Affordable but Fully-Loaded
Written: Dec 25 '02 (Updated Apr 07 '03)
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Pros: Exceptional RF Performance; Good Incoming Audio Quality; Packed with practical features; Advanced UI
Cons: Finger-hurting keypad and buttons; Sluggish feedback from the UI; The backlit brightness fluctuates
The Bottom Line: The fundamentals like RF Performance, Audio Quality and User-friendly UI are always the most important elements. Sony Ericsson T206 happens to be a great performer in these areas.
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| howi's Full Review: Sony Ericsson T206 Cell Phone |
Sony Ericsson is well-known for its GSM handsets. Just like Nokia, its GSM handsets win so many hearts of consumers around the world and make Nokia the No.1 cellphone manufacturer. However, Nokia CDMA handsets are plagued with so many bugs.
So when Sony Ericsson released T206 - its first CDMA2000 1x handset, many cellphone enthusiasts and engineers were skeptical if the big star in GSM can also make a reliable CDMA handset. For most consumers, they care more about styles and looks but T206 delivers a "strange" (if not ugly) style and look.
Well, Sony Ericsson proves itself with so many oxymorons in T206: It is not a very handsome handset but its ergonomics offers a very good grip. It is affordable but it is fully-loaded with tons of practical features. It does not have an external / retractable antenna but it performs great in RF (i.e. Reception and Transmission). It does not have polyphonic ringtones but it has very decent incoming audio. It does not have a color screen but there are different font sizes to fit different needs.
In summary...
PROS:
- Ergonomics with very good grip.
- The layout of the Menu / UI.
- Advanced settings and highly customizable profiles.
- RF performance is great in the most places I go; Lock on the cell longer and not easily hand-off to others; It can still make calls when signal is as week as -103dB!
- Audio Quality (Incoming) is better than some others with the very same Qualcomm MSM5100 chipset.
- Multiple phone number entries for every contact and can take very long name in the Last name field.
- Packed with practical "Extras" like Stopwatch, Countdown timer, Calculator, Calendar, Alarm (Like Nokia, works even when the phone is turned off), Voice Memo.
NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD:
- Voice command is sensitive but sluggish and background noise level may defeat the system. "Magic word" in conjunction with the use of headset / hands-free device allows hands-free operation with a shout of a single word but background conversation may defeat the system... So it works great only if it works.
- Fun features with Games, Picture Editor, Downloadable pictures / ringtones (but not polyphonic)... Well, it is good if you have the time (and fingers) to kill.
- The OpenWave browser on this phone seems more stable than previous versions I have used... Okay, nothing really special.
- The 850mAh Li-ion Rechargeable Battery does not offer a long talk time (2 to 3 hours) but it is common to recharge a CDMA handset daily.
- In the Tech mode debug screen #17, it displays GPS data (Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Heading vector, Horizontal / Vertical Speed). So if the AGPS provision is available, it may be neat to see this potential life-saving feature... However, current firmware for Telus Mobility disable this feature. Even the user-accessible toggle in the menu (for emergency only or always on) is not available.
CONS:
- Keypad is finger-hurting after prolonged typing; Power button offers almost no tactile feeling.
- The Bright Blue screen may make your eyes so tired after prolonged watching.
- The LED backlit brightness fluctuates even the battery is full - perhaps the voltage regulators on many T206 are not good match with the high-drain bright blue LEDs.
- Sluggish feedback / response from the UI.
- Melodic ringtones outnumber a few traditional ones.
- The white / light-color housing is not ideal for dirty-hands.
- No tethered 1x Data solution / support.
BUGS:
- Charging may stop prematurely if the handset is in Tech mode debug screen or always-on backlight mode.
- The screen goes blank (but the phone has powered back on) after the advanced NAM programming if the phone lock is enabled.
- Recurrent Alarms may not go off or cause lock up.
- When changing the input method from T9 English to digit mode, the screen may show it is normal multitap English.
- You have a conversation with a person on the phone. Then the call waiting shows another person is calling - the callerID shows the number. You hold the conversation with the first person and answer the second caller, tell him/her that you will call back later. Then you resume the conversation with the first person. When you finish, you hang up and wanna check the phone number of the second caller. BUT, you cannot find it in the Call list!
NEAT THINGS I LIKE:
- Auto keypad lock after a period of inactivity.
- Different choices of animation during power on / off sequences.
- The highly customizable profiles even allow to choose different font sizes.
- Affordable compare to other phones with similar features / functionality.
FINAL WORDS:
Like other handsets, cellphone is a personal item. You have to try it before you can decide if it is good / not good for yourself. However, the fundamentals like RF Performance, Audio Quality and User-friendly UI are always the most important elements. Sony Ericsson T206 happens to be a great performer in these areas. You cannot go wrong with that!
It is now available at MetroPCS in the US and Telus Mobility in Canada. You can also check out the review of Steve Punter, a Canadian Cellphone Expert, at:
http://www.arcx.com/sites/EricssonT206.htm
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 80
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Epinions.com ID:
howi
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Location: Greater Vancouver, BC, Canada
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
My criteria on gadgets and toys: Simple and Good Looking; Functional and Efficient.
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