Sony Ericsson W900 review: Walkman the Third

Its entertainment options are immense - 3G support, brilliant MP3 player, 2 megapixel camera, memory cards, top-class display and unusual rotating construction. I am sure all technology fans will be excited, but let us see if this excitement will last.

Key features

• big high-quality display
• full-function MP3 player
• 3G and video call support
• huge built-in memory
• excellent 2 megapixel camera

Main disadvantages

• bigger size and weight
• full blackout of the display
• construction is less practical
• no EDGE
• FM radio is not a part of the phone

When Sony Ericsson presented its Walkman labeled W800 music phone in the spring last year, music in mobile phones started to live a life of its own. W800's MP3 player soon became one of the main functions of this multifunctional device attracting this way plenty of customers. Its huge success was boosted even more by the orange touch of its cool design.

Naturally, the successful Walkman-mobile W800i was followed by a new model - W550, which was a little bit cheaper at the expense of certain technological equipment. Sony Ericsson W550 attracted customers with both its top-class MP3 player and its swivel construction. The last Sony Ericsson model from the Walkman line so far is the W900 model, in which the manufacturer has apparently tried to install everything techno fans long for.

 
Sony Ericsson W900

Be careful with the orange

As obvious from the pictures, Sony Ericsson W900 is pretty big. It has been a week now since I started using it and I cannot get used to its size. It disturbs me no matter which pocket I put it in. Eventually, I decided to make use of my backpack's special mobile phone pocket.

 
Pure elegancy

Sony Ericsson W900 comes in a stylish plastic box

Sony Ericsson W900 is the biggest among all its "cousins". Its construction is based on Sony Ericsson S700, so their dimensions are identical. BTW, the new Sony Ericsson W900 reaches 165 mm long when opened.

Phone	Dimensions	Volume	Weight
Sony Ericsson W550	93 × 47 × 23 mm	100.5 cm3	120 g
Sony Ericsson W800	100 × 46 × 21 mm	96.6 cm3	99 g
Sony Ericsson W900	109 × 49 × 24 mm	128.2 cm3	148 g
Sony Ericsson S700	108 × 49 × 25 mm	132.3 cm3	137 g
Nokia N70	109 × 53 × 24 mm	138.6 cm3	126 g

 

 
Comparing SE W900's dimensions with a credit card, with Sony Ericsson D750 (which is the same like W800) and with Nokia 6681

I could get used neither to phone's size, nor to its rotating construction. When I am working with closed phone and I need to start to write a text, I have to only push the phone's upper part with my thumb and it opens of itself. Not bad at all, I agree, but in this very moment I find out that I am holding the phone upside down. And again, when I need to close the phone, the move with the thumb turns to be scant for the spring mechanism does not help me anymore. I have no choice, but to use both my hands.

Take a look at the phone's handling (AVI, DivX 5.2, 1.6 MB)

  
Bigger size makes both handhold and control more comfortable o closing the phone with one hand only is problematic

The construction of Sony Ericsson W900 is very solid, including the joint. It did not give out a single creak, although I bended and twisted the back cover quite a lot. At the same time though, the sound of phone's two parts locking together is pretty cheap. Both the friction between plastic surfaces and the following clap are much too loud. In all other aspects Sony Ericsson W900 gives the impression of a luxury device with silky covers. The latter are truly elegant, yet fingerprints-prone. Fortunately, the relief of the phone's surface is broken, so fingerprints are usually visible on the display and the back cover only.

The model we are testing is white. The combination of white color and glossy plastic covers reminds me of the most famous MP3 player ever - Apple iPod. Sony Ericsson W900 is also available in black. According to our humble opinion, the black color suits this phone far more than the white one.

    
Black looks better

Since we are having a Walkman to do with, orange is a must. Sony Ericsson W900's design is more modest in comparison with the forerunner W550, which was literally swimming in orange. The only elements elaborated in orange here are the logo below the display, the frame around the control button and its legends, and the fine frame around the camera lens on the rear side of the device. When you open the phone you will see other two orange logos - one is located below the keypad, the other one is on the back side of the display part. Orange elements go perfectly with the orange menu scheme on the display, when the latter is alight.

   
Glossy covers look elegant and fashionable, but catch fingerprints