A Mac user’s review: Sony-Ericsson W810i
Have you ever met someone that you were crazy about initially, but then as you got to know him/her you sort of lost interest? Well, that’s the feeling I had recently about my new Sony-Ericsson W810i Walkman Phone.
With the mythical iPhone nowhere in sight and my Nokia 6600 aging (and seriously going out of style, I decided to pick up a brand new Sony-Ericsson W810i. In the beginning, I loved my new toy. It had all the features I wanted and was living up to the reviews I had read. However after using it for a while, I’ve had my impressions on the phone change slightly, and I want to add my two cents as a Mac and Sony-Ericsson phone user.
What I like
First of all, don’t get me wrong - I don’t hate the phone. In fact I think it’s a great phone. Besides the phone’s main music-playing feature which I’ll get to in a moment, the phone also comes with a 2.0 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus. Picture quality for a camera phone is quite good and you would’ve seen pics I’ve taken with the phone on this blog more than once since.
Pretty good picture quality, even in bouncy conditions (Don’t try this at home kids). Click for a larger picture.
As a phone, the W810i works really great. Calls are loud and clear, phonebook, ringtones, yada yada yada, great screen that’s crisp and bright.
Another cool thing is the voice activation function. Instead of having to press and hold a function key to deliver your voice command, you can record a specific voice command which then triggers the phone’s voice command mode. Trekkers will have a field day with this…
The phone has EDGE connectivity which combines with it’s built-in browser or my PDA to allow me mobile access that’s pretty good. I’ve been happily checking Gmail and BBC’s mobile sports news on the go.
I also really like the simple candybar form factor. The keypad is easy to press, although the main navigation and soft keys are a little cramped. It also features easy access keys to the play/pause and volume keys, and the memory card slot.
What could be better
The Sony-Ericsson W810i is billed as a Walkman Phone and it’s main draw is it’s music playing functions. As a music player, I think it’s really good. You can create playlists, adjust the equalizer and even set to shuffle mode. It handles MP3, MP4, AAC, MOV files and more. It’s also got a pretty decent loudspeaker.
The one thing I don’t like about it’s Walkman features is the phone’s connector. It uses a proprietary connector so I can’t use my own earphones. And after a month or so, the connection started to act weird, and sometimes the phone thinks that the earphones are not connected when they really are. It’s a bit embarrassing when you’re on the train when the connection acts up and the phone reverts to playing music through it’s loudspeaker. Well, I guess we’re pretty used to Sony quality issues now..
Another thing which sort of let me down is the phone’s Remote Control application. With it, you supposedly can use your phone as a Bluetooth remote control in three modes: Presenter, Media Player and Desktop. I only had success with Presenter, which worked with both PowerPoint and Keynote. Controls with Media Player and Desktop seemed crippled - I’m guessing they don’t play too nice with Macs.
Be warned though, these features work through Bluetooth and are therefore limited by it’s range. The Presenter may work great when you’re practicing your presentation in front of your Mac but when you’re standing several feet away on the real day, it’s a bit dodgy, as I found out the hard way.
What put me off
Again, I want to emphasise that the W810i plays music great. The Walkman interface is pretty good, buttons are well thought out and the W810i handles its dual role admirably.
But if you’ve ever used an iPod before, nothing else comes close.
Unlike an iPod, there’s no way you can automatically load or sync your music to the phone. Syncing features also don’t exist for Windows users, so there’s not even that consolation. All the included Disc2Phone software does is rip CDs and transfer songs. I could probably name 10 other applications that do a better job at ripping CDs.
PC Suite for Windows
Click for larger picture
Since there’s no sync option, I have to manually copy the music I want to hear. I listen to lots of podcasts and get new ones everyday, and so I’ve got to go through the process daily. There’s SyncTunes, but it’s slow and really quite clunky.
To both Windows and Mac users, do yourselves a favour and get a Memory Stick reader because the transfer rate through the USB cable is painfully slow.
Besides all that’s been said above, I’m still happy with the phone up till this point. I can live with the manual copying and with the rest of what I deem to be ‘forgivable’ flaws. However, the one thing that really put me off the phone is its inability to handle ‘dot underscore’ (._filename.ext) files.
As you know, OS X creates invisible system files in every directory. These files have filenames that begin with the ‘._’ which you can’t see on a Mac, but if you’ve copied files to a Windows machine on a thumbdrive or similar, you will notice them.
Back to the phone. The W810i just chokes and crashes when it encounters these files while playing music. If there are any dot underscore files in the music folder, the phone crashes so badly that you can’t even switch it off. You have to remove the battery to reset the phone.
So, in addition to having to copy my music over manually, I’ve got to go into the phone’s file manager to delete all related the dot underscore files. Then I’ve got to build a playlist first before I can play them. It’s too much work just to get to my music, and that was the last straw. I don’t love my phone the same anymore.
Conclusion
Again, I’m not saying the W810i is a bad phone. And I realise that the reason it doesn’t work that great for me is because I’m on a Mac - I’m sure PC users will find their experience with the phone much better.
What I am saying is that if you’re a Mac user and considering this phone, be aware of the issues that will affect you and factor that into your decision. Perhaps you would want to consider one of the Motorola phones that come with iTunes. Or if you are intent on Sony-Ericsson, perhaps the Cybershot range would be a better choice.
I don’t hate the phone, I just have a different impression of it now then I first had in the beginning. With the benefit of hindsight, allow me to offer you this bit of advice - stick to your iPod for music. At least until Apple releases the iPhone, which according to rumours could be in early January next year.
46 Comments
lol.. im using 6681 and i tot w810i was pretty cool too. maybe if i get enuf moolah, i’d get a new phone. coz i just got a new laptop.. sigh.not apple tho.. wanted to get the macbook pro wif my uni student discount but then.. most of the softwares for assignments and tutes aren’t compatible. double sigh
Hi Alex, nice of you to drop by. What software can’t you use on a Mac? Anyway all Intel Macs can now run Windows, so what was stopping you?
One more thing I’d like to add about Sony-Ericsson phones - I think they’re more value-for-money than Nokia. Mine came with a memory stick and all the USB cables. With nokia you would have to buy the cables separately.
There’s nothing like sticking to the Ipod for music. I hardly use my Walkman phone for music, only when there’s no Ipod in site
[...] Ok I’ve calmed down now. Let me explain. My first generation iPod shuffle had been acting weird. Plugging it in wouldn’t mount it. iTunes couldn’t see it. Pressing play caused it’s lights to flicker wildly. And the iPod Updaters couldn’t fix it. So, broken-hearted and thinking that my iPod had kicked the bucket, I thought I would find solace in a new toy, only to fall out of love with it quickly. [...]
It’s true that the music features don’t perform as seamless as one would expect them to, but personally I find the user interface of sony ericsson phones to be the biggest plus offered. You might not notice it at first, but all the trivial things like moving / copying / deleting items as well as flexibility of the sub-menu options at any menu does the job just right.
But I do have an iPod mini too
Quick question:
Can I transfer music files from iTunes on my iMac to this phone, or can do I have to install the music kit software, re-rip the same music to that and then transfer songs to the phone?
Did that make sense?
Thx
Hi Brian,
I think I understand your question. You can drag music from iTunes directly into the phone’s memory card through the Finder.
You interested in getting this phone? Make me an offer if you want mine.
Dave
Dave,
I already ordered the phone through Amazon (which prompts a second question). Does anyone know if I can keep m old cell number even though I bought my phone and plan through Amazon, not Cingular?
Back to Dave, you didn’t like your phone? I’m glad to hear I can drag and drop with out converting songs, like I had to with my PSP. Thanks for the info.
Hi Brian,
I’m sorry I really wouldn’t know about your cell phone plan. I’m based in Malaysia. Maybe http://www.macncell.com or even Engadget will have more info.
I DO like my phone. It’s just that all the extra niggles makes it less awesome than it could be. Like I said in my review, if you’re a Mac user and considering this phone, be aware of the issues that will affect you and factor that into your decision. Since you’ve already got that info and went ahead and bought the phone, I guess they’re not such great issues for you.
Have fun with your new phone!
Thanks Dave!
Dave,
What phone would you buy tomorrow if you sold your W810i? Just curious. I’m considering the Sony and the Moto Slab, but not liking the slab buttons and the limit on the number of songs.
Thanks for the review!
Hi Dean, I wouldn’t know which phone I would buy immediately. I would probably get the Sony K800i - a cameraphone and stick to my iPod for music. I’m not sure I would want to buy a music phone at all. However, the Nokia 5300 Xpress Music phone looks pretty cool (see features and a demo).
Dave,
Me again. Were you ever able to set music files (your mp3, etc files) as ringtones for specific contacts? Also, were you able to transfer music purchased on iTunes to your phone? I’m having problems with both. Thanks.
Brian
Hey Brian, how are you doing?
To set music files as a ringtone for individual contacts, open your address book and edit a contact. In edit mode under the 3rd tab, you can set the contact’s picture, ringtone and voice command.
You’re out of luck with your iTunes music. Apple designed them to play only on their Macs and iPods. Welcome to the shit that is DRM.
All the best!
[...] This is a big warning shot over the bow for phone makers. Compare Motorola’s previous ROKR to this and the iPhone makes the ROKR so last century. Darn, my phone suddenly looks outdated. It’s actually got buttons! Prediction: Expect a slew of buttonless phones from other phone manufacturers after this. [...]
Lemme get this straight. You can plug the camera into an OS X Mac via USB and iPhoto will pop up ready to download the photos from the camera?
Also, can you put photos taken on the phone’s camera onto an inserted Memory Stick (without connecting to a computer)?
I want to avoid having to pay a fee each time I want to transfer a file through an email transmission or something like that. I just want the phone to show up on my desktop via USB and i can download the photos right there. Can someone please confirm.
Sony confirmed for me that you have two settings in the camera for where photos get stored: internal memory and memory stick. But they couldn’t confirm that I could download the photos via USB or even put the memory stick into a card reader and download the photos to my mac (OS 10.3.9 1st gen iMac G5).
I called Sony three separate times and no one could confirm. I called Cingular twice and both times they wanted to forward me to Sony. I visited two Cingular stores and no one could confirm. I am very frustrated right now. Can anyone help?
Hi moose,
You’re right, there are 2 settings for where photos get stored. If you want to download the photos into iPhoto via USB, you’ll need to store them in the Memory Stick.
To download photos via USB, first launch iPhoto. Then connect your phone via the USB cable. The phone will detect the USB cable and ask you to choose File Transfer mode or Phone mode. Choose File Transfer mode and your Memory Stick will mount on the desktop. At this point, iPhoto will detect it too and ask you to import the photos.
Alternatively you could take our your Memory Stick, and plug it into your Mac via a card reader.
Over here in Malaysia our phones are sold unlocked. So if it’s a Cingular issue I really can’t help you bro. Take care.
thanks for the reply, blogjunkie!
hey i just got the w810i and have a powerbook. my question is - if i want to drag and drop music onto the phone via usb, what folder do i put it in? nothing pops up when the USB is used that seems to be an obvious choice, not to mention all the folders are empty. thanks if you can point me in the right direction. i just got the phone so i may be missing something here.
okay sorry about the above. for some reason when i first plugged the phone into the computer via USB, the memory stick didn’t show up. so i’ve gotten a few songs on there and they’re playing fine. but if i try to set one as the ringtone, it doesn’t work and in fact the phone says “cannot play this sound” when i attempt to play during ringtone selection. maybe it’s worth noting that only here does the underscore in the song title show up, not in the player. i’d like to set these songs as a ring tone so i wonder if anyone can be of help.
man i’m on a roll. sorry again. i scrolled down in ringtones and saw the actual files for the songs are playable (don’t know why a song shows up as two files). however they are not selectable as ringtones. am i really stuck with the cheesy tones that come with the phone? unless i want to buy more i suppose. or write my own hahaha.
Hey cortez, don’t worry about all your comments. The songs don’t really show up as two files. You actually get yourfile.mp3 and ._yourfile.mp3. The phone can’t read the 2nd file. You’ve got to delete the ‘dot underscore’ files or they will crash your phone (see What Put Me Off section in the review).
Also, the files have to be in the right folder to be read by the phone. Make sure you put them into Phone Card/MSSEMC/Media Files/audio
Last of all, your phone can’t play all the different formats of files. If you’ve bought the music off iTunes, they won’t play because they’re protected by DRM. Hope this helps.
thanks blogjunkie. as for where the files go, i put them in a folder on the memorystick called “mp3″ … didn’t see the one you’re referring to, but i didn’t look either. since it’s playing the files fine, i guess i’m good to go unless there is a way to make the files available for ringtones. also, what’s the best way to delete files? can you just do it through the phone? thanks again.
Yeah, it’s got to be in that folder I told you. And you can just delete files from the phone fine.
Thanks for this quick way to get to use my new walkman… Does anybody know if its possible to transfere contacts from my adress-list on my mac to the phone? Or if there is any way to find/transfere the contacts lost in the old phone (the display is broken, cant navigate)
gosh ina, that sounds really tough. you should try asking the Mac ‘n’ Cell blog (http://macncell.com/) - those guys are experts in Macs and cellphones
So i’m about to get a Sony Ericsson 810i.
and now I see the issues with the phone and my mac, but then it seems about every phone out there has em.
I just wont do the itunes phones…cant bring myself to pay the same amount for the vga camera.
just turn my tummy
the card’s external jack is also a pro i’m seeing, cause alot of other phones have the memory under the battery.
As for mega music play i’ll stick to the ipod. andnot go for the gig stick. just have a couple of smaller sticks i can load up like mix tapes.
pod casts are for ipods anyway
as for the yucky fike thing. i’m think’in with tinkertools
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/11967
you can set finder so as not to create .ds_store files over the network.
This may work with the phone as well. what do you think?
I’m getting the phone tomorrow. so i’ll update my progress. I also have some other finder related app’s that block invisable file storage or can be set to stop their creation for a time.
i really just want sassy ringtones lol. and a few songs to listen to on smoke brakes at work.
I’ll let you know what i learn from my tinkering with the phone.
seems their has to be a way around it.
also the mac site said that isync for os 10.4.9 works with the sony ericsson 810i. are you on 10.4.9?
and my dad works for cingular so i’ll try and get some straight answers out of the techs about this baby.
Pieces and parts
rook
Hi Rook,
Yeah TinkerTool does help with the dot underscore files. And you’re right, OS X 10.4.9 does bring support for the W810i. Do come back and share your experience when you buy the phone.
All the best!
So so far tinkertools seems to work. it droped one ._ file thats all. easy to delete.
i do however find the fact that both the headphones and power are the same port. well annoying. i wanted to listen to it while i slept. and have it chargeing. cant as it is.
i’m looking around for a cradle or such that will allow this.
as for the ringtone issue.
i think the file has to be smaller than 50 sec. i cut parts of mp3’s arounf 25 sec each and have had no problems. Audacity is a great app for this.
it’s alittle work but then yyou get what you want. and thats why i like mac anyway. it does what i want and nothing more.
overall i’m lov’in the phone.
the camera is very nnice. the memory card use is supa fly. i’m working on “mix tapes” now for it. was great for on the way to work.
so i gues the head phone jack is my personal gripe.
more latter
Hi! i have a nokia 5300 and i was wondering how i can put my music as my ringtone.
Here are two options for syncing music from iTunes that I have found (both free I think):
http://ilari.scheinin.fidisk.fi/itunemywalkman/
http://www.nesfield.co.uk/synctunes/
This program is designed to keep .DS_Store and other such files off of external and network drives (not free unfortunately, but more automatic).
http://www.zeroonetwenty.com/blueharvest/
Also, if you are using a Mac and having trouble ejecting the W810i, check this article:
http://homepage.mac.com/cherrypop/iblog/C1900478167/E20060929113354/index.html
Unfortunately I have only just gotten my W810i and haven’t gotten to test these extensively yet, but check them out if you are interested.
hey there. i just bought the 810i and am having an issue. I have over 2000 contacts and it is telling me that it can’t fit them all. Currently there is a 128 memory card in there and I am upgrading to a 2GB tomorrow. Is that my issue? Why was it that no other phone has had this problem? Thanks.
Hi cleetus, I hate to break it to you man, but the w810i has a address book limit of only 500 contacts. that’s one department where it stinks.
OH MY GOODNESS. So will a 2GB memory card do anything for me?
That is nuts.
hey, i bought the slvr l7 outside of cingular so it didn’t come with itunes. it instead came with another mp3 player but the data kit i was supposed to use wasn’t compatible with mac so i can’t listen to my music!!!! so now im wanting to buy this phone but i really want to make sure that the music will play so will i be able to transfer music through the usb cable even if i have a mac? and how many songs can it hold?
—that other LX
Hi LX, here’s the lowdown.
You can transfer music via USB just fine. However, it will be slow so I suggest getting an external card reader.
Any music you rip from CDs (MP3s and AACs) into iTunes can play on the phone. However music purchased from iTunes CAN’T play because of DRM. However you can play DRM-free EMI songs bought from iTunes on the phone when they start to offer it in May.
The number of song you can fit on the phone depends on the Sony Memory Stick. You’ll fit about 100 songs on a 512MB Memory Stick.
That being said, I still think that it’s not a great music player. I prefer using my iPod to play my music.
just wanted to thank yall for the helpful comments. im in the market for a new phone, and i think im going to buy the w810 and figure out the mac issues when i get one for college. for now, my PC will have to deal with the new phone.
this article (and the comments) was greatly appreciated and helpful. thanks again.
Manual for w810i says that capacity of address book is 1000 contacts.
Well as you know I have a K800i phone. I’m quite happy with it. I really don’t listen to Nokia fans raving how their phones can be much better than the K800i because as far as I’m concerned, I’m now a Sony Ericsson fan.
Hi im planning on gettin the W810i for my birthday,but i really want a phone what can hold quite alot of songs because im always listening to music of my mobile. So does anyone know how many songs it holds ?
Hi Tammy, the number of songs depends on the capacity of the Memory Stick you buy. 512MB holds about 120 songs. Keep in mind you will share that capacity with the photos you take too.
i am currently using a nokia 6111 that cant access a memory card. im thinking of getting the w810i as well but i dont know if it can handle a 1gb memory card. i heard it can handle 500 songs.
Hi all!
Very interesting information! Thanks!
Bye
Danny…
\”…There are various designs to choose from; ear buds that are similar to the headphones that come packaged with your iPod…\”…
hi, thanks for all that info…i’ve been going crazy trying to figure out why my phone keeps crashing every time i play music, and no one at rogers new what the problem was, so now i know. The only thing is that it freezes within a couple seconds so how to do get all the file extensions changed in time? Also, do you use the disk2phone software because I didn’t think it worked on MACs. Can you suggest any other software that I could use to transfer my music? Thanks!!
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