Camera

The 2.0-megapixel camera on the TM506 produces decent pictures and video, and puts the phone in the middle ranks of Sony Ericsson camera phones. On the high end, there is the Sony Ericsson G900i and the C902i with 5.0-megapixel cameras while on the low end, the K330a and R300i have only 0.3-megapixel cameras.

It was slightly more difficult to access the camera on the TM506 than with other camera phones, since this model lacks a dedicated one-touch key to turn on the camera that is included on many other phones.

The TM506 also comes with 2.5X zoom and the camera records video, but unfortunately there is not a self-portrait mirror. A flash is also lacking on this handset, which was sometimes a problem with photos taken indoors that came out too dark. Video recorded indoors was also too dark on occasion.

Graphics at the top of the camera mode screen show clearly whether it is set to video or photo, and users can toggle between modes with the left or right directions of the central navigation key. Options for different camera settings include zoom, white balance, self-timer, different shutter sounds and night mode.

Shoot modes available on the TM506 include the panorama tool to take three photos and merge them into one, frames that can be fitted onto an image and a "burst" option that takes a series of four photos. The TM506 also comes with PhotoDJ, which can be used to adjust brightness and contrast, color balance and add effects such as black and white or a sepia tone. Photo fix is also available for users who want a simple, one-step procedure to improve pictures. With a USB cable, TM506 users can print directly from the phone to a printer, without transferring files to a computer.

Basic Features

Features on the TM506 include a calendar, alarm clock, caller identification, notepad, calculator, timer, stopwatch, password saver, text and multimedia messaging and the MusicDJ application to compose ringtones.

There is also speakerphone, a voice memo recorder and integrated GPS which can be used to access voice and onscreen directions with T-Mobile's Telenav GPS Navigator service.

The interface on the TM506 from T-Mobile uses bright colors and a basic design that is appealing to the eye and makes applications or menu icons easy to recognize. There are 12 icons on the main menu, which is just enough to fit in the large internal screen of the TM506 so that users do not have to scroll up or down to find a certain application. The icons on the main menu are Voice Notes, IM & Email, Camera, Help, Organizer, Contacts, Messaging, Call History, T-Zones online multimedia service, Media, Entertainment and Settings.

The TM506 comes with a Li-Ion battery and is rated for 9.5 hours of talk time and about 10.4 days of standby time.

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