Review of Sony Ericsson's K600i UMTS Phone

Sony Ericsson K600i

Sony Ericsson K600i

Sony Ericsson K600i

3G networks of the WCDMA/UMTS persuasion have not been accessible to more than a few people for all that long, and as such, there has not been a huge demand for the handsets. Because of that, the phones we have seen so far have been pretty big. Companies are not willing to put a lot of research and development money into handsets that aren't going to sell well.

But today, with 3G networks appearing all over Europe and elsewhere, UMTS service is finally coming to the masses. And that means that the phones are going to get better. The Sony Ericsson K600i is a perfect example of that.

I'd like to thank Wireless Imports for loaning us the K600i for this review.

Sizing up the K600i

Physically, the K600i looks like any normal, non-3G handset. It measures 105mm x 45mm x 20mm (4.13" x 1.77" x .79") in size, and weighs only 106g (3.74oz). It has a pretty silver finish with matte black and chrome highlights throughout. The rear cover of the device, which wraps around the rotating main camera cover and hides the battery compartment, is attached to the phone with a pair of sliding locks. The system works very well, holding the cover securely in place and making it very easy to remove when you need to. Nothing to pry, no risk for your fingertips.

Above those two latches, which are located on the left side of the K600, is the microUSB cable connector (cable included). The shutter and volume/zoom controls are on the opposite side. The power switch is located on the top, and the old-style power/data connector is located on the bottom. You first realize that this is indeed a 3G phone when you see the second camera, a VGA unit, on the front of the K600 above the display. On either side of the display are a pair of buttons. Long-pressing the left one starts a video call, long-pressing the right one brings up the shortcuts/events/web favorites menus.

Just below the display is the joystick, probably the best joystick I have seen on a mobile phone ever. It is made of metal, and has a well defined edge to it that keeps your thumb from slipping on it while not going so far as to be sharp. The joystick has a very nice feel to it and proved to be quite accurate, never once interpreting a push inwards to be a nudge in one of the four directions. The keypad, on the other hand, is probably the weak point of the entire device. The keys are flat and flush with the front cover. All too often keypresses did not register when I was trying to enter numbers in quickly. If the keys had been domed, protruding above the face of the cover, then that would not have been an issue, though it would have impacted the look of the device. But what good is a pretty device if it doesn't work well? It is a compromise that should have been made.

But overall the K600i has a wonderful physical design to it. It feels good in the hand; solid and bold, yet soft and curved where it fits into your grip. The active, rotating protective cover on the back of the device makes the K600 look for all the world like a dedicated camera, and works much better than the numerous sliding cover mechanisms I've seen on other devices.

 

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