Sony Ericsson Z710i

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We have to admit that we're a little confused by Sony Ericsson's music phone strategy. Beyond the generally excellent Walkman MP3 phones, the company has put out a selection of other music handsets as well. Handsets like the Sony Ericsson Z710i aren't branded as official Walkman models, but they have just about the same music feature set nonetheless. So, like we said, it's just a bit confusing. Regardless, the Z710i accomplishes what it sets out to do. It's a quality phone and music player and the Sony Ericsson seems to have corrected design issues that plagued its phones in the past.

Editors' note:

This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details. The Z710i has been launched in selected Asian markets including India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Design
Except for a color change, the Z710i is strikingly similar to the Sony Ericsson W710i Walkman. It has the same flip phone design with the looped antenna on the top of the rear flap. Like its predecessor, it's a tad boxy (88 x 48 x 24.5 mm). But it's a pleasant shape on the whole and it has a comfortable and solid (101g) feel in the hand. The dark-gray color scheme is attractive, and it also comes in a lighter "metallic sand" version as well.

Compared with the W710i, the Z710i's exterior features are both improved and somewhat disappointing at the same time. We'll start with the bad news first. We dinged the W710i for its bland external display and we're going to have to do the same with the Z710i. Like its predecessor, the display is very large (1.5 inches) but the monochrome resolution means it doesn't support photo caller ID. It also won't act as a viewfinder for self-portraits, but Sony Ericsson redeemed itself this time around by adding a self-portrait mirror to the camera lens just above (there's still no flash though). You can change the backlighting time, and though the brightness isn't customizable the display remains visible in direct light.

On the upside, the display is great for using the music player with the phone closed. Since there's so much room, you can see the name of the song, the artist, and the album, plus the time remaining on the current track. Sony Ericsson also wins points for the music player buttons on the front flap. Though they're smaller than the music controls on the W710i and they lack the same rubberized texture, they're still easy to use. They can be a bit too sensitive, but the handy sliding control on the left spine locks the controls to prevent them being pressed accidentally.

The left spine holds a volume rocker and a dedicated camera button. Both keys are large and tactile, but the camera control is usable only when the phone is open. The Memory Stick Micro slot sits just below, but you're required to remove the battery cover to access it. A single speaker sits on the back of the rear flap. The speaker is in an awkward location, and it's too bad Sony Ericsson didn't include stereo speakers on a music phone.

The Z710's interior shares much in common with the W710i as well. In typical Sony Ericsson style, the display is thoroughly spectacular. It measures two inches diagonally (176x220 pixels) and supports 262,144 colors. Everything from text to photos to graphics shows up beautifully, even in direct light. Sony Ericsson's simple menu system also looks good. Only the brightness and the clock style are customizable, but the text size should be large enough for most users.

Below the display and the sturdy hinge is the well-designed navigation array. A large, tactile four-way toggle with a central OK button is surrounded by two soft keys, dedicated Clear and Back controls, and a shortcut for the Web browser. You can program the toggle to give one-touch access to four functions while another dedicated control opens a secondary menu of user-defined shortcuts. As with other Sony Ericsson handsets, the Z710i lacks Talk and End buttons; instead the soft keys perform those functions. Sony Ericsson is getting better with its keypads and the Z710i shows the company's progress. Though similar to the W710i in design, they don't feel as cheap and aren't as slippery. The raised keys are large and are lit by a bright backlighting. Just below the keypad are the Power button and a dedicated messaging control. Both keys are a bit small, but it's not a huge deal.

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