Siemens SF65 review: Joint venture

Calls and short messages

The phone can play 64 channel polyphonic ringtones. However it is a pity that it does not support the favorite MP3 or WAV files. The diode on the front side starts to blink simultaneously with the ringing. The phone can be muted when in a ringing mode. Besides that you can set specific ringing profiles for different environments.

Ringingc profiles • sound tuning

Siemens's fans will probably be very disappointed once they see the address book, because the detailed address book with plenty of items, which they know well from the Series 65, is substituted by an alternative one created by Philips. According to the manufacturer, the address book takes in up to 500 names. Every single contact can contain an assigned name and surname, six different numbers, a note and an e-mail address. Let us confess that the classic Siemens address book comes on the top here. In addition, in the address book of the SF65 model one cannot search by simple consequent writing of the name, but by entering the first character only. After pressing the "#" key you can enter the whole name you are searching for or just its first several characters - just like we know it from Philips. Yet, that is not it.

Phonebook • Contact list • electing a new item

A specific ringing melody or a picture is not possible to assign directly to a certain contact, but to a group only.

As far as the creation of messages is concerned, the Siemens' fans will probably persist in their disappointment. Here once again Philips takes over control. Thus one has to get used to the method of first entering the recipient's number and then writing the message itself as well as to the lack of an indication for the characters left. A note about the number of used space appears just shortly before sending the message. The T9 dictionary is an implied part of the phone's equipment as well.

As far as multimedia is concerned, creating a message with Siemens SF65 is relatively easy due to the well-arranged editor. Again it does not allow sending a video and size of a sent message is limited to 50 kB.

Writing text messages • creating and viewing MMS • access to email

There is also a simple email client available; two accounts can to be set up. The client makes it possible to receive and send simple messages as well as messages with picture, sound and text attachments.

Time organizer and additional functions

In this Siemens model we will also find the function that seems to be so essential for many of us - the calendar. Here I have to repeat myself and say once again: if you are used to using a Siemens mobile phone, you will feel disappointed. Even though the Philips' calendar is not bad at all, I have to admit that the one created by Siemens offers more - just like its address book and message options. Yet, in a stylish model like SF65 this should not matter that much.

Calendar and possible views

The calendar offers a monthly, weekly or daily view. In the monthly view, however, you cannot move from day to day by using the arrows, nor is it that easy to quickly enter a note for the day chosen. Arrows help you shift months only. As for the date of the task, which must be set, you need to memorize it and enter it after you press the confirming button twice. The weekly views work in a similar way as well as the daily ones, as far as the time, which is to be set, is concerned.

Events overview • detail

The phone allows you to choose out of three different types of appointments. You can enter an alarm with timing advance as well as appointments with various frequency of repetition. The appointments in the preview are displayed through an icon.

There is no task organizer, nor are there text notes. However, you can create voice notes (max 70 s). Of course, there is also an alarm clock available. In the case of Siemens SF65 they are even three with each of them offering an option for a ringing melody to be chosen and a repeated ring to be set.

Voice memo • calculator • there are three alarm clocks

As for the additional functions, we could mention at least the calculator and the indispensable games. The Philips phones' favorers will be pleased to find the already classic "brick" game. A new java game and an application with tips on how to prepare a perfect cocktail of your own have also been installed. Thanks to the 2.0 version Java support you can also download additional games and applications.

Favorite bricks • java game with marbles • mix a cocktail on your wish

As for WAP, it is present by definition, here in its 1.2.1. version. GPRS Class 10 serves as a data supplier; EDGE is not present. The phone is equipped to work as a hardware modem, which is to be connected with a computer through infrared port or a data cable. As for Bluetooth, you will not find it in Siemens SF65 either.

Awesome, but the price…

The title quite exactly hits everything I wanted to say in conclusion. Siemens SF65 is an extremely interesting stylish mobile phone of a modern design and an attractive construction. The menu influenced by Philips will definitely vex many of the Siemens devoted fans, but it should perfectly suit most of the common mobile phone users. This phone has not been meant for work, so we should tolerate the small disadvantages in the functional menu. What has been perfectly designed is the the camera control application.

As far as the Siemens SF65' position on the market is concerned, its price seems to be the main obstacle on the way to success. It has climbed up to nearly 400 Euros, which is simply too much. For this money you could get, for example, a brilliantly equipped Samsung D500, which is likewise very attractive, has a megapixel camera, supports MP3, its inbuilt memory is four times bigger than the one of Siemens and supports Bluetooth.

If you happen to feel more attracted to the iPod style, then you may rather go for Sagem myX-8, which offers a big display with excellent characteristics, a megapixel camera, supports music and video files, has a memory card slot and also supports (just like the Samsung) Bluetooth. On top of this it costs about 350 Euros. That is why Siemens SF65 should start thinking of lowering the price, provided it is after a success in the sales.