Review: Sony Ericsson Aino

Sony Ericsson Aino Review

Phone rating:

In a nutshell: The Sony Ericsson Aino is a touchscreen phone with a slide-out alphanumeric keypad. It has an excellent 8 megapixel camera, WiFi and GPS, and is the first phone to feature Remote Play support. This lets you control and access media content on your PS3 from your Aino using an HSDPA or Wi-Fi connection. It's a powerful multimedia phone with a compact design and good looks. But it's expensive and we're not big fans of the keypad.
Best buy: *Free* with half-price line rental from Mobiles.co.uk.

Review: October 2009.

The Aino is clearly a phone that Sony Ericsson expects to do well. They've put a lot of trouble into the design of the phone, and even more effort into the advertising. So why give it such a stupid name? We have trouble saying the name of this phone without sniggering. But that probably just reflects the level of maturity in our office.

The Aino combines a touchscreen user interface with a slide-out alphanumeric keypad - rather like the Samsung Tocco Ultra. Cleverly, the navigation buttons have been placed on the lower slide, which means that there's space for a big 3 inch touchscreen on the top half of the phone. It does make the phone rather long when extended, but that adds to the sleek looks. And it certainly does look good. The Aino is tactile, with a weighty feel and a lovely smooth finish, and looks every bit the high-end phone that it is. However, the keypad is not the most responsive and is frankly the kind of keypad that you'd find on a budget phone. It's a "couldn't be bothered" keypad that is very much at odds with the high quality look and feel of the rest of the phone.

The Aino uses a combination of a conventional alphanumeric keypad and a touchscreen. This is a good design form, but in this case the keypad does let it down somewhat. But the touchscreen is good. It's a nice bright display with 16 million colours and a larger than average resolution of 432 x 240 pixels, due to its lengthened aspect ratio. At 3 inches across, this is a good size screen for a compact phone. The touchscreen user interface is limited in functionality, with some functionality available only through the keypad, but what it does, it does well.

The Aino is the first phone to feature Remote Play support. This lets you control and access media content on your PS3 from your Aino using the HSPA or Wi-Fi connection. So, from anywhere in the world you can now turn your PS3 on and off and control and access the HD Drive’s media content.

Camera-wise, the Aino is equipped with an excellent 8.1 megapixel camera with flash, 16x digital zoom and face detection. We love the touch focus feature that lets you tap the image in the viewfinder to focus the image. It works well and takes great pictures. The camera can also be used for recording video at VGA resolution and 25 frames per second. Although the Aino is configured for making video calls, the camera is rear mounted, so your caller can see you, or you can see your caller, but not both at the same time! Duh!

Music-wise, again the Aino delivers the goods pretty well. It's packed with every technology that Sony can throw at it: stereo speakers, Clear Bass, Clear Stereo and MegaBass. But the lack of a 3.5mm jack in the device is a shame. You'll have to use the headset supplied by Sony instead of your own, or use an adapter. Apart from that, the music player is excellent, with full touchscreen controls and excellent sound quality.

As you'd expect from a modern high end phone, you can do a lot more media stuff than just take pictures and listen to music. Easy access to Facebook and YouTube is included, as well as a built-in web browser that can download at high speeds using the 3G HSPA network connection. The Aino also supports DNLA, which lets you share media between DNLA certified devices in your home, e.g. you can view video files stored on your Aino on your DNLA-compatible TV. The Aino is also equipped with assisted GPS and Google Maps. You can use the GPS to geo-tag your photos too.

When you buy an Aino, you don't just get a phone. The box contains a specially designed charging stand and a Bluetooth wireless headset. When the Aino is inserted into the charging stand, the built-in Media Home software automatically pulls new content from your PC via WiFi. The content is organised on your PC using the Media Go software, which automatically formats all content on the computer to be compatible with the Aino.

With all of this multimedia functionality available, the built-in memory of 55MB is pitifully small. However, the Aino does come with an 8GB microSD card, so we're not too concerned by that. Battery life is average.

We like the Aino, but it's not perfect. Gripes include the keypad, the lack of a 3.5mm audio jack, and the general feeling of the phone being overpriced. Looking at the positives, you get a great looking phone with powerful multimedia features, remote Play support for your PS3, and plenty of extra accessories for your money.

Features of the Sony Ericsson C510 include:

• 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash, face detection autofocus, 16x digital zoom and geo-tagging
• Video camera / 3G video calling
• Display: TFT, 16 million colours, 432 x 240 pixels (3 inches) with auto rotation
• Media player with album art, Clear Bass, Clear Stereo, MegaBass, PlayNow and TrackID
• FM radio with RDS
• MP3/AAC ringtones
• Speakerphone
• Voice recorder
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
• aGPS with Google Maps
• 3D Java games with motion gaming
• Animated wallpaper
• Web browser, RSS feeds, blogging
• HSPA (3.6 Mbps download)
• Personal organiser functions
• Flight mode
• Vibration alert
• Memory: 55 Mbytes plus 8GB support for microSD memory cards
• Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, USB mass storage, modem, DLNA certified
• Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900) plus 3G (UMTS 900/2100)
• Size: 104 x 50 x 15.5 mm
• Weight: 134g
• Talktime: 4.5 hours (3G) - 8.5 hours (2G)
• Battery standby: 300 hours

Sony Ericsson Aino Consumer Reviews

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Average rating from 26 reviews:

Reviewed by Danny from England on 5th Feb 2010
This phone looks good and the screen is big but that's about all that is good about the aino, with everything else there is problems. It's ultra slow alot of the time, it crashes and shuts down it's self. The touchscreen is an absolute joke. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It plays music an videos on it's own whilst in your pocket even if you put it on lock. The camera is terrible it only works in broad daylight. Even though it has a flash you cannot see anything when taking pictures in the dark unless you stand about half a metre away from the lense otherwise the picture comes out pitch black. I would say this phone is terrible and definitely not worth the money. You can get better woking phones than this for 100 quid when this is like 400 quid. I have this on contract and paying alot for this phone but cannot wait to get rid of it for a better model. Stay away from the aino bad choice go for the w995 or any other phone really. Poor excuse of a phone sony i'd be ashamed. There's always someting wrong with it.
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Reviewed by Andy from UK on 2nd Feb 2010
Got this phone a week ago. Like all mobiles it has it's niggles, the touchscreen isn't the most accurate, but I'm hoping a future software update will fix that, and the keypad does feel a bit cheap, but it's by no means unusable. However as a media phone I am very chuffed with it, it syncs and streams media over my network via Windows Media Player 11 (no need to bother with the Media Go software), plays all audio media I can chuck at it (inc WMA DRM) and the sound quality is excellent. If you want to touchscreen surf the web, just install Opera Mini and you can do it that way. A particularly nice touch is that if you sync a WMP playlist onto the phone, the playlist itself is copied over too and listed in the phone's playlist menu. An IPhone it certainly is not, but if you're after a good walkman phone and you fancy having a bit of fun with a touchscreen with a keypad as a backup, this is the phone for you.
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Reviewed by matt corns from holland on 2nd Feb 2010
i've had my phone 1 month and i love it. it does all it clames too. the headset is cool the earphones fit super tight, which keeps out other sounds, super for watching films on, and you get a load of free films to download. i had a glofiish x650 before, and the aino is a breath of fresh air. setting up the phones internet was simple unlike other phones. sony ericsson can be proud of this little baby.
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Reviewed by ben from usa on 1st Feb 2010
great but key pad is useless
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Reviewed by xlainiex from scotland on 1st Feb 2010
i love sony ericsson phones and thought this phone was going to be amazing......wrong. worst phone i have ever used. it really shouldnt be called a touchscreen phone because the only time you used the touchscreen is to take photos look at photos or music etc - the media side of things basically. i obviously didnt read about the phone properly before ordering it but it was never clear where i read - it went back the day after i received it. i agree with all the negative reviews below. no point in repeating everything.
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Reviewed by Kelli from UK on 23rd Jan 2010
When I first got this phone I was quite impressed as it looks lovely and I had never owned a touch screen before. I bought it to replace my old sony ericsson which i loved so much, but I have been very disapointed with the aino, so much so that I am looking into replacing it with a more basic handset. The internet is slow and doesnt even connect half the time, the facebook app takes aaaages to update to the point where I gave up on it completely. I dont see why it has youtube loaded onto it, as no matter how many times I try, I cant get it to play a video :S so this seems totally pointless and a complete letdown. Texting is impossible and so frustrating, I am quite fast at texting normally, but now it takes me three times longer, the buttons are too close to the bottom edge of the phone so my finger keeps slipping off the edge. To add to all of this it keeps randomly turning itself off (even after updating the software) and it takes forever to send messages. The touchscreen can only be used for multimedia, which is disapointing as I would like to have the option to use the touchscreen for other features. The only thing that I really liked about this phone is the way that text conversations are displayed in bubbles so that you can see what has previously been said (as I often forget). I have actually been using my old sony ericsson instead because I was on the verge of smashing this phone, I wouldnt recommend that anyone buy this! Save your money!
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Reviewed by eric from england on 12th Jan 2010
my 5th se in a row and best by far everythung it does it does well.great headset and docking station.only let down is fiddly keypad
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Reviewed by Hazelnuts from england on 7th Jan 2010
plus points clear screen great camera and video easy to use fast access to facebook easy access to internet negatives really really awful keypad - so much so i'm swapping it for a different phone as i can't get on with it hangs on the facebook app and doesn't update your friends statuses after about 6pm unless you turn it off and on doesn't tell you who has texted you - just get an envelope to say you have a text couldn't find any free games - seem to have to buy them for £5
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Reviewed by ananthu from india on 7th Jan 2010
its simply super.......................
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Reviewed by Mandy from UK on 14th Dec 2009
No way is this worth the £370+ I paid for it. I did lots of research and bought it mainly for the camera as I loved my old Sony Ericsson Cybershot, but all my photos come out blurred, too dark or odd hues. It's top heavy and I have to text with my thumb nail and need other hand to balance it. The touch screen is temperamental and I often fight to turn the alarm to snooze by tapping the red bar on the touchscreen. Also difficult to end calls or flip photos to/from landscape using the touch screen. Agreed the predictive text is often irritating nonsense. Too many more gripes to list right now, but not recommended. I love the weight and look (mine is white), but that's where it ends. Hoping to get my money back or sell it.
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Reviewed by Niiru from Malaysia... on 9th Dec 2009
Well...i would say itz an awesome phone with a poor camera... i was expecting the camera to be 8.1 mega pixels as it is...but it worse than my 3.2 mega pixels sony cybershot old camera... great DISAPOINTMENT....
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Reviewed by toby from wales on 5th Dec 2009
lovely fone no probs with it apart from wont load youtube got it on o2 any one help me on this cheers
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Reviewed by aino don't trust from uk on 5th Dec 2009
i bought this like 1 week ago and within 2 days the keypad broke then got it fixed but the screen broke. GOING BACK TO GET IT REPLACED GOING TO GET N97
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Reviewed by Sarah from UK on 25th Nov 2009
I have had this phone for over a month now - when I initially got it I was expecting it to be more like the samsung tocco ultra with full touchscreen and an optional slide... so was slightly disappointed that you barely use the touchscreen. (I guess I didn't read the description thoroughly enough) To be perfectly honest I am considering selling it and buying something else - I am finding it incredibly slow at loading up everything from messages to contacts. It freezes too which is annoying. It also takes so long to save a photo it's ridiculous! ... plus that if you or the subject moves even slightly it comes out blurry... for an 8MP camera it's not terribly impressive (I've seen better cameras on phones that are only 5MP) oh and if you use the flash the colour comes out totally weird. I also think that due to the lack of any buttons on the front the slide is quite big, making the phone a bit difficult to text on - I find I need both hands (which when you have a kid isn't always possible) I do like the fact that it stores messages in a type of conversation form so that they are displayed as speech bubbles and you can reply to someone whilst still having their message up (excellent if like me you forget what they had asked) and it's good for calls - took me a while to work out that I could answer them without actually sliding the phone open. It's a nice looking phone, but I'm guessing I was expecting more from it and have been disappointed. I bought it mainly for the camera and it is definitely lacking features that other brands have - considering it's new to the market you think you would be able to at least rotate your photos after, or use features such as smile recognition. I think if you want a phone to use for calls and texts then it's fine but for other things I think there are better options on the market.
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Reviewed by Phoner Today from UK on 22nd Nov 2009
I recently brought this phone and as soon as i felt it i thought it felt a bit odd and peculiar it is similar to the lg kf700 with a 3 inch screen and seperate keypad plus i wish it would support up to 32gb memory because i enjoy my music but this phone is a mediocre but i must admit i have owned worse still a dissapointment to me though
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Reviewed by ????????? from ??????? on 15th Nov 2009
love it
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Reviewed by Ant from Balloch, Scotland on 12th Nov 2009
Got the Aino on Monday and I'm really pleased with it. Had thought about the Satio, but having experienced a full touch screen phone in the past (Samsung Pixon) and detested everything about it, I thought I would go for the partial touch screen option. I've been a big Sony Ericsson fan since the K800i and I think the Aino is one of the best of the breed so far. Brilliant functionality, quality camera, and a very polished user interface as you'd expect from a Sony Ericsson. I use Opera Mini to surf the web on my phone and it works with the touch screen which is pretty good. On the downside, the 3 inch screen when slid upwards to reveal the key pad does make the phone feel a little top heavy in your hand, but I soon got used to it. Overall, a great phone (and I'm loving the Remote Play feature for my PS3 too).
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Reviewed by Ryan from Bury , UK on 3rd Nov 2009
And to think i nearly swapped my iphone 3gs for this rubbish.....this phone is clearly designed by an idiot , the text keys are too close together and the lip of the screen make pressing the upper keys so difficult , anything over 2gb stored and the phone slows dramatically , the touchscreen is abysmal , predictive text has been revamped and the words it comes up with are never even heard of , cool applications like Voice Transform have been deleted and you can no longer have text messages just pop up its now part of the activity menu/shortcut menu that cannot be turned off so when you get a text you also get about 30 other options too its a Sony Ericsson mistake thats recognised by themselves but not been dealt with. Videos are played back in small sizing and its not actually a loud phone..........pants really.
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Reviewed by Nick from England on 1st Nov 2009
I had a play on this in phones 4 u but then decided to buy the tocco ultra Its just better for the money i have had it 6 months and it is still brilliant Buy the tocco ultra you wont regret it
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Reviewed by Arak from Cyprus on 20th Oct 2009
its great phone with rich features, and the slide mechanism is just fantastic with great look , the camera is just fine and the functions are just standard se . overall great phone to pourchase
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Reviewed by Vladimir from Uzbekistan on 20th Oct 2009
Good phone, but can't help snigger at the name. 'Aino' sounds like something else. hehe.
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Reviewed by venkat from india on 19th Oct 2009
i just got this amazing phone..awesome sound quality..i love this phone....
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Reviewed by Mike from Germany on 19th Oct 2009
Aino has all the features that you find in W995, additionally it has touch screen, screen size is bigger with better resolution compared to W995. It has really cool bluetooth headset which is much easier for listening to music. its 8 MP camera can do more than what W995 can do.. so just go for it..
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Reviewed by vivek from india on 12th Oct 2009
i actually thought that the sony ericsson aino would be a super hit in the mobile world but my hopes were put into fire when i saw the reviw videos etc about the phone.the phone has a limited touch screen function in the sense the touch screen works only for media player only again we have to use keypad for normal use and the touch screen is poor in functioning it is not fast.lastly i got to say that i s not worth buying this phone instead of this u can opt for nokia n97 mini
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Reviewed by Sunrise from Romania on 10th Oct 2009
I love it! For me, it is perfect.
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Reviewed by fabrizio from united kingdom on 6th Oct 2009
The Aino is just out on the market, its look is defenetly good, not too heavy and the slide-out keypad it's small but the bottons are clearly separate and seems nice on touch.It defenetly a good option for people who text a lot.The screen is 3" so quite big for this kind of mobil phone and it looks clear on vision.At a first impresion Sony Ericson seems it finally is back with a top mobil....and its big brother Satio will be soon available!
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