In a nutshell: The eagerly awaited Sony Ericsson K850i should
have been the best camera phone ever, with a 5 megapixel camera,
xenon flash, autofocus & automatic lens cover. But problems
with the keypad, camera and firmware mean that we can't in all honesty
recommend it. Choose the Sony Ericsson
C902 instead.
Review:
October 2007. Last updated July 2009.
Sony Ericsson's Cyber-Shot™ range of phones
have been a massive hit. The K800i
quickly gained a reputation as the best camera phone on the market;
the K810i changed the styling
but not much else; the K850i is the one that moves the technology
forward to the next stage, with its 5 megapixel camera and high-speed
3G (HSDPA).
First, the looks. Looks like Sony Ericsson were
determined to restyle the phone. It's definitely less bricklike
in its looks, and it's slimmed down a lot since the K800i days,
which is a welcome change. It has a funky blue gizmo on the front
and side, which you may or may not like (tip - buy the "Velvet
Blue" model pictured and not the hideous "Luminous Green"
option.) Now a word about the keypad design. We're really happy
to see that Sony Ericsson have finally dumped the horrible joystick
that marred both the K800i and K810i but whose idea was it to position
the navigation pad in the middle of the keypad so that it overlaps
the buttons? And why the small buttons when everyone knows that
bigger is better? Grr! And why have Sony Ericsson introduced touch-sensitive
keys that everyone hates? We have to say it: we hate the keypad!
OK, so let's talk about the camera. This is tricky.
On paper, the K850i is clearly way ahead of the competition. It
has high quality Cyber-Shot optics. It has a whopping 5 megapixel
resolution. It has a xenon flash (superior to the LED flashes on
other camera phones). It has autofocus (to keep your subject sharp)
and an automatic lens cover that fixes the problem that the K800i
had with the lens cover opening by itself. The camera also has a
BestPic™ feature which can automatically take nine photos in
a second, so that you can then choose which one to keep. There's
also a picture stabiliser, which helps to reduce camera shake. A
new switch on the side of the phone lets you switch easily between
camera modes, much like in a real digital camera. Used carefully,
the K850i can take pictures that improve on the K800i
and are even better than the Nokia N95.
Why then is the camera the thing that most of our
user reviews have complained about most? Read the reviews below
for yourself: there are a lot of disappointed Sony Ericsson fans
who have upgraded to the K850i only to find that they end up with
badly exposed or totally black pictures. The problem, we suspect,
lies with the flash. The design of the flash makes it very easy
to place your fingers in the wrong place and completely mess up
the flash, resulting in a dark picture. To avoid this you need to
hold the edge of the phone (not the best way to hold a camera steady).
But we suspect that there's more than this behind the problem, and
that the flash itself may have fundamental problems. Whether these
can be fixed by firmware releases, we don't know, but for us, a
product whose unique selling point is potentially flawed is a fundamentally
flawed product. For this reason, we'd recommend that you stick with
the K800i or K810i
or try the Nokia N95.
Anyway, moving on to the phone's other features,
the display is a very high quality TFT ultra-high resolution screen
and is very large at 2.4 inches. The media player is fully featured,
despite not being a Walkman phone. There's also an FM radio equipped
with RDS. MP3 and AC ringtones are supported.
The K850i is also the first of the Cyber-Shots
to support accelerated 3G (HSDPA), which enables you to access the
web and download files at broadband speeds. Nice to see that feature
available to Sony Ericsson users at last. As this is a 3G phone,
video calling is enabled too, and the video quality is pretty good,
using a front-facing second camera.
Connectivity is excellent with full support for
Bluetooth and USB, so it's possible to listen to music on a wireless
headset and making it very easy to transfer music files between
phone and PC. Battery life is pretty good, with a quite high powered
battery to power the big screen and 3G. The built-in memory is just
40 Mbytes, but this is expandable to 4 Gbytes with a Memory
Stick Micro™, and there's also support for the microSD™
format cards too.
So, in conclusion, the K850i is a 5 star phone
that fails to live up to expectation. The flawed keypad design and
problems that people are experiencing with the camera mean that
we cannot recommend the K850i. Choose the Sony
Ericsson C902 instead.
Features of the Sony Ericsson K850i include:
3G video calling
5 megapixel camera with xenon flash, autofocus,
16x digital zoom and automatic lens cover
Video camera
Display: TFT, 262,144-colour, 240 x 320 pixels
(2.4 inches)
Media player
FM radio with RDS
MP3/AAC ringtones
Speakerphone
Voice recorder
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
3D Java games
Animated wallpaper
Web browser, RSS feeds, blogging
HSDPA
Personal organiser functions
Flight mode
Vibration alert
Memory: 40 Mbytes plus support for Memory Stick
Micro™ (M2™) (up to 4 GB) and microSD™ format
Love
your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review
this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a
forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear
words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!
Average
rating from 100 reviews:
Reviewed by LI from Wales on
1st Nov 2007
Amazing. all those ppl who are moaning about its qualities are because
they havent learnt to use it properly. this phone takes time to
understand but once ya learn how to use it i.e. proper quality 5MG
photos its amazing! Rating:
Reviewed by John from England on
1st Nov 2007
Had it a week - love the phone in every way EXCEPT I AM INCREDIBLY
DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CAMERA! I had a W800i before and that was
better than this! Every shot I have taken in the dark has been total
blackness even with the flash - the flash "flashes" but the photo
is pitch black. Inddors but in good light, the flash operate sand
the photo looks horrendously "orange" - I've played with almost
every variation of settings, Imade sure my fingers are completely
clear of the front of the camera - no difference. For a phone that
makes a big deal fo the 5Mp camera this is slightly concerning.
I've now arranged for it to be replaced when they come back in stock
with Vodafone... I'm hoping I've just a got a duff unit at the moment
and the replacement will restore my faith. Rating:
Reviewed by Glen from Edinburgh on
1st Nov 2007
Had waited for this phone for ages on the Orange network and after
one day have returned it. This is an awful phone buttons horrible
and like others takes dark pictures in a brightly lit room (Set
to 5mp). Also cannot transfer any previously stored media from old
camera to ringtones. Very Bizarre. Not recommended Rating:
Reviewed by CJ-Bowers from UK on
31st Oct 2007
Perfect phone, any smaller and the camera would not handle well.
Very good photo's - as for the black picture mentioned in previous
reviews - this is not an issue if you know how to use the phone,
pushing the button half down before taking the photo will focus
the photo and make the flash work correctly. Rating:
Reviewed by Andie F from UK on
31st Oct 2007
I can't understand why this phone has such an outstanding review.
I had this phone for less than one day before returning it. It was
an upgrade on o2. The blue square of light round the two top buttons
is quite off putting when trying to text, apart from the very small
keys being well spaced apart and the surface becoming very smeary.
You have to use the touch screen on the right of the phone to make
the phone go back, which takes a little getting used to. The phone
I had froze when trying to edit a picture. I managed to accidentally
connect to wap without meaning to, bill would have been scary if
I hadn't spotted it! When taking pictures you have to be very careful
to hold the phone by the edges only, don't touch the back of the
phone at all or the pictures will be very dark. Even being careful
though the pictures weren't as good as those taken with a K800i.
Plus points it looks good, but apart from that I was too disappointed
to keep it so bought another w810i, which imo is still a better
phone. Rating:
Reviewed by amjad from uk on
31st Oct 2007
i got this phone last week and i like its shape and multimedia functions
but i dont like its music sound quality and camera sometimes gives
dark pics. also buttons r not easy to use. so overall its a not
good phone.sorry. Rating:
Reviewed by robert from england on
31st Oct 2007
an old-timer here, had lots of mobiles since my first, a 1988 cityman
brick... what do I do! send this k850i back and swap it for a nokia
6500 classic or samsung g600 or keep it? greasy looking after 2
mins, small buttons, doubts about the finger touch, but just a glance
at this baby after a going over with Mr sheen just makes me dribble...i
mean drool! RG Rating:
Reviewed by doooh from UK on
31st Oct 2007
Great Phone, Looks are ok, better than K800 anyway, has lots of
features, (check out the TRACK ID function which tells you the name
of the song you're playing). Camera is brilliant as well, for all
those struggeling with bad images, there is a whole section of settings
which lets you adapt the camera to the ambience, if your shooting
inside and the picture turns out dark you might wanna try a twilight
preset.. Keys can be a bit of a pain sometimes, especially the cancel
key while texting I often hit the top right touchbutton inadvertedly..
but workable.. Other than that, no issues so far, had the phone
for 1 month, no probs Rating:
Reviewed by Rhiannon from Scotland on
30th Oct 2007
I too waited months for this phone, and after 5 days it was sent
back, same problems as previous people have posted. Buttons are
FAR too small, the edge of my thumb got sore from pressing the space
button while texting (I probably text more than the average person,
but you shouldn't get a sore bit while doing so?!) I am a girl,
with average sized fingers, and still managed to press the wrap
around buttons (that go around the 2 and 5 buttons) when texting,
how to men manage?? The touch sensitive buttons sometimes worked,
sometimes didn't. They often needed to be pressed again, and then
the next minute it would in the menu section when I didn't mean
to?! I also had the same problems with the camera, inside photos
were rubbish, subject was ok but the background was completely black,
even when daylight outside. I compared the same scene using both
the K850 and the K800 (my previous phone) and the K800 won every
time. The look of the phone is cheap aswell, how can people say
it looks sexy?? It's plasticy and picks up every finger print going!!
Apart from the camera been better (apparently) there are no further
developments between the previous SEs, I have had the K750 and the
K800 so was really looking forward to this phone, I'm so dissapointed.
I'm now back to using my K800 until I find a decent phone, all the
5MP camera phone's seem to have problems, in one way or another,
so I'm going to bide my time. Rating:
Reviewed by SteveO from UK on
30th Oct 2007
Connor and Kelvin you obviously work for sony aand have place these
messages here to try and bolster up the K850's reputation - as nobody
here agrees with you... Please sony listen to these peoples problems
and update the firmware!!! I have just come off the phone from Sony
again and got nowhere - their customer service is pants!!! Rating:
Reviewed by MR X from UK on 30th
Oct 2007
The phone looks great & the touch screen is a cool touch but tbh
im a little bit dissapointed with the Camera. The pictures sometimes
turn out dark in a perfectly lit room - im guna get on the phone
to O2 and see what they recomend ... Rating:
Reviewed by simon cowell from england
on 30th Oct 2007
i love my phone ! for once in my life i am not going to say it's
a disaste ! Rating:
Reviewed by Mike from England on
30th Oct 2007
I like others waited for this phone for a LONG time. previously
had K750i, and then the K800i. i LOVED these phones, and loved how
each one just got better. Hence my disappointment when getting this
phone. Maybe my phone was faulty as someone previously stated, but
seems to be fair few of them about. the camera was not as good as
the K800i, with side by side tests to make sure, both video and
pictures. This was so disappointing to me, as i had come to rely
on good camera phone as a norm, even using it as a primary camera
on holiday. Could not imagine that with this phone. Apart from the
camera, the software just seems slow. they really do seem to have
put too much in that it can't handle. and lets be honest, its not
exactly a sexy phone. its big, and the buttons are annoying. After
so many years with Sony Ericsson, I am bitterly disappointed, and
whats worse... I have now gone to Nokia, something i swore i would
never do! Now got the Nokia 6500 slide. Now thats sexy! Camera not
as great as old K800i, the battery is rubbish, and it too has some
freezing issues. apart from that, its lovely, and still better than
the K850i!.... looking forward to the day when a decent phone comes
out. Rating:
Reviewed by saqi from uk on 30th
Oct 2007
this phone is really good, esp. the camera which is out of this
world! Other than the camera, it is pretty similar to the K800i
/K810i so it wont be too difficult to use. Rating:
Reviewed by Conner from Uk on
29th Oct 2007
This is a really good phone Rating:
Reviewed by waynofwolves from england
on 29th Oct 2007
No goood points at moment bad points buttons to small pictures are
very very dark been told software problem avoid like the plague Rating:
Reviewed by connor from uk on
29th Oct 2007
i think the camera is excellent and it looks fantastic Rating:
Reviewed by Kelvin from England on
29th Oct 2007
HAve posted a review earlier and read peoples comments so thought
it was time for an update! Having got to grips with Sonys Media
software for the PC it is a very easy to get cds and album art on
to the phone now so I`m happy. One of the main issues (apart from
the tiny keys) that people have is the camera not working properly
or not taking very good pics. I have to say that these people either
have a faulty phone or they have not got the thing set to 5MP! It
is easily the best phone available at taking high quality pics (that
includes using the flash too!). If it doesn`t work properly get
a replacement!! As regards the return button that someone asked
about - if you press the end call button (next to the `C`) then
it will return you to the main menu. Rating:
Reviewed by NickSeecharan from UK on
29th Oct 2007
Has anyone else had the following problem: The phone crashes from
the "media" screen (via bottom left screen "media" option); specifically
when you opt for Photos. It turns the phone off for about 15 seconds.
In addition, the same Media summary screen lists me as having ZERO
files on the camera - no photos, no music, no video - even though
these are all visible via File Manager (which annoyingly is buried
in the Organiser - took me a while to find this). Essentially this
bug makes phone unusable as anything other than a phone - and I
will have to send back ..unless anyone has ideas/ fixes? The touch
screen was a nice touch - didn't realise it had this. The flash
was appalling (unkeepable photos) last night compared with the k800i.
Only used flash once but early signs not promising on that front.
Rating:
Reviewed by just me... from uk on
29th Oct 2007
Waited 2 months for this phone to come out, used it for 1 day before
sending it back, i am so disappointed. I wanted it mainly for the
camera and although pictures taken outside are great, the pics inside
are dark, even with the flash. The keys are terrible to txt with
and the touch buttons are a nightmare, the automatic keyguard comes
on almost as soon as you put the phone down and there doesnt seem
to be a way to change this or turn it off, contacts and messages
are stored to the phone or memory card with no option of the sim
card, there isnt a volume button on the handset for when you are
using the phone, and, the call register and redial list only shows
the last time a person phoned you or you phoned them or the time
of the last missed call - it doesnt show how many times. I have
been using a samsung and before that, a nokia, so maybe a sony ericsson
just isnt the phone for me. Rating:
Reviewed by Danny from UK on
28th Oct 2007
Had mine for 5 Days now and does what it says on the tin. I Can
make calls, text and take some pretty amazing pictures (for a phone).
Its different format to what I am used to (buttons) but getting
better already. no bugs yet (touch wood)..... Note: It doesn't do
your laundry, walk the dog or do the dishes!!!??? so might take
it back as I expected t least a butler attached :o) Rating:
Reviewed by Brian Mc from Durham,England
on 28th Oct 2007
Got one of these and sent it back and reverted to my K810I which
i like better. K850i whilst having a better camera on it offers
no other perks and touch screen is not relevant. Themes and tones
on phone are pants, mine is returned and I await my I Phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Andy S from England on
28th Oct 2007
Before I have used a W810 and a K810, both of which were excellent.
After waiting months for this phone I have been very dissapointed.
After 6 days I returned it, as it was so unstable. Camera playback
mode kept crashing, alarm didn't play MP3 file it just beeped, phone
reset itself twice and then wouldn't recognise sim, the menu was
slow and unrepsonsive... The new dedicated media menu is also very,
very slow. If you have anymore than 80 songs on your phone, you
have to wait a few minutes for it to even load up all the track
names! Never a problem even on my old W810. All other Sony phones
I have used in the past have been excellent, rock solid devices,
but this phone just doesn't even feel finished! Maybe in the future
firmware updates will solve these issues, but why should I pay £350
for a phone that I can't use out of the box? These problems simply
shouldn't exist. Such a shame a company the size of Sony can't even
release a phone that works. I think after many years of loyalty
I will be moving brands, as this has really put me off future products. Rating:
Reviewed by Colette from UK on
28th Oct 2007
Bought this phone last week & have to say quite disappointed. Bought
the phone mainly because of the camera but most of my photos come
out dark because the flash dosen't come on, also the 3 soft touch
buttons have a mind of their own.. when the phone locks it doen't
matter how soft or hard i touch the button to unlock it just doesn't
work so i have to take the battery out to re start the phone.. also
when trying to send a text the touch buttons freeze & again I have
to take the battery out. Spoke to customer services & they said
to take phone back & get a replacement but after reading the comments
below this looks like a common problem. This is a real shame as
it could have been a really fantastic phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Cat from UK on 27th
Oct 2007
My K850i has really bad sound quality during a normal phone conversation...
At first I thought it was the person I was speaking to on the phone
but every single phonecall I have had has been such poor quality,
maybe the earpiece part of my phone is faulty but its soooo annoying-
everyone sounds like they are mumbling!! :-( Rating:
Reviewed by Steve from Uk on
27th Oct 2007
Had my k850i 2 weeks now and gave it a good testing on holiday this
week, and it failed in so many areas, but surpassed in others. Failings,
if you convert an mp4 or podcast onto the phones micro sd card play
it and then let it auto go into landscape mode as you turn the phone,
the lip sync will go out by up to 5 seconds, tried this on both
my phone and the wifes. The flash is poor I bought an addition to
my w900i a decent zenon flash, guess what this phone does not recognise
it so I have to make do with the poor zenon flash which decided
when it wants to work and when it doesnt! I have so many poor /
dark pictures, there is an auto mode a red eye mode and an off mode
- there is not a mode to just switch the flash on! as the auto doesnt
seem to know when it is needed or not! I get better pictures out
of my w900i with the zenon flash addon in the dark than the k850i,
and there is 3 meg difference. Good points,well it takes good pictures
in daytime - just dont rely on the flash! Rating:
Reviewed by Edd from Manchester, U K
on 27th Oct 2007
I bought this to replace my tatty K800I and first impressions on
opening the box were fantastic, this truly is a stunning looking
phone! But scratch under the surface and a few little niggles emerge...Firstly,
the buttons while well spaced are very small and not so easy to
press with big fingers. Secondly, the touch sensitive buttons are
a nice touch but too fiddly and over sensitive and you'll often
end up going online without realising etc. Thirdly, theres no RETURN
button! This is probably the most annoying thing, when you spend
2 years using this little button that gets you to the main page
and they all of a sudden remove it for no reason, that IS annoying...If
it ain't broke. Fourthly, The shiny surface looks great when out
of the box but after 2 minutes of holding it, it gets smudged with
LOADS of finger marks, not cool.... And lastly (I think...), although
it states it is a 5 megapixel camera I found the that my trusty
K800 (3.2 megapixels) took better pictures! It has an weird light
sensor thats a bit erratic and occasionally makes bright colour
full pictures dull, I think there has been a bit of cost cutting
involved...Um...Or maybe I've just got a faulty one.... Overall,
Not perfect and has its flaws (And ever so slightly disappointing)
but still very very desirable and much loved! Rating:
Reviewed by KNOBBY from uk on
27th Oct 2007
Received this phone today from Orange and i have to say next week
it will be going back. If anyone likes to make calls or txt this
phone is not for you! Rating:
Reviewed by chris from uk on
26th Oct 2007
Further to an earlier review, I have taken pictures in virtual darkness
with brilliant results, by putting the camera setting onto incandescent,
this shows a picture of a bulb, I would say that that was night
mode, also if you take a picture in twilight mode, the picture is
ok. Rating:
Reviewed by twyfry from Hampshire UK
on 26th Oct 2007
Sorry, no good. Agree about black pictures - flash simply did not
work as far as I can see - have to use techno fix on all night pics.
Also signal reception much less than K750 or 800 (both of which
I have had and liked v much). And display seemed to flicker slightly
and graphics rather jerky. Did I just get a bad one? Anyway it's
gone back. Nokia again it would seem.... Rating:
Reviewed by Rosie Bott from UK on
26th Oct 2007
i Love it Rating:
Reviewed by James from England/birmingham
on 26th Oct 2007
OOOOOOHH!! tricky the buttons are :( but the camera mp3 b.t is sick,
i would have a good think bouh this phone, £300 :O dno bouh that
email me jimflan_1993@msn.com Rating:
Reviewed by Kayley from Manchester,
England on 26th Oct 2007
I've had this phone a few days and I currently have a love/hate
relationship with it because of one thing. The size of the buttons.
Sounds ridiculous? I am an avid texter but the size [and stiffness]
of the buttons makes me thumbs hurt. Seriously. I am aware it sounds
totally stupid but because of the size and the shape it can become
pretty painful. Other than that, I love it. Rating:
Reviewed by Gari Hughes from england
on 26th Oct 2007
i got this phone two weeks ago (on release day) it has bugs, first
the volume keys stopped working properley and i had to restart the
phone, then it went haywire when i tried to use it as a modem, now
the 3 soft touch keys have stopped working great!! it is a great
phone when it works, but like all new technology if u get it when
it is brand spanking new then u are asking for trouble. Rating:
Reviewed by mike storer from england
on 26th Oct 2007
just had my k850i today i,ve just got one word to say FANTASTIC.I
did have a w910i i sent that back. this phone will be the one the
others will have to beat.highly recomended. Rating:
Reviewed by James from Uk on
25th Oct 2007
Waited ages then dissapointed that no one in SE research dept actually
bothered trying to make calls on phone, keep sending texts during
calls due to the touch sensitive buttons brushing ear and being
too sensitive, also answers calls waiting that don't want to talk
to. Very disappointed as otherwise an excellent phone and such a
basic over sight! Rating:
Reviewed by Ali from Pakistan on
25th Oct 2007
really it is outstanding, if u want a digital camera u should bye
k850i i m lovin it Rating:
Reviewed by Martin from UK on
25th Oct 2007
Having been very used to the Sony K800, I found the buttons to be
quite difficult to use on the K850i. my messages look like that
I have only started to use predictive texting, mistakes and spelling
issues all over the place. The Buttons are alot smaller and need
a bit of pressure. I haven't got fat fingers but if I did I would
hate to think what I would be sending. Also the touch screen is
either to sensitive or to stubborn. Weird! The camera is totally
amazing, although it could really do with a cover over the lens
like the previous phone. Handling the phone can make it greasy thus
giving a hazy picture when taken. Make sure the back is cleaned
before saying cheeeessse!. Rating:
Reviewed by Steve JW from England on
25th Oct 2007
I can't live with this phone and have sent mine back. Why? Awful
tiny buttons which creek when you press them. Fiddly unresponsive
"touch" buttons which add nothing to the experience and remain active
during phone calls (I didn't realise my ear was so good at activating
various menus!). Slightly clunky response of operating system to
key presses. Occasional black photos (I'm not alone in this). Needless
plastic cover over lens cover. Shows finger marks very quickly.
Poor quality plastic which gives phone a cheap feel. Occasional
system crashes and freezes. I'm hugely disappointed with this phone.
With a little more effort from SE, this would have been the best
phone on the market since its feature set is extremely impressive.
As it is, I really couldn't recommend this phone to anyone. Rating:
Reviewed by steve from uk on
24th Oct 2007
for all u ppl who ar having problems with pictures in dark, if ur
using a flash, try placing ur hands back from the flash, i was told
by an assistant when i sampled one before ordering that u need to
hold it like a proper digital camera (i.e fingers on the sides not
resting over the back otherwise u cover the flash and it doesnt
help pic quality as u may know Rating:
Reviewed by Darko from Macedonia on
24th Oct 2007
Hmmm i can see ppl give five star or one star(nokia users) hhehe
it's nice 2 see you r jeleous.... damn best phone Rating:
Reviewed by Jan from UK on 24th
Oct 2007
I had been eagerly awaiting the release of this to replace my W850i
- however I was sadly disappointed with it and will be returning
and replacing with the k800i. I love the touch screen, but dislike
the tiny keys and also the fact that 97% of my pics come out dark
with or without flash. I wanted this phone specifically as a decent
point and shot camera phone, but found it lacking in that department. Rating:
Reviewed by simon from uj on
24th Oct 2007
sony k850i sucks! small buttons, navigation crammed amongs keys
which is not great, touch screen has a mind of its own and does
things if your fingers pass near it...like cut you off or dial the
internet! Surely I am not the only bloke who wants a phone with
buttons bigger than a grain of rice! Rating:
Reviewed by Carl from England on
24th Oct 2007
Love the phone but.... so disappointed with the camera! I have had
the same problems as other users but after I had spoke to the customer
service rep at O2 she then informed me that the phone has no night
mode. I am not sure if this is just an error from the young lady
I spoke to or have SE made us wait for a handset that that camera
wise is suppose to be better than its predecessor but comes no where
near it! Phone will be going back if nothing is sorted.... Rating:
Reviewed by Gemma from Wigan on
24th Oct 2007
On my second K850i and oh my god its going back! When in a call
it has a mind of its own and decides to disable the whole of the
keypad and touchscreen so i cannot end the call, keep having to
take the battery out to end the call! The amount of times this has
happened is ridiculous, i love se phones but they have made a complete
mess of this! Im looking at another phone to get and you know what
not one phone i have seen is good looking! All black or silver no
Pink!!!! and all new ones seem to only have 2 megapixel? Companys
are meant to go forward not backwards! Rating:
Reviewed by James McDonagh from UK on
24th Oct 2007
Had this phone for nearly two weeks now and is definately a pain
to use. Every time I am making a call it sends a blank text message
to the first person in my phone book because of the touch sensitive
buttons on the screen. The touch buttons do not always work either.
Altogether a major dissapointment. Rating:
Reviewed by David Roberts from UK on
24th Oct 2007
Wow, what a phone. Like in Steve’s comment below, you should
compare this phone to other phones before giving your verdict. I
went for the Sony W910i and I took it back to the shop and exchanged
it for a K850i and I must say, I cannot find any fault with it what
so ever. I don’t understand why some people are having problems
taking pictures in Daylight with this phone. All pictures that I
have taken with this phone came out perfect. I did have the Nokia
N95, and I must be honest with you, the K850i beats the Nokia N95
hands down. I don’t know whether if any of you have had experience
owning the N95, but when I had one the phone kept on crashing, I
even had the software up-dated on it, but it still kept on crashing
on me. I believe, that if you want a phone with a good camera on,
is choose a manufacture that produces digital cameras. Nokia do
not make digital cameras, and this is why, Nokia could never beat
Sony Ericsson with camera quality on their phones. I can also say
that the Music player on the K850i is amazing the supplied headset
does the job but has a nasty pair of foam covered ear plugs, so
a adaptor bridging Sony Ericsson's Fast Port and a 3.5mm jack socket
wouldn't be a bad use of money if you plan on spending a lot of
time listening to music. Verdict Sony Ericsson's K850i is a fantastic
piece of design, well built, nice to use and with all the features
you expect from a top-end phone. I wish I could give this phone
10 stars. Rating:
Reviewed by Wayne from England on
24th Oct 2007
I have just upgraded from my k800i and im very impressed! I am a
little disappointed with the camera and small buttons but thats
about it. All in all its a great phone and has lots of features
so id say go for it!! Rating:
Reviewed by Glenn from UK on
23rd Oct 2007
Just got the phone and it's great, even though the buttons are smaller
than the previous K800 and 810 there is more space around each key
making it much easier to use for those of us with fat fingers. The
build quality seems good and is pretty easy to use to. The camera
seems better to, once you have wiped all the finger prints from
the screen. Constant cleaning will be required to keep it finger
print free but hey one wipe on the shirt and that does the job!Unfortuantely
however my luminous blue lights on the phone aren't working so I
have to send it back. damn shame. It's great though, worth the change Rating:
Reviewed by Stuart from Scotland on
22nd Oct 2007
Just recived my phone today and it looks amazing but having problems
with the camera as did vicky below. it takes poor pics in bad light
and takes black pics in daylight. wots tht all abt.But features
look good like the new music player. But K800i takes better pics.
Will have to send back 2 o2 and see what they say. Rating:
Reviewed by steve from uk on
22nd Oct 2007
for all u ppl who say the phone is rubbish and then start to compare
it to another fone eg the nokia n95 heres some advice....dont! rate
the fone on its own coz rating it compared to other fones doesnt
help ppl, i dont think this fone is ugly its reli smart and not
boxy brick like at all...yeah ok its not as small as the k750i but
that dont make it brick like... and it does have a better camera Rating:
Reviewed by vicky from UK on
21st Oct 2007
loved the phone for 24 hours then wanted 2 smash it with a great
big hammer!!!! it developed a line of red pixals running down the
screen. also likes to take black photos even when its got a flash
and its daylight!!!! loves to collect fingerprints and creeks when
txin!!!! a little bigger than i thought it would be, but can cope
in my handbag! received the phone fri & already sent it back, now
awaiting my NEW NEW K850i!!! hopefully this time in workin order. Rating:
Reviewed by sHABAb from dENMARk on
20th Oct 2007
tHIS pHONE IS soooo nice iTS THE BEST PHONE sONY eRRICSSON eVER
MADE. iF u doNT HAVE iT yOU aRE nOT hOT! :D Rating:
Reviewed by chris from uk on
20th Oct 2007
Been waiting for the phone for months and months, and now its here
not disappointed. Managed to get hold of the phone with the blue
trim,its attractive to look at, Its heavy enough not to be a problem
slipping out of your pocket without you realising it. Battery life
is very good, And it also features a light, but couldn't find that
out until the phone arrived, (not mentioned on any site i,ve looked
at). Apart from the fact the phone gets covered in fingerprints
because of its glossy finish, I cant fault it. Well what are you
waiting for? Get yourself one right away Rating:
Reviewed by John from UK on 20th
Oct 2007
Keypad is makes the phone extremely hard to use Rating:
Reviewed by everton chris from England
on 20th Oct 2007
I've had this phone for a couple of days now and i have to say it's
excellent. There are only two things i can find wrong with it. The
first isn't a major problem (except to your wallet!) as it's simply
the amount of memory on the actual phone and the fact that they
only give you a 512mb micro card (i have just purchased a 4gb memory
card which i would recommend) In all fairness to sony ericsson the
phone does come packed with a hell of a lot of software loaded into
it s i guess that takes away a lot of the phones internal memory.
The other problem isn't so easily fixed, The three soft keys at
the top of the keypad and just under the screen do take a bit of
getting used to but then you realise that they are a very good idea,
the problem comes from when you are speaking on the phone and the
keys start working just from having them close to the side of your
face, mainly a problem when using voicemail or something that you
have to input numbers as you find yourself having to go back through
to the main screen before you can slect what you want. This doesn't
distract from the overal phone to much though and i would deffinetly
recommend it, hopefully soon I'll remember to hold the handset a
little bit away from my face and the problem will go away. Rating:
Reviewed by nikolas stephanou from limassol
on 19th Oct 2007
its very good but very expensive than other mobiles in cyprus Rating:
Reviewed by Emma from UK on 19th
Oct 2007
I love SE phones, but this one is driving me crazy. So much that
I may go back to my chunky but perfectly formed K810i - the touch
keys on the screen are totally crazy: i've managed to send about
6 texts to my poor friend Adam who is first in my phone book, just
cos when you're on a call there's no way of deactivating the touchscreen,
and my face had been pressing buttons. I rang SE and there's no
way of disabling the touchscreen so that the phone bahves itself
when you talk. I've also had recordings made on the phone due to
the 'face pressing buttons' problem. It's a total nightmare. I cannot
believe SE made such a high profile and lovely looking phone (luminous
green is HOT) and didn't bother to get ppl to make calls on it first!
Huge oversight, so I can't recommend the phone. Steer clear. Rating:
Reviewed by lisa from england on
18th Oct 2007
Outstanding phone, great design,stylish and easy to navigate and
use, great camera, def the best phone i have owned so far!!! Rating:
Reviewed by BaronMarko from Croatia
on 18th Oct 2007
The phone buttons are small...And the mobile is ugly...I think to
this mobile is overrated....To me Nokia N95 have a little better
design and much more applications...On the first look n95 is like
a everyday mobile but when you search the all appliations you will
se to it is much better than this bad looking mobile....Disappointed Rating:
Reviewed by TOONfan from England on
18th Oct 2007
I have just received this fon today an i have to say i am very impressed.
I have read quite a few negative reviews about it but i dnt get
all the negativity, this fone is class! I love the touch sensitive
buttons and have taken to them so quickly it is hard to use normal
buttons on my other fone lol. The camera is great along with the
flash, i also think te fone is really suarve and sophisticated looking.
I will be honest though, I was expecting a few more features and
also the buttons are a bit small and the casing a bit tacky feeling
and picks up too many finger prints etc. However, these are minor
issues and dont really spoil the fone but just could of been improved
before releasing, oh well. This mobile is great and on o2 for 35
quid with the fone free is a great deal, no network logo or dedicated
network key either which is good. I love sony ericssons and this
has done them justice, the camera is just awesome :D i was just
wondering if any of you have a blue version do the blue strips on
the side light up at all? mine dnt Also clearly on a leaflet inside
the box it shows you not to hold the phone with your fingers near
the flash, that is why some pictures come out all black. Rating:
Reviewed by Darren from Essex, uk on
18th Oct 2007
This is the best phone i have owned to date. It is well designed
and has kept Sony's DNA. Ease of use and good funcionality. would
recommend to buy!! Glad to see the annoying joysick has been deleted
from this facelift. why carry a digital camera when you have this
phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Hass from UK on 18th
Oct 2007
"It's definitely less bricklike in its looks", I totally disagree,
I got the k750 and it’s much smaller and better looking than
this phone. The phone is good but the design is extremely awful,
in addition, the keypad is very hard to use and navigate, the phone
buttons are small and flimsy. Overall I'm highly disappointed in
this phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Matthew Roberts from UK
on 17th Oct 2007
Just received K850i , great features , but build quality down from
k800i in terms of plastic case and overall durability. Also the
touch screen controls are not responsive and can easliy be pressed
accidentally. Also why is this phone released on vodaphone when
you cannot download any games from vodaphone live as it refuses
to recognise the phone, a good phone as opposed to a great phone
like the 800i Rating:
Reviewed by Gemma from Wigan on
17th Oct 2007
Just purchased this phone yesterday, charged it etc, and noticed
a fault already with it! I chose the blue one and the lights around
the edging and on part of the centre keys are meant to light up
blue when you recieve a text message or a phonecall and even when
you turn the phone off and on, but guess what the blue lights on
my phone DO NOT light up! Also i had a K800i and i have to say i
honestly cannot tell the difference in picture quality, and when
you take pictures with this phone sometimes its just a black screen
no picture?? The keypad is awful, the buttons are to far apart and
the way that they are raised with tiny square pads is unreal, im
a mega fast texter and i cannot for the life of me text on this
phone, i dont like the fact that you cannot change the 2 short cut
keys what say contacts and media, the touchscreen is great but when
your in a call now instead of it saying end call in the bottam corner
you dont have that option anymore, you have to physically end the
call by clicking a button on the actual keypad further down, im
sending mine back after only 4 hours of having it due to its faults
and im unsure now whether to get another? Its also heavier than
the K800i and wider although its not as long. Its not a very stylish
looking phone if im honest, im really gutted cos i love sony ericson
but i have to say im very disapointed! :-( Rating:
Reviewed by Rob from uk on 17th
Oct 2007
Had this phone for 2 days now and had no problem with it . Takes
a bit of use getting use to the buttons but after that all good
. cam good too Rating:
Reviewed by anon from u.k on
17th Oct 2007
Got this phone on sunday and i'm not very happy. The touch screen
menu button needs touching half a dozen times before it registers
and the speaker/ringtones stopped working. I've gone and took it
back for a replacement and i'll see how the replacement goes. Rating:
Reviewed by helen from uk on
17th Oct 2007
Very disapointed! looks like its from the 90's not a brick more
a block! cheap looking and feeling and the back panel scratches
easily. my advise is its a phone want a decent camera buy a camera! Rating:
Reviewed by Dave from Scotland on
17th Oct 2007
I have been buying mobile phones since the very beginning when my
mates just thought i was a poser and i can honestly say that this
is the best phone i have had,it is easy to use with great menus,touch
screen, how many times have we heard of a new mobile stating that
it really is a digital camera too, well take it from me, this is
the first, it is like half a camera and half mobile, but packed
with all other goodies too, i had the samsung g600 with 5mp camera
too and it just wasn't the same, i have sold my mp3,mobile and digital
camera and bought the k850i, after all you always take you mobile
with you but not always the mp3 and camera so it makes sence Rating:
Reviewed by Joan from England on
17th Oct 2007
I was left disappointed by it, and was an accurate reflection of
the reviews that have been written by reviewers and disappointed
buyers. The keypad takes a bit of getting used to. The camera was
disappointing - this is meant to be a cybershot! Some software crashes
even on the first day left a bad taste in my mouth. Do yourself
a favour and don't waste your money on this overpriced and overrated
phone. Rating:
Reviewed by TommyInLondon from UK on
16th Oct 2007
If you're buying this sort of toy you will accept the fact that
comparing to other mobiles this one is quite big and heavy. After
my order was delivered I was a bit dissapointed to see that the
blue version has silver edges, it looks stubpid, but after all I
didn't buy it for the looks. In fact I bought is as I was considering
getting a good digital camera and thought since this is 5MP I could
actually get this and kill to birds with one stone as at the same
time I was tired of the fact that my Samsung thinks slower than
I do. The K850i is only missing two things: WiFi and Windows Mobile
(so that I could use skype on it and forget about phone bills).
The camera is not as great as I thought it would be. The pictures
are quite good but the colors might dissapoint you. One thing I
love about SE mobiles is the ease of navigating through all the
options. No Nokia, Samsung or other Motorolla (especially Moto)
is this easy to get used to. After my first K750i I just couldn't
use any other phone (had a Samsung and a few Nokias since) untill
I finally got this one. It's reliable, easy to use, looking good,
with great sound quality and lots of options, surely better than
any NOKIA or Samsung (not mentioning the never changing Moto) Just
don't buy it for the camera... Rating:
Reviewed by SEAN from NORTHERN IRELAND
on 16th Oct 2007
Ive had mobiles since 1995 and over past few years ive had approx
3 per year and i can honestly say that this is the best by quite
a long way.....it is a bit of a brick but look at wots in the phone
and it really needs to be big.. Dont mess with other phones..this
is AWESOME... But its not for the ladies....real mans phone...go
on lads get urself one...o2 30quid a month..free phone Rating:
Reviewed by Kelvin from England on
16th Oct 2007
Have been waiting a while for this phone and just recieved it through
o2. Was it worth the wait..? Well yes and no.. Whilst the camera
is easily the best yet on a phone there are a few niggles here and
there that stop this being a 5 star phone. Firstly it creeks! Whilst
txting or pressing buttons the back of the phone creeks! Whilst
a minor matter it doesnt give the phone an expensive "feel". It
is also a finger print magnet! You will be forever cleaning this
phone as the back and the front pick up everything! The keys are
also a little small and the obvious problem of wrapping the directional
keys round the 2 and 5 keys becomes apparant to anyone with large
fingers! Having said all that it is a nice phone and will do pretty
much everything you`d expect and does it with style. Little known
is the fully fledged Walkman player with megabass and the headphones
supplied are of superb quality. The software that comes with the
phone tho typical Sony and is tricky to get to grips with at first.
So back to simple drag and drop! So 4 and a half stars for me as
the creek and finger prints are annoying!!! Rating:
Reviewed by dave from uk on 16th
Oct 2007
poor pictures in low lighting conditions.will keep my K800I Rating:
Reviewed by johnny from uk on
16th Oct 2007
this phone is great good photos but the look is not really that
good but this phone is good im not sure if its better than G600
but it cant match nokia n95 n95 is the best at the moments Rating:
Reviewed by Spasimr from Bulgaria on
16th Oct 2007
This is nice telefon ,i love it. Rating:
Reviewed by Dave from Cheshire on
16th Oct 2007
Awful touch screen controls RUIN an otherwise good phone. I've had
the K800i and after using that I swore I would never purchase another
brand of phone. The K800i wasn't the lightest or the slimmest of
phones, but it "felt" quality, the build was awesome, the plastic
had an expensive feel to it, the camera was awesome. Sadly, it looks
as if I'll be sticking with the K800i for a while. I got the K850i
the other day and near-enough put it through the window within 15
minutes. The touch screen controls are schizophrenic, they can't
make up their mind if they wanna be ultra-sensitive (push up on
the dpad and it selects for you instead) or completely dead to the
world (20 pushes and NOTHING happens). The keypad overall is TOO
small - who do Sony Ericsson think we are, midgets? The phone itself
feels cheap, the plastic feels like it would break with the slightest
knock. In the mean time I'm going to have to look at purchasing
another brand of phone, probably my second favourite - Samsung.
While I'm in the minority, avoid this phone. Especially if you have
big fingers or get annoyed easily. Rating:
Reviewed by David from UK on
16th Oct 2007
What a phone! Touch screen, auto-rotate when viewing pics (u tilt
the phone and image will rotate automatically), camera quality second
to none! Perfect! OUTSTANDING phone! Rating:
Reviewed by Louise from England on
16th Oct 2007
Got the k850i yesterday and I have to say I am quite impressed.
The design is nice, although I have to say he keypad is going to
take some getting used to after going from the k800i to this. Very
small, difficult to use buttons but other than that fantastic. I
previously had the samsung g600 which i sent back bitterly dissapointed
with the camera, the k850i certainly lives up to the hype for me.
Well done sony! Rating:
Reviewed by Aaron from England on
15th Oct 2007
I have just received the K850i and have sent it back to O2. For
me the keypad is a real draw back, navigation was cumbersome and
sluggish. I know specifications wise this phone is superior but
if it is not user friendly it is a waste in my opinion. Speed text
with those tiny keys is a no-go. Rating:
Reviewed by Ben from UK on 15th
Oct 2007
Just got this phone and it's realy great. I have had an 810i previously
and didn't really want to ditch the walkman function but the 850i
has just as good a music player. Having a medium-end digi camera
that has all of the main functions of a seperate one means I don't
have to carry my camera with me when I go out now, and I have a
great MP3 player. The phone looks really futuristic and all the
functions work really well. The only gripes I have is that when
using a 4gb memory card it slows the phone down a bit and the buttons
take a bit of getting used to as they are pretty small. Also why
do Vodafone insist on having that stupid live button that gets hit
now and then meaning you are connected to the web? And how the do
you get rid of the protected files - I don't want rubbish game demos
on my phone! All in all tho a great piece of kit and highly recommended. Rating:
Reviewed by James from United Kingdom
on 15th Oct 2007
I've just trialed 5 new phones and sent them all back Samsung u700,
Nokia N95 etc. But the k850i i kept with. I have one little gripe
the buttons take getting used to in time but other than that the
phone is responsive funky looking good screen, good sound and the
photo quality is brilliant ON A PHONE!. So take it from me trying
the latest phones i stuck with the K850i Brilliant! Also reliable. Rating:
Reviewed by Mobile guy from United Kingdom
on 15th Oct 2007
Just got this phone at the weekend and I can honestly say that I
have never been more impressed with any other phone I had in the
past (including the P900 when it first came out) The phone itself
is gorgeous and I think the fact that the 3 touch sensitive buttons
are an excellent addition(why was it not mentioned in the review).
The buttons are small but no where as fiddly as the W580i. The touch
sensitive buttons just make it cool and stand out more. The phone
itself is also motion sensitive so it can stabilise your photos
when taking them. It also has a rather cool game that uses the motion
sensors although it can be quite tricky. All in all, this phone
is the nuts!! Rating:
Reviewed by Andrew Knox from Scotland
on 15th Oct 2007
Received this Phone friday past and it's by the far the most advance
piece of equipment i've had! The 5.0mp Cybershot camera is fantastic
and all the other features makes it up to be an oustanding phone!
Definately everything you need in a mobile! Rating:
Reviewed by tony montana from miami
on 14th Oct 2007
a,azing fone. beter than the n95 Rating:
Reviewed by geo from uk on 14th
Oct 2007
Hopeless. Disappointed Rating:
Reviewed by Steven Mckeown from Northern
Ireland on 14th Oct 2007
Another fine job by Sony Ericsson. Have just upgraded from the W850
and thought as the camera on it was dismal (no auto-focus) and i
thought I was going to miss the walkman feature, but the K850i media
player is excellent and camera picture detail is superb. The touch
screen is a nice touch and the keys for texting are good, just the
c & shortcut button are a bit small and the phone comes with a 512mB
card included to get you up and running until you order your 4gb
card Rating:
Reviewed by Emma C from Scotland on
14th Oct 2007
Have bn using this phone for 4days, and its great! Keys were a bit
tricky at first but after a days use I got the hang of them. This
is the phone that has everything and Im really pleased with it so
far! Rating:
Reviewed by KMan from England on
13th Oct 2007
This phones is amazing, well worth picking it up from the DHL depot
at 8am this mrning before i had wrk. The camera is awesome!! video
is much improved over previous SE models. love the design, kicks
the g600s and n95s ass!!!!! get a k850i now!! Rating:
Reviewed by bradm from UK on
13th Oct 2007
The phone, feels cheap and the menu pad is a poor design, the touch
screen buttons are difficult, and require 1-2 or three presses to
confirm, the phone looks bulky and the buttons are of poor quality.
Forget the camera functions, you’re buying a phone and what
ever Sony Ericsson have done they need to undo and fast. This phone
has no where near the quality feel that the K800 had. Try before
you buy !!!!!. Rating:
Reviewed by Rachelle from Noddyland
on 13th Oct 2007
AMAZiNG PHON3 xo. Rating:
Reviewed by James from Scotland on
13th Oct 2007
Got the k850 yesterday and so far have been really impressed with
it. There have been a couple of software glitches like the camera
flash going off out of sync with the shutter - producing a big black
picture, and then the volume button not working apart form showing
the phone status but they were sorted by restarting the application
or the phone. The accelerometer is fantastic and its that along
with the other wee details make it really cool; the light that comes
on momentarily round the lens when the camera is turned on is pointless
but rather flashy, and something really useful that I haven't seen
talked about is the tiny bumps on the edges of the back of the casing
keeping the back off the surface you put it on. I'd thought the
touch sensitive buttons were going to be annoying to use because
of the slight delay but there's a handy indicator on the screen
round the button to let you know when you do touch it. The media
centre is also really smart but I'd better shut up now. Rating:
Reviewed by CHRIS BECKETT from UNITED
KINGDOM on 13th Oct 2007
AWESOME PHONE... TOP DRAWER! Rating:
Reviewed by Gary Sampson from England
on 12th Oct 2007
What a phone, smashing, brilliant, cool, exciting, entertaining
shall I go on. The only problem is the keys but after a while you
get used to it. I cant believe how much better the camera is compared
to the N95. I'm also shocked that these guys havent got this phone
on there welcome page, this will in no doubt be phone of the year!
Well done sony you got it spot on!!! Rating:
Reviewed by ahmed mohamed mahmoud from
Egypt on 11th Oct 2007
its an excellent phone in all features its outstanding Rating:
Reviewed by Ricky from uk on
9th Oct 2007
Great phone. Sony ericsson have proven us wrong again. I thought
the k800i was the best phone ever but this is just the best phone
eve. And by the looks of it, it going to stay like that for a long
long time!!! Rating:
Reviewed by JJ from UK on 9th
Oct 2007
All I can say is: WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!! This is an amazing
phone - Had a Nokia 7390 b4 which cost alot of money and was the
pits. I got this free with O2 and I can say I dont think i'll ungrade
ever again!! - BUY THIS PHONE :-D - (in blue;-p!) Rating:
Reviewed by ACKO from UK on 7th
Oct 2007
fantastic phone just upgraded from the k800i dont agree about the
blue colour been a kawasaki motorbike rider green is the only colour
for me Rating:
Reviewed by αмυѕє
from υк on 7th Oct 2007
This fone is the lick much betta than n73 sony erricson deffenetliy
did it this tym :D:D Rating:
Reviewed by JT from UK on 5th
Oct 2007
Yeah wicked phone man, keys are a bit annoying at first and take
some getting used to, as does the new keypad design. Overall though
it's by far the best Sony Ericsson I've seen! Rating:
Reviewed by JACK from UK on 3rd
Oct 2007
Awesome Fone!!! Rating:
