The Sony Ericsson S710a opens a world of true mobile digital imaging. A 1.3 megapixel digital camera and smart swivel-action mobile phone in one stylish device. In horizontal mode, users have the perfect camera. Vertically held, it has the look, feel and satisfaction of a mini organizer, phone, gaming and messaging device. When open, the S710a reveals a keypad. Connect with Bluetooth and store more with Memory Stick Duo... [Continue reading Sony Ericsson S710a Review]
Sony Ericsson S710a User Reviews
1. Posted by peryus88
Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:48 pm
I’ve always been a SE fan, and I still am. Much like Nokia, their phones have always been dependable and functional for me. I got this phone because my previous phone was the SE T637, and it did not have enough memory. And if you’re asking why I chose this over the W600, it wasn’t my type…too sporty looking. I needed something more business-like. Anyway, here is my review of this phone.
Body: It is a little bit bulky compared to other phones out there. If it’s placed in your pant pocket, more than likely it would be noticeable. However, if you like holding it in your hand or placing it in your jacket, it’s not really that big of a deal. When first holding the phone you will have no worries that the phone will break anytime soon. This holds true, especially when you are trying to open the back part when getting to the battery. I also liked the construction of the body because fingerprints are not that noticeable. I had a T616, and that usually had to be wiped down with a cloth every time I touched it.
Screen: One thing that gets noticed a lot is the screen. The clarity of pictures that are displayed on it is a treat…really vibrant and crisp. Really, you would have to have one to appreciate it. The screen, however, is exposed. And if you’re not being careful enough, the screen is prone to scratches and whatnot. Just handling it, you’re almost forced to purchase either a screen protector, or a carrying case. Just to be safe, I bought both.
Camera: This part of the phone is just amazing. Although it does not compare to a digital camera, when taking pictures in a well lit area the pictures are pretty clear. The video player is adequate. It is something you can use when with friends. The photo light is nifty…can double up as a flashlight.
MP3 Player: Having a media player is always a plus. It’s better than some phones that actually say that “yeah, I can play MP3’s, but it’s just there”. I mean what can you do with a phone that has the ability to play MP3’s, yet only have 3-5MB of memory? With purchasing a memory card of 128MB, you can get away with 20+ songs. Playback is not the best, but it’s not the worst. You can’t rewind or fast forward on a certain track. Nor can you browse the other tracks w/o having to stop the current track that you’re listening to. When listening with the supplied 2-piece headset, sounds are pretty clear. The player has random, and equalizer features. It also has a “minimize” feature if you feel you want surf the web or do other things on the phone. All this, however, will not replace your regular MP3 player. There’s no way am I going to get rid of my Ipod.
Phone: Now this part, I was a little bit disappointed. I was reading some of the past reviews about this phone. And I would grudgingly have to agree that this part of the phone would have been a little bit better. I have always liked SE phones mainly for the clarity of reception and that I have never dropped a call (carrier Cingular). They are usually the first on my list when upgrading. However, I noticed that this phone’s signal strength wasn’t as strong as my T637, as well as my other previous SE’s. There were times I had patches of static, and that sometimes I had to stop walking just to keep a strong signal. The only time I dropped a call was when I was in an elevator going to the 1st level of a parking garage. Still having faith in my current phone, I just purchased a gen4 antennae booster and that cleared up my problem.
Interface, much like Nokia, is simple and intuitive. 10 minutes on the phone and 10 reading the manual, and you’ve pretty much learned everything. The, UI, however does lag a little bit for like a second (2 at the most) when switching between menus. On-the-go type people might find it a little bit annoying.
Memory is something to be desired. Others would think that 128MB think is more than enough, others not. For me, it would have been nice if this phone supported Pro Duo (512MB – 2GB). If it did, I would see myself using this for the long haul.
Overall this is a great camera phone (or should it phone camera) loaded with features. I have had this phone for almost 2 months and I have not been able to put it down. Some people will complain a great deal about this phone’s minor flaws, but it suits me very well. Of course there is no such thing of a perfect phone, and this phone is no exception. Otherwise what is there to compare and complain about if all phones are perfect? Anything else that I have left out was not that big of a deal to me. Perhaps the next phone I will purchase will be the W810.
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2. Posted by robcoresident
Sat Nov 26, 2005 5:26 pm
When I first got this phone, the thing about it that stood out the most was the camera. Maybe I've had some raggedy phones in the past, but the image quality of the pictures taken by this phone are far and beyond anything I've ever experienced. It works and feels like a digital camera.
As for the "phone" part... so far I suppose I cannot really complain. The swivel action took some getting used to. I guess it's pretty cool, but I wouldn't reccomend anyone go out and buy a phone on the basis of how it opens up. The screen is larger than most phones, vibrant, and crystal-clear. The reception seems ok, as well as the battery life (though mass-use of the camera and video recorder will drain your battery.) It's worked out a lot better than my previous phone.
As for the things that one might find problematic... the design. The swivel idea is novel, but I have to be careful of how I transport/carry it since it's screen is wide open to scratches and other forms of damage. If you're one of those people who abhors using a keylock, you might have problems putting this phone in your pocket, since several buttons are exposed. It's also a little bulkier compared to the newer phones being relased nowadays. These to me aren't really major problems, but some things you might want to consider while evaluating this phone for purchase.
Overall, I'd say it's the best phone I've dealt with. If you tend to use your camera phone often, you'll have a wonderful time with this phone - to me that it's major selling point. If not, it's still a good phone, but I would consider other options.
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3. Posted by Overburn
Wed Apr 20, 2005 6:13 pm
PROs: Great Camera (Best I've seen yet on a phone); Swivel design is awesome and comfortable; MP3 Player rocks and sounds great; bluetooth makes it so much easier syncing with your computer and other devices, included 32MB memory internal PLUS 32MB memory stick duo makes taking pictures and videos and transferring them fun and easy; the screen is big, crisp, and clear; 3-D gaming is wicked hot -- look fantastic; Tools are great and easy to use; Music DJ ring-tone maker is fun.
CONs: Price for regular consumers is outrageous; menus can be slow.
Overall this is one outstanding phone. I would suggest is to anyone that is looking to get onto a GSM network. The only problem I first found was that it was way to expensive for me...
Some people also say that the menus are too slugish and are a pain in the butt, but whats everybodies rush, just cuz something doesn't happen 1 second faster than it should people get all upset. All my friends thought the phone was amazing when I whipped it out and they are all in the process of picking one up.
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4. Posted by peryus88
Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:31 pm
I’ve always been a SE fan, and I still am. Much like Nokia, their phones have always been dependable and functional for me. I got this phone because my previous phone was the SE T637, and it did not have enough memory. And if you’re asking why I chose this over the W600, it wasn’t my type…too sporty looking. I needed something more business-like. Anyway, here is my review of this phone.
Body: It is a little bit bulky compared to other phones out there. If it’s placed in your pant pocket, more than likely it would be noticeable. However, if you like holding it in your hand or placing it in your jacket, it’s not really that big of a deal. When first holding the phone you will have no worries that the phone will break anytime soon. This holds true, especially when you are trying to open the back part when getting to the battery. I also liked the construction of the body because fingerprints are not that noticeable. I had a T616, and that usually had to be wiped down with a cloth every time I touched it.
Screen: One thing that gets noticed a lot is the screen. The clarity of pictures that are displayed on it is a treat…really vibrant and crisp. Really, you would have to have one to appreciate it. The screen, however, is exposed. And if you’re not being careful enough, the screen is prone to scratches and whatnot. Just handling it, you’re almost forced to purchase either a screen protector, or a carrying case. Just to be safe, I bought both.
Camera: This part of the phone is just amazing. Although it does not compare to a digital camera, when taking pictures in a well lit area the pictures are pretty clear. The video player is adequate. It is something you can use when with friends. The photo light is nifty…can double up as a flashlight.
MP3 Player: Having a media player is always a plus. It’s better than some phones that actually say that “yeah, I can play MP3’s, but it’s just there”. I mean what can you do with a phone that has the ability to play MP3’s, yet only have 3-5MB of memory? With purchasing a memory card of 128MB, you can get away with 20+ songs. Playback is not the best, but it’s not the worst. You can’t rewind or fast forward on a certain track. Nor can you browse the other tracks w/o having to stop the current track that you’re listening to. When listening with the supplied 2-piece headset, sounds are pretty clear and satisfying. The player has random, and equalizer features. It also has a “minimize” feature if you feel you want surf the web or do other things on the phone. All this, however, will not replace your regular MP3 player. There’s no way am I going to get rid of my Ipod.
Phone: Now this part, I was a little bit disappointed. I was reading some of the past reviews about this phone. And I would grudgingly have to agree that this part of the phone would have been a little bit better. I have always liked SE phones mainly for the clarity of reception and that I have never dropped a call (carrier Cingular). They are usually the first on my list when upgrading. However, I noticed that this phone’s signal strength wasn’t as strong as my T637, as well as my other previous SE’s. There were times I had patches of static, and that sometimes I had to stop walking just to keep a strong signal. The only time I dropped a call was when I was in an elevator going to the 1st level of a parking garage. Still having faith in my current phone, I just purchased a gen4 antennae booster and that cleared up my problem.
Interface, much like Nokia, is simple and intuitive. 10 minutes on the phone and 10 reading the manual, and you’ve pretty much learned everything. The, UI, however does lag a little bit for like a second (2 at the most) when switching between menus. On-the-go type people might find it a little bit annoying.
Battery life depends on what you use your phone for. When using the camera, media player, or any Java apps, I noticed the that it was already in the red just after a perhaps 4 hours using the camera and media player. On the plus side, the battery charges up really quickly. This was not a big issue w/ me because I always have a charger with me.
Memory is something to be desired. Others would think that 128MB think is more than enough, others not. For me, it would have been nice if this phone supported Pro Duo (512MB – 2GB). If it did, I would see myself using this for the long haul.
Overall this is a great camera phone (or should it phone camera) loaded with features. I have had this phone for almost 2 months and I have not been able to put it down. Some people will complain a great deal about this phone’s minor flaws, but it suits me very well. Of course there is no such thing of a perfect phone, and this phone is no exception. Otherwise what is there to compare and complain about if all phones are perfect? Anything else that I have left out was not that big of a deal to me. Still thinking which phone in the future I should get next. The SE W810, or the W900?
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5. Posted by thesickone
Thu Jul 14, 2005 10:40 pm
The Sony Ericsson S710a boasts its 1.3 Megapixel camera with video. It also brags about its 32mbMemory Stick Duo slot and mp3 player.
Those are both good features for a Camera and an MP3 player. What sony forgot is that it is a cell phone. It is not supposed to be awkward
to use or carry around. look at the large display screen for example, it is left open with nothing to protect it. That will guarantee you scratches in a short time. This phone is more like a camera than anything else.
I think Sony had all the right idea's but they didn't have the right execution.
I am currently trying to decide between buying the Motorola V3 razr or this phone (Sony Ericsson S710a).
In the end, both phones made costly mistakes. The Motorola V3 Razr seems to posess a flawless design but the lack of up-to-date features will cost them. On the other hand, the Sony Ericsson S710a had all the right features but lacked in it's design.
Maybe someday, a genius will come along and combine these two phones together and create the perfect cell phone. Until then, I think i'll buy the V3 Razr.
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