Sony Ericsson W710i review

The Sony Ericsson W710i is another handset from the Sony Walkman range of Sony Ericsson’s, this particular one packing a clamshell format.

As you’d expect from a Walkman phone, music is its main priority. Thanks to a set of dedicated buttons on the phone, you can control the player without opening it. Also, a 3.5mm jack means you can plug in your own headphones for better sound quality from your MP3s and the included RDS Radio.

Not only does the W710i do music, it can be used for exercise as it has a built-in pedometer which records how many steps you take each day. If you enter your personal details, such as your age, weight and how long your stride is, the phone can calculate your approximate calorie usage on your daily commute. It can even tell you how far you have traveled if you so wish.

Advanced features include a lap timer, and a pacing function that tells you if you are running faster or slower than a range you’ve chosen. With the provided armband holder you can easily carry the phone on your arm when out running, which is an ideal position to both be able to control the music player and have it register your steps.

There is a 2 megapixel camera on the outside of the phone which takes competent pictures and video clips, though this doesn’t have a flash and is not in the same league as Sony's Cybershot phones.

There is a surprising number of internet capable applications for a standard (non-PDA) handset; POP3 and IMAP email, blog management, an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) reader to download news headlines from a wide range of websites and, of course, a web browser.

The rest of the phone is well executed, in a very familiar Sony Ericsson way. The case feels solid, with a positive action on the clamshell opening and a tactile rubber surround to the large external secondary display. The main display is bright and colourful, and easily viewable in most lighting conditions. Additional storage for music and photos is available using Sony’s Memory Stick Micro (M2).

Finally, a comprehensive PC software suite supports the phone. This handles Outlook contact and calendar synchronisation, a music application called Disc2Phone lets you convert your CDs to be played on the phone and Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition manages your photographs.