Sony Ericsson W910 | Another Walkman Phone | Review

When the W910i was announced, nobody was surprised because it was launched exactly one year after its predecessor Sony Ericsson's first slider outside of Japan, the W850i, burst onto the scene.
Compared to the original, we see improvements on almost every single aspect on the W910i, from the aesthetics down to the technical specifications. However things are getting less simple in the market now, and we cannot help but to compare the W910i with the rest of the competitors in this increasingly crowded world of music phones.

Physical Aspects

The W910i is a very rectangular slider with a design that is a lot more conservative than its predecessor and other Sony Ericsson phones today. Measuring 99mm x 50mm x 12.5mm, this slider is slightly wider than average, but still forgivable thanks to its magnificent 2.4" screen. On top of red and black, the device also comes in a Golden Brown color with limited availability, which is the device we tested.

Apart from having the Walkman logos at the top and the bottom as well as the back, there is nothing fancy about the design. The front face is dominated by the large screen, with the front facing camera being located between 2 dedicated gaming keys. The d-pad and the rest of the keys are found below the screen. The main camera is mounted on the back without much emphasis since this is primarily a music device.

There is no lens protector, no mirror for self-portraits, and no LED flash. The 3 grille holes on the back, adjacent to the Sony Ericsson logo, are where the ringtones come out. A slide key for locking the battery cover is also found right next to the speaker.

The Sony Ericsson fast port connector is found on the left side of the phone, whereas the shutter key, the M2 card slot, and the volume controls are found on the right. That leaves the power button, the Walkman shortcut key, and the lanyard loop at the top.

The sliding mechanism is spring loaded, which makes opening the phone fairly easy once you get a decent grip on it. The whole gliding is smooth and sturdy, and the weight of the device feels well balanced in the hand and shouldn't fly out of the user's hand when it springs open.

I have no complaints at all with Sony Ericsson going back to a traditional d-pad controller instead of a joystick, and the surrounding control buttons are well spaced and appropriately arranged. A problem only comes up when you slide open the phone, and it has nothing to do with the carefully constructed (and comfortable) lip that is between the upper and lower slide. The alphanumeric keypad is difficult to use.

Even though the individual keys have an adequate size, the lack of vertical spacing between them has made miss-hits far more likely that we would have wanted. The weak tactile feedback has only made the situation worse.

The bottom row of keys is also difficult to press, in spite of the wedged shaped rim that the engineers have tried to incorporate. Yes, the grip is steadier than on certain thin Samsung sliders, but it is still far from optimal.

The 2.4" QVGA screen is the largest you can get on a non-smartphone from Sony Ericsson. The color is brilliant and visibility under the sun is good. There really is nothing about the display that warrants complaining. Even the automatic light sensor works just the way it should be.

Unsurprisingly, part of the secret of how Sony Ericsson managed to fit so much into an 86g (3.0oz) handset has to do with the material. The build is very solid, and its finishing is quite scratch resistant, but the W910i has a very obviously plastic feel to it. But overall, with the exception of the keypad, it is a well conceived design.
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