Since last month, I had been on the lookout for a worthy replacement for my old workhorse of a cellphone, a Samsung C100, which has become somewhat of a junta phone nowadays. I appraised all the possible handsets in my consideration set of mid-level phones (10k-15K), and finally decided on the K500i. The SE K500i is basically a modest sibling of the loaded and feature packed K700i, but then it’s also far less expensive at Rs, 11.5K-12K . Some of the features which enticed me to go for this phone were :
1. Attractive Design : The first thing that strikes you about the K500i is it’s shape. It’s relatively small and light (93gm), with nice curves reminiscent of a well endowed beauty. A large screen (128 x 160) adorns the front and a smart camera lens with a hatch to keep out the dirt on the other. The only pitfall about the design is the keypad, which can take a while getting used to as the keys are cramped. It also has a orange/amber backlight, which to say the least is unconventional and may deter some style conscious potential buyers. I think Samsung rules when it comes to keypad ergonomics.
2. Display and interface : I basically fell in love with the phone after I saw the screen come to life with it’s gorgeous 64K colours and the Mac type animated icons for the interface. Navigation is via a small trackpad, which works well after you get used to it. The interface is fast and is usually pretty easy to control. The provided themes are a visual treat with it’s animated wallpapers, and translucent menus
3. Sound Quality : Sony Ericssons are famous for the clarity and loudness of their ringtones and the K500i is no exception. The small speaker on the rear which doubles as a handsfree speakerphone is quite effective, and MIDI and MP3 ringtones sound loud and clear.
4. Reception : I did not have any issues with the reception quality, and it was as good as any good Nokia available in the market.
5. Camera and Multimedia : This has to be the USP of this Phone. It supports MP3 playback/ringtones and video recording/playback. However with a limited 12Mb of memory and no MMC expansion slot, this phone cannot possibly be used as a MP3 player. What it can be used for is a voice recorder, which is perfect for taking voice notes or simply recording a telephonic conversation. The sound quality is great with the in-built equiliser. The still image quality of the cam is good when used outdoors or at places with good ambient light. The image becomes a little grainy when used indoors. VGA quality is acceptable with 4x digital zoom. Another interesting feature of this phone is that it has a 3D gaming engine, and two of the provided games do justice to this. There is a tennis game with an astounding level of physics and graphics. The user also has the option of downloading games from PlayNow, which is SE’s custom fee-based download service.
6. Connectivity and Customization : This phone lacks Bluetooth, which is really weird, as it’s poorer cousins, the T610 and T630 have this feature. Unless you are keen on using a bluetooth headset, the IR port however makes up for this deficiency. I was able to transmit images and sounds to a Nokia 3200, which is rather impressive. One can download the SE File Manager and Sync Station and Outlook synchronization becomes a breeze thereafter.
The phone imports and synchronizes detailed contacts, to-do lists, calendar entries and Notes from Oulook 2000 or higher. This is probably one of it’s best yet understated features, at least for the Business User. Mid, MP3, images, applications and theme files can be easily transmitted to the phone from a PC with an IR port and given the display and sound capabilities, you can customise the phone in a multitude of ways. There is also the SyncML feature which I havent used. GPRS performance was decent, and the big screen and the trackpad aids in good mobile browsing.
7. Battery Performance : The phone falls a little short of expectations. I cant be too specific about the figures but it should suffice to say that the phone lasts just a day and a half on a full charge.
8. Other features : Rich animated themes, speaker phone, voice dialing, association of pics and ringtones with addresses, Code protected memos, etc. etc.
BET YOU’RE CONFUSED NOW!!
Well by this time, you probably are wondering, why on earth would I give an average rating to a feature packed phone, which seems to be perfect in nearly all aspects, given its modest price. If so, then read on ...
It is usually not in my habit to wash dirty linen on mouthshut. A spate of unfortunate experiences with Sony Ericsson however has compelled me to do otherwise. All the features and user experience I mentioned does work, but only when the phone does not hang or crash. Within a day of my acquisition, the little devil inside the phone started rearing it’s ugly head. It started hanging indiscriminately, whether I was speaking on it, browsing through the menus or using the camera. The only way I could get it back on track was by removing the battery and switching it on again.
Now for the Service Part :
I took my phone over to one of the listed service centers in Kolkata, they had a look at the problem and received it for due rectification. I figured that it was a software problem and that they would just reload the phone s/w. I was told to pick up the phone the next day, but the problem persisted and it was again retained. 2 days later, I was told that the set has been sent to Delhi for replacement. I was given a cheapo standby set (T230) in lieu of my new handset. I was told that it would be back in my possession after a week. That week stretched to a fortnight, and mind you it was a brand new phone. I?d written to Sony Ericsson., but all I got back in return was their Auto responses and courtesy mails which did a brilliant job of affirming their commitment to their prized customers, but did little to explain why a new phone would behave so erratically, and why they were delaying the dispatch of my replacement set. Kolkata isnt exactly a quant village; so I still fail to see why the phone needed to travel all the way to Delhi for a replacement in the first place.
Anyhow I did get back my phone, actually a replacement, and this time there has been no hiccups or hang-ups. Things are honky dory, and the service center folks have been kind enough to throw in a free level of Splinter Cell : Pandora Tomorrow in the phone. But that fortnight, sure contributed to my increasing stress levels and exasperation. Had this been the US, I would?ve got rich after suing them, citing reasons of ?emotional trauma? .
So whats the moral of my story : If you?re going to buy a K series Sony Ericsson, take your time at the dealer?s place and fidget with it, for at least an hour to see whether it hangs or not. If it doesn?t then you have a perfectly good phone with features to boot at a respectable price. If it hangs later on, then may the good Lord show mercy on your tormented soul.