Review: Sony Ericsson T290i

Sony Ericsson T290i Review

Phone rating:

The Sony Ericsson T290i is almost the same as the old T230. The only thing that's new is the addition of a handsfree speaker, which is nice. It's really the most basic phone that you can get, and the price reflects that. If you are looking for a phone with no features, then this might be the one for you, but only if you can put up with a poor keypad, a terrible screen, very slow navigation, unfriendly menus, poor build quality and occasional software freezing.

Features of the Sony Ericsson T290i include:

• Display: 4096 colours, 101 x 80 pixels
• Sound recorder
• Integrated speaker phone
• 32 voice polyphonic ringtones
• Melody composer (mono only)
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, e-mail
• Games: V-Rally or Five Stones plus downloadable games
• Picture phonebook
• Calendar
• WAP 1.2.1, GPRS
• Connectivity: USB, RS232 cable
• Vibration alert
• Dual band
• Size: 101.5 x 44 x 19 mm
• Weight: 79g
• Talktime: 12 hours
• Battery standby: 300 hours

Sony Ericsson T290i Consumer Reviews

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 nishant rahangdale from india on 11th Jan 2007
its very good mobile in low range thanks to introduce thish mobile
Rating:

Reviewed by SJ from UK on 13th Dec 2006
I bought this phone 18 months ago and today the on/off button jammed and I had to take the battery out to cut off the call. Now I can't switch it back on again. The charger also has a mind of its own and sometimes won't stay on. I just wanted a basic phone, no gimmicks but I wish I'd bought another Nokia. Buy this phone at your peril!
Rating:

Reviewed by Enobong Bassey from Nigeria on 8th Dec 2006
I believe the primary aim of any mobile phone was making and recieving calls as well as sending and recieving txt msgs. This is exactly what the phone is offering though in an advanced form. It is indeed a reliable set as I've usrd it for more than two yrs now without any problem.
Rating:

Reviewed by Adam Phillips from UK on 26th Sep 2006
The possible occasion that I could think of where this phone could be some use to you is if the only thing you do is make calls. To write a text message takes an absolutely incredible amount of time due to the poor interface and the unbelievably slow rate at which it updates to the screen what you have keyed in. If you type a sentence of a few words then it will take around 2 seconds to appear fully on the screen, if the word you wanted was not the first word suggested by predictive text then to go back to that word earlier in the sentence takes an eternity. In the end you enter into the tedious cycle of keying in a word, waiting for it to update and then scrolling through the suggested words to find the desired one, keying space and then repeating the process until you have finished. I would estimate that it takes around 5 to 10 times longer to complete a text message using this phone compared to a "normal" phone!! From a software engineers point of view, I simply cannot believe that this ever made it to the market in it's current form. Go for the k750i or similar, they are fantastic
Rating:

Reviewed by James from UK on 19th Sep 2006
Good reliable handset that does exactly what a phone should do ie talk and text. Great battery life too! It's not trendy and that's the way it should be you really don't need gimmicks!!!
Rating:

Reviewed by Manoranjan Ghosh from India on 8th Sep 2006
The battery of this handset has major problem. It does'nt last for one day even. Rest of the features are well.
Rating:

Reviewed by ---------- from uk on 28th Aug 2006
At first when i got the phone i liked it as it was my first time getting a phone and after a while got bord with i wish i got another one becasue its got nothing on it no camera no bluetooth nothing its a simple phone and i recommend this phone for people that just want a phone for calling personally i don't like it.
Rating:

Reviewed by joker from Romania on 24th Aug 2006
This is a very good phone:it looks nice,it has got good features(mms,polytones,gprs),it even has an attachabble camera but with low resolution.Compared to the nokia 1600 which barely has got any function at all,t290i is the better choice and is cheaper.
Rating:

Reviewed by Andrew from England on 7th Aug 2006
1st I loved the stylish looks & must be honest that the £19.99 price tag appealed + the keypad seemed the best of a bad lot in the mobile phone shop as I have quite chunky fingers! However 6 months after having this phone I am wishing I could have my basic Nokia mobile (360??). As a phone its 'OK'. But by far the worst feature is sending/receiving a text!! :-( not at all user friendly. It takes ages to do what used to be SO SO easy on the Nokia. Half a dozen slow menu's . Plus for example if you receive a call or text from an unknown number & you want to save it it does not even give you the option to do it. You have to get a pencil and paper out to go then go through half a dozen menus to get the list up.. ARGH!!!! + the ringtones are feeble + vibration alert is poor + the start up ringtone makes me want to throw it down the toilet! which is more & more appealing. + the signal strength is weaker than a housemates nokia on the same network. The only thing i like about the T290i relative to my Nokia is the battery seems to last much longer. Perhaps i am wanting too much for my £20?! Sorry Sony Ericsson, this phone is ****!
Rating:

Reviewed by are from norway on 28th Jul 2006
It was cheap, yet not worth the price. Its very very slow and also the user interface is horrible.
Rating:

Reviewed by Munir Ahmad Shabbir from Pakistan on 9th Jun 2006
I am using the phone for six months, it is a good fone, however the only problem is its battery. It remains charged for only two days if u don't receive many calls otherwise you should take a charger with you every time. I have replaced the battery and it is working like hell, its lasts for hardly 10 to 12 hrs if I don't receive any call. I would not recommend any one to bue this one you can batter purchase Nokia 1600 for almost the same price.
Rating:

Reviewed by MMA from IRAQ on 22nd May 2006
I think it is the best simple mobile phone I have ever seen! it has much ablities and functions, and it is better than many expensive mobiles. The only disadvantage is not in the design itself, but that the cable for connecting it to the PC is rarely found in markets, I think Sony Ericsson should include one with the mobile package to solve that problem. by the way: I read that some people want to throw it to the wall!! well, I do throw it sometimes but not because I hate it, but because I want to put it somewhere far from my hand! and it doens't get any damage because it is STRONG!
Rating:

Reviewed by angela from Romania on 12th May 2006
i have my phone for 7 months. the screen looks great, the same fresh look as it had when i baught it. it's really resistant ( i am very clumby and i keep dropping things.it's once fell over the hard cement and the only mark left was a small scratch) the recording quality is ok.( i listen to alot of music and i record things from my computer - this indeed sounds good , otherwise if i try to record myself, it's a poor sound) the screen is fast enough, it loads nicely and when i type a message it types faster then my brother's nokia. i' havent tried to connect to the internet yet. like i said it's a good mobile ,still, i do agree with the fact it's more a phone for mum's & dad's or for people who just need a mobile, and want a nice-looking one.
Rating:

Reviewed by Abdul Faleez Azmal Hussein from Sri Lanka on 6th May 2006
Well, apparently we thought it was good okay. The phone impresses you at first with its features and the cool way it looks but once you use it just for a month and its not that cool. First its horrible slow..specially with messaging takes 2 years to open. Its WAP capabilities are absolute junk. Starting the phone can be annoying as it just simply doesnt start sometimes and you have to keep pressing the start button. Ive used the phone for six months and the display is already fading.. My brother had the same phone and his screen just decided to stop working one day..it was sent to the dealers..and when he got it back a month later the motherboard stopped working...took it back to the dealers who told him to buy a new one.. Phone though utterly rubbish is hardy and is good for someone really goofy who drops dashes throws it around. Your friends will be impressed and it keeps up with the Jones' because it is at least color. Not bad battery life. So the phone has its flaws and its plus points..i wouldnt buy one..if i had the option again..id simply buy a nokia..
Rating:

Reviewed by dae from Trindad & Tobago on 24th Apr 2006
I LOVE this phone. I've read lots of comments on this sight and I have one question for those who dislike this phone, WHY DID YOU BUY IT IN THE FIRST PLACE AND DID SOMEONE PUT A GUN TO YOUR HEAD TO SPEND YOUR MONEY AND FOR YOU TO KEEP USING THIS PHONE? Its light, got gr8 freatures and colour screen, what problems I get they are minimal compared to the joy I have in using this phone. Great job Sony Ericcson!!!!!! ;-)
Rating:

Reviewed by suleman from pakistan on 1st Apr 2006
i m suleman from pakistan.i have bought t290i. it is a great phone. it has colour sreen,wallpapers,poliphonic ring tones,audio recording,speaker phone,MMS,EMS,SMS, call recording, any thing witch you can thing, audio song is also play in this mobile( not by recording) it is another way to play the audio song in this mobile.
Rating:

Reviewed by Moaaz from Pakistan on 29th Mar 2006
It is a bad phone.Dont buy it.if it had bluetooth,infrared and camera it would be still discusting.The shape is not good.You can buy K300i instesd of this rubbish.Never buy it.
Rating:

Reviewed by Dragos from Romania on 8th Mar 2006
I own a phone of this type. It's more than outstanding !!! It's PERFECT !!! You said NO functions ? WAP, GAMES, HANDSFREE, MMS, MOBILE E-MAIL doesn't satisfy you ? And you can buy it for as low as 12 USD BRAND NEW !!! I'm giving 7 stars...
Rating:

Reviewed by Adrian from UK on 6th Mar 2006
Have been using this phone for a few days after getting it to use whilst my K750i is in for repairs and it was the cheapest phone that I could find. The only negative that I would give this phone for £20 is that texting is slow which I can't really see why - however it does not miss what you are typing just takes a while to catch up. I would say that for £20 you can't really grumble. That said I am really looking forward to my K750i being repaired!!
Rating:

Reviewed by Kev D from UK on 5th Mar 2006
OK - this is a basic, but well built phone ideal for mums and dads, but not for trendy kids that want the latest features. Agreed the camera is poor but the battery life is excellent and its extremely easy to use. This is a phone for users who only want to make a phone call or send the odd text - after that's what 90% of the population do with their mobile. For under £50, what do you expect. Its OK...
Rating:

Reviewed by ryan jones from england on 27th Feb 2006
The thing i don't like about the phone is that is doesn't have a camera.The thing thati do like about it is it's style of the cover but i perfer the silver cover.
Rating:

Reviewed by pradeep from india on 20th Feb 2006
hi the sonyericcson is one of the best rough use phones.itz cool and economical.
Rating:

Reviewed by jody from england on 19th Feb 2006
i think that the T290iis okay but it would be better if it had bluetooth or infared i find this not bad to use but i have only just got it i have recorded songs on it but they are poor quilty and i think they should have a camera but the fone is a okay phone
Rating:

Reviewed by Bridget from O'Connell on 19th Feb 2006
I bought this fone as my first phone mainly for txting and it served me well! It is a great little fone but the only thing missing is a camera, infared, and sms ringtones because when people message you u can have 1 ringtone,silent,viabrate, or a click. I think this is a really great fone!
Rating:

Reviewed by RAJ from india on 4th Feb 2006
hi. best of all mobile is this 290i of sony & best price. it has so much much function & capability 2 use many services. to apply knowledge & get much more dynamic functions which is holding in this.
Rating:

Reviewed by Rob from Ireland on 22nd Jan 2006
Oh get lost, it's pretty nice hefty fine, do not bother if you have spent too muchmoney on it :)
Rating:

Reviewed by Jack from Romania on 21st Jan 2006
it has very good functions(wap, gprs, mms), but the battery is...very low.in the manual is writen that the battery will last 300 hours, but after 72 hours MAXIMUM, it's shuting down...low battery.to bad because it is a very nice and performant phone, and very cheap.
Rating:

Reviewed by Viswam from India on 18th Jan 2006
After reading all previous reviews about SE-T290i and being a user of the said model I say that T290i is an excellent model for the price you are paying. Probably the problems I understand from the previous reviewers are because of QC. Ohterwise, is a good to excellent model with basic functionality. Ofcourse, you cann't directly add, edit and delete phone numbers stored on the sim. This is one disadvantage with it.
Rating:

Reviewed by Rao from pakistan on 17th Jan 2006
it is a great cell phone atall. i sugest to buy it.b/c it cheaper and reliable.
Rating:

Reviewed by crookesowl from UK on 16th Jan 2006
Everything I can think of with this phone is poor. If I'd spent £30 on it as pay as you go I'd have been gutted, it's truly terrible. The software is so slow, i can write a message and watch the screen print it out a long time after I've written it! Why can't SE use the software from T610 or similar? Thankfully, it's my work phone, and I would say that as a phone it does the job. I can call people. But thats about it. And the start up screen and jingle makes me want to smash it up!
Rating:

Reviewed by dan_ursu from Romania on 11th Jan 2006
I recently got 1 and I thinc it's a a really good deel!!!Can't get anithing better for a price this low! :)
Rating:

Reviewed by H-ZONE from USA on 11th Jan 2006
Hello, This is a great phone overall but some things are a bit annoying.FIRST Little bits of dust,clothing bits (lint,strings etc,) get under the screen and they are hard to get out. You have to rip off the screen to clean it off. I had to use super glue to glue it back on and it destroyed the screen. SO THE SCREEN IS THE MAIN PROBLEM. The address book is slightly annoying of how it is a long process to add a contact. But otherwise this is an EXCELLENT PHONE which can't be beat. for further reviews go to: http://htheh.tripod.com
Rating:

Reviewed by Laila from Pakistan on 3rd Jan 2006
This Is Machine (CELL) Who Makes People Fool ..... ! Thats All ..... If U ASS You BUY It As Soon As Possible .....
Rating:

Reviewed by Frances from UK on 2nd Jan 2006
I agree with most other reviewers this phone is terrible. It is the most frustrating and user UNfriendly phone i have ever come across. texting takes absolutely ages. It is so easy on such a tiny fiddly keypad to hit the worng button...then oh my god you have to press about another 10 to get back to the original message. you have to navigate through several menus just to get to the most basic functions each taking 1-2 seconds to 'load'. I never hear the ringtones which are all rubbish anyway, and i never feel the vibrate alert. there really is NOTHING to recommend this phone at all. If you want cheap and cheerful go for the Nokia 1100 series.
Rating:

Reviewed by ashivay from israel on 30th Dec 2005
I got 3 phones in my life, and this phone was the second 1. if i wouldn lose it, i would b stuck with this piece of junk till now. i like the design of the phone, but seriously, the phone is pathetic. if i were to find something cool bout it i would say a detachable camera. but even the communicam is pathetic! the screen looks like a comic book, and its obvious that sony ericsson were just bored and decided to create a louzy phone. the keypad is the main problem. i have to force the button to get pressed in oreder to write sms or call somebody. the poly sound is quite bad, not to mention the ringtones the phone has with it. the fact that it has a handsfree speaker, increases a bit the chance of buying it. when i first saw it i was impressed of its look and i really liked it at the begining. but i regreted every moment after this. dont make the same mistake and buy better sony-ericsson mobiles or other companies.
Rating:

Reviewed by nick from australia on 19th Dec 2005
ok, now, lets be honest here, unless people are buying phones for calling people, yeah, you could got this phone, feature wise, this is one the the most shocking phones sony ericsson have ever made. personally sony ericsson are my favorite phone company, but after the shocking T230, they have agian brought out the exact same model with one difference in it, this phone would by-far have the worst ringtones i have ever heard, the screen revolution is absolute rubbish, why create a phone and have one of its leading features a "colour screen" maybe "rubbish screen" would better suit it, txting takes milliniems to send, and calling no matter what dealer seems to be always out of range, sony ericsson, a tip from me is why not bring out the phones which u have made like the t610 and t630 series or the k300i, k500i, k700i and the w800i these are all quallity phones and theres no points in bringing out phones like this with rubbish screen, rubbish ringtones, dodgy phone book, wap that takes years to load and simple txting which are horrible. if you are looking for a phone, i beg you, DONT BUY THIS HUNK OF JUNK.
Rating:

Reviewed by lil nik from america on 18th Dec 2005
sony ericcson i think is the best phone company, there phones are stylish great features and handy, this phone i found was exactly the same as the trashy T230, i reccomend you not to buy this phone, you may as well go and flush your money down the toilet because this phone would be close to the worst phone in the world. its features are shoching, the screen resolution is absoulute rubbish, ringtones sound worse than mono ringtones, the phone frequently frezzes and when in the web browser it takes ages to load a sigle page, texting is horrible years of waiting to send one text, shocking phone overall, sony erriccson is the best phone company, but this time they have dissapointed me.
Rating:

Reviewed by Swedish Meatball from Sweden on 16th Dec 2005
Bought one for my son for Christmas. While getting it all set up and ready to go for him, I couldn't resist tinkering around with it - and I love it! It's packed with all sorts of handy functions, like a calendar and reminder function, and the picture phonebook. I've read some negative reviews here and, maybe after 6 months, I'll feel the same way. Or maybe not. YES - the keys are small and close together - it's a small, lightweight, tidy phone! YES - the quality of the phone isn't top-notch. Then again, for its unbelievably low price, I can buy a new one every few months, if I need to. YES - it's camera-less. So what? I knew that when I bought it YES - sending SMS's can be slower than on some phones but what's your frantic hurry, anyway? YES - the color screen is less than optimal - but I think it's quite good for the price. Summary: Great little phone at a price that can't be beat.
Rating:

Reviewed by driss soussi from usa on 25th Nov 2005
first I would like to give my best wishes to every body in this planet,and too I have a Sony Ericsson T290i . this modele is very intersting,and it has many service, such as MMS & data account.
Rating:

Reviewed by Colin from England on 19th Nov 2005
I upgraded to this phone from a Trium with a pull up ariel. It was 29.90 GBP with 10 GBP exchange for the old mobile, plus 10 GBP of credit. I don't know what some people expect for 9.90 GBP, but I am delighted, as all I wanted was to make phone calls, and that is what it does. For the price it is great value, if I want to take a photo I will use a camera.
Rating:

Reviewed by Timen from Holland on 19th Nov 2005
It's a good phone, honestly. Of course, it doesn't have all the features some people may want, but for basic use (calling and texting), it's nice, cheap, small, and light. The keys work fine for me (Yes, sometimes the backlight makes it hard to read..), and I have used it for some time now, without any software freezing or other weird things. And the battery life is GREAT!
Rating:

Reviewed by sreekanth from INDIA on 18th Nov 2005
battery back up is damm poor ..not even an hour of continous talk..service centre care here in chennai is also worst..better go 4 nokia if someone looks 4 good battery.. keypad is too worst..
Rating:

Reviewed by rich from england on 11th Nov 2005
it is rubbish at first i thought it was a good cheap fone but after a week when u turned it on it turns off and sometimes it takes three goes to turn on DO NOT BUY IT
Rating:

Reviewed by mohamad mehdi from iranian on 8th Nov 2005
5 star
Rating:

Reviewed by Cyr4x from Poland on 5th Nov 2005
Nice phone, but just 3 stars. Why? As it was written on this site - poor keyboard and terrible screen. T300 has onlny 256 colors, but much more quality screen. In T290i pixels are between the lines of grid, so the screen looks a lot blurry. Keyboard is maybe not poor in working, but is too small. Green light makes letters harder to read. The biggest advantage of this phone is cheap price.
Rating:

Reviewed by Dave Harrington from UK on 4th Nov 2005
8 months old. Here are my opinions. Utter tripe. Keypad is tiny and the backlight makes texting harder, not easier. Signal strength is rubbish. Repeated use of the daft power contacts eventually broke the lugs of my car kit. Really slow navigation, dim screen, no changeable covers. Rubbish ringtones. No easy selectable profiles like a Nokia. I'm getting bored now. Read the other reviews and then realise that I'm not moaning about the absence unnecessary gimicks, it's the overall lacklustre performance. Go elsewhere. Oh, it does look nice in black though and it is very small and light.
Rating:

Reviewed by Mark from Sri Lanka on 29th Oct 2005
Okay listen to my review, im very honest and have used the phone for a while. Do not really listen to the people who have just got the phone i thought it was great until i used it for a while. One the phone looks more or less like a stylish brick..okay it isnt ugly but it isnt that great either certainly an improvement over older nokias specially. Once you've gotten used to all the cool features the fact that is so slow is incrediibly annoying specially in texting with the T9 mode. It freezes up so often its crazy. You get errors texting to, and the screen is just so so ugly, the menu and the displays as well. The ringtones are satisfactory. The speaker phone is still very cool none the less. Beware of its cheap build my brother who has the same phone suddenly noticed his screen wasnt working. Which was horribly annoying while mine has spots on it. These are the main flaws, okay its not bad if you just want a phone to take calls. It has a great battery life. But it isnt that great otherwise..Just average. Go for a samsung C100. An older phone, but way more user friendly. Trust me you wont get so annoyed. Its only a bit more..But ahh if u cant afford it..a 290I is not so bad..
Rating:

Reviewed by Yoyo from Netherlands on 28th Oct 2005
waaaay tooooo slow, it's just impossible to write a sms!
Rating:

Reviewed by Dino from Indonesia on 28th Oct 2005
I bought my T290i around 2 months ago. It was quite cheap compared for the similar product of Nokia, however the quality is very bad. I experienced low signal even in the outdoor areas so I have to turn-off the phone and turn it on again. The display is not so clear and sharp and the movement speed from one screen to other is very slow and even creates ghost effect. I'm planning to sell it as well as to get another better brand. So I recommend that if you are planning to buy a new handset, please do consider other factors instead of only considering low price.
Rating:

Reviewed by Jawad from Pakistan on 25th Oct 2005
Simply saying Simple & Superb Only I am having the problem is a right software that connects it to my PC with serial data cable DRS-11
Rating:

Reviewed by Bart from Netherlands on 25th Oct 2005
I got this phone yesterday, with 10 euro on it, and I must say, it's a very good phone. It's cheap, and has games, voicerecording, etc. Nothing wrong about that. Now you will ask me: Why 4, not 5 stars? Well, I'll tell you that. The numbers are very, very small. You need a gnome to click on them. Anyway, everybody says that it is too slow. A slug is slow. This phone isn't. Okay, sometimes when you SMS, you'll be at the next digit and on the screen the phone's still busy with the one before. ....So what?! If that happens, you wait 1/8 second, and poof, there it is! And then there are the complains about poor colorscreen. That's not true. It's good enough for a phone. You can play screensavers, games, and more without throwing it in the pool or against the wall, or whatever other people here want to do. Ok, the Adressbook has a bit strange system, but you'll get used to it when you use it 3 times. If you have some enough money, and you need a good phone, take my advise, and buy this thing. Because after all, what is it for, a mobile phone? That's right. Calling.
Rating:

Reviewed by sameed from pakistan on 23rd Oct 2005
i hate this mobile.i had this mobile for just 2 days and i threw it in the face of the seller.i mean it has nothing in it.the screen is so small and it has no infrared port.the screen qulity is worse.if u r lookin for a cheap mobile with loas of features u should buy the K300i
Rating:

Reviewed by tariq from pakistan on 18th Oct 2005
its brilliant easy to use and amazing phone go and get one now
Rating:

Reviewed by Muhammad Bilal from Pakistan on 10th Oct 2005
I brought it 2 mounth ago. The set is really cool,stylish,simple & easy to use.It's cheap also.
Rating:

Reviewed by Steven Peters from England on 9th Oct 2005
It is a perfect wonderful phone but slightly slow
Rating:

Reviewed by tom from birmingham on 8th Oct 2005
brillant top class phone easy to use and 10/10 for looks and features. only 29.99 what a bargian for an outstanding phone.
Rating:

Reviewed by yakoub from algeria on 8th Oct 2005
my opinione is very very good for this mobile
Rating:

Reviewed by Groovy F. Baby from U.S on 7th Oct 2005
Its only ok their are a lot of phones better than this but not in this price range. A camera can be purchased and attached but the processor ,I imagine, would have trouble sending messages quickly.I'm currently trying to find a website with the communicam in stock.
Rating:

Reviewed by Spike from UK on 7th Oct 2005
Great Basic cheap phone. Havent had a moblile for approx 4 years, so not sure what to expect from the lastest models. But so far im pleased with this purchase at £39.99 from Orange.
Rating:

Reviewed by Joe from UK on 4th Oct 2005
What a load of rubbish. it takes ages to send a text, even finding a number is a pain. this thing may well have an accident with a big hammer soon!
Rating:

Reviewed by Efua from Norway on 29th Sep 2005
I just got this phone and I can't believe how slow texting can be. The fonts are hardly visible and the menu takes you through alley ways you could do without. Not so great in design and functions. If you have an alternative, don't go for this.
Rating:

Reviewed by Chao from Australia on 26th Sep 2005
This is a great phone. There's nothing to complain about really - it's cheap, and everything you get for the amount you pay works without a hitch. Its battery life is excellent, it's menus are easy to navigate and it looks great. Some myths about the phone which are UNTRUE include: it shuts down automatically (this has never ever happened to me), you can be txting words way ahead of what's on the screen (at its slowest, it is always up to the word you've just typed), and it displays the first few digits of your PIN (it is configured to be able to call emergency numbers without needing to put in the PIN, and it shows the digits of these numbers instead of normal *s. In my case, the numbers are 000, 112 and 06, and as long as my PIN number doesn't begin with 0 or 1, *s are all that will be displayed. So it's not clagging, it's just an emergency feature). The one thing that the phone could improve is that it is hard to hear the message alert in a loud environment. But all in all , the phone is excellent, and if you're not looking for a camera+mp3+bluetooth+otherjunk phone, this is the phone 4 u.
Rating:

Reviewed by Kim Gonzales from Philippines on 26th Sep 2005
I like thishone. It gives value for my money. Provides just about anything I need in a mobile phone. Mine has a communicam, and when the pics are uploaded to PC, the quality is waaaay better than what you get from some of the supposedly high-end camera phones of Nokia.
Rating:

Reviewed by Bishwarup from India on 23rd Sep 2005
This phone is good in the sense that its cheap. Anyone looking for features should not buy this phone. It just satisfy the basic need of man from mobile phone, nothing extra, nothing. Please don't over rate this phone, as its easy to get influenced by the fact that you are possessing one.
Rating:

Reviewed by Pula in Cur from Pizda on 20th Sep 2005
An excellent phone for it's price....but kind'o slow
Rating:

Reviewed by Bezil Shrestha from Nepal on 13th Sep 2005
its gr8 mobile cheap mobile with colour its good and talk time is exceelllnet and all it's features are rocking
Rating:

Reviewed by jj from philippines on 10th Sep 2005
Wow! sony ericsson's very good! at last they have thought of this ceellphone! it's smashing!
Rating:

Reviewed by billy joe from england on 25th Aug 2005
this phone is a real smasher
Rating:

Reviewed by M1 from UK on 25th Aug 2005
Don't ever buy this phone if you ever want to ring or text someone!! It takes absolutely AGES to do anything - keypad . . . . .lock . . . . keypad . . . . unlock . . . .keypad unlocked . . . menu . . . . address book . . . .get the picture? And put a 3 second break between all these messages and by the time you make the call or send the text you'll have the thrown the phone at the wall. Please stay away and spend a bit more money and buy something that's worth it.
Rating:

Reviewed by juliana from india on 16th Aug 2005
this cell really rocks!!! one of the best cells for the now avilable rate. it serves all my needs and the thought of having such a sleek and cool cell makes me feel good. i just recomended my friends to buy it and they too have fantastic reviews on it. u dont even have to think twice b4 buying the cell jus go ahead and be cool!!!!!
Rating:

Reviewed by Kyle Klopper from South Africa on 11th Aug 2005
When I looked at the phone at first I thought it was quite nice but afterwards I found out that this phone is like a demon phone and it really is bad!!!! My phone always shuts down automaticly and when I try to get off the wap it just freezes if I can give any one advise !!!!!!!!STAY AWAY!!!!!!!! The images are unclear and for the price compaired to the features this phone SUCKS I am counting my days to my next upgrade!! Sorry gotto go throw my phone in the pool and blame it on my brother!!
Rating:

Reviewed by megan from uk on 8th Aug 2005
i would recomend u buy this phone it is great. All the people who i know have this phone so GET IT !!!!.
Rating:

Reviewed by shoaib from pakistan on 5th Aug 2005
classic set i like it v much its sound is better then nokia
Rating:

Reviewed by john from england on 4th Aug 2005
Bought this as an emergency replacement for a Nokia 1100 which in my opinion is a far better basic phone (or at least mine was until it stopped working). It does look more expensive than it is but in many ways it's a bad design: the processor is incredibly slow, which makes it very frustrating for writing texts - it's easy to be keying 2 words ahead of what is appearing on the screen. The menu is not intuitive and takes too many stages to get to where you where you want to be. The keys are small and fiddly, and the backlight combined with the silver keys and small script means that in many lights it's really difficult to read the keys - it needs to be really light or really dark to do so easily. Battery life is ok (but not a patch on the Nokia 1100). One little example of its sloth and ineptness - i have it set up so that you need to key in a 4 digit number before it will work when turned on: but on this phone the processor is so slow that it displays the first 3 digits on the screen before realising that this actually isn't very good for security and changing them into asterisks. My very first phone, an early Ericcson, did excatly the same thing and I have to wonder whether they're still using the same software years later. So, to sum up, if you just want to make calls this phone is fine and looks the part, but if you want to text (which is the only other thing it will do, really) then that will really expose the bad design and poor software/processor. if you can live with the shame of a b/w screen (and the colour one here is not exactly the best)then go for a Nokia 1100.
Rating:

Reviewed by robbie from oman on 2nd Aug 2005
very good and so smart phone
Rating:

Reviewed by naveen from india on 31st Jul 2005
offcourse it is the good fone in its class , handy ,stylish ,trendy, good sound,messageing etc are very fine in this mobile i think u can go for it summary: very good phone
Rating:

Reviewed by rosa from scotland on 23rd Jul 2005
this is a lovely little phone- even though there is no camera, no stupid mp3 player (who needs that on a phone, i ask you!?), it can do everything you need to have fun and communicate. the mms service is brilliant- send pics and recordings, or ringtones to your mates! the texting is everything you would expect, it has a large phone book capability (store email addresses, all numbers, and even add a picture to go with a contact!) the sleek design makes this phone great to show off, and its sturdy, small, compact shell shows off the point of it: IT'S MOBILE! you get all these huge camera phone monsters, SO-CALLED-PORTABLE! yeah, if you have a crane to move them from one place to the next! you can buy this phone and use it where ever, whenever. if you buy it and are DESPERATE for a camera phone, you can use the handy communi cam function which allows you to connect a camera device to your phone. in my opinion, what more do you need? so go ahead and buy it. it's amazing.
Rating:

Reviewed by clemenzina from England, UK on 23rd Jul 2005
I can't give this phone 2 stars because that means "average", and the main fault with this takes it to well below that. I bought the phone from Orange a few days ago - on the strength of its price: £39.99 with extra £10 off included in SIM card; its appearance/size/weight; and the reviews here. Someone even said "no phone is louder" - just what I needed to know - so many reviewers concentrate on the frilly features and make no mention of the basics. However, when I got it home and set it up (1) dismayed at the drop in screen quality (my first colour screen), (2) must be a child's phone, all those dinky icons instead of text, (3) the text alerts gave a choice between Silent, Click, and Tone, and the Tone would have been inaudible on my local busy High Road. The ring was quite fuzzy too. Fortunately, Orange agreed with me and gave me my money back. An acquaintance demo'd their Nokia 2650 for me, and that was how a phone SHOULD sound - too chunky, though. So if anyone kno ws of a cheap, neat, light, small, LOUD phone on PAYG, please email me @ clemenzina@handbag.com.
Rating:

Reviewed by Timen from Netherlands on 23rd Jul 2005
Well, I really like this phone! It may not have all functions available these days, but it has exactly the ones I need! And for a nice price too! And hey, it really is a big step forwards after the Nokia 3210 I had before this one! :-)
Rating:

Reviewed by Mark from England on 22nd Jul 2005
Girlfriend bought this phone about 4 weeks ago and I have had a 'play' with it as it were. Feels good in the hand, its a nice weight and has a good texture. The buttons respond very well and the menu is pretty straightforward, if very basic. I really didn't like the screen or the GUI, it's so tacky looking and very cheap. I couldn't live with it. Texting with the phone is ok, again the screen lets it down. Making a call is fine, the usual phonebook is there. The ring is very loud, very very loud. The 'Old Phone' ring is there, if it's for you, it's a nice touch. Downloading new themes is fairly hassle free, shame they don't look to good on the screen that's fitted. To Sum Up - Nice phone - Looks Good (if a little cheap), Feels Fantastic. Rubbish Screen. Is it for me? NO. Sadly not. Did I mention The Screen.......
Rating:

Reviewed by Tufail from pakistan on 19th Jul 2005
Cheeepest set with all basic functions. Go 4 it (if u've not used sony-ericsson t230). voice recording is good bt u cant get good result if u put the set near a tv or stereo to record a song etc (although it is not recommended to put the set very near tv or deck etc; i just tried that :) ). If anyone (having this set)have attached a camera do lemme know the result. I am very comforable with this set...recommended...chao!
Rating:

Reviewed by Tomkerk from India on 18th Jul 2005
I just bought this phone yesterday.Handy and compact phone that does everything I need.The ringtones are clearer and louder.The display looks somewhat dim yet a very good phone to go.Buy and have fun :)
Rating:

Reviewed by Young Black Male from New York on 17th Jul 2005
i went to shop yesterday and i thought that this phone was better than my t230. But i was really disapointed when i figured that they are almost same in desing and in almost all!! I could find a way to spend that money in much wiser way-like droping it into fountain:) I guess that i will return it today or maybe tomorow cause i haven't found all of his functions yet that is why i went to internet searching for something about this phone and I've found this great page!!! If you never haded t230 i think that you could spent a money on this phone (VERY CHEAP) but if you had t230 it will be nothing but an waste of money!!! I give this mobile phone only one star cause I allready have the 230 phone and I think that the 230 for the price that he own's is great! By the way that I haven't had t230 i could give this phone a 4 stars and if you didn't haved 230 i think that you should treat this as an 4 star mobile phone!!! IT WAS MY PLESSURE TO REVIEW THIS PHONE AND WARN ALL OF CUSTOMER S:) AND THANK TO ALL WHO RIDDED THIS REVIEW. Young Black Male
Rating:

Reviewed by Paul B from Manchester UK on 15th Jul 2005
Suoer cheap phone. In black it looks more expensive than it is.... No frills just a basic phone wich is very good if you are not bothered gadgets (which to be honest how many of you out there actually make full use of them!!) To sum up a good looking and robust cheap phone..... Buy with condfidence..........
Rating:

Reviewed by nauman haider khan from pakistan on 6th Jul 2005
i am from Pakistan and just bought it yesterday and it turned out to be a great phone as it is very cool looking and is very cheap .It is so interesting and my favourite feature of the phone is recording as i have great fun with it also the speaker is very cool and amazing compared to other cell phones which are available in market at this price, it is am amazing phone compared to nokia 1100,2100,2300,2600,3100and3200.the integrated camera also enhances the capability of phone ,aii who say that this phone is useless then they can take a hik and consult a mental doctor.
Rating:

Reviewed by ussy from Bradford on 4th Jul 2005
ma phone is very good butt sometimes the otherside of the line people cannot hear me!!!!
Rating:

Reviewed by Jon from Australia on 3rd Jul 2005
great fone for a 1st 1 and yer. sms, mms and ems great. recomment this phone 4 any 1st timers. small and stylish.
Rating:

Reviewed by JC (not Jesus) from Jersey, UK on 1st Jul 2005
This phone is perfect for those who are not interested in the number of functions a phone has and just want something tiny, cheap & that makes calls and messages (because that is all it does). what makes it good is the layout of the keys and thus usability, its no-nonsense interface (everything's a doddle even for techno-phobes), its size, its weight (80g - about 13 less than a k700i for example) and its battery duration (u charge it once in a blue moon). however the screen is small, its processor is slow and well in this day and age it's just so damn dull. not one to show off to your mates, give it to granny instead. the only reason i bought it was because i think all camera phones r pointless and there is too much sub-standard crap that adds to a phone's bulk. oh and it's bloody cheap! NB: may i suggest if u want to combine functionality and small size get a k500i which aren't exactly expensive these days or save yourself £50 or so quid on one of these. i though shall be in vesting in the former shortly as it is a far better investment long term.
Rating:

Reviewed by Jonathan from Canada on 28th Jun 2005
this phone does pretty much what the average user uses...even though it lacks a camera, and the recording stinks...it's a good fone, although dust tends to get under the screen after a month or so...
Rating:

Reviewed by Emma from UK on 28th Jun 2005
I bought this phone as a cheap option, no fancy gadgets, just a good, reliable phone, that makes and makes and receives calls, SMS, MMS, GSM and is loud enough to hear on the bus in a morning! It does all exceptionally well. There's not heaps of toys and applications on it, but in my opinion, there's less to go wrong. And the battery life is great too. I've got the white and powder blue model and it's great looking - quite girly :o) It's a step down from the exec handsets I'm used to Sharp GX25 and Nokia 6230, but it's a reflection on de-cluttering and de-stressing your life! Simple is the way to go!
Rating:

Reviewed by Mark from England on 26th Jun 2005
My GF bought this phone 2 weeks ago and while she is very happy with it, I personally think it's somewhat poor. It's keypad is small and I have fat fingers so I press more than one button @ a time. The screen is pretty tacky too, themes & colours look washed out. OK so i have given the phone a bashing - while it is an entry level phone it does lack a calender and some other little touches. To say it's the best phone the world ever - is a very large over statement. Summary - It's OK if all you want to do is speed dial - Texting is a nightmare for large fingers - to many screens to go through to get to your text page. I feels good in the hand though - very well balanced. Would I buy one - No. Save up and get a better one like the K500i.
Rating:

Reviewed by Mark from Holland on 23rd Jun 2005
looks great, does everything i need, great price. just perfect
Rating:

Reviewed by Kashif Majeed from Pakitan on 23rd Jun 2005
Best fone in the cheapest price with the extra features one wishes in a handset. Easy to use, especially the ringtones are cool. Internet, and MMS services are great, and you can browse online to download lots of stuff from ringtones, to pictures, and you can send them using MMS.
Rating:

Reviewed by sahil from india on 17th Jun 2005
if any one is going to buy this handset then he is a wise because no other mobile rigtone is not louder than this phone
Rating:

Reviewed by Banjul from India on 10th Jun 2005
Yo that’s call Cool phone. Best phone from best company. And in best price.
Rating:

Reviewed by John from Switzerland on 9th Jun 2005
WOW, What a phone, must be the best damm cheap phone ever from Sony Ericsson. This phone is a must have for everyone, buy the phone and start make calls rihgt now! 5 Starsssss phone from Sony Ericsson, SO GREAT AND SO CHEAP!
Rating:

Reviewed by smily from England on 6th Jun 2005
This is the best phone in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:

Reviewed by Twix from England on 5th Jun 2005
For only £49.99, this phone does everything I want it to, and it looks gr8 too!
Rating:

Reviewed by AAMIR from pakistan on 1st Jun 2005
It's a amazing mobile.It's MMS is Excellent.It is a outstanding mobile created by sonyericssion.BUY IT! and Use it.
Rating:

Reviewed by Saqib Mahmood from Pakistan on 28th May 2005
I bought this phone 1 month ago & I think have been duly rewarded because it is an exceptionally good phone. Go 4 it!!
Rating:

Sony Ericsson T290i links