Sony Ericsson P1i
The P series is now slim and compact but still remains feature-packed for business users. Those considering one will just have to get used to the uncommon space-saving keyboard layout.
| The good | Compact design; 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus; responsive interface; FM radio and music player; office productivity applications; support for Exchange syncing. |
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| The bad | No HSDPA; QWERTY keyboard takes some getting used to; thin stylus; requires optional accessory to use standard headphones. |
CNET Editors' Rating
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CNET Editors' rating
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Rating breakdown
While there have been firmware upgrades, users of those smart phones were recently up in arms because of talk suggesting that there would be no more development and bug fixes on UIQ 3.0. Shortly after, Sony Ericsson announced one more firmware release for the P990i and W950i devices in August, though none was promised for the M600i.
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 The P1i with its thin stylus. (click for larger image) |
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Design
The mobile phones in the P series have always been somewhat bulky. The last few models had flip-out keyboards, the last two of which, the P910i and P990i, had both a QWERTY and numeric keyboard each. That added to the size significantly, not to mention that the main chassis of the P series smart phones have traditionally been quite thick.
That has now changed with the P1i. Those familiar with Sony Ericsson's UIQ models will find that it looks more like the M600i than any P series device. This is thanks to its compact form factor as well as the exposed QWERTY/numeric keypad. Instead of a plasticky housing, the P1i has a matte metallic finish around the edges with a piano black gloss around the sides and front. The back, which is where the camera lens and battery cover are, has a different rubbery texture but is also in black.
Compared with the M600i, the P1i has a much more solid feel to it. This is not just because of the material used but also due to its heavier weight. The reduced size and weight compared with the P990i will surely appeal to some who stayed away from that model because of the form factor.
Sony Ericsson did not include a full QWERTY keyboard on the P1i, but instead put all the letters and numbers in 20 keys. Most of these keys rock left or right to serve as different letters. For example, the top left key is used for both the Q and W letters. Rocking it left will get you the former, while rocking right will type the latter. The center portion of the keypad has numbers in red laid out just like a regular numeric keypad for use in the phone application and when filling out fields where numbers should be entered.
While such a keyboard layout saves space, it takes some getting used to. Essentially, typing a letter becomes a two-step decision. First, you decide which button to land your finger on, then which direction to rock the thumb toward. You could just land your thumb on the side you want and press it immediately, but that means there is very little room for error when it comes to the position of the thumb tip, a real challenge for those with large fingers.
A scroll wheel is found on the left side of the device, meant for use with the left thumb. A back button below that makes it easy to get out of applications and menus. On the other side, there are shortcuts to the Web browser and camera application as well as a slot for the M2 memory expansion card. The single connector at the base of the P1i allows for charging and syncing, and lights up either green or red depending on the charging status of the battery, a helpful indicator to determine if it is time to disconnect after charging. As we have come to expect from Sony Ericsson's smart phones, an anorexic stylus can be removed from the top left-hand corner of the handset.Features
Connectivity options are plentiful on the P1i. For the cellular networks, it is a triband GSM phone and 3G-enabled. Other wireless options include wireless LAN and Bluetooth. Its Bluetooth implementation supports A2DP, which means you can connect a wireless stereo headset to it for music playback.
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 The autofocus camera at the rear also has LEDs for dark situations. (click for larger image) |
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The OS used on the P1i is Symbian 9.2 with the UIQ 3.1 interface. Symbian is the same OS used on many mid- to high-end Nokia phones, but the Series 60 interface used on those devices is very different from the touchscreen-supported UIQ on the Sony Ericsson smart phones. As with any OS, a user going in cold will need some adjustment time, but it is safe to say that the UIQ learning curve is not steep.
Tapping the screen with the stylus is the best way to navigate the menus, naturally, but one-handed operation is not as convenient as other competing OSes. For example, moving between tabs in option screens requires either tapping the display or using the left and right arrow keys found on either side of the spacebar button. This is tedious because your left thumb, which can scroll up and down as well as depress the selector, must shift to either touch the screen or downward to the arrow keys to perform basic functions. It may seem nit-picky to point this out on a device meant to be used with a stylus, but the truth of the matter is that both Palm OS and Windows Mobile (5.0 onward) have made the direction pad efficient to the point where you can get to almost every field without touching the LCD panel.
Being a business-orientated device, applications to open and edit documents are included with this handset. It also comes with a business card scanner program to be used in tandem with the camera for easy storage of contacts. Wireless syncing with your exchange server can be set up with a Dataviz application provided. As added convenience, a sync/charge cradle is also included with the P1i.
A QVGA display capable of 262K colors is found on the P1i. Memory-wise, it has 160MB built-in not counting the 512MB M2 card included with the standard package. Buying more memory will be useful for those who wish to use it as a music player. The provided stereo headset does not allow you to connect your own headphones for lack of a 3.5mm audio mini-jack, and it isn't very comfortable, either. Fortunately, there are optional accessories from Sony Ericsson meant for that purpose. The FM radio feature worked excellently not only in radio reception, but also in ease of use when auto-searching and storing radio stations.
The 3.2-megapixel camera found on the P1i has both an autofocus feature and LED light for dark situations. It produces good images for a mobile phone, and comes with options like macro and night mode for those specific situations. A second front-facing camera is found on the top left corner for video calls.Performance
One thing we did notice on the P1i was how responsive it is to screen taps and button presses. Even with multiple applications running in the background, we felt very little slowdown in the device. Memory management is done though the Task Manager, which can be accessed anytime by tapping the top right-hand corner of the display.
A full charge of the 1,120mAh battery lasted us about 2.5 days. This included some Web browsing using both wireless LAN and 3G aside from normal phone use like calls and text messaging. Voice calls came through clearly, as was also the case with video calls when using the speakerphone.
About the author
Editor John Chan's love for gadgets can be traced back to the days when he disassembled his toys and couldn't put them back together again. He practices great restraint in not opening up every review product that comes through the CNET Asia Labs, and before that, in his previous job at HardwareZone. He has reviewed items big and small, from mobile phones to projectors and feels everyone should carry a multitool at all times in case of MacGyver situations.
Latest comments
Pros: Very Good 3.2 Mp Camera
Cons: Worst Touchscreen
Summary: Worst Pick
1. Very Good Camera 2. Keyboard is good once used to 3. Large screen and good interface Cons 1. Very bad touchscreen Touchscreen malfunctioned merely 1 month after I bought now in two years touchscreen has malfunctioned thrice Same is the case with three other users using this piece 2. Bad Jog wheel Post one year of use Jog wheel works in only onedirection. 3. Very Bad service (in India) Gave my phone for repair and the stylus was misplaced and there were several scratches on touchscreen and mobile. Over all: This phone isnt worth 16000/- INR
Pros: Dual-rocker QWERTY keyboard that is easy to get used to, high-set of features, very good camera, sporty build.
Cons: Phone could hang at times, the touch screen interface is not that user friendly, lack of 5-way navigation key.
Summary: A phone with everything for everyone.
This was my previous phone, and it has been a very good phone to own. It has all the features to satisfy every sort of customer, even though it doesn't necessarily achieve perfection in every field. The QWERTY keyboard, though dual-rocker, is very easy to get used to. Though if there were 5 way navigation keys for this phone, it would have only meant better. A Dual LED flash for the camera is also a good addition. The video recording is at 15fps which is bit of a let down. Overall, a phone that one shouldn't regret buying, even though its quite outdated.
Pros: Best business phone, name card scanner, pc sycn, 3.2MP camera, Qwerty KB. touch screen
Cons: i didnt find any....
Summary: Good Business Phone
Over all best business phone.
Pros: No lag with latest firmware,Wifi,3G,FM radio,3.2m cam etc
Cons: Wlan only 'b' and no 'g', therefore, not every wifi spot could be use.
Summary: Perfecrt companion for business and multimedia users!
Highly recommended! You could even install walkman 3 touch player and lot more useful third party application such as google map,document to go, coreplayer and etc to help in your business and multimedia usage!
Pros: camera,sound,...almost everything
Cons: stylus,softwares!!!
Summary: Nice Phone
u will find everything in it!!! but u will have some problems in finding softwares!! i mean I'm worried abt its video player,other softwares are fine but u cant play mpeg,avi..etc type of files in it! even I'm worried abt its stylus,it is very thin i've broken 4 styluses in just 1 month. lol please anybody help me to find out a software to play mpg file on it! plzzz reply..
Pros: Fully Loded, Touch Screen, Keypad, Ease of Use, Amazing Sound Clarity
Cons: Dull photos in Indoor lighting, At times sluggish, Not-so-good included headset
Summary: Perfect Mate!
Being a die-hard Sony Ericsson fan, I have been using SE phones for the past 8 years. But after having bought the P1i and used it for almost 6 months now, I think there is no other phone in the world that could have impressed me (ah okay am waiting to see Xperia X1, though!). I feel no other phone has anything great than my P1i, which will make me buy it. P1i is excellent in terms of ease-of-use, Sound clarity, amazing battery life (even with my Music player booming for 8 hours a day, I have good battery life). Attach it a good Sony Headset and play some Music - dump those iPods! 3.2MP is good - can;t forget taking my Kid's first day at School (forget my digicam in the excitement of taking my Kid to his first day of school) - but the Photo taken in outdoor lighting was great. A sound of caution: if you are taking some indoor pictures be sure you have the right settings. With WiFi and OperaMini, the browsing experience is too good. Surprised to see the WayFinder7 and GPS working excellently in India. I love you P1i.
Pros: everything
Cons: the lack of hspda
Summary: 5 month used still very reliable and cool..
hmmmm dude this phone is cool and everything..i dont know about the other guy there saying he brought ten stylus coz everytime he uses 1 breaks? cmon you can do better than that ruining this phone..? well i dont know whos paying you though not my p1i..hahah.
Pros: Multi-functional if you have the right apps and gadget like GPS module. Looks are more towards the exec crowd in shenton way.
Cons: Auto reboots if there is a critical error. Long boot up speed.
Summary: Used it for 6 months. Here's my piece of the cake.
Quite the multi-functional. Problems from other reviews here says video view app quite laggy and uncapable, well can be solved if you download other 3rd party video viewers. Buttons hard to learn? Well it took me 1 month, my mom gave me good thumbs and brains of course. Camera is excellent. Battery life last at least 2 days - if you tune wifi off, gprs off, bluetooth off, minimise apps that are on standby. I have to get a second battery anyway but just get BST-33 instead of BST-40 that came originaly with your P1i cuz it is lighter and serves as a backup. (BST-33 carries lesser charge than BST-40). Recommended apps to download- sailing clicker for presetations as it shows each slide on your phone screen and your screen is touch-screen. Go figure that!
Pros: Good call quality, good camera
Cons: Pricey, Short battery life, proprietary port, buggy softwares, lack of games, bad tech support
Summary: Not that good of a phone!
Bought the imported P1i in Feb 2008. Here's the lowdown... The bad stuff... First, it's missing the dedicated Call/Stop buttons found on most phones. Instead, these buttons are soft keys on the touchscreen. How pathetic! Cheap stylus broke within a month. Got a 10-pack to last awhile. Battery life stinks! Even with Wifi OFF and just using phone, the battery needs recharging ~2 days, 3 days if I'm lucky!! Bought 2 packs of new batteries so this should hold out for awhile! VERY difficult find games for this phone, but then again, this is a PDA meant for business users, but again, let's take a break at times and have fun! Damn SE insists on using their proprietary port to make money and frustrate ALL users as they must buy 3.5mm adapter to use regular headphones. Media player isn't that good anyway due to lousy soft key software controls!! The Disc2phone music software is even worse as it the screen size is FIXED, creating playlists are a chore and transferring files take a LONG, LONG time via USB 2! Have a 8GB MicroSD card and tried transfering about 200 files onto the card. It took ~20-30 MINUTES for the transfer! iTunes can transfer the same files to my iPod nano in HALF that time, if not sooner!! Just sent in phone for repairs as it froze premanently and kept blinking when connected to the charger! Phone has been freezing up during standby and must be reboot by removing then reinserting battery as power button does NOT work!!! SE USA is difficult in honoring warranties/repairs especially for importing phones!! Software update is USELESS and does NOT work! Why the heck can't SE create software that'll just recognize the phone via USB then find and update the firmware?? Currently, users must hold onto the "C" key, plug in the USB cable, then turn on software update and hope it works!! How frustrating in making owners WORK for a simple firmware update!!!!! Software pauses between applications. Shortcut keys to the Main Screen are PERMANENT (as the manual also states this fact!) and can NOT be removed!! Who's stupid idea to NOT include the ability to REMOVE shortcuts??!! Online connection in US is very Edge, at least for T-Mobile. Slow transfer speeds hamper online access. Best transfer rates are done via Wifi but still relatively slow!! Included Opera browser is TERRIBLE in functionality and speed! For the money, SE should've built a phone with stable softwares AFTER FURTHER REAL LIFE TESTING!!! The good stuff.... 1. Good call quality and reception 2. Good 3.2megapixel camera with autozoom and dual flash! That's it!! Considering all the bad stuff, damn phone is PRICEY as in OVERPRICED and should be avoided! SE phones are KNOWN to be Overpriced and functions are limited because the engineers do NOT think how owners ACTUALLY use the phones! Also consider Sony's renowned history of its business units NOT communicating with each other which makes their products difficult to use!
Pros: everything
Cons: none yet..
Summary: Good phone
buy this one i have no regrets and all damn good..
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