Sony Ericsson Z550i is a nice and slim looking clamshell type phone with almost all features at a very reasonable price.
So let’s start with "BOX CONTENTS"
Comes with "Portable Handsfree HPB-60" which has a "High Quality Microphone on the cord" and "Fast Port System Connector". And "Standard Charger CST-60" + User Guide.
No software CD or USB cable in pack. You won’t need them if you use Bluetooth.
"SPECIFICATIONS"
Triband GSM 900/1800/1900
1.9 inch 262, 144 colour TFT screen (176x220 pixel), External Screen is Monochrome STN 128x36 pixel
1.3 MegaPixel Camera with 4X zoom
RDS FM radio
Media player – music and video
Memory Card Slot (uses Memory Stick Micro M2)
T9 Text Input
Standard push email, Full HTML Browsing
Bluetooth
Phone memory 25MB
Available in two colours: Sterling Black & Pearl Copper
"CONTACTS"
"Phone Memory" can store 1000 contacts. "Speed Dial" is provided for 1 to 9 keys.
Can add up to 5 phone nos. for a single contact in addition to e-mail id, web-id, picture, ringtone, work & home address, info and birthday. Although no "clipart type" pictures are provided by default for this purpose. We can put our own if needed.
"FILE MANAGER" is provided to move, copy, rename, delete any type of file.
"CAMERA"
Different Settings are provided for taking pictures:
Picture Size: 1280x1024, 640x480, 160x120
Shoot Mode: Panorama, Frames, Burst
Night Mode, Effects, Self-Timer, Normal & Fine Picture Quality etc.
Format Support: GIF, JPEG, WBMP, BMP, PNG, SVG-Tiny, MPG4, SDP, 3GPP.
Timeline Search is present for browsing pictures taken on a particular date.
"PhotoDJ" application for editing and adding different effects.
Video Quality is good.
Shoot Mode provides settings for Picture Message or Hi-Quality Video.
Video Size: 176x144 and 128x96
Night Mode & Effects etc. are provided.
Format Support: MP4(.mp4) format (video: MPEG4, audio: AAC or AMR) and 3GP(.3g) format (video MPEG4 or H.263, audio: AAC or AMR).
"VideoDJ" application lets you add different photos, videos, text, soundtrack, transitions and convert them into a single Video File. This is a very good application in such a small phone.
"MEDIA PLAYER"
"Media Player" can play Music and Video Clips.
You can Fast Forward, Rewind, Pause, Skip to next track, Shuffle, Loop, control Equalizer while playing music clips. Clip Time is also displayed. If phone is closed Clip Info keeps scrolling on external screen.
You can Pause, Loop and Shuffle Videos. It’s also possible to pause and play the video one frame at a time.
Format Support: MP3, MP4, MP4A, 3GP, AAC, AMR, G-MIDI, EMY, IMY and WAV (16 kHz). Also 3GPP.
"MusicDJ" application is used to compose and edit Ringtones.
Music tones (MP3/AAC)
Polyphonic Sound 40 voices
Ringtones support:
E-Melody
I-Melody
RHZ
XMF
"RADIO"
It has FM Radio with RDS(Radio Data System). With RDS different channels can send info or text which will be displayed on screen. It is not used in INDIA right now. You must connect handsfree for listening to radio, although you can turn on speaker after that if you don’t want to listen thru handsfree. It is possible to save 20 channels. Auto-Search works well.
Radio can also be used as Alarm Signal. Radio Quality is good. Stereo/Mono selection possible.
"Games", "Applications(small Java Programs), "Sound Recording" and "Call Recording" facility available. "Themes, Games, Applications" can be downloaded from PC or web.
"Synchronization" of contacts can be done using USB cable, Internet or Bluetooth. Bluetooth can also be used for playing multiplayer games. You can also update phone software using web and USB cable.
"OTHER FEATURES"
Voice Dialling, Speaker Phone, Conference Call, Groups (CUG), SMS, MMS, Voice Message, E-mail.
There are lots of other functions and usual functions which are present in this phone. e.g. "Calculator, Alarms, Calendar, Tasks, Profiles, Web-Browsing" etc.
Normal handling will let you use the phone for two days without charging. Also, put your phone on "Power Saving Mode".
"UNMENTIONED SHORTCUTS"
While using Camera or Video Mode, PRESS
1-Picture Size
2-Night Mode
3-Effects
4-Self Timer (Only Camera Mode)
Top Right Corner shows No. of Pictures that can be saved in your phone & Picture Size/Resolution.
While listening to Music, with closed phone, press "Volume Keys";
press once to activate outside screen, if the phone is closed.
press & release for volume control
press & hold for station change or next track when using media player (phone open or close)
"THINGS I DON’T LIKE"
I am not impressed with 1.3 MP Camera of this phone as compared to my other phone "K700i" which has a VGA camera.
Noisy+Dark images in low light conditions. Night Shots are too grainy.
No Flash which is very disappointing.
Mirror takes wrong refection while taking self-portrait (picture crops)
Speaker Volume is very inferior/low.
No Joystick, D-Pad is provided for navigation.
We have to set "Date & Time" again when we swap a SIM card.