Oct 15, 2008 03:42 PM
4880 Views
(Updated Oct 15, 2008 03:58 PM)
I was influenced into buying a Sony Ericsson handset by my younger brother when my good old loyal Nokia 6610i conked off after 3 years of trouble free service! My requirements were pretty simple and all that I wanted was a not-so-expensive handset, sturdy one, camera optional but something very sleek having Java capabilities.
When I set my eyes on the newly launched W380i(mid May 2008), (sort of) cupid stuck me….its sleeky design, light weight and the walkman capabilities made me grab it instantly.
I bought the handset for Rs 7895 and got a 512MB SD card free with it along with the other accessories. After 5 months of usage, the following are my views(as I see it):
Pros:
1. Sleek design, less weight and flip design really rocks
2. Walkman capabilities is very good and so is the quality of sound
3. Usability of the phone is nice and so are the keypads
4. Gesture control is appreciable if you are a lazy bum(turn off the alarm by just moving your hand over the handset!)
5. Supports a wide range of features - JVM enabled(have successfully run a few MIDlets that I wrote), Bluetooth, video streaming, embedded web browser etc
Cons(mostly as I compare it with my old Nokia handset):
1. Battery needs constant charging as it drains out very quickly(I can understand that the rich GUI drains the battery but one would expect a fully charged battery to last for at least 3 days for a light talker like me)
2. Earpiece volume is very low and this can not be adjusted(even with little noise around, its hard to listen)
3. Camera is just OK…not that great
4. Keypad controls are very different as compared to Nokia, it look a while for me to get adjusted to this keypad
5. The software accompanying the handset(for back-ups) is not that good
6. Servicing it is a pain as there are very few dealers who can repair the handset if things go bad.
Having said all these, about 15 days ago, my handset got turned off all on its own & refused to start up. I tried all that I could to turn it on but failed. As there was no Sony Ericsson authorized service centre nearby my place, I passed on my handset to a local service guy who in turn passed it on to the Authorized service centre chaps to get it repaired. I got no reasonable response from them for about 4 days and I demanded my handset back.
I googled for information and found a tip to upgrade the firmware on the phone out here: https://sonyericsson.com/cws/support/phones/detailed/updateservices/w380i?cc=IN&
lc=en
Downloaded & installed the firmware and the handset cranked up without any problem!
Though this tip is useful for anyone having issues with your handset, please try it at your own risk!
On the whole, except for the firmware glitch, I consider this is a good buy and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a flip phone with exceptionally good walkman features.
