"You can nearly measure everything but how can you measure style?" That's Siemens catchphrase for its new S65 which packs in a whopping megapixel camera, 32MB of expandable memory, wireless connectivity and office functionality. We set out to measure this triband handset.

Design
Weighing 98g and measuring 109 x 48 x 18mm, the Siemens S65 is neither the smallest or lightest phone on the market. However, it makes up with its eye-catching design. Wrapped in a stunning black-and-silver shell, the first thing one will notice is the sizeable 132 x 176-pixel TFT. This 2.12-inch display of 65K colors is comfortable to look at and requires no squinting on our part.

The well-lit buttons on the number pad are highly visible even in the dark. Texters will be pleased with the good tactile feel and ample responsiveness of the keys. However, to some people, the keys may be placed too close for comfort. Navigating the menus via the joystick is a pleasant experience unlike some phones with a wobbly implementation.

Software implementation is rather disappointing. The icons in the menu are dull to look at and hardly does the screen any justice. To worsen matters, the S65 also performs sluggishly when launching some applications.

Features
The highlight of this phone must be the video-capable 1.3-megapixel camera. At such a resolution, photos will be good for up to 4R prints. Siemens did a commendable effort with the white balance as it is spot on in most situations. However, colors on the actual output appear a little under-saturated. The camera also fails to perform well under low-light conditions. Fortunately, an optional flash attachment may fix this problem.

For memory expansion, the S65 has a Reduced Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC) slot. The 32MB card provided is enough for about a hundred shots at the maximum resolution so there's little need to upgrade. Interestingly, the slot works with standard MMC cards, too. However, it sticks out a fair bit so we don't recommend doing so. While it's good to have a cover to keep dust out of the slot, Siemen's implementation is loose and flimsy.

The S65 does not support MP3 playback or ringtones. This comes as a disappointment for music enthusiasts as the expansion capability would have allowed users to store a fair number of MP3s. In addition, there is no onboard radio. Probably the only musical thing about the S65 is its 40-chord polyphony support that lets you use MIDI files as ringtones.

A real shame is the handset's lack of a voice-dialing feature. It would have been convenient to use this together with a wired or Bluetooth headset while driving.

Connectivity
Out of the box, you can synchronize the phone with Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes on your desktop. It works over infrared and Bluetooth, and an optional synchronization cable is available.

The Bluetooth headset profile on this Siemens is well-implemented. When tested with the Logitech Bluetooth headset, it worked within a range of about 3m and sounds can be heard with clarity on both ends without interference.

Surfing the Internet is also possible, thanks to speedy GPRS Class 10. While the experience is a far cry from those offered by PDA-phones, browsing the Web and checking emails on the S65 are possible.

Reception, Battery Life And SAR
During testing, the S65 performed rather well. Reception and sound quality were comparable with that of other handsets. The 750mAh Lithium-ion battery averaged about three days and took slightly over 2 hours to fully charge.

This handset meets international requirements concerning exposure to radio waves as the highest Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value recorded for this model when tested for use at the ear was 0.48W/kg.

Conclusion
The S65 retails at S$598 with a two-year plan and S$768 without contract. At this price, it costs less than its nearest rival, the Nokia 7610, which sports similar features. If you're looking to buy a megapixel camera-phone and MP3 playback is insignificant, this Siemens is a good choice. Else you may want to take a look at Sony Ericsson's upcoming S700i.