Se-lifestyle Blog

THE GOOD: Simple to use, small and excellent camera
THE BAD: No Xenon flash, small screen and unoriginal design
The W995 has been widely heralded as the beginning of Sony Ericsson’s comeback, and sports a strong multimedia mix by combining photo, video and music features. The phone includes an eight-megapixel camera with LED flash, 3G and Wi-Fi, push-email, a 3.5mm audio jack, as well as speakers and an 8GB memory card in the box. It also comes with the option to stream 60 films via the manufacturer’s PlayNow service. But will Sony Ericsson be able to refresh its brand with the W995?

Though categorised as a Walkman phone, the camera is a major selling point. The Phones 4u salesman says: ‘It’s a Walkman handset but they’re promoting the camera strongly – it’s good that it’s a bit of both.’ The 3 salesman says: ‘The photography aspect is great, the phone even looks like a camera.’ The O2 salesman says: ‘It’s the smallest eight-megapixel camera phone available.’ However, the Carphone salesman points out a possible drawback: ‘The pictures look great on a computer but not on the screen – it is too small.’

Looking good
Looks wise, the phone draws praise from the panel. The Carphone salesman says: ‘I really like the silver version.’ The 3 salesman says: ‘It’s got a small and dinky look to it.’ The O2 salesman says: ‘Sometimes, Sony Ericsson handsets can feel a bit plastic, but this is really solid.’ The Phones 4u salesman is the least enthused: ‘It looks similar to other Sony Ericsson phones, they’ve just changed the colours.’

The phone’s usability impresses some of the panel. The Phones 4u salesman says: ‘It’s very simple and very easy.’ The O2 salesman agrees, and adds: ‘They’ve done away with the tab setting and the navigation of the phone is much simpler.’

Overall, the multimedia functions on the W995 leave a lasting impression. The 3 salesman says: ‘It’s a brilliant camera and music handset.’ The Phones 4u salesman thinks ‘the sound quality is amazing’, and the Carphone salesman says: ‘It’s a media phone that is perfect for the youth market.’ The O2 salesman exclaims: ‘If I wasn’t selling someone an iPhone, I’d sell them this.’