Sony Ericsson G502 review: Web as you go

The newest member of the Sony Ericsson G-lineup was only announced a few weeks ago with a stark commitment to deliver great internet experience. We were more than curious to find if it delivers on the promise to introduce a much larger audience to the niceties of good mobile internet. Compact and stylish, this bar has the looks and our preview has already lifted a corner of the curtain on performance. Join us as we start our answer-to-all-your-questions Sony Ericsson G502 review.

Sony Ericsson G502 official photos

Key features

• 2" 262K-color TFT LCD display of QVGA resolution
• GPRS, EDGE and 3G connectivity with HSDPA
• Great web browser
• Great battery life
• Compact size
• M2 memory card slot
• 2 megapixel camera
• Media center
• Comfortable keypad
• FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP support
• USB connectivity

Main disadvantages

• Poor display legibility under direct sunlight
• No video-call camera
• No document reader
• D-pad takes some time getting used to

The market, at which Sony Ericsson G502 is aiming, is not really overcrowded. There are only a handful of budget handsets to feature HSDPA and at least decent browser capabilities. The strongest challenger is probably the Sony Ericsson K660 but it will probably be a bit more expensive due to the few extra features it offers. Whether the dedicated browser keys are worth the extra cash is debatable but, as these are internet-centered devices, they might just make a difference.

Sony Ericsson G502 views

Motorola RAZR maxx V6 is also a reasonably priced HSDPA-enabled handset that comes with the Opera web browser. This might just be enough for some people to choose it over the G502. The form factor could also be decisive here as the maxx V6 is a flip.

The slider Samsung F330 may appeal to the music-lovers, as it features some dedicated music keys to compliment the HSDPA. Some people might prefer the sliding design to the Sony Ericsson G502 bar. We for one do happen to like the G502 browser and general interface more.

So, the few alternatives aside, let's cut to the actual reviewing of Sony Ericsson G502. You should keep in mind that despite being very close to retail version, ours is still a beta unit, so some minor improvements and bug fixes in the software department are not to be ruled out completely.