Sony Ericsson menus stupid?

I got a Sony Ericsson T316 a couple months ago to replace an Ericsson that
would no longer connect. Am I missing something or does my new phone have
some of the most inconvenient menus and options ever devised?

The layers of menus that one has to go through for frequently used tasks
like to dial a stored number or to do something like, say, switch from ring
to vibrate, or look up the number of a missed call, is simply ridiculous.
Unless (I pray) there are some quick ways that I am not aware of. And is
there even an option to shift the number of an incoming or outgoing call
direclty into the phonebook and label it? Now I kinda wish I had taken the
Nokia I was offered at the time. Next time around I better do some
research. I can live with this--as long as it works I'll be fine--but boy
is it lame. What were they thinking?

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"Steve Kraus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I got a Sony Ericsson T316 a couple months ago to replace an Ericsson that
> would no longer connect. Am I missing something or does my new phone have
> some of the most inconvenient menus and options ever devised?
>
> The layers of menus that one has to go through for frequently used tasks
> like to dial a stored number or to do something like, say, switch from
ring
> to vibrate, or look up the number of a missed call, is simply ridiculous.
> Unless (I pray) there are some quick ways that I am not aware of. And is
> there even an option to shift the number of an incoming or outgoing call
> direclty into the phonebook and label it? Now I kinda wish I had taken
the
> Nokia I was offered at the time. Next time around I better do some
> research. I can live with this--as long as it works I'll be fine--but boy
> is it lame. What were they thinking?

Hoping it works the same as the t300 . . .

To switch to vibrate quickly:
Find the vibrate setting the "long way," and set vibrate function to "on if
silent." Leave it like that, you won't need to touch it again. Then when
you want to switch to vibrate, from the main screen (time/signal meter)
press the option key below the YES key, and select silent mode. Do the same
to return to normal ringing.


For other tasks:
Make use of the shortcut menu. From the main screen, just push the joystick
left (menu will come up with shortcut option highlighted) and press YES.
That menu can be customized to include all kinds of options. If for some
reason you want to leave the ringer on and just toggle the vibrate feature,
you can add the vibrate setting to this menu. There are a LOT of things it
lets you add.


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Steve Kraus <[email protected]> wrote:

> The layers of menus that one has to go through for frequently
> used tasks

If it's the same structure as the T39 (which I presume), then
there are quite a decent number of shortcuts.

> like to dial a stored number

Pressing and holding [2] to [9] keys gives you immediate access to
the phone book, at the beginning of the entries with the first
letter on the key. Further hits of the same (or any other) key
dongles between the other letters on this key.

> or to do something like, say, switch from ring to vibrate,

As has been said, first set the vibrator to "on if silent" mode.
But from them, no need to access the menu: Press [C] key for a
second or two, confirm. Same way back.

> or look up the number of a missed call,

Just hit [YES] once, and you're in the calling list; little icons
show you the type of the calls (active/passive/missed).

> is simply ridiculous. Unless (I pray) there are some quick ways
> that I am not aware of. And is there even an option to shift
> the number of an incoming or outgoing call direclty into the
> phonebook and label it?

No, it's the other way round. Go into menu -> phone book -> add
contact / edit contact. When you're at the approprate number
entry, hitting [left] and [Unsaved nos.] brings you to the list;
select and hit [YES]. Don't forget to save before exit.

M.

"Michael Pronay" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Steve Kraus <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > The layers of menus that one has to go through for frequently
> > used tasks
>
> If it's the same structure as the T39 (which I presume), then
> there are quite a decent number of shortcuts.
>
> > like to dial a stored number
>
> Pressing and holding [2] to [9] keys gives you immediate access to
> the phone book, at the beginning of the entries with the first
> letter on the key. Further hits of the same (or any other) key
> dongles between the other letters on this key.
>
> > or to do something like, say, switch from ring to vibrate,
>
> As has been said, first set the vibrator to "on if silent" mode.
> But from them, no need to access the menu: Press [C] key for a
> second or two, confirm. Same way back.
>
> > or look up the number of a missed call,
>
> Just hit [YES] once, and you're in the calling list; little icons
> show you the type of the calls (active/passive/missed).
>
> > is simply ridiculous. Unless (I pray) there are some quick ways
> > that I am not aware of. And is there even an option to shift
> > the number of an incoming or outgoing call direclty into the
> > phonebook and label it?
>
> No, it's the other way round. Go into menu -> phone book -> add
> contact / edit contact. When you're at the approprate number
> entry, hitting [left] and [Unsaved nos.] brings you to the list;
> select and hit [YES]. Don't forget to save before exit.
>
> M.

Not to mention the "my shortcuts" menu.

Has to be another "Nokia Desciple"...............

--
Antz,
Part of the UKtm family.


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">-@LuVbuG@-<" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Not to mention the "my shortcuts" menu.

The problem with the shortcut menu is you can't have a shortcut to it!
Selecting the 1st in the list is easy enough but there are too mant
steps to get to the list itself to make it useful IMO.

>
> Has to be another "Nokia Desciple"...............

However, his last phone was an Ericsson. I know what you mean about
Nokia devotees hating the SE UIs. I personally am underwhelmed by the
Nokia's but not to the extent I want to go to war over it. I wouldn't be
surprised if Nokia's market share drops quite far simply because they
can't stay top dog for ever in such a fashion aware market.

"Q" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> Not to mention the "my shortcuts" menu.

> The problem with the shortcut menu is you can't have a shortcut
> to it!

Hmm. On my T39 it's [arrow {left or right}] and [7]. That's short
enough - at least for me.

M.

Michael Pronay - typed:
> "Q" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>> Not to mention the "my shortcuts" menu.
>
>> The problem with the shortcut menu is you can't have a shortcut
>> to it!
>
> Hmm. On my T39 it's [arrow {left or right}] and [7]. That's short
> enough - at least for me.
>
> M.

As it is with my T39 (the best phone ever at launch IMO). The T610/310
need too many presses of the joystick. A shortcut to the shortcut menu
would be useful for this reason.

Q wrote:

[Shortcut to shortcut menu?]
>> Hmm. On my T39 it's [arrow {left or right}] and [7]. That's short
>> enough - at least for me.

And not to forget voice commands. You can't really have it more convenient
than that. :-)


> As it is with my T39 (the best phone ever at launch IMO).

I challenge that and award the prize to the R520m, the best business phone
that ever came from Ericsson. It excels the T39 with an extra "option key",
a hands free speaker and a much bigger and easier to read display. :-))
BTW: I've noticed that the EL display really suffers from a significant loss
of brightness over a period of two years. If I compare the brandnew display
in my R520 to the old one in my T39, I realise a tremendous difference. Time
to change displays on the T39, I'd say.


> The T610/310
> need too many presses of the joystick. A shortcut to the shortcut menu
> would be useful for this reason.

I've never understood (and will probably never understand) why Ericsson
wanted to be "super clever" and substituted the menu keys with that stupid
joystick as that tiny little knob is anything but joy. The SE phone on which
the joystick works quicker than the menu keys is still to be built. :-(


Kind regards,
Olaf

Use "reply to" address for e-mail, please.

"Olaf Peuss" <[email protected]> wrote:

[Shortcut to shortcut menu?]

>>> Hmm. On my T39 it's [arrow {left or right}] and [7]. That's
>>> short enough - at least for me.

> And not to forget voice commands. You can't really have it more
> convenient than that. :-)

They might be more convenient, but take slightly longer - at least
imho.

M.

Michael Pronay wrote:

>> And not to forget voice commands. You can't really have it more
>> convenient than that. :-)
>
> They might be more convenient, but take slightly longer - at least
> imho.

Aye, but isn't it nice to know that at least one or two things in the world
work exactly the way you tell them to? :-))


Kind regards,
Olaf

Use "reply to" address for e-mail, please.

"Q" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Michael Pronay - typed:
> > "Q" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>> Not to mention the "my shortcuts" menu.
> >
> >> The problem with the shortcut menu is you can't have a shortcut
> >> to it!
> >
> > Hmm. On my T39 it's [arrow {left or right}] and [7]. That's short
> > enough - at least for me.
> >
> > M.
>
> As it is with my T39 (the best phone ever at launch IMO). The T610/310
> need too many presses of the joystick. A shortcut to the shortcut menu
> would be useful for this reason.
>

610:

1) Press joystick to get into menu
2) press 3

Voila - "My shortcuts" - What's so difficult about that??

--
Antz,
Part of the UKtm family.


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">-@LuVbuG@-<" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> 610:
>
> 1) Press joystick to get into menu
> 2) press 3
>
> Voila - "My shortcuts" - What's so difficult about that??
>
That's cheating! Also takes 3 steps from Standby I often use the
number keys to access a menu item but it never occurred to me to do the
same for the icon menu - doh! Point taken Guys.

Olaf Peuss - typed:
> I challenge that and award the prize to the R520m, the best business
> phone that ever came from Ericsson. It excels the T39 with an extra
> "option key", a hands free speaker and a much bigger and easier to
> read display. :-)) BTW: I've noticed that the EL display really
> suffers from a significant loss of brightness over a period of two
> years. If I compare the brandnew display in my R520 to the old one in
> my T39, I realise a tremendous difference. Time to change displays on
> the T39, I'd say.

The R520m is still easily available (£67 sim free), unlike the T39. The
advantage of the T39 is its size & flip, if little else. I still use
mine from time to time & did wonder if the display was originally that
dim! It was always dimmer than my T28 though.