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.
Review:
February 2008.
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.
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)
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
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 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! Rating:
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! Rating:
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! Rating:
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!!! Rating:
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. Rating:
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 Rating:
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 Rating:
Reviewed by Jamie from UK on
27th Jun 2008
Brillient phone Rating:
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 ;) Rating:
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. Rating:
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 Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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?] Rating:
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. Rating:
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 Rating:
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,,, Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by SONY RULES from LONDON on
10th Jun 2008
PROBABLY THE BEST PHONE SONY EVER MADE : ) Rating:
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. Rating:
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? Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by JD from England on
3rd Jun 2008
Very nice slim and awsome camera. Love this phone !! Rating:
Reviewed by aled from wales on
2nd Jun 2008
very good small and sexy, performs well under pressure and is very
good Rating:
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 Rating:
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! Rating:
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!! Rating:
Reviewed by Luigi from Germany on
26th May 2008
Nicht so gut Rating:
Reviewed by jake blount from england
on 25th May 2008
incredible phone luving it Rating:
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 Rating:
Reviewed by Bazza from uk on
25th May 2008
Best phone ever, Love its size and looks. AAAA++++ Rating:
Reviewed by robert wander from france
on 21st May 2008
absolutly ausum! BEST FONE EVER HAD ! especially the camera and
walkman!!!!!!!1 Rating:
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 Rating:
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. Rating:
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? Rating:
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! Rating:
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! Rating:
Reviewed by I LOVE SE from UK on
13th May 2008
Awesome phone - probably the best SE ever. Rating:
Reviewed by Jack from ***secret*** on
11th May 2008
Nice phone! Rating:
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.
Rating:
Reviewed by ,, from ,, on 7th
May 2008
thisisthe best phone woooo Rating:
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
; ) Rating:
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.
Rating:
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 Rating:
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 Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by George from England on
24th Apr 2008
Love it! Top marks! altho the interface is a tad slow Rating:
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. Rating:
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
Rating:
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 Rating:
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! Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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 Rating:
Reviewed by piers from england on
20th Apr 2008
very good but the speaker is very tinny Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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.... Rating:
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
---- Rating:
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 . Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by tarzan from london on
15th Apr 2008
really brill!!! Rating:
Reviewed by .... from ..... on
14th Apr 2008
BEST FONE EVA GET IT NOW!!!!!!!!! Rating:
Reviewed by emily from england on
14th Apr 2008
rubbish. Rating:
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! Rating:
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 !!! Rating:
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 Rating:
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 Rating:
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?? Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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. Rating:
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! Rating:
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.
Rating:
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! Rating:
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 Rating:
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! Rating:
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! Rating:
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 Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by suki from uk on 13th
Mar 2008
wicked phone Rating:
Reviewed by DAVID from ENGLAND on
11th Mar 2008
BEST PHONE AROUND!!!!! PERFECT SIZE,CLASSY LOOKS. DON'T HESITATE,GET
ONE NOW! Rating:
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! Rating:
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. Rating:
Reviewed by abdi from somalia on
7th Mar 2008
This fone is great with its fast 3G and supersilm design. Highly
recommend it Rating:
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... Rating:
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!! Rating:
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. Rating:
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 Rating:
Reviewed by Lauren from england on
23rd Feb 2008
Very Good. Nice Up To Date Phone. It's Got My Vote. xXx Rating:
Reviewed by anonomous =] from england
on 23rd Feb 2008
It rox best fone ever =] Rating:
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. Rating:
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! Rating:
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 Rating:
Reviewed by Billy from England on
24th Jan 2008
Unrealiable. Average spec. Avoid. Rating:
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 Rating:
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.
