Sony-Ericsson W890 : Cellphone Test

SONY-ERICSSON W890 SPECIFICATION

Dimensions: 92.0 x 46.0 x 17.0 mm
Weight: 100 grams
Colours: Black Piano / Opera Brown / Red Violin
262 144 TFT color (240x320 pixels)
Internal memory: 8 GB
GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900 / EDGE / UMTS 2100 / HSDPA
Talk time: up to 9 hours
Autonomy Standby: Up to 370 hours
Autonomy a video call: up to 4 hours 30 min
Cameras 3.2 Mpixel, Video Recording, Digital zoom up to 3.2 x, PlayNow, Real music - MP3, AAC, Shake control (allows for progress in reading the titles audios only shaking the mobile), Bluetooth stereo (A2DP), TrackID, Walkman player, RSS, Navigator Web Access NetFront, Java, 3D Games, Video streaming, Radio, Viewing Video
Modem, PictBridge, USB support, USB mass storage, Synchronization PC, Email / Recorder sounds / Instant Messaging / Text Messaging (SMS) / MMS (multimedia messaging), Entering predictive, Speakers / Vibrate / Video, Agenda electronic / calculator / Stopwatch / Contacts / Timer, Airplane Mode / Notes / Directory / Wake up / Tasks, Integrated FM transmitter to send music to other FM receivers.

So Apple, Sony, Microsoft, Creative Labs, Archos, Meizu,… are a fierce war on the market for portable digital devices leaving more and more complete and versatile, while Nokia and Samsung are a mad rush who released the largest number of models each year, including models full multimedia features innovative, Sony Ericsson continues to expand at its own pace its own mobile lines, including its range "Walkman", innovating and developing new features regularly.

Presented officially there are already several months, Sony Ericsson w980 the attention at first because of its ergonomics and its superb black lacquer hull, which give it an appearance very classieuse, what the Japanese-Swedish manufacturer we had not used for mobile range "w".

With relatively small dimensions and a look at the format clamshell (valve), Sony Ericsson is it a good alternative to face many competitors models.

Sony-Ericsson w890 Body

The Sony Ericsson w980 is a beautiful mobile composed a beautiful and shiny black hull, very pleasing to the eye… when there are not too many fingerprints.

Although the w980 is not very large, the grip of the mobile is correct, except when one branch kit pedestrian on the left side of the aircraft, in particular because of the imposing connectors owner Sony Ericsson.
When one opens the w980, the position (enough shifted) of the two mobile elements in the open position surprise, even if this system has already been seen on some models of the mark. Personally, I find ergonomics Sony Ericsson w980 not very aesthetic.

The quality of materials used in the hull seems good, while "breathable" solidity.

The w980 screen is very bright and offers a display quality very good.
Navigating through the menus using the directional pad is fairly easy.

Sony-Ericsson W890 Menus

The Main menu is composed of 12 sub - menus:
-- PlayNow,
-- Internet,
-- Leisure,
-- Digital Photos,
-- Messaging,
-- Media,
-- Radio,
-- Contacts,
-- Walkman,
-- Calls,
-- Organiser
-- Settings.

Playnow and Internet

1 - PlayNow:

This menu allows you, via a connection Data, you connect to a site of the same name, in order to be able to download ringtones, music, games, ... fee.

2 - Internet:

The Sony Ericsson w980 allows you to browse on all types of web sites or in portrait mode to landscape mode.
Posting websites reduced size is correct. The larger sites are resized to be quite legibly displayed on the screen size of the w980, which avoids too often manipulate the horizontal scroll bar.
The management of RSS feeds is also supported.
Setting a data account for connecting the web is very simple.

3 - Leisure:

This menu provides access to games, create videos (Video DJ), bells (Music DJ), edit photos (Photo DJ), to use a remote Bluetooth, recording sounds.
Three games come standard: Lumines Block, Need for Speed and Sudoku.

A sub-menu called "Location Services, which includes navigation tools like Google Maps. It helps to establish a connection with a Bluetooth GPS receiver in order to position themselves on Google Maps, search services nearby….
All positions registered as favorites can be found in a sub-menu dedicated to that purpose.

Digital photos and e-mail

4 - Digital Photos:

Pictures taken by the Sony Ericsson w980 are rather averages, because they lack finesse. When you capture a scene that has a lot of relief or retail return, the picture is slightly pixélisée achieved.

As is often the case on Sony Ericsson mobile, activation of certain options strangely makes use of zoom totally ineffective. The lack of autofocus and flash is regrettable. The position of the lens on the flip bottom is not top, as in the grip of the mobile, often a finger is positioned in front of the goal.

Many options and effects are available for taking photos, and tools are available for editing photos (PhotoDJ).

Regarding the realization of videos, encoding finally made the MPEG4 format, which allows a correct reading of that video on a mobile ... in theory.
The videos taken with the Sony Ericsson w980 are not of good quality. Too bad.

5 - Menu Messaging:

The Menu messaging allows sending and receiving SMS, MMS and E. Mail, but also to retrieve and view RSS sites to which you are a subscriber, and store small messages.

An application called "My Friends" allows you to chat with his friends. To do so, he must enter his login and the name of the server.

Media and FM radio

6 - Media:

This menu allows access to all files stored on the Sony Ericsson w980, ordered by file type ": Photo, Music, Video Games, Flux web….

Playing photos:
The display photos and images on the Sony Ericsson w980 is available in different forms: photo album (image file name), images (presented in the form of vignettes (3 lines),….
The list of photos displayed in portrait mode or in landscape mode, depending on the angle of w980.
Photos can be viewed in portrait or landscape mode, in which case the orientation is selected naturally.
Each photo can be viewed positioned to screen or on the start screen, as a screen saver, or attached to a contact.

Playing Music:
The reading of audio files is described below, in the "Walkman".

Playing videos:
It is from this menu that can be accessed from reading the MPEG4 video (clips and films), which can be read both in portrait mode, in landscape mode.
The internal memory of 8GB of w980 can store many videos.

The videos can be designated as a default ringer when receiving a call.

7 - Radio FM:

The RDS FM radio works perfectly. The research, adjustment and memorization of radio stations is simple to make, and totally fluid.
As with all mobile connectivity kit pedestrian is necessary to activate this function and listen to the radio, including a mode loudspeaker.

The application also includes the "TrackID", a music recognition service that allows free registration of a short musical excerpt from an FM radio or a music source, and sending via the Internet.
In return, the user receives on its mobile music song title, artist name and album name (if these data are available on the server).

Contacts and Walkman

The contacts list of W980 can manage contacts cards very complete.

The synchronization via the USB cable (contacts, calendar, notes ...) works perfectly.

What is annoying if the first w980 connection to a PC is that several searches are carried out successive drivers, and recognition by the mobile PC takes some time.

9 - Menu Walkman:

The walkman is obviously the main function of the W980, like all mobile range "w" Sony Ericsson.
When the valve is open, w980, playing music is accessible either via a key shortcuts located directly in the upper left, either by selecting the menu "Walkman" in the main menu

In the closed position, the Walkman menu is enabled by default. The sensitive keys located below the external screen can drive the menu, and the choice of titles.
The key shortcuts located in the lower right portion of the mobile can activate or deactivate the use of sensitive keys.

The ergonomics of the player is very pleasing to the eye. The photo on the cover of the album, the artist's name, title and the album are viewable, as well as information on the use of navigation keys, and the position of title in the playlist.

The upper part of the valve at the top, which is transparent, honest small orange diodes, which illuminate depending on the pace of title listened.

The sound quality with headphones is very good.
On speakerphone, the sound is good, but it is clipping a little as one increases the sound.

Unlike other models in the range walkman, the kit pedestrian does not remote for reading headlines, but a simple button to pick up or hang up.
The presence of a Jack 3.5 mm on the kit allows pedestrians to connect any helmet with the connectors.

10 - Calls:

This menu lists all calls received, issued, and missed.

Organiser and settings

11 - Organizer:

This menu allows access to the management of alarms, "launch" of a video call, access to the agenda, the management tasks and notes, the synchronization (with a web server) and d other functions (timer, stopwatch, calculator, helps memory (for storing personal information).
A file manager can view all files and applications stored on the phone memory.

The "Applications" incorporates many softwares such as:
-- "World Mate", which memorizes the number of steps taken and the number of steps still to be done to achieve your goal average daily health,
-- "Converter", which can convert units of measurement of all kinds (weight, volume, temperature,…), and even calculate a tip rates depending on the amount of the bill for a meal,
-- "Word Clock 3D, which allows viewing on a globe all the different time zones, with each time zone,
-- "Standby World", poster for a few seconds, one by one, clocks with the local time in different cities around the world,
-- "Music Mate 5", an application that lets you play music by combining the four instruments displayed on the screen, using a motion detector, this application reproduces the sound of the instrument closest to the direction in which you do this movement (shot).

12 - Setup:

This menu allows you to the main phone settings (profiles, sounds and alerts, display wallpapers or themes, ..., call options, Bluetooth connectivity, Data, ...).
The opportunity to position a video as a default ringer is very nice.
Exchanges via Bluetooth function quickly and completely, either in transmission or reception, and that, whatever the file size.

Conclussion :
The Sony Ericsson w980 is a good mobile, classy, very ergonomic, fairly discreet, with a good quality of listening. It will delight fans of the Japanese-Swedish brand.
Incorporating an internal memory of 8 GB, it is priced at around 440 euros, a price which may be considered as high given the most complete services provided by some Nokia N Series "or some Samsung and LG models sold in this price range.

(Source : MobiFrance)