Review: The Sony Ericsson T616 (Not recommended)

The only thing I like about the T616 is the bluetooth, and when I bought it
3 months ago, choice was limited among BT cell phones.

Although this phone is quite functional, it comes at the unnecessary
sacrifice of useability. Menu navigation, in particular, is an area
with plenty of room for improvement. Here are my beefs:

-The "calls" list isn't accurately chronological, and doesn't allow
me to find out the exact time of a call.

-The joystick should be used more for for navigating menus - Right=execute, left=back.

-Why four buttons? 2 would have done, accompanied by the JS for navigation.
Their roles are inconsistent, and seem to change from menu to menu.
Really, they should just keep one to be consistently "execute" and the other
to be consistently "back/cancel".

-Stupid physical interface on the bottom - Plugs only go in one way, and
take special attention to get them in. Not easily done on the fly.

-Overzealous pressing of "Endcall " mutes the fone, but one press isn't
always enough - Making the act of "hanging up" require unnecessary
attention on my part.

-Screen not viewable outside.

-Anykey endcall ends up with a lot of accidentally killed calls.


Conclusion: I *HAD* to have a BT phone, but am otherwise disappoined in this
model. If you're thinking about buying it, wait. I'm sure something better
is just on the horizon.


--
..............................................................................

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed ...by
menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

- H. L. Mencken

..............................................................................
[email protected] http://www.memeticcandiru.com

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› See More: Review: The Sony Ericsson T616 (Not recommended)

<[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:lxwlc.11894$LA4.6316@edtnps84...
> The only thing I like about the T616 is the bluetooth, and when I bought
it
> 3 months ago, choice was limited among BT cell phones.
<snip>

> -Stupid physical interface on the bottom - Plugs only go in one way, and
> take special attention to get them in. Not easily done on the fly.

How would you want the connector to work? Pretty much all connectors on all
electronic devices (with the exception of a few 2-pin connectors for AC
power or low-quality speakers) are designed to only fit one way round. Or
have I misunderstood what you mean?


<snip>

Niall / Lina ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

> <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
> news:lxwlc.11894$LA4.6316@edtnps84...

>> The only thing I like about the T616 is the bluetooth, and when I
>> bought it 3 months ago, choice was limited among BT cell phones.

Very odd. When I got my T610 six months ago, there was *plenty* of choice
among BT phones.
I wouldn't even have said the choice was "limited" two years ago when I
got my BT-equipped T68.

Ah - T616. Not T610. A clue. Obviously a 'merkin. That's the penalty you
gotta pay for living in a technologically backward country that doesn't
follow international mobile phone standards, I s'pose.

>> The joystick should be used more for for navigating menus -
>> Right=execute, left=back.

Click = Execute, Back button always = back. How simple would you like it?
Why cripple the capability of the joystick by changing it's function
according to which menu you're in?

>> Why four buttons? 2 would have done

Why as many as two? Low-end Nokias like the good ol' 5110 and 3210
survive on one. They're unusable, but...

>> Their roles are inconsistent, and seem to change from menu to menu.

Yep, they're *soft keys*.... Their function can *change*... Clever,
innit?

>> -Stupid physical interface on the bottom - Plugs only go in one way,
>> and take special attention to get them in.

> How would you want the connector to work?

To be fair, I loath the Ericsson (and Motorola, for my BT earpiece)
connector, too - the Nokia round one is a *FAR* better design, and stands
up to my cat chewing it a lot longer than the Ericsson one. I think the
cat must have had a mild shock, though, because she does seem to have
stopped...

Still, if the OP wants a Nokia, he's welcome to their crappy BT half-
implementation. <shrug, pats T610 contentedly>

"Niall / Lina" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
>
> <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
> news:lxwlc.11894$LA4.6316@edtnps84...
> > The only thing I like about the T616 is the bluetooth, and when I
bought
> it
> > 3 months ago, choice was limited among BT cell phones.
> <snip>
>
> > -Stupid physical interface on the bottom - Plugs only go in one
way, and
> > take special attention to get them in. Not easily done on the
fly.
>
> How would you want the connector to work? Pretty much all connectors
on all
> electronic devices (with the exception of a few 2-pin connectors for
AC
> power or low-quality speakers) are designed to only fit one way
round. Or
> have I misunderstood what you mean?
>
Maybe;-)

The charger connector of the T6xx series is not bullet-proof.
You have to put it in with the flash symbol facing up,
at least the manual says it this way.

However, on my car charger adapter,
the flash symbol is hardly to see and hardly to feel with the finger
tips.

So yes, this is a construction failure.
Not of the adapter, but of the connector of the phone.

All my previous phones, and nearly all my other electronic devices
have charger connectors which can't be plugged in the wrong way.

Actually, I was very irritated when I read the appriorate paragraph in
the T630 manual.

The phone is well designed in most areas (IMHO), but this is a fatal
flaw.



Raymond

"Raymond Del Tondo" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
<snip>
> The charger connector of the T6xx series is not bullet-proof.
> You have to put it in with the flash symbol facing up,
> at least the manual says it this way.
>
> However, on my car charger adapter,
> the flash symbol is hardly to see and hardly to feel with the finger
> tips.
>
> So yes, this is a construction failure.
> Not of the adapter, but of the connector of the phone.
>
> All my previous phones, and nearly all my other electronic devices
> have charger connectors which can't be plugged in the wrong way.

You mean you can plug in the charger to your T630 the wrong way? I dont
think so.... Mind you, I agree that it is not always easy to see which way
round to plug it without getting a close look (i always just look for the
thicker plastic 'peg' rather than the symbol

Niall

"Niall / Lina" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

<snip>


> You mean you can plug in the charger to your T630 the wrong way? I
> dont think so.... Mind you, I agree that it is not always easy to see
> which way round to plug it without getting a close look (i always just
> look for the thicker plastic 'peg' rather than the symbol

For over a decade I have used a small dab of correction fluid (white out)
to indicate "this way up" on my various charging devices. Saves having to
squint and makes it speedier. As I use it on all of the chargers, I don't
have to remember "this devices thick plstic pegs goes on the right" sort of
thing.

--
Trevor S


"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
-Albert Einstein

Adrian <[email protected]> wrote:

> Ah - T616. Not T610. A clue. Obviously a 'merkin.

Hey, there's no need to be insulting here.

I'm Canadian!

> Still, if the OP wants a Nokia, he's welcome to their crappy BT half-
> implementation. <shrug, pats T610 contentedly>

Didn't know it was so bad. Too bad, as I quite miss the intuitiveness of my
old Nokia, and suspect I'll be going back to them for my next fone.



--
..............................................................................

"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to
make you commit injustices,"
-Voltaire

..............................................................................
[email protected] http://www.memeticcandiru.com

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:hRWlc.19982$U75.8963@edtnps89...
|
| Didn't know it was so bad. Too bad, as I quite miss the intuitiveness of
my
| old Nokia, and suspect I'll be going back to them for my next fone.
|
|

With the purchase of my T616 last year, I have likely left Nokia for good.
Between the features I need and the superior RF, I have jumped the fence
from Nokia to SE unless Nokia steps it up and starts worrying about building
a great phone instead of a pretty phone.

"Niall / Lina" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Raymond Del Tondo" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
> news:[email protected]...
> <snip>
> > The charger connector of the T6xx series is not bullet-proof.
> > You have to put it in with the flash symbol facing up,
> > at least the manual says it this way.
> >
> > However, on my car charger adapter,
> > the flash symbol is hardly to see and hardly to feel with the
finger
> > tips.
> >
> > So yes, this is a construction failure.
> > Not of the adapter, but of the connector of the phone.
> >
> > All my previous phones, and nearly all my other electronic devices
> > have charger connectors which can't be plugged in the wrong way.
>
> You mean you can plug in the charger to your T630 the wrong way? I
dont
> think so.... Mind you, I agree that it is not always easy to see
which way
> round to plug it without getting a close look (i always just look for
the
> thicker plastic 'peg' rather than the symbol
>
> Niall
>
I have to admit that with the original SE wall adapter (CST-13),
there's something like a 'peg' on the plug which eases orientation.
My adapter for charging the T630 in a car doesn't have that physical
mark,
so I have to take a very close look every time I use it,
which is not very comfortable when driving or when it's dark.
This wasn't needed with any previous car adapters for my previous
mobile phones,
so this is a step backwards.

Raymond

([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

>> Ah - T616. Not T610. A clue. Obviously a 'merkin.

> Hey, there's no need to be insulting here.
>
> I'm Canadian!

My wholehearted apologies.

(For calling you a 'merkin, not for you being Canadian.)

Raymond Del Tondo ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

> I have to admit that with the original SE wall adapter (CST-13),
> there's something like a 'peg' on the plug which eases orientation.
> My adapter for charging the T630 in a car doesn't have that physical
> mark,
> so I have to take a very close look every time I use it,
> which is not very comfortable when driving or when it's dark.

Erm, have you considered plugging it in BEFORE starting to drive? I mean,
call me picky, but I'd rather be comfortable in the belief that my fellow
road users were looking at the road they were using.

Adrian wrote:
>
>>>Ah - T616. Not T610. A clue. Obviously a 'merkin.
>>Hey, there's no need to be insulting here.
>>I'm Canadian!
>
>
> My wholehearted apologies.
> (For calling you a 'merkin, not for you being Canadian.)

Huh? Canada's not part of America anymore?

Actually, one of the things I like about the T-616 is the charger
connection. It's a tighter fit than my old Nokia chargers, and therefore
doesn't have the problems with coming loose and not charging when I
expect it to charge.

JPH

"Adrian" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
> Raymond Del Tondo ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they
> were saying :
>
> > I have to admit that with the original SE wall adapter (CST-13),
> > there's something like a 'peg' on the plug which eases orientation.
> > My adapter for charging the T630 in a car doesn't have that
physical
> > mark,
> > so I have to take a very close look every time I use it,
> > which is not very comfortable when driving or when it's dark.
>
> Erm, have you considered plugging it in BEFORE starting to drive? I
mean,
> call me picky, but I'd rather be comfortable in the belief that my
fellow
> road users were looking at the road they were using.
>
Yes, of course. Normally the plug will be put in when the car isn't
moving;-)
One reason is you can't concentrate on searching the small flash
symbol,
when doing other things.
And that's also the difference to the plugs for my previous phones,
where you didn't even need to look at, but apply the plug with one hand
w/o
moving away concentration and eyes from the road.

Thanks for the tip to illustrate my criticism about the T630 plug;-)

Raymond

"Raymond Del Tondo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
|
| "Adrian" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
| news:[email protected]...
| > Raymond Del Tondo ([email protected]) gurgled happily, sounding much like
| they
| > were saying :
| >
| > > I have to admit that with the original SE wall adapter (CST-13),
| > > there's something like a 'peg' on the plug which eases orientation.
| > > My adapter for charging the T630 in a car doesn't have that
| physical
| > > mark,
| > > so I have to take a very close look every time I use it,
| > > which is not very comfortable when driving or when it's dark.
| >
| > Erm, have you considered plugging it in BEFORE starting to drive? I
| mean,
| > call me picky, but I'd rather be comfortable in the belief that my
| fellow
| > road users were looking at the road they were using.
| >
| Yes, of course. Normally the plug will be put in when the car isn't
| moving;-)
| One reason is you can't concentrate on searching the small flash
| symbol,
| when doing other things.
| And that's also the difference to the plugs for my previous phones,
| where you didn't even need to look at, but apply the plug with one hand
| w/o
| moving away concentration and eyes from the road.
|
| Thanks for the tip to illustrate my criticism about the T630 plug;-)
|

unless you bought some generic (i.e. not SE) car adapter, it is impossible
to plug it in backwards. If ease of pluging a car adapter in is the only
thing you are looking for in a phone, you a right, you would be wasting
money on the T6xx, GSM phone of the year for 2003. You would be much happier
with a black and white, featureless, free phone. If you want great RF, and
need the features the T616 has, no phone comes close to it.

By the way, it is the most secure plug I have ever seen on any wireless
phone. All my older phones with pin style dipole plugs were useless if you
tried to use the phone while charging, because the "easy to insert" plug was
also entirely too easy to come out. I can very easily insert my car charger
plug without looking at, being as that it is impossible to install backwards
(SE adapter, not some cheap generic car adapter that you have to look for
the flash to keep from installing backwards.)