Sony Ericsson W810i

For the navigation keys, the W810i takes a different design approach than it did with the W800i and W600i. Besides scrolling through the attractive, user friendly menus (available in four styles), the sliver, circular navigation toggle serves as a shortcut to four user defined functions in standby mode. Also, when in Walkman mode, the toggle acts as your tool for scanning through your music list. In the middle of the toggle is a raised OK button that resembles a tiny joystick.

In addition to opening the main menu, the OK button is the play or pause control for the music player. Overall, both controls are tactile and easy to use, and we like that they're raised above the surface of the phone. On the downside, however, they're a bit small, especially for users with larger mitts. On either side of the toggle are two soft keys, a Clear button, and a Back key. In standby mode, the soft keys open the main menu and the Recent Calls list.

They're stiff to the touch, however, and it should be noted they double as the Talk or End controls. Sony Ericsson tends to forgo dedicated Talk or End keys it's not our favorite arrangement, but you get used to it. The final two buttons are an orange Walkman key that turns the media player on and off and a silver control for opening a user programmed shortcuts menu.

In all, the generous shortcut options are welcome. We've knocked Sony Ericsson in the past for its poorly designed keypads, but we're happy to report that the company got it just about right this time around. Instead of recessed or flat buttons, the W810i's keypad is raised above the surface of the phone, making it easy to dial by feel. The keys are spacious, and our only real complaint is that the orange back lighting was rather dim.

Completing the outside of the phone are a music player button and a Memory Stick Pro Duo slot on the left spine, a camera control and a volume and camera zoom toggle on the right spine, and a dedicated power button and the infrared port on top. On the bottom of the phone is the port for both the charger and the headset, which means you can't connect two peripherals at the same time.

The camera lens, flash, and self portrait mirror are on the back of the phone just above three round speakers. As with the W800i, you can hold the W810i much like a real camera to take a picture.

Like other Walkman phones, the Sony Ericsson W810i is packed with features that will appeal to multimedia mavens, but we'll get the basics out of the way first.

The phone book holds an impressive 1,000 contacts with room in each entry for five phone numbers work title and company name a birth date additional notes and email, Web, work, and home addresses. You can save 250 more names to the SIM card. You can assign contacts to a caller group and pair them with a picture or one of 23 polyphonic (40 chords) ring tones for caller ID purposes.

A vibrate mode, conference calling, voice dialing, and a speaker phone (usable only after you make a call) round out the calling options. Organizer features include an alarm clock, a calendar, a task list, a notepad, a calculator, a timer, a stopwatch, and a code memo for storing passwords and other secure information. And for the aspiring Linda Tripp, there's a recorder for both voice memos and calls length is limited by available memory. Finally, as with the Sony Ericsson W600i, the camera flash doubles as a tiny flashlight.

Though it's not suitable for finding your way through the woods at night, it's bright enough to help you find your keys in a dark room. Alternatively, you can set it to blink rapidly in SOS mode. Business users shouldn't be disappointed with the W810's offerings. Inside, you'll find full Bluetooth for headsets and data transfers, an infrared port, text and multimedia messaging, email support, USB cable support for data transfers, and PC syncing for contacts and other files.

In addition to sending files or connecting to a headset, you can use the Bluetooth feature as a remote control to connect with another Bluetooth devices. An unusual twist, there's a newsreader for access to news feeds from around the world. Access to BBC World News and Wired News came with the phone, but you van download more feeds if you want them.

The W180i also makes it easy to pass on your contact information by allowing you to beam an electronic business card with your vital data to a contact. Music, of course, is the primary attraction on the W810i, and the player's features, controls, and interface are the same as on other Walkman phones, but they take a little acclimation. Opening the player takes you directly to the main menu, where you can organize music by artist, track name, or playlist.

Settings include album or song shuffle and loop, Sony's Mega Bass, an equalizer, and stereo widening. Switching between the cell phone and the music player is seamless, as music automatically stops when you receive a call. Hang up and press the dedicated music key, and your song picks up from the point you left off.

There's an airplane mode that lets you listen to your tunes in flight with the cell phone turned off, and you can minimize the player while using other functions. Again, you must download music from a PC with the included USB cable and Disc2Phone software, and the W810i doesn't support Bluetooth stereo profiles; Sony Ericsson says it will resolve the latter gripe, however, in near future models, so stay tuned.