Sony Ericsson W550i review

Network and connections
A truly distinctive phone, offered by Sony Ericsson for the entertainment segment. Starting with the technical specifications, we can say that the W550i is a GSM Triband, capable of operating on the 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz frequencies. Although it does not support the UMTS network, it still guarantees good signal coverage. Internet browsing is ensured by the presence of a WAP/HTML browser, with data traffic management via GPRS, even though no internal modem is provided. To exchange data with other devices you can use the USB 2.0 data cable, or wirelessly via Bluetooth connectivity and the infrared port.

Design and features
The exterior appearance of this phone is truly distinctive. It is a phone made up of two parts, which when rotated reveal inside the keypad, a standard numeric one with keys divided into three vertical sections. The rotation point is located right below the directional pad, flanked by a few function keys to manage the device. The upper part houses the display, a TFT with a resolution of 176x220 pixels, displaying up to 262 thousand colors. The outer covers are replaceable, so you can choose your preferred color. In fact, the purchase package includes two kits, one white and one orange, which blend nicely with the silver inserts on the body. Also included are the stereo earphones and the USB cable. The dimensions are quite generous for a device that should ensure comfortable portability: 22.5 mm thick and 120 grams in weight.

Main features
Navigating through the menus is easy and intuitive, even though at first glance the notable animations might give a different impression. In fact, four different modes are provided, with scrolling or pulsing icons. Naturally, the most common utilities are not missing, such as an appointment calendar, contact list, alarm clock and calculator. The voice section, on the other hand, offers a built-in speakerphone with good sound quality, as well as a voice recorder and support for multi-conferencing. Support for T9 predictive text helps with writing SMS messages, even though the keypad is not that comfortable to use.

Entertainment and multimedia
The W550i is specifically designed to offer entertainment tools. It is in fact part of the Walkman series, a guarantee of sound quality in music playback. Its player is indeed able to faithfully reproduce music in various formats, complete with 5-band adjustments via an equalizer. Everything can be managed through dedicated keys, easily found on the sides or on the top of the phone. The W550i is also equipped with an FM radio receiver, so you can listen to your favorite stations, also relying on the RDS function. There is also a camera with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels, handy for taking photos at any moment, thanks to the built-in Zoom and Flash. The memory available for various data is only 256 MB, which among other things is not expandable since no card slot is provided. Portability is quite good, with a battery life of 400 hours in Stand-by.