone offers a wide display screen which measures 60.96 millimetres and displays picture and animated wallpapers in more than 262,000 vibrant colours over a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. The wide external screen is set on an auto-rotate mode, which means that it can be viewed either vertically or horizontally. Giving it a more distinct appeal is a set of polyphonic ringtones from which users can select to suit their style.

The mobile phone works on quadband technology, specifically on GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900, as well as UMTS 2100 networks. As it is 3G HSDPA-enabled, it is multi-tasking mobile phone that offers users with Internet access using the built-in NetFront Web browser, complete with Web feeds and YouTube compatibility. Users will be able to go online in certain hotspots because the handset has been integrated with WiFi capability. Similarly, transferring files to or from compatible gadgets such as printers, personal computers or laptops is easy with the W715's USB and Bluetooth capabilities. Because it works on EDGE technology, file transfer and downloading time are expected to be of much speedier rates.

The mobile phone allows users to send their contacts with text messages that works on Predictive Text, or multimedia messages. The handset's Internet connectivity also supports online chat through instant messaging, as well as sending, composing and receiving electronic messages through access to email. As a portable business assistant, the mobile phone has a set of built-in organiser tools such as a phone book, an alarm clock, a calendar, a calculator, notes and tasks, a timer, a stopwatch and vibration alert. Frequently traveling users will appreciate the handset for its flight mode option. It also allows users to take calls in a hassle-free manner with its integrated hands-free speakerphone. As bonus features, the handset supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and GoogleMaps.

Mainly flaunting its Walkman capabilities, the Sony Ericsson W715 comes with an advanced music player that allows users to enjoy their favourite tracks. It is filled with top-of-the-line features for quality music listening such as Mega Bass that enhances bass sound, TrackID that displays the song artist, genre or album of currently playing songs, and SensMe track feature that virtually matches a user's mood. It also works on shake control, through which users simply need to shake the handset to make music selections. The mobile phone also displays album art on its colour screen. As an option for music enthusiasts, the W715 also comes with a built-in radio feature complete with RDS, which allows access to information relating to music, news and sports. It also offers users with a wireless music experience using compatible headphones with the Bluetooth stereo A2DP feature. For ease of use, the handset comes with external music buttons that function even when its slide is in a closed position.

An integrated 3.2 Megapixel camera is the mobile phone's banner imaging feature. The powerful snapping device features digital zoom, Photo Light and Photo Fix that create better lighting and allow subjects to be captured more precisely during picture-perfect moments. The mobile phone also supports the PictBridge feature that allows on-the-spot printing of coloured photos captured through the handset using a compatible printer. Additionally, the camera is also capable of recording moving footages, complete with the video light feature for better video outputs. The mobile phone also streams and plays videos in most popular formats. A second camera also allows users to make 3G video calls.

Moreover, the handset never fails to amuse its game-loving users with its support for Java- and 3D-format games, as well as a host of other motion games.

The Sony Ericsson W715 offers 120 Megabytes of internal memory, which can expand to up to four Gigabytes using the Micro memory stick. The handset may be utilized for ten hours of GSM talk time, and stays on standby mode for 400 hours over a fully charged battery.

The mobile phone has gained criticism for its lack of better-performing camera. Nonetheless, it has been applauded for running on advanced mobile phone capabilities while functioning with music-oriented features. Moreover, users have admired its sophisticated look that complements the modern lifestyle.