Sony Ericsson Z500a Cell Phone Review

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Sony-Ericsson z500a comes complete with a 128 x 160 display housed under the cover while the outside sports a supplementary 96 x 32 color display that can display time, call information, battery and signal strength, and more. The VGA (640 x 480) camera is in the front cover. The z500a uses an internal antenna, and a five-way button above the dial pad is used to control most of the phone's menus and features. Up/down buttons on the left side of the phone can be used for quick volume control and menu navigation. USB data and charging ports, as well as a headset port, are located on the phone's bottom edge.

The z500a's phone book can hold up to 510 contacts with multiple entries per contact. The phone also features a speakerphone for easy, hands-free talking. In addition to a vibrating alert, the phone supports polyphonic ringtones as well as MP3 ringers, allowing you to use portions of your favorite songs to alert you to incoming calls. There's even a bundled application that lets you mix your own ringtones with up to 16 tracks. Meanwhile, more ringtones can be downloaded from Cingular's MEdia wireless web service. Picture caller ID, ringer ID, voice dialer, and support for Cingular's "Fast Forward" call forwarding device, are included.

The z500a has all the bases covered when it comes to messaging. Support is built in for sending and receiving text, video, graphics and sound via messages. When used in combination with the phone's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. AOL Instant Messenger is also included and the phone ships with a built-in email client. The email client is preconfigured for accounts from some of the most popular ISPs, including Bellsouth.net, SBC Yahoo, and Earthlink.

Getting on the Internet is easy with the z500a. It supports the GPRS protocol, as well as the new, high speed EDGE data protocol. There's also a built-in web browser for MEdia downloads and mobile web browsing. Cingular's MEdia service lets you receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. T9 text entry, a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit-- a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

The z500a was designed for serious fun. The built-in VGA camera captures stills and video to the phone's 6MB of internal memory. The phone supports playback of both MP3 audio and MPEG4 video files. Java support is built in; games are downloadable via the MEdia service or you can use the handset's USB data connection to load more games and files onto the phone.

The Sony z500a weighs 3.88 ounces and measures 3.66 x 1.93 x 0.94 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 10 hours of digital talk time, and up to 10 days of digital standby time. It runs on the GSM/GPRS 850/1800/1900 frequencies.

Pros: Nice lightweight design. Good personalization options.

Cons: Not the best camera and video phone options. Poor battery life for heavy use.

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