Review: Sony Ericsson W890i

Sony Ericsson W890i Review

Phone rating:

In a nutshell: The W890i is a very nice-looking, superslim Walkman phone, with a metal finish and available in a choice of silver or brown. This is one of the best Walkman phones ever. It features a music player with 2GB of memory, an FM radio, a 3 megapixel camera, 3G video calling, Bluetooth & USB connectivity and HSDPA for superfast downloads. With a user-friendly keypad and a quality feel, Sony Ericsson are back on top form, and we recommend this phone.
Best buy: *Free* with half-price line rental or up to £245 cashback from Dialaphone (W890i Silver) or direct from Three.

Released in February 2008, the W890i is an upgraded version of the superslim W880i Walkman phone. The W880i faced some criticism because it lacked an FM radio and had a horrible keypad, but Sony have been listening hard, because these issues have been fixed in the W890i.

The W890i looks very similar to its predecessor - it's a classic design superslim phone with a user-friendly keypad and a nice 5-way navigation key, plus dedicated music keys. At 10mm it's one of the thinnest phones around and is super-lightweight at 78g. Available in a choice of colours - Sparkling Silver or Mocha Brown, it's a smart and good-looking phone. The metallic finish gives a feeling of quality missing from the cheaper Walkman phones.

Musically speaking, this Walkman phone delivers everything that we could want. The latest Walkman player software is the best in the business, and the sound quality is high, especially if you plug in a stereo headset or use an optional Bluetooth wireless stereo headset. Managing playlists is easy, transferring music from PC to phone is quick using either USB or Bluetooth, and with a 2 Gbyte memory stick included in the sales package, there's room for up to 500 songs. We're really pleased to see the addition of an FM radio too - a must for any serious music phone. Additional music features include TrackID™ which lets you identify a song (name, artist and album) from a few seconds recording, and the PlayNow™ download service which lets you buy and download MP3 ringtones from your phone.

The camera has been upgraded too to 3.2 megapixels, but lacks autofocus. Video calling is supported, as the W890i is a 3G phone. You can record video clips too, and even edit them with the VideoDJ software supplied. The display is a high quality TFT screen with 262,000 colours and 240 x 320 pixels.

A new feature for the W890i is HSDPA (nicknamed 3.5G) - a faster implementation of 3G that enables downloads at up to 3.6Mbps - that's 12 times faster than normal 3G. The W890i is quadband GSM too, so it can operate on any continent in either 2G or 3G mode.

Other features worth a mention include 3D Java games, a web browser plus support for RSS web feeds, and flight mode.

We really like the W890i. It fixes all of the problems that were present in the W880i, and is a sign that Sony Ericsson may have turned the corner after a disappointing year in 2007. This is a classic Walkman phone with great music features and a quality superslim design. It doesn't have the best camera, but it does have the benefit of fast 3G and a host of other features. No phone does everything, but if your focus is music, this is definitely in our shortlist of best phones to choose from in 2008.

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Features of the Sony Ericsson W890i include:

• 3G video calling
• 3.2 megapixel camera with 3x digital zoom
• Video camera
• VideoDJ™ video editor
• Display: TFT, 262,144 colours, 240 x 320 pixels (1.8 inches)
• Media player (MP3 / AAC)
• FM radio
• MegaBass™
• MP3 & AAC ringtones / Polyphonic ringtones
• MusicDJ™ polyphonic ringtone composer
• Speakerphone
• Sound recorder
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, email
• Personal organiser functions
• 3D Java games
• GPRS, HSDBA (3.6Mbps), Access NetFront web browser, RSS feeds
• Web browser
• Flight mode
• Vibration alert
• Memory: 26 Mbytes plus 2 GByte Memory Stick Micro (M2™)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB mass storage
• Quadband plus 3G (UMTS 2100, HSDPA)
• Size: 104 x 47 x 10 mm
• Weight: 78g

Sony Ericsson W890i Consumer Reviews

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Average rating from 100 reviews:

You can read more Sony Ericsson W890i reviews at RecommendedBuys UK.

Reviewed by Michael from US on 7th Jul 2008
It's a decent phone but decent reception. It's a Walkman phone so it's meant for music. Problem is... the Media player software STINKS! It's better to just drag and drop the songs into the media card. Also, the phone takes awhile to update the music files. It's bad that it does NOT just create a playlist so making a playlist with the phone is just CRAPPY! The sound quality is pretty good even for the radio. Let's get some things cleared up: 1. It's a music phone, hence the Walkman designation! - The controls and user interface are decent but NOT that user friendly! - If you want a GOOD media player, then buy a mp3 player/iPod! 2. Forget about the camera since it doesn't have a flash or autozoom. It's meant for occasional shots in the Daytime! Buy a (digital) camera if you want a camera! 3. Extend the battery life by: a) Switch OFF 3G into GSM only b) Switch OFF Bluetooth c) Switch OFF anything else that runs in the background This will then extend the battery life! 4. SE phones have the Proprietary port for charging and for listening. SE does this because it's their CASH COW!!! It makes people BUY their headphones and chargers!! - Isn't SE a bunch of Arses for doing this instead of using the industry standard 3.5mm port for headphones and mini ports for charging?? - This is one area that people REALLY HATE about SE phones!! 5. The controls arent' bad but it's not terrific. - It's decent but the phone will NEVER replace the iPod nano as the phone's controls and user interface is NOT that friendly!! It's a phone, primarily, then a music player! 6. Finally, SE puts dedicated call and stop call keys instead of using soft keys!! Wished they could've used such keys on the P1i!! 7. Coolness factor is another problem with SE phones as SE focuses TOO MUCH on the look of the phone NOT the actual FUNCTIONALY or FEATURES that most phone users actual need or use! Overall, it's a decent phone with a decent media player. It does look cool albeit it's PRICEY!
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Reviewed by Lubricated Goat from UK on 5th Jul 2008
Really like the 890i, great build quality, v compact but useable, everything works as you'd expect. Only recently moved to SE from Nokia, I now think the SE operating system is the best in the business, every operation seems very polished and well thought through. Superb music player, great sound through the bundled 'phones (v warm, detailed and weighty sound) who needs a dedicated MP3 player? Texting, calling and all related ops are handled efficiently and logically, just occasionally the T9 text system is a bit too predictive for it's own good though! Bad points detailed below: Pretty fiddly keypad/control button cluster, OK battery life (which fully featured phone has outstanding batt life though?), slow processor when music player is on in the background, switch it off to text..... Good points: smart, light and superbly well thought out 'phone, with a 2GB card included (30 albums and counting) and no problems with the much reported signal problem as yet. Switched to GSM only as recommended by another user/reviewer though........! In a nutshell, hard to fault!
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Reviewed by SE from US on 5th Jul 2008
Decent phone with decent reception. Camera portion is only good for clear, daytime shots since it lacks autofocus and flash (Why did SE include it anyway without these 2 features?!) Center control dial is TOO small but media player is decent but not terrific. It will NOT replace the Nano but at least the user will have 1 less device to carry (until the phone/media player acts up then must carry iPod and phone)! Best uses: 1. Phone 2. Media player - It's suppose to replace the iPod since it's shaped very similarly to the Original Nano size! Seriously, if the camera was removed the phone could've been built slighter BIGGER so the control keys COULD HAVE been BIGGER! Please do NOT complain about the included 2G memory card. If it's not good enough, then go buy the 8GB memory card which is currently the largest capacity MicroSD card available!! Anyway, it's not a bad phone but it's not terrific either considering the price. Currently ~$325-375 USD! Ouch!
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Reviewed by Kevin from Hong Kong on 4th Jul 2008
nice phone... but how come no matter what theme i set it to and what picture or video i set the startup screen to, it still has the walkman startup screen?? also, mine lags for about 10 secs when it startups... help!!!
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Reviewed by Joanne from England on 2nd Jul 2008
Love this phone! Is easy to use. Best Sony Ericsson for a long time. Sometimes the keypad sticks but not very often. Once you start to use it again the keypad goes back to normal.
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Reviewed by Tim Weber from south-west uk on 30th Jun 2008
love the phone very light and slim had it about 3 months thought i would break it in my pocket but its fine, definitly turn off G3 all of theses phones get better reception set to GSM only, has more stuff than you will ever need as a phone or music player, camera is ok for normal people, it good at everything and its in a tiny box what more could you ask for but i am in my mid 40s
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Reviewed by andrew croudace from england on 29th Jun 2008
had a up grade recently and for some unknown reason could not get a good reception! stuck with it for the first month and then decided to call 3 phone to complain, was told that the soft wear added on my phone for receiving calls was a faulty add on, and up too 15% of these model have the wrong soft wear for receiving,and the customer has to deal with it till sony and three phone decide what to do!!!! well 3 phone i shall cancel my direct debit till its sorted, see you in court, if ya want, till ya sort out my naff phone, p.s looks great, shix reception
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Reviewed by Jamie from UK on 27th Jun 2008
Brillient phone
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Reviewed by Nikkiee from UK on 22nd Jun 2008
Really Good Phone; Excellent Camera; Hadd Noo Problems with this phone; had it about a month; recomened it alott ;)
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Reviewed by Ian from Singapore on 22nd Jun 2008
Ok. First of all this phone is sexy and its sexy and its S-E-X-Y...The feel(when you caresses it),the sound(when you're excited by it),the looks(when girls take a glance at it when you're casually holding it at the Bar,Hotel lobby,Clubs or in a meeting. Tell ya what mate...get it and realise that you might not need an ipod after all..(unless you've got the iphone).. Note:I am not an employee of SE,or in no way promoting SE product.This is entirely my own shameless opinion and/or review of this SEXY product.Thank You.
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Reviewed by Pete from UK on 20th Jun 2008
Great phone, got it as a replacement for the bug ridden w910i and this is much, much better. Great call quality, smart looks, good for quick snaps 3.2 mp camera and if you use your own cans (i use sennheiser's) the walkman player is outstanding. Fully recommend it
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Reviewed by Rob from UK on 19th Jun 2008
Wow, what a phone 3G, bluetooth, video calling, music and nice looks. It has it all, well, just about. It weighs 78g, and tbh with you, thats heavy, for a small phone like this one, but must people like heavy phones, so I won't argue, I recommend this phone.
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Reviewed by lee from merseyside uk on 18th Jun 2008
w890i worst phone ive ever had... got it in april 08, had 3 faults- high pitch screeching when u called sum1, very slow loading up and turning off. i was sent a new1 again 2 faults - no signal and turning off when you called some1.i had very similar faults with my w880i so i would reccomend every1 to stay clear of sony mobiles. i would reccomend samsung as ive had a few phones and they have never let me down.
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Reviewed by Bri from UK on 17th Jun 2008
Simply the best phone I've ever had; very stylish and compact with excellent menus and the ability to shortcut all the features you use most. I have well over 1000 mp3s and lots of video and pictures: the battery is brilliant, even when playing games, watching video or listening to music. Someone else mentioned the walkman was "slow and erratic" with lots of songs - don't believe it! Mine is very quick; the touch of the dedicated walkman button and you're there! (The only time it is slow is when you've added mp3s and it has to update them). If you use the lock feature, the phone buttons won't be accidentally pressed whilst in your pocket. I've never had a problem receiving a text - it pops up on the screen and I've set it to vibrate and give a message tone. I can't understand why people complain about this phone - reading the manual will help! The camera works perfectly well, but if you want quality pictures, you'd be better off buying a digital camera which is purpose built for producing quality pictures. This is a fantastic phone and I couldn't recommend it highly enough.
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Reviewed by Steven Rudland from Scotland on 17th Jun 2008
Style-wise I adore this phone.. very slim, buttons suit me perfectly, menus are good. I previously had the W850i so most of the features are the same, if slightly improved. The camera is a down-side for most, but if you don't need the flash I have taken some pretty high-quality photos. One thing becoming increasingly common is when I get two texts at once, sometimes while on the phone, it crashes the phone, which is a pain - I have insurance though and will take it back if this continues. Also, I don't seem to be able to receive all picture messages correctly - some are fine but some aren't. Seems to change from photo to photo. If anyone has solved this similar problem, please e-mail me @ steven_rudland@hotmail.com Cheers [Editor's comment: Steven, which network are you on?]
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Reviewed by davidmh from England on 12th Jun 2008
As Jenny P, I am really disappointed with this phone. It is nice looking etc but in places where my 810i works perfectly I am continuously getting "emergency calls only" use on the 890i. Not really sure what this means, if it is a signal strength problem then how can I make emergency calls? Have switched it to GSM mode to see if that is any better but it isn't. Anyway I need a phone that works (ie on which I can make and receive calls!!)so it is going back to T mobile after precisely two days. Pity. Any ideas on a quality alternative would be good.
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Reviewed by Jenny P from England on 12th Jun 2008
I love all the Sony ericsson Phones, But this has got to be the worst one.I have had this phone for 3 months and it has gone back to Carphone Warehouse and Sony THREE times. The problem that I have is the Signal. The Signal is so bad, you can almost see it struggle to find any kind of signal. I can not make any calls on it except EMERGENCY CALLS Only. In fareness to it the only saving grace is the Walkman and the camera. Looks like I will have to go back to the good old fatihful W810i
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Reviewed by Beccah from England on 11th Jun 2008
This Fone Is Amazin Its Bettah Than The Shake fone nd then S500,, Becuz the keypads crack,, bst fone ever,,,
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Reviewed by Dave from Wales on 11th Jun 2008
Solid build quality, looks fabulous in silver. Sleek sexy and a joy to use. The battery life is amazing compared to my previous sony. One of the pleasures of using this phone is the high quality mp3 player. The software provided makes transferring music files childs play; a simple drag and drop process. I am not into using the camera but the couple of pics. taken are of high quality for a 3.2 mega pixel. Of all the phones I have owned this one is leagues ahead. Fantastic. A big thumbs up to the guys at sony.
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Reviewed by Elaine from UK on 11th Jun 2008
Recieved this lovely phone yesterday. Absolutely brilliant love every aspect of it. But alas i have to return to my Nokia 6300 due to the font size. I wear reading glasses and is a bit of a pain having to put them on to read text. Cant see how to alter the font size as i can the Nokia. I am looking to upgrade but need a mobile that i can alter the text font size can anyone help?? please contact me ukkeena@hotmail.com The sony is an outstanding phone and give it 5 stars on performance etc but just not for me.
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Reviewed by SONY RULES from LONDON on 10th Jun 2008
PROBABLY THE BEST PHONE SONY EVER MADE : )
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Reviewed by Rob from UK on 10th Jun 2008
For the most part this a good phone. It is a good size, strong features, neat design, sound quality could be better but there are a couple of other problems. The paintwork on the black version is very bad quality and wears off within a few weeks of purchase showing a gold colour. Within three weeks of use my phone looked like it was two years old... so much so that I returned it suggesting that there was a fault. Sony Ericsson said that trained engineers investigated and concluded that there were no manufacturers problems... which is a cause of concern as it demonstrates poor manufacturing quality. To avoid this problem, don't buy the black version! One other irratating issue is the walkman navigation is not good if you have a lot of songs (I have just over 1,000) - it is slow and irratic and inconsistent - I wish now that I hadn't bought it.
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Reviewed by richard from UK on 5th Jun 2008
I have just received my new SE phone. Not that pleased to be honest. My old phone was 2meg pix camera but whilst this one is 3.2 its not that great. There is no flash and the picture quality is worse than my 2meg camera. Also you cant tell if someone has texted you without actually touching the phone. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET THE PHONE TO DISPLAY AN ENVELOPE OR SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVE A TEXT BUT THE PHONE IS ON STANDBY?
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Reviewed by Mathijs from Netherlands on 5th Jun 2008
For people struggeling with the signal quality and continuous bad reception, try to switch off 3G (Settings -> Connections -> Mobile Networks -> GSM/3G Networks -> Only GSM, and turn the phone off and on). Before I changed this setting it was almost impossible to have a phone conversation longer than 30 seconds, because I simply lost the connection to the network. But now it all works fine :) With that out of the way I can really enjoy this beautiful phone. Brilliant design, easy to use and by daylight the picture quality is good. Best phone I've owned so far.
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Reviewed by Henry from UK on 4th Jun 2008
I've had this phone for a couple of months, and in all honesty I'm pretty disappointed with it. I "upgraded" from a W610i, which was more basic but did everything better. First up, the Walkman software. On the W610i the software with solid with a couple of minor niggles - no support for gapless playback, and it would lose my place if I stopped a long track (ie, a podcast) halfway through. The same problems have appeared on the W890i, the player looks nice but it really hasn't improved. The camera is dreadful. Yes, it's 3.2 megapixels, but the lack of autofocus means pictures look terrible, I have yet to see a decent picture. I'd rather have a lower megapixel camera with autofocus than one without. Yes, it looks like a nice phone, and it's slim and solid. But it's also hard to use - it keeps activating the browser while it's in my pocket, and there's not a dedicated play/pause button like there was on the side of the W610i, you have to unlock the phone and use the unresponsive walkman button on the side. It would be a good phone, but when compared to the cheaper, older W610i it's fairly redundant.
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Reviewed by JD from England on 3rd Jun 2008
Very nice slim and awsome camera. Love this phone !!
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Reviewed by aled from wales on 2nd Jun 2008
very good small and sexy, performs well under pressure and is very good
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Reviewed by neilw from england on 28th May 2008
got the phone through orange upgrade. great piece of kit, easy to use camera good, menus quick to respond. BUT, i have returned it and gone back to my W950i as the signal is so poor it is not worth using, unless your stood under a mast that is. basically a nice paper weight. 5* for phone 1* for signal quality
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Reviewed by Will Wheeler from Surrey, UK on 28th May 2008
Slamming phone! I previuosly had the indestructable w810i which i thought would serve all my needs but this blows it out of the water, a very thin light but strong casing, great new software loaded up some songs and videos it will never replace my 80gb ipod but good for short journeys. Key pad and menu are easy to navigate camera isnt bad obviusly wont compare to a new digi cam but does the job a great phone and the battery life is top notch not like the rubbish Nokias! Buy this phone you need it in you life now!
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Reviewed by Kelly1 from United Kingdom on 26th May 2008
I have had this phone now 4 days and i love it. I had the K800i for 2 years, could never fault it but it was a bit on the chunky side!! The W890i is a sexy small phone with everything you could want.. some reviews have mentioned the keypad being awkward..... its really not!! You should have bought this phone yesterday!!
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Reviewed by Luigi from Germany on 26th May 2008
Nicht so gut
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Reviewed by jake blount from england on 25th May 2008
incredible phone luving it
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Reviewed by deacs from england on 25th May 2008
best phone ever had, got this phone in replace of samsung soul,worst phone ever had. find it very easy to use,the keypad took time getting use to.sound is awesome,camera is quality,on the whole the phone is brilliant
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Reviewed by Bazza from uk on 25th May 2008
Best phone ever, Love its size and looks. AAAA++++
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Reviewed by robert wander from france on 21st May 2008
absolutly ausum! BEST FONE EVER HAD ! especially the camera and walkman!!!!!!!1
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Reviewed by Sarah from United Kingdom on 21st May 2008
I got this phone last week and it is AMAZING! It is the best phone i have ever had! It looks really good and has a good feel to it, Feels really got Quality. The camera is also very good. The phone is very easy to use which i am pleased about as i find most sony ericssons hard to use. It has a good sound and beacause of the 2 gb memory card holds alot of songs. On some of the over reveiws that i have read there has been complaints about battery life. I dont think this is a problem at all. The battery lasts a average amount of time, if not slightly longer. Like i said this phone is AMAZING i love it so much and you should defenately love it! All my friends love it too, they are so jelous! My phone is amazing and so pretty! BUY IT NOW! xx
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Reviewed by Max from United Kingdom on 20th May 2008
I got my Sony W890i yesterday after much deliberation on which phone to get. It was between the Nokia 8600 Luna, Nokia 6500 slide and the Sony. But As soon as I opened the box it looked perfect. I have got the black version which is currently exclusive to Vodafone. I think it is the best looking phone I have ever had. Also it is so easy to use. The 3.2 megapixel camera is great, so to is the 2gb of memory that comes with the phone. I would recommend this phone highly to anyone.
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Reviewed by Mushfiqha from South Africa on 19th May 2008
I have had my fone 4 almost 2 weeks now and its absolutely slamming! i love the sound!!! i have one question if theres any1 out there who can answer... ive heard how chatting with my fone will cause software problems but how much will it affect my fone?
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Reviewed by Calecio Mata from England on 17th May 2008
Excelent walkman + excelent new UI + excelent design + good camera = good phone! I would rate it as outstanding if there was a xenon flash for the camera or at least lights!
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Reviewed by ninja from England on 14th May 2008
Its a brilliant phone my second Sony Ericsson! Dont agree that the ring tone is too quiet but the vibration is non existant when it is on silent! Try using the night mode when you think you need a flash and you get great results! Do have trouble with the signal sometimes but thats a small price to pay for such a great looking phone!
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Reviewed by I LOVE SE from UK on 13th May 2008
Awesome phone - probably the best SE ever.
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Reviewed by Jack from ***secret*** on 11th May 2008
Nice phone!
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Reviewed by John from England on 10th May 2008
I had this phone delivered on the Friday only to return it the following day.I loved the size of the phone and how thin the phone was, but I could just not get on with the minute key pad.Text messaging was a nightmare compared with the SE K800i.Being a bloke whose 6'2" tall with big hands lol my thumbs were to big to comfortably text without catching neighbouring keys and I got extremely frustrated by this. Even just nagivating around the features proved difficult.I didn't bother reviewing the rest of the features because I knew I could just not cope with the key pad and therefore swopped it.
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Reviewed by ,, from ,, on 7th May 2008
thisisthe best phone woooo
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Reviewed by Jules from UK on 30th Apr 2008
Just received the phone today. My 3rd SE. Vodafone sent me a 6300 - probably the best phone available for £70 but I decided I wanted something a little bit more modern feeling. Very nice. The internal speaker could be a bit warmer - it's loud enough if you turn up, Vibration could also be a bit stronger - but will do. Camera is really good - just wish it had auto focus. Texting is perfect. Browsing is excellent - very fast. Some have mentioned problem with signal strength. This could be that the phone is GSM/3G. Is it trying to lock into 3G even when not in a 3G area? I turned the 3G off and the signal bar looked stronger. One fault: after turning off 3G and turning it back on the the 3G icon does not appear - I had to resart the phone to fix. More later, I've only had it for 2 hours ; )
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Reviewed by Tom from England on 30th Apr 2008
Worst phone i have ever had, looks great but the signal is very poor, stood next to people on same network i had no signal whilst they had full and i had 3 of them in 3 weeks, in end returned phone and cancelled upgrade,went back to my old K800i and no problems.
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Reviewed by Caroline McKinlay from Scotland on 30th Apr 2008
Ive had this phone about a week now not sure if I like it or not. Find the buttons fiddly and the sound very tinny also ring ton and message alert very low even when set up high. Ill give it a go for another week to. I dont think its as good as its cracked up to be
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Reviewed by john from uk on 29th Apr 2008
its not bad but sound quality is a bit tinny think it needs a bit more in provement of sound as the volume needs to go up a bit even if its on full its hard for the ones with poor hearing to hear it ring or listen to music but otherwise its a good phone so i will give it a 3 rateing
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Reviewed by Jazz from England on 25th Apr 2008
Love it. had it for about a week and its the best phone ever. got it on 02 pay and go. signals fine its so good. very slim lovely to fit in pocket and small handbag. great camera.. great memory storage. Love iiittt :) 10 out of 10.
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Reviewed by George from England on 24th Apr 2008
Love it! Top marks! altho the interface is a tad slow
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Reviewed by rhodri from wales on 24th Apr 2008
the worst sony ericsson phone i have ever owned, can't get a signal, phone keeps turning off, very slow when texting. camera very poor.
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Reviewed by k.p.sudhakaran from India on 24th Apr 2008
I have purchased Sony Ericsson W890i 2 days ago. Very nice phone. It is easy to operate and it is a 3rd generation phone. Only drawback I find is that the data cable is too short to handle . It is ok for laptop users. However I like and love the phone. Fits easily in the pocket K.P.Sudhakaran-Accountant, Famous Studios Ltd Mumbai-India
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Reviewed by Dave from UK on 23rd Apr 2008
Exact same problems as Rob. Love the phone but the signal dropping needs sorted. Its been back in vodafone shop twice now, the first time it was returned back saying corrupt software but once in a weaker signal area it had no coverage when my other phone would. reminds me of the old nokia antenna problems when they were forever coming loose. hopefully this second time one of techs will figure out the problem!!! Once i get a working phone it will def be a 5 star but right now only 3
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Reviewed by Karen from UK on 23rd Apr 2008
Oh God!!!!! After dithering for days about which phone to have on an upgrade I was sure this would be the one and yes, it looks fab, Walkman great etc BUT the camera really is like using a disposable one! Tedious and hopeless! Looks as though its going back - think I might just get another K800i as I cannot fault that gorgerella phone!
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Reviewed by Mike from UK on 23rd Apr 2008
Like Rob I've got signal problems to the point where it's almost unusable. If I'm standing by a mast then OK, otherwise when friends on Vodafone are getting 3 or 4 bars, this one can't find a network at all. I'll be taking it back to the shop but if they can't fix it, I'll have to get something different. Not impressed. The lack of flash is also irritating.
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Reviewed by Rob from UK on 21st Apr 2008
I got this phone recently and have been suffering signal problems ever since. Drop the SIM in my old phone and not a problem, so its down to the phone. Whether its faulty or a model wide problem Im unsure but hopefully will find out soon. Apart from the signal issues, its a great size, looks nice, and packed with features. Maybe lacking slightly in terms of camera options such as zoom and flash, but it is a Walkman phone not a cyber shot.
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Reviewed by Claire from Uk on 20th Apr 2008
I have just bought this phone Unlocked and i think its bril even though i downgraded from a K8850i which was brilliant but too chunky for me. Just the same to b honest not much difference between the 2 except the camera megapixels and size but camera works the exact same as the 5 megapixel on the K8850i. Had to get rid of the K850i as the * button fell off randomly so wasnt impressed. Buttons on this phone are much easier to use. Would recommend this phone to anyone even if it is a downgrader like me which i dont normally do as i normally get the newest phones out every few months! But this is a deffo. Sleek, Slim, Good Looking and compact! For every use even work! C x
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Reviewed by piers from england on 20th Apr 2008
very good but the speaker is very tinny
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Reviewed by Epson4537 from England on 19th Apr 2008
I have previously used the Cybeshot and loved it. However teh W890i is a fabulous alternitive. The keys are small but if you have small fingers that is not a problem. Looks good, easy to use. One ting I liove itfor and it is never listed in the features list is that it is compatable with Outlook.
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Reviewed by Anne from Manchester on 18th Apr 2008
Got problem sorted out re connections below - O2 finally emailed me great instructions specific to the 890i set up. Now like phone but the quick shut down to black screen is very frustrating - and there is no way to change that. Will need time to get used to all the functionality. Still not 100% happy with the SE support.
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Reviewed by Graham from UK on 18th Apr 2008
Got the phone a few days ago, thought I would try it and see! Looks smart, feels quality, the screen quality is very good, crystal clear. The buttons are a touch small but manageable when you get used to them. Good memory capacity and decent battery life (obviosuly the more you play with it in the first few days, the shorter the battery life will be!). Sony have changed the positioning of some buttons, which after being a Sony user for the past few years I find slightly irritating as I'm used to their location. Call quality is excellent, nice loud ringtones, the bass is not the best but if you're using headphones - as you should do - its very good. the thing that lets it down is lack of zoom and flash on the camera. If it had them, this would be the perfect handset. On balance a great phone, but I'm going to have to return it as I want better camera functions. Still beats the pants off Nokia and Samsung though due to ease of use, it has a nice logical menu system, and texting is far easier than on Samsung.
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Reviewed by Paul from England on 17th Apr 2008
ot the phone on free upgrade the other day and cannot fault it!!....i went for the brown but then thought it wasnt the best for a bloke!lol!...however that momentary slump is over and i love the brown coz its different and original...the keypad is the easiest i have used when so small and the functions and menus are simple but for sum reason extremely classy...definately recommend the phone to all who dnt like to carry a brick and yet want all the fucntions of a phone u could want...organisation, music, communication...its got it all....
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Reviewed by anonymous from England on 17th Apr 2008
I LOVE IT!!.. ITS THE BEST PHONE EVER.. BUY IT NOW TRUST ME YOU WOULDNT REGRET IT BEST PHONE ON THE ROAD.. ---- BEAUTY AND BRAINS ----
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Reviewed by srivikas from india on 17th Apr 2008
the mobile has great features but very poor sound quality and battery is very bad. the charge doesnt last more than 5 hours even when i dont use the music feature. actually, very disappointed with the phone. k790i was way better .
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Reviewed by Anne from Manchester on 16th Apr 2008
I received my sim free unlocked phone a couple of weeks ago and thought.. wow. But I have had to send it back because I cant get/ send emails from/to my ISP, sky. I'm on O2 ans have contacted them, sky and Sony E but get passed from pillar to post. In end O2 have given me settings to use their SMTP server but it means I can only receive mails but that only worked for an evening. So..am awaiting a replacement phone in case it was faulty because I want to persevere with it as it meets my requirements for a replacement to my iPOD - 1 device when travelling. As a result.. downrating the phone because of lack of support from Sony and awaiting judgement on new phone. will let you know. In meantime, if anyone has a solution to my problem, please let me know. Note other comment below re O2 problems.
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Reviewed by tarzan from london on 15th Apr 2008
really brill!!!
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Reviewed by .... from ..... on 14th Apr 2008
BEST FONE EVA GET IT NOW!!!!!!!!!
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Reviewed by emily from england on 14th Apr 2008
rubbish.
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Reviewed by James W from Lancaster on 13th Apr 2008
Phone came yesterday, ive had the w810i and the w880i and now the w890i, And i must say the w810i is the best by far, it has the camera with flash and is just all round easier to use. I am pleased with the design and look of the new w890i but the speakers arent so clever and the loss of flash is some what annoying! BUT IT IS FAR FAR FAR BETTER THAN THE W880I, as it took me on average 10minutes to send a decent text message with the pathetic buttons! If you after a phone with walkman capability and a decent camera (less the flash), The w890i is the phone for you!
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Reviewed by paul from glasgow uk on 11th Apr 2008
hey just got the phone good phone screen aint very bright and the phone aint that loud but apart from that its a good little phone easy to use, and lots of memory !!!
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Reviewed by Dylan from Malta on 9th Apr 2008
I like it alot. A thin mobile is perfect for going out...nothing bulging out of ur pockets..it's lightweight as well..has a good photo fixer which works pretty fine..google maps are also implemented..d pc suite is super..connects to Outlook where u can synchronize with the calendar, contacts, notes, bookmarks, etc...another feature is d ability of multi tasking (running more than one application at once i.e. writing a msg, stopping to view calendar event, receiving an sms nd reading it, get back to writing d msg, etc) d sound is clear enough for d normal ear...one drawback is the small keys adjacent to one another but in a week one gets used to it and faster typing will result. I recommend this phone as it's really comfortable and worth it...Simple is the way to go
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Reviewed by DS from India on 9th Apr 2008
Good Looking phone. catchy. drawbacks -1. 3.2Mp camera without a flash..waste of the 3.2mp camera. 2. speakers - quality is not all good. when i play the songs i get a disturbance. iam disappointed. with camera its ok its not a k series can't expect much from the camera. but the speakers??? totally disappointed. otherwise its ok
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Reviewed by Charlotte Vosper from UK on 8th Apr 2008
I've had my W890i for nearly 2 weeks. I'm on my 2nd handset in that space of time and on a pay monthly contract with O2, the reason being because I can't seem to receive picture messages or voice recorded messages. Have spoken to O2 too many times to count. All the settings seem to be correct, according to them the phone and sim are provisioned to accept all messages. Would love to hear from anyone with a similar problem. I love the look and feel of the phone, I have it in Mocha, but what's the point in having a gorgeous looking phone if you can't use the features??
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Reviewed by Kathryn from UK on 1st Apr 2008
Sound is tinny, cannot read the time in standby(silver phone with corresponding coloured keys) and constantly miss calls/ texts as tone is so quiet ( I feel this is particulary unacceptable in 2008). The camera is much improved from my previous W850i,I hasten to add the pictures are clear and very fine, the weight and slimness are redeeming features but give me my classy white favourite W850i anytime.
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Reviewed by Ray Greenhouse from Wales on 31st Mar 2008
Overall love the phone. It's everything I was looking for. The size and feel are great, the 2GB memory is plenty for storing tons of music. I've had a good listen to the MP3 on a train journey and the sound is great. I also like the additional music related features that weren't on my old 850i. Also love the way it displays the photo and picture albums even segreagting them into the dates that you took them. The loudspeaker sound is a little tinny for ringtones etc but that is a compromise for the size of the handset. 2 small quibbles. The screen goes absolutely blank in standby with nothing to indicate the phone is switched on, not even a clock or symbol to indicate you have a message. Also (I have a silver one) the keys are obviously very small and the figures on them are a similar colour to the keys themselves sometimes making it very difficult to see them when typing a message esp. in poor light conditions. Would still recommend the phone.
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Reviewed by Jamie Burns from Scotland on 30th Mar 2008
I got this phone, had it a week and I really like it. The sound quality is good on this, it is a bit quiet but if people just had patience and read manuals or thot about wat they were saying then they wouldn't be moaning. First of all...u can edit the sound on computer and transfer it louder, second, sony give u the earphones that block out outside noise so that you can here it better. this emans u can listen at a good volume and not have outside noise rather than blaring and hearing everything else...much better! peopel moaning about the amera(spelt with a k 2 emphasize that the "k" series is for camera's), this is a W series, for walkman and the walkman is very impressive on it. I do have the same problem of not hearing it in my pocket sometimes but it doesn't really bother me as i am usually sitting down so i feel it, its on silent coz i'm at work or i'll have it on my table...other times like being up town i'd have earophones in or be with people anywayz. the main problem i had is that the phone does not hold signal very well. the internet speed is very impressive i thought. finally i also previously had the k800i and had many problems with the file storage, gladly thoough, thanks to sony ericsson being genius's...all u do is plug it in2 ur computer and elect "file storage" and then just open up the phone memory card under (usually) f drive...so much easier anywayz... pc suite' only ever cause problems, nokia's aint great either. ps giving this phone outstanding as i thought the sound quality and battery length and swcond to none, sounds betetr than an ipod and my battery is lasting minimum 3 full days.
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Reviewed by Magicastle from Scotland on 30th Mar 2008
I've had this phone for a month now and am more than impressed. Of course it's beautiful looking (I have the silver one) I was unsure whether it would be too thin but it's a perfect size and weight to make it sophisticated but sturdy. I love the squidgyness of the buttons - none of that irritating clicking I had with the w810. Great battery life and memory and the camera is good for snaps which is what I would use it for anyway. The applications on the phone are streamline and relevant and I've had no problems with it sticking. Brilliant little phone!
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Reviewed by Top Cat from Surrey on 26th Mar 2008
Spent most of last Friday looking at reviews on different mobiles and decided on the 890i as i've also got the 850i& was impressed with that. Whilst the look and feel of the phone are amazing as is the internet features i have to agree with F.Dot the sound is very disappointing. Max volume is poor as is the depth and quality of the sound. The sound produced by W850i was impressive and i was lead to believe the 890i would surpass that, but sadly no!! I shall be returning it first thing in the morning and await the W980i.
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Reviewed by Precious from UK on 26th Mar 2008
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Had this phone for almost a month now - no problems at all to report! Great all rounder... after upgrading to the SE W910i (rubbish!), then Samsung G600 (not user friendly!) then Nokia 6500 Slide (problematic!), I am finally happy!!! Good work Sony, you've finally got it right this time!
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Reviewed by Jim from Northern Ireland on 25th Mar 2008
Gotta agree with F.Dot, sound quality from the W890i is very poor and 'tinny' indeed, so much so I've missed quite a few calls in the week I've had the phone while it's been ringing at highest setting while in my trouser pocket! Have emailed Sony Ericsson to see if they have a 'fix', waiting a week now for an answer. Does anyone else on here have problems with SE's PC Suite software supplied with their phones? I had diffs with my previous K800i, and at this early stage my new W890i it's proving just as problematic. Transferring the adress book from my laptops MS Outlook to the phone via USB resulted in a list of 420-odd numbers with the words "No Name" listed for each one! Very handy!! Tried it 4 times with the same results each time, yet when I connected the phone via a run-of-the-mill 6 quid bluetooth toggle I was able to transfer all the data immediately. Disappointed with the camera, I was aware of course of it's limitations before I bought but the lack of any zoom at all on the stills is a real let down. Could go on I'm afraid. In the end though the phone looks very smart indeed (silver), very light, and keypad is fine I suppose. Jury's still out on the battery life. Walkman software is very good, better than my K800i, but what a pity about the sound - a major problem, my K800i plays louder and clearer through SE's speakerball :-( We're it not for the awful sound quality I'd probably give it 4½
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Reviewed by F.Dot from London Town on 24th Mar 2008
How can you say the sound is stunning? The sound is absolutely rubbish! Its too low and the phone cannot keep up with the bass!
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Reviewed by david grant from east kilbride on 20th Mar 2008
its like that warm fuzzy feeling of new socks. like butter and high quality jam. the cheese on a perfectly toated bagel with honey roast ham and pomodorino tomato. proper potatoes bodger!
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Reviewed by Tom from Wales on 18th Mar 2008
All you people describing this as the best phone ever..................I AGREE!!! The camera is great and I know what good camera's are as my last phone was a k800i. The music player is oustanding and it feals and looks smooth and stylish. TOP PHONE
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Reviewed by Demi from Liverpool on 15th Mar 2008
Compared to it's predecessor it's a stunning phone but Sony Ericcson have yet to produce a flawless Walkman phone. Wouldn't it be nice to have a phone with an outstanding music player along with an outstanding camera all in the same handset? Thats the flaw. The camera on the W890 is poor which puts it behing its competitors. Other than this the phone feels fabulous to hold and the materials used make it have a feel of quality.. not just plastic. Overall the W890 is an excellent phone but if you want a good camera in your phone hang on a bit and get the C902 which promices to be a fine phone. Thanks for reading my review.
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Reviewed by suki from uk on 13th Mar 2008
wicked phone
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Reviewed by DAVID from ENGLAND on 11th Mar 2008
BEST PHONE AROUND!!!!! PERFECT SIZE,CLASSY LOOKS. DON'T HESITATE,GET ONE NOW!
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Reviewed by Bandos from Cambodia on 11th Mar 2008
This phone is available in Cambodia on 04-March-2008, the price is 410$us. This is the very great phone I ever see, easy to hold! Now the only one color "Silver" is available in Cambodia. I would highly recommend it!
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Reviewed by Katherine from UK on 9th Mar 2008
Had phone 48 hours and so far v.impressed. sound a little tinny but looks and feels great. v.user friendly, and camera not bad for a walkman phone. bit worried about scratches at it's stainless steel and i tend to drop my phone. i'm not sure if keypad would work with people with large fingers! but i love the feel of it and screen quality is fab.
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Reviewed by abdi from somalia on 7th Mar 2008
This fone is great with its fast 3G and supersilm design. Highly recommend it
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Reviewed by Maggie L. from UK, London on 7th Mar 2008
Got mine on Monday (they went on sale at O2 on Friday 29th Feb) so I was one of first in UK. Phone is very light, after bulky Nokia 6280 I am scared not to breake it! :) Batery and SIM card positioning under clever cover, no sliding, just nicely pull two buttons away and open gently... Once again I compare with fights with my old Nokia... It has all the Sony Ericksson features but for someone that is not familiar with this brand a good advice - if you want to do something and do not know how, read the manual first. Phone is strightforward, and very customer friendly but it is different, especially if you're coming from Nokia, like me. Slightly overcomplicated three-way method of connecting to PC via USB (three modes: phone, transfer and mass storage) but once again after reading the manual it seems obvious why it is like this. I like the sound quality, my old MP3 already suffers from the syndrom of neglect... Camera is nice but no flash and auto-focus. Well, this is W series not K, so you can't have everything. Phone comes with a 2GB card, lots of space for songs and pictures. I have problems with inserting capital letters in messages and notes. Overall, it's slim, slim, slim and light as feather. Ideal for a gentler treatment. I think it's more for ladies than lads but it may be only me...
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Reviewed by Paul R from England on 3rd Mar 2008
Have just recived mine today. So far very impressed. Looks great, very light feels good quality. If the battery life is correct this phone will probably be the best all-rounder on the market at the moment. No problems at all, and in fact I think they've managed to improved on the software and useability. Highly recomended!!
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Reviewed by Paul Donovan from Germany on 1st Mar 2008
I think I just bought one of the first w890i's in Berlin (for ¤449) at the Sony Store at Potsdamer Platz. I never listen to music on a mobile phone. I don't text. I have no interest in games. I simply want something tiny and practical with a long battery life that is not completely ugly. It must fit comfortably in a shirt pocket. The W890i fits the bill. I also like to take the odd informational still. The W890's camera is acceptable for such a tiny little thing, but it is of course not a real camera. The sound is okay. The ring tone is a bit weak and on the tinny side. The Google Maps location function works well--at least in Berlin. I own a few shares of Ericsson and so this is also a bit of market research. I think, based on the W890i, I will hang onto my shares! I also hope this phone is the last mobile phone I purchase before a "Terranet" (peer to peer--i.e. no telephone company) model becomes available. Now that will be exciting! And that is the main reason I bought Ericsson shares. I have had no technical problems (so far) and the small keyboard is not an issue.
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Reviewed by James from England on 24th Feb 2008
This phone is the best walkman phone by Sony Ericsson. For once they have put a good 3.2mp camera on it as well and not just a 2mp. If you are looking for a walkman phone then you have to go for this one
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Reviewed by Lauren from england on 23rd Feb 2008
Very Good. Nice Up To Date Phone. It's Got My Vote. xXx
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Reviewed by anonomous =] from england on 23rd Feb 2008
It rox best fone ever =]
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Reviewed by Rithy from Cambodia on 20th Feb 2008
Base on the spec, I would say it is the successor of SE W880i. However www.mobile-review.com said it has poor sound quality even it is in the Walkman branch, it has no dedicated music chip, mobile-review also sail its sound quality is below Nokia 5310. Just wait to see the real commercial product! If the sound quality is good as an iPod Nano 3rd, I'll throw away my Nokia N73 Music Edition and offer this phone (W890i). The things I disappointed are: 1) NO Camera Flash & No auto focus! 2). The sale package memory M2 is only 2GB, why not 8GB because it's the music phone? I love it! I give it 4 stars because the two problems I mention above.
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Reviewed by Joe from france on 14th Feb 2008
great phone got a prototype and even on buggy firmware runned smoothly, no problems either, good camera and will be expected to increse anyway due to software updates!
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Reviewed by Garry from Spain on 3rd Feb 2008
How can anyone review this phone if it's not out yet? I would tentatively suggest that it must be worth at least 4 stars based on looks and spec
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Reviewed by Billy from England on 24th Jan 2008
Unrealiable. Average spec. Avoid.
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Reviewed by Gemma from ENGLAND on 23rd Jan 2008
I THINK THIS PHONE LOOKS REALLY GOOD (A MUST HAVE)DO NOT HESITATE TO BUY IT ALL OF ITS FEATURES WILL AMAZE YOU!! BEST OF 2008 SO FAR X X
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Sony Ericsson W890i links