Eternal ways of finding the right answer are always explored by manufacturers and buyers. The desire to do something extraordinary sometimes leads to the appearance of such models as Sony Ericsson W200i .
The communicator was officially presented a little over a year ago. He quickly gained fame among those who do not like expensive models. The schedule for changing prices in our region for the entire sales period failed to please with a sharp jump down, because the demand for this device has been and remains weakened.
This review, we believe, will orient in the definition with the choice of those who are still hesitant, and will make confident those who have already decided.
Outside
The significant resemblance to the K310i / K320i is immediately visible and far from accidental. The manufacturer did not bother to create a single device. Some hardware changes, fresh styling components - that's all.
The quality of the body polymer (which is not typical for this price category) is quite acceptable. The assembled W200i is also quite good. As practice shows, about half a year, some crunch still begins to appear.
The body is not easily soiled, prints remain only on the protective display. As for the color options, the first Pulse White and Rhythm Black are now complemented by Mono Blue. Why is Mono proper, when both the audio player and FM radio support stereo modes? Ultimately, the body is painted in 2 similar shades of turquoise. The question of "similarity" remains on the conscience of the manufacturer. However, this variation looks better than it is called, even despite the fact that ideologically these color shades are not completely "musical".
The physical parameters of the communicator are completely small: 101 by 44 by 18 millimeters. Therefore, the set of parts and their location does not sparkle with variety. The front side houses the main display, a five-way joystick, a couple of double buttons and a digital block. A short line about the display: UBC (Ultra Bright Color) technology is designed to save battery power and reduce the overall price of the device. The image, unfortunately, seems a little washed out and grains are visible.
The upper end has an on / off key and an infrared port; bottom - Fast Port interface connector and microphone (on the edge between the left side panel and the bottom end). On the left side there is a key for quick activation of the proprietary music utility (audio player / radio) and a slot for proprietary M2 cards. The right side includes a very easy-to-use "rocker" for volume control, with a long press of which you can also switch tracks.
The battery cover practically covers the "rear", for this reason it received holes for the speaker and VGA-camera. Since the camera module is set very deeply, and there is no protective glass, getting dirt there is a slow process, but stable. The lid is fastened very tightly, but at the same time it can be removed very easily.
Keyboard, control ergonomics
The digital block is designed without unnecessary elements and repeats the previous models of Sony Ericsson. These are 4 rows of rather large (in relation to the dimensions of the case) buttons, separated and tactilely well felt. They are seriously raised above the surface. In use, the keys, which was to be expected, are very comfortable. The travel of the buttons, although small, is, however, tight. The clicks are felt well.
The navigation block is transmitted by a joystick and double soft-keys with "Receive / Release". "This plastic joystick", as ill-wishers call it, is very small in size. When applying, "questions" often appear: crayon, inconvenient, junk, and so on. However, it is functionally similar to other joysticks from rather popular models, for example, K750i or J300i.For this reason, it is safe to say that a potential buyer can no longer imagine what awaits him. The backlighting is uniform, white.
Inside
Software-wise, the W200i is built on the familiar A100 system. The main menu consists of 12 items, those that are shown by icons or (if the Cheerful theme is activated) a looped list.
The phone book can memorize up to 1000 numbers, any of which can contain five numbers, e-mail, addresses, date of birth and additional information in the form of a note. Each contact has the ability to assign an image and a melody. At the same time, only SIM card numbers or numbers in the device can be displayed.
Working with messages is standard. T9 predictive input and glued messages are supported. Thanks to the performance of the digital monoblock of the keypad, it is convenient to type messages.
The W200i got a pretty rich organizer. The calendar allows you to mark dates with 2 types of reminders: "Event" or "Phone call".
The "Parameters" section is quite typical and represents a vertical list with the probability of horizontal movement. In the "General settings" it is possible to configure profiles, time and date, select the menu language and input language, manage voice functions. In the "Sound settings" you can set the call volume, ringtone, message alert and button sounds. The section with screen configurations is also rich: background image, themes, animated screensavers, brightness control. The "Communication" section contains the parameters of the Internet access parameters, the possibility of choosing a cellular network and data transfer via the infrared port and USB connection.
Announcing the products of the Swedish-Japanese company, I constantly want to emphasize that even in such cheap devices, the buyer is given a large number of ways to parameterize the communicator.
The utilities are represented by 2 games: Treasure Towers and QUADRAPOP. The well-known PHOTODJ and MUSICDJ, and FACEWARP (an entertainment application for creating funny portraits) and Music Mate (a tutorial on playing virtual musical instruments) are offered as a remedy for melancholy.
Musical components
The audio player and radio in the W200i are found to be basic and made at a good level, though there is nothing special about them. At least they solve the key questions. The player supports MP3, 3GP, AAC, and MPEG4 files. The reproduction can be carried out in order, by random preference and continuous repetition. Pleased with the possibility of creating playlists. If you use the utilities offered on the DISK included in the set (Disc to Phone, for example), and not "hammer" the card through the card reader, then the music is organized at the file level by folders, and the media library will register tags. Naturally, if you are not accurate, then decide how you want, however, the proposed organization of music will not disappoint capricious users.
It is worth mentioning here an interesting feature of the aforementioned Disc to Phone: with a small volume of the complete photo memory card (128 MB), it can be irreplaceable. The program allows you to convert MP3 to AAC with a bitrate of 128/96/64/32 Kbps before downloading. At the very least, this will save some space and, as a result, record more songs.
There are equalizer parameters (manual and installed presets), the player is working in the background. In this case, the volume is adjusted with the side key, and tracks can also be switched (even with the keypad locked).
The work of the radio did not initiate any comments or applause. A distinctive FM receiver with RDS support. The headset functions as an antenna. Autosearch on its own found all stations with a solid signal. The buyer is offered twenty positions to save. In areas with poor reception, it is possible to switch to the Mono function.
The W200i comes with an HPM-64 headset.It is implemented in the form of typical "plugs" and, in accordance with the manufacturer's ambitions, is obliged to stand out for the improved transmission of low frequencies Bass Reflex. Its sound can be described as decent, an order of magnitude higher than expected. Consumers can connect their personal headphones, as the headset consists of 2 parts, the first of which ends with a 3.5 mm jack input ("female"). Unfortunately, the headset lacks additional playback control keys. Pressing a key and a single key receives and ends an incoming call, and in playback mode switches the song.
In general, the implementation of the musical part will not force you to brush away a stingy tear. Everything was done in proportion to the price of the communicator with the delivery set. So to speak, who dared what.
Camera
The 0.3-megapixel module offered by the developer got the right to life, as it is part of the multimedia component of the W200i. Agree, his absence would provoke even more problems. Photos are suitable only for viewing on the display of the communicator. It is great to take pictures in 640x480 resolution with the lowest degree of encoding. Video is likely in 3gp format with a resolution of up to 176 x 144 pixels. The set of parameters is limited, which is not surprising.
The productivity of the model was gloriously stunned. It is clear that within reasonable limits, but still it is not bad for the parameters of a budget communicator.
The model has a 780mAh BST-36 battery. The volume, and in the future and the performance indicator are average. However, 2 days is the norm for the mass of communicators.
Conclusion
Sony Ericsson W200i - a budget-level communicator with a complaint. The advantages include a very curious appearance, high-quality assembly (by the way, Made in China), ergonomics (except for the size), a good player and radio, good productivity parameters. Among other things, we have an impartial display, a VGA camera module, a small volume of a photo memory card included (128 MB), and no Bluetooth. However, the above can not be called shortcomings - everything is highly relative. Improving each parameter will inevitably lead to higher prices and, as a result, compete with fairly powerful or similar offerings. And if you analyze the versions of purchasing a budget communicator and a separate audio player, then it will probably be difficult to keep within the proposed budget.
As a concept, the communicator leaves a blurry impression. Probably, the solution could be, for example, replacing 128 MEGABYTES with fully supported 1 GIGABYTES. However, the question is raised about the expediency of these expenses: the price of the M2 card forces you to think carefully before buying. However, the preference is for the consumer. The communicator has received a small, but stable demand for quite half a year, and that says something.
Delivery set:
• Sony Ericsson W200i communicator;
• BST-36 battery with a volume of 780 mAh;
• wired stereo headset HPM-64;
• YUSB-wire;
• charging model;
• photo memory card M2 with a volume of 128 MB;
• CD with software;
• user manual.
F.ua will always help you choose the best phone model!
