Sony Ericsson Naite review (2)

Surfing the web is never going to be a delight on a 2.2-inch screen, but the Sony Ericsson Naite coped well considering, thanks to its HSDPA connectivity, which will see pages load up nice and fast as long as you’ve got a strong signal. There’s no Wi-Fi, but that would be pushing it at the Naite’s price point. This is a phone you should only really be considering if you’re after a low-contract, but if that’s your bag, it’s far from a bag choice.

Aside from the environmental smugness you can wear like a shiny wristwatch, the Naite also has an unusually good battery life for a phone of its class. Where the Sony Ericsson W705, which you’ll generally be able to pick up for around the same price, boasts a claimed 400 hours of standby time, the Naite claims a rather grand 600 hours. While we ran down the phone in use, none of our tests were quite OCD-tinged enough to prove or disprove these figures, but rest assured the battery on the Naite is solid.

It only goes to reinforce that the Sony Ericsson Naite is a phone of ups and downs. We love the keypad, but are dubious about the looks. We love the battery, but that screen’s a bit disappointing. Then there’s the camera! Two megapixels and no dedicated camera button? That’s not going to with the Naite any friends, is it?

However, it really just comes down to a question of focus. If we expect a phone to be and do everything, we’re always going to be disappointed. The truth is that the more we used the Sony Ericsson Naite, the more we grew to like it.

It wasn’t for its flair or its character, but rather for its sheer comfort. Letting those thumbs rest on that keypad was like donning a pair of slippers and settling down with a mug of hot chocolate. So if you’re a environmentalist that loves comfortable hemp jumpers more than high-end smartphone features, the Naite’s a winner.

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