Cellphone Reviews Blog

Sony Ericsson W760a Phone Red ATandT

Packed with entertainment features and great innovations to take music and gaming interaction to the next level, the Sony Ericsson w760a for AT&T can quickly download video, music and more over AT&T’s lightning quick HSPDA 3G network. Additionally, this GPS-enabled phone can access the AT&T Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions as well as its Video Share serve, which enables you to send video of yourself to another compatible phone while making a voice call.

This Walkman phone includes the innovative “shake to shuffle” feature, which randomly chooses another song stored on your phone with just a flick of the wrist. This phone is also great for gaming, thanks to that built-in motion sensor that enables you to tilt the phone to control gameplay. Other features include a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth 2.0 for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, Memory Stick Micro (M2) expansion, access to personal email and instant messaging services, and up to 3.5 hours of talk time.

Take advantage of AT&T services including Mobile Music, Video Share, and AT&T Navigator turn-by-turn directions.

AT&T Service Options
This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band UMTS 850/1900 MHz network, and this phone is also compatible with 2100 MHz 3G networks (found in international territories). The AT&T 3G network provides download speeds ranging from 700 Kbps to 1.7 Mbps, and upload speeds ranging from 500 Kbps to 1.2 Mbps. This makes it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services, and it gives you the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services. (For use outside the United States, an AT&T international data plan is recommended.)

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you’ll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it’s fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You’ll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company’s 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.) A majority of users in the architecture, engineering and construction industries rated the ability to share live video through Video Share highly, according to research commissioned by AT&T. Video Share lets you see progress on a job site or review the day’s work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so.

You can take advantage of the AT&T Navigator GPS software and service, a full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Cellular Video (CV) service and the Internet while on the go. Cellular Video features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster and eMusic subscription music services, stream music video, discover what’s playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what’s hot with The Buzz music news portal. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T’s Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T’s MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

The integrated accelerometer lets you shuffle music by shaking and play games by tilting the phone.

Phone Features
The slider-style w760a features a top face with a 2.2-inch, 262K-color LCD screen (240 x 320-pixel resolution), five-way navigator (with music play/pause button in the center) and standard send/end and soft navigation keys. The phone slides smoothly up to reveal the alpha-numeric keypad. The phone has a 32 MB internal memory, which can be expanded via optional Memory Stick Micro (M2) media (up to 4 GB in size). The internal phonebook can store up to 1000 contact entries with space for up to 7 numbers per entry and support for picture and ringer ID.

This Walkman phone offers a full-function digital audio player that’s compatible with MP3 and AAC files, and it includes Sony Ericsson’s innovative “shake to shuffle” feature. With Shake Control activated, just flick your wrist and a vibration lets you know that the track has been changed–a new song from your current playlist is randomly selected and automatically played. Playback settings also include an equalizer, playlists, stereo widening, and shuffle and loop modes. This Walkman phone features MegaBass enhancement for added depth of sound, a flight mode that lets you keep listening to tunes with the phone’s network connectivity turned off, and the PlayNow feature that enables you to download new music tones directly to the phone.

Sony Ericsson’s SensMe technology is used to incorporate mood analysis into the track details, which allows you to create playlists that suit your mood. Select SensMe in the downloadable Sony Ericsson Media Manager software, and it will mood-analyze all MP3 files on the computer. When you transfer music from a CD or a PC to your phone using Media Manager, the tracks will automatically be analysed. Instead of selecting tracks for your next playlist, just select your mood.

With the W760, gaming is more fun than ever. The integrated accelerometer allows you to shake or tilt the W760a to simulate motion while playing video games, and dedicated A and B gaming buttons also allow extra control and interactivity. The intuitive Media User Interface rotates depending on how you’re holding the phone, so you can see everything you need at a glance. Auto rotate works for photos, videos and games.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 2.0 wireless connectivity with EDR (enhanced data rate), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and audio/video remote control. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking–surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

The built-in 3.2 megapixel camera captures stills and video–and playback of video or still pictures is only limited to the memory card size (or capped at 20 seconds for sending via MMS). You can choose from four resolution sizes and two quality settings for still photos, and it also features white balance and brightness adjustments, digital zoom (up to 3.2x), night mode, panorama, and multi-shot mode. It provides support for PictBridge technology so you can print your photos without the need of a PC (either using USB or Bluetooth). Video clips can be shot at up to QVGA resolution (320 x 240 pixels) at 30 frames per second (fps).

The phone also ships with a built-in email client with support for POP3 and IMAP4 protocols, while the included Access NetFront Web Browser allows you to surf full HTML web sites. It also supports RSS feeds, allowing you to use your phone to view up-to-the-minute news and other content from selected Web sites and blogs. Just subscribe to the feed and let it come to you. Support is built in for sending and receiving text, video, graphics and sound via messages. T9 text entry, a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit–a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.

Other features include:

• Flight mode allows you to safely use the non-wireless functions of this phone (such as music, games, or organizer functions) on an airplane during flight
• Instant messaging via AOL, Windows Live, Yahoo!
• Organizational tools: calendar, calculator, alarm clock, tasks, timer, notes, stopwatch
• USB mass storage capabilities
• Polyphonic and MP3 ringtones, vibrating alert
• Speakerphone
• Voice dialing and voice commands
• Built-in FM radio

Vital Statistics
The Sony Ericsson w760a weighs 3.6 ounces and measures 4.05 x 1.9 x 0.6 inches. Its 930 mAh lithium-polymer battery is rated at up to 3.5 hours of talk time, and up to 240 hours (10 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as AT&T’s 850/1900 MHz 3G frequencies (UMTS/HSDPA).

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Nice phone but definitely not great!
I recently upgraded from my old w810i to w760a. Found that the phone is pretty much same as w810 w/o any much upgrades…Definitely don’t use GPS coz don’t have data plan. So that upgrade doesn’t matter me.

Goods:

1. Camera is better as always was

2. 3G capability

3. Navigator…those who don’t have GPS but have data plan (i wouldn’t like to have data plan unless i have iPhone)

4. better resolution

Bads:

1. Network – I used to get full signal with my old w810 at my home. Now with new 760 i no longer get full network. Also i have observed overall network strength has decreased at number of places. At places, some 10$ cheap nokia phone gives full network whereas my w760a doesn’t…Haven’t seen any noticeable change in dropped call but donno whether people have noticed it while reaching me…

2. Battery life – Compared to 810 battery life is half…My 810 used to last for 3/4 days for sure w/o much talking…But with same amount of talking my 760 doesn’t even last 2 days…Also takes little longer to charge the full batter as compared to 810.

3. Memory card – I had sony’s proprietary pro duo 2g card for 810. now its useless since they have changed the card format…its awful and i hate it…

3 Stars Just don’t like Sliders
I’ve owned a Motorola Razr for years and like the large keypad for ease of dialing. The Voice dial is exceptional and the keys are responsive, which takes me to why I had to sell the Sony W760a. The voice dial set up is terrible. Took me a long time to activate 3 entries and it is entry specific. The Razr allows you to voice dial ANY entry on your Sim card after you activate the feature. Also, the Sony has an annnoying delay after entry of numbers and data. The slider feature is attractive but several times when I thought the keys were locked, I was actvating the browser! It showed on my bill. So, I’m back to my Razr and other flip phones.

1 Star One HUGE Negative!!
The only way you can plug in your ear buds is buy a bulky accessory that plugs into where you plug it in to charge it, then it won’t fit into any carrying case. So if you want to listen to the walkman on earbuds you have to carry the phone around in your hand every where you go. I always do my homework before I buy a product. This time I didn’t. Great reminder to me – ALWAYS DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BUY. That word “Walkman” cast a magic spell over me that got me to ‘assume’ you could of course plug your ear buds into it. Fooled me Sony Ericsson. Thanks a lot. NOT.

1 Star w760a is J U N K
i am on my 2nd w760a now. my replacement phone has the same problems as the previous one. lockups, shutdowns, problems with bluetooth (on multiple bluetooth devices). i got this phone because i was tired of carrying around a bulky “smart” phone…but this is ridiculous. I had a motorola razr that lasted for about 5 years with never any single issue what so ever. additionally, all the extra accessories you have to buy on this thing are ridiculous. i can honestly say i will never again purchase another sony phone, or probably any other product. oh, and all these problems happen with the ATT software, or debranded. if you have this phone and don’t have any problems, at this point i would recommend you buy a lotto ticket.

3 Stars Not perfect, but a very good non-smart phone.
I bought this phone to replace a Moto Slver S7. The reception and voice quality on this phone is generally superior and the screen is very nice. The sliding parts feel sturdy and I doubt they will break any time soon. This phone is also surprisingly light weight given how sturdy it feels.

The phone does have two issues which are big negatives for me. The battery life is generally short. Perhaps I expect too much since the Slvr had such fantastic battery life, but charging my phone every 2-3 days or so is irritating. From what I gather this battery life is about as good as other phones that are available now, but it is still disappointing. The second issue is that the bluetooth is bothersome to turn off manually. I only use bluetooth when I’m in my car and this phone either leaves it on all the time or off all the time. In order to turn it on and off you must flip through 5 menus. (You can link a shortcut to the handsfree menu, but not to the bluetooth menu.)

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EDIT: The problem that I describe above does not actually exist. I decided to investigate this issue a few days after I wrote the review and it turns out that you can set a button to automatically turn the BT on and off. No menus or any of that mess. It’s actually very convenient! I would add a star to this review if it were allowed.

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Another odd thing is that they do not package an ear-bud or computer connection cable or memory card with the phone. I suppose that since I paid $.01 for the phone I cannot hold that against them.

Buy/More Info

Samsung Rugby A837 Phone Yellow ATandT

Ideal for on-site field services, the ruggedized Samsung Rugby for AT&T can take just about anything you can throw at it. This highly durable handset is certified to Military Standard MIL-STD 810F standards that’s perfect for users like construction foremen and landscape designers. In addition to access to AT&T Navigation turn-by-turn direction service, the Rugby also features compatibility with Push to Talk communication, Enterprise Paging, and AT&T’s breakthrough Video Share calling services. This quad-band GSM phone runs on AT&T’s dual-band 3G (HSDPA/UMTS) network, for fast downloads and seamless video calls. It also offers a 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD memory expansion to 8 GB, Bluetooth for handsfree communication and stereo music streaming, access to personal email and instant messaging, and up to 5 hours of talk time.

The ruggedized Samsung Rugby is certified to Military Standard MI-SID-810F, withstanding dust, shock vibrations, rain, humidity, solar radiation and altitude and temperature extremes.

AT&T Service Options
This AT&T phone can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas. The AT&T 3G network uses the dual-band UMTS 850/1900 MHz network (also known as WCDMA), making it possible to enjoy a variety of feature-rich wireless multimedia services. It also gives AT&T the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, you’ll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it’s fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go. You’ll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Video Share service, which enables you to send a live, one-way video stream to another compatible phone during a standard voice call. The service also allows you to switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. (Customers must be in an area served by the company’s 3G network and have a Video Share-enabled phone.) A majority of users in the architecture, engineering and construction industries rated the ability to share live video through Video Share highly, according to research commissioned by AT&T. Video Share lets you see progress on a job site or review the day’s work without having to drive from an office or other site to do so.

This 3G-enabled handset is compatible with AT&T’s Video Share calling.

You can take advantage of the AT&T Navigator GPS software and service, a full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. Additionally, AT&T Navigator is the only mobile phone-based GPS service that provides integrated speech recognition for address entry and points of interest search.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Cellular Video (CV) service and the Internet while on the go. Cellular Video features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. And you get access to AT&T Mobile Music, which enables you to buy tracks while on the, access the Napster subscription music service, stream music video, discover what’s playing with Music ID song-recognition software, and find out what’s hot with The Buzz music news portal. (A MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T’s Internet, video, and music services.)

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T’s MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more.

Small business and enterprise customers also have the option to use AT&T’s Enterprise Paging to connect quickly to its workforce from a central location. Enterprise Paging is an AT&T-hosted service that allows a centralized dispatch system administrator to build customized group distribution lists of workers in the field and to send group notifications via text messaging. Workers can respond immediately or take the appropriate action in the message.

With its built-in A-GPS, you can use the optional AT&T Navigator service to get you to your destination with points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation.

The Rugby features a rubberized and metal casing that is easy to grip.

Phone Features
The rugged clamshell Rugby is certified to military standard MIL-STD-810F to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, solar radiation, altitude and temperature extremes, and it features a rubberized and metal casing that is easy to grip. The exterior of the phone has a large speaker for easy Push to Talk (PTT) communication as well as a small LCD screen that displays current time, incoming calls, signal strength, and battery life. The interior 2-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and a 262K color depth. The phone has a 128 MB internal memory, which can be expanded via optional microSD memory cards (up to 8 GB in size). The phonebook can hold up to 1000 contact entries with up to 6 numbers per entry. It also offers 8 one-touch dialing numbers and support for picture and ringer ID.

Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated full duplex speakerphone–perfect for conference calling from the office or on the road. This phone provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking–surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

The 1.3-megapixel camera provides three resolution choices (1280 x 960, 640 x 480, and 320 x 320 pixels), and it features a 4x digital zoom, multi-shot capabilities (up to 9 shots in a row), brightness adjustment, and a self-timer. Additionally, you can capture videos in QCIF resolution up to 1 hour in length (as well as audio clips of that length), as long as you have space available on your memory card.

Whether on a trip to a new job site or looking for a place to eat lunch in a new area, Rugby is aGPS-capable, which means AT&T Navigator can get you there with points of interest and turn-by-turn navigation. Assisted-GPS technology allows Rugby to locate itself to get you headed in the right direction quickly.

Other features include:

• Push to Talk (PTT) enables you to pull an entire work group into a wireless call from a PTT session as well as set one’s own status to available, unavailable, do not disturb and more.
• Organizer tools: Calendar, Calculator, Currency Converter, Tasks, Note, Alarm, World Time
• Instant messaging services: AOL, Windows Live, Yahoo!
• Access to personal email
• SMS text and MMS multimedia messaging
• T9 predictive text entry
• Music playback formats: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WMA, 3GP, MP4, M4A
• Any key answer
• 64-chord polyphonic ringtones, real music ringtones, and vibrating alert
• Multi-lingual display (English, French, Spanish)
• Bluetooth version 2.0 with the following profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BPP (basic printing profile for text, email), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), OPP (object push for business cards, calendar items, and pictures)

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Rugby weighs 4.66 ounces and measures 3.95 x 2.05 x 0.9 inches. Its 1000 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 250 hours (10+ days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as 850/1900 MHz 3G frequencies (UMTS/HSDPA).

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Not As Tough As It Looks
THE YELLOW MODEL MAY NOT BE A GOOD CHOICE. With the military specs and all, I thought this phone would be a tank. In the first hour after I bought it, I placed the phone in my pocket with my old phone, a Sony Ericsson W810i. I later noticed scratches all over the front plastic panel of the Rugby. Over the next few weeks, I also noticed mysterious dark stains appearing on the yellow rubberized coating. It appears that whatever this colored material is made of is picking up stains that can’t be removed, almost as if the coating was wearing off to expose a darker material beneath. It’s worth noting that I keep this phone in a zipper pouch designed for a small digital camera, so there is no friction applied to the phone. I treated my phone’s exterior to Vinylex protectant in hopes this will reduce the absorption qualities of the yellow coating. Looks like a snap-on cover will be required for true protection. I also noticed that the hinge has more play than I would have expected for this type of phone and more than I would like to see.

Otherwise, the phone isn’t bad. I like the size and feel of the keypad – with the exception that the clear key is too close to the navigation keys; a small ridge between the two would help prevent pressing clear when you had wanted to hit the down function of the navigation key. Talk quality is good as is the battery life. Push-To-Talk does not have a means to shut it off, so you will constantly hit the button by mistake and be prompted whether you want to accept the charges of that feature. I was surprised that the small 1.3mp camera actually takes pretty good pics.

Actually a good phone overall, but it would be more durable with a protective cover – which then would eliminate the novelty of the yellow “DeWalt tools” color scheme.

UPDATE (2/8/09): YELLOW MODEL WAS A BAD CHOICE. I now know that the yellow coating absorbs anything with grease or dyes that it comes in contact with. The black and red from the inside of the carrying pouch I keep this phone in is being soaked up by the yellow coating. Again, this staining cannot be removed. It appears that Samsung neglected to do proper R&D on this coating – anything else on the phone? A hard yellow plastic shell would have been far superior. Unless you purchase a clip-on cover (which I am looking into), this phone can only be stored in something like a cotton bag that has not been dyed – unless you don’t care if the phone looks dirty and old. Functionally the phone might be military spec, but esthetically it is the least durable phone I’ve ever seen. Samsung blew it with their choice of cover material. Also, I’ve seen a demo model of this phone in an AT&T store where the speaker grill on the front was badly dented and the paint scratched off. It’s unfortunate when you spend a lot of time researching something only to find out after you finally bought it that you made the wrong choice. If you want the Rugby, get it in black.

4 Stars Not for Mac Users
I like this phone but I wish I would have known in advance that I would not be able to install ring tones and other Mac sounds/music on it. Had I known this I would have purchase and IPhone instead.

3 Stars Great potential, but it falls way short
Received the Rugby in 2 days. I knew it didn’t support voice dial, figured I could get used to that. But what really suprised me, and is a constant annoyance is the outer display. It turns completely off within 5 seconds of closing the phone. There is nothing in setup to configure it differently. What is the point of even having an outer display, especially a 65,000 color display, if it is never on for more than 5 seconds? Furthermore, the display does not respond to any buttons on the outside of the phone. You have to actually open, then close the flap to check the time, or to see if you have missed a call.( a two handed operation). It does not even light when connected to the charger. It appears dead unless it is handled constantly.

This complaint may seem insignificant, but I am a carpenter/ woodworker, I use loud machinery, so I miss a lot of calls, and I do not wear a watch. I keep my phone on the bench near where I am working, and often glance at the phone to check for missed calls, or the time. Sometimes I have glue on my hands- even paint- I can’t be picking up and manipulating the phone every few minutes. This phone is being marketed as a workingman’s device, but it falls way short.

It is a fairly large size, a bit large for jeans pocket, but one could get used to it. The speakerphone is excellent. Loud. Very Loud. I would be extremely satisfied with this phone if not for the front display issue.

1 Star Don’t be disappointed
I bought this phone for its rugged specifications. I’m an active person (firefighter) and I thought I’d like some additional protection. The specs are nothing more than window dressing. The phone got wet, admittedly immersed, and failed.

When warranty work was sought, Samsung simply voided the warranty for the reason of “moisture.”

Worthless company, worthless product.Samsung Rugby A837 Phone, Black (AT&T)Samsung Rugby A837 Phone, Yellow (AT&T)

3 Stars A bit of a letdown
This refers to the MAROON model but color shouldn’t be a factor.

I purchased this phone primarily because of its ruggedness, and on that score it’s fine. As an old guy (not old enough for a Jitterbug), I won’t use 90% of the features but those I want are lacking. I wanted voice dial: nada. With all the bells and whistles available, why can’t we record a call? How often are you in a position to jot down info a caller provides?

Buy/More Info

Samsung T119 Phone T Mobile

Buy/More Info

Sony Ericsson Z750a Phone Gray ATandT

The Sony Ericsson Z750a clamshell phone is ready to access your favorite streaming music and video thanks to its tri-band 3G connectivity, which makes it easy to download music purchased from AT&T Mobile Music, stream tunes from Napster and eMusic, and watch video streamed from CNN and Comedy Central via AT&T’s Cellular Video. This phone also offers quad-band GSM connectivity for easy globetrotting. Stylishly accented with curved corners and a mirror-finish, the Z750a also has a hidden external display that only lights up when your phone is in use (such as when a call comes in). Other features include an internal 320 x 240-pixel screen, Memory Stick Micro expansion, full HTML browsing with RSS feeds, and Exchange ActiveSync for push email, calendar and contact synchronization.

The Z750a has an external display, but you only see it when your phone is in use.

AT&T Service
Compatible with AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband data network, which is available in most major metropolitan areas, this phone offers tri-band HSDPA/UMTS connectivity (850/1900/2100 MHz). You’ll get average download speeds of around 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) and speed bursts up to 3.6 Mbps, as well as simultaneous voice and data services. Multi-task while you are on a call–search for movies times, look up directions, or send messages. You’ll also get more done with faster access to email, and enjoy speedy Internet connectivity with richer graphics and easy-to-use personalization options.

In areas where 3G network access is not available, you’ll continue to receive service on the AT&T EDGE network, which offers availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. Providing average data speeds between 75-135Kbps, it’s fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services, including high-speed color Internet access and email on the go. You’ll also enjoy quad-band GSM connectivity, which allows you to make calls in more than 190 countries and access data applications in the more than 135 countries where AT&T offers international data roaming.

With 3G connectivity, you’ll be able to access AT&T’s Cellular Video (CV) service and the Internet while on the go. Cellular Video features content from CNN, The Weather Channel, iFilm, Comedy Central and exclusive premium content from HBO and much more. It also features AT&T Mobile Music, which provides access to Napster and eMusic subscription services as well as Music ID song-recognition software, music videos and The Buzz music news portal. The handset is XM Radio Mobile-capable, so you can enjoy streaming live digital radio as well. (An AT&T MEdia Max subscription bundle is recommended for accessing AT&T’s Internet, video, and music services.)

The Z750a 3G phone is compatible with AT&T Music, Cellular Video, and XM Radio services.

Phone Features
The Z750a has an internal 2.2-inch LCD that provides 262K colors for excellent depth and a 240 x 320-pixel resolution. The external monochrome OLED display has a resolution of 36 x 128 pixels, and it displays current time as well as battery level. It also offers four-way toggle navigation surrounded by a backlit ring, a backlit numeric keypad with tactile feedback, two soft keys, and a Web browser shortcut key. The phone has a slot on the left spine for using Memory Stick Micro (M2) media and a dedicated music player button on the right side. This phone can store up to 1000 contact entries, each with fields for five phone numbers as well as the ability to save callers to groups and pair contacts with a ringtone.

While this isn’t one of Sony Ericsson’s Walkman digital audio player-equipped phones, the Z750a does offer multiformat music playback that includes MP3, WMA (unprotected), and AAC, as well as such features as shuffle and loop modes, stereo widening, and an equalizer. Additionally, you’ll be able to purchase and download real-music ringtones (72-chord polyphonic) in a variety of formats (MP3, MP4, AAC, AAC+, eAAc+, WMA, WAV). You also get a built-in FM radio with RDS, which displays the name of the currently playing song (when tuned to compatible radio stations). With the TrackID service, you can identify any song that you can hear by just recording a snippet of sound using the microphone. It also includes a flight mode that lets you keep listening to tunes with the phone’s network connectivity turned off.

This phone provides Bluetooth version 2.0 wireless connectivity with EDR (enhanced data rate), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and audio/video remote control. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking–surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.

The built-in 2.0-megapixel camera captures stills in three resolution modes (1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, and 640 x 480 pixels), and it includes a number of options to help you create great shots, including a 2.5x digital zoom, two quality settings, three color effects, night mode, and white balance and brightness adjustments. You can also shoot video to your heart’s delight (as long as you have space on your memory card), or limit it to 25 seconds for sending to friends and family via MMS. It provides support for PictBridge technology so you can print your photos without the need of a PC (either using USB or Bluetooth), and this phone makes it easy to send snapped photos directly to a blog or an online photo, complete with text.

The phone also ships with a built-in email client with support for POP3 and IMAP4 protocols (with easy setup for receiving AOL, MSN and Yahoo! mobile mail), while the included Access NetFront Web Browser allows you to surf full HTML web sites. It also supports RSS feeds, allowing you to use your phone to view up-to-the-minute news and other content from selected Web sites and blogs. Just subscribe to the feed and let it come to you. Support is built in for sending and receiving text, video, graphics and sound via messaging, and you can also chat via instant messaging with built-in support for AIM, Yahoo! and MSN chat services.

The Z750a is one of Sony Ericsson’s first mobile phones based on Java Platform 8 (JP-8), which supports a range of new Java programming features including instant messaging/chat and presence based functionality, banking and payment transactions, user identification and authentication through secure encryption technology, mapping, and other location-aware applications.

Other features include:

• USB 2.0 wired connectivity with mass storage capability
• PIM functions including calendar, tasks, notes, alarm, calculator, stopwatch, and timer
• T9 text entry technology
• Vibrating alert
• Speakerphone
• Voice recorder
• SMS (text) and MMS (multimedia) messaging
• Hearing aid compatibility: M3, T3
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP (stereo music streaming), AVRC (remote control), HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), BIP (for sending images to another device), DUN (dial-up networking), FTP (file transfer), HID (support for mice or joysticks), OPP (object push for business cards or calendar items), PAN (personal area networking), PBA (transfer contacts)

Vital Statistics
The Z750a weighs 3.88 ounces and measures 3.83 x 1.93 x 0.79 inches. Its 950 mAh lithium-polymer battery is rated at up to 9 hours of talk time, and up to 400 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as the HSDPA/UMTS 850/1900/2100 network.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star We thought AT&T has raised the bars on the quality & service not just on the fees…..
We purchased from Amazon.com one Motorola RAZR2 V9 Phone and two Sony Ericsson Z750 Phones along with a mandatory 2-year contract AT&T FamilyTalk Nation 550 Rollover Minutes.

Pros: $0.03 for all three phones, Rollover minutes.

Cons: just to mention few…

- The worst talk and standby time on all three phones particularly the Sony Ericsson, despite the fact all three of us use our cell phones only for very necessary or in emergency situations.

- More dropped calls than the competition.

- The quality of voice (connection) is a lot to be desired.

- You cannot program the phone on speaker ahead of time. You can activate it only after dialing or receiving a call – A SAFETY ISSUE while driving.

- The buttons on all three phones are arranged in such a way so that one can easily get connected to internet inadvertently. Despite disconnecting it immediately, you get charged by AT&T. The AT&T advice was to either purchase a new plan (for additional high monthly fee) or have the option of internet connection totally disconnected (without reduction in monthly charge despite reduced service). We end up to having to choose the latter.

- The ring tone of RAZR2 V9 when on speaker phone is laryngitic.

- The choices for the ring tones are severely anemic, unless you purchase more tones from AT&T.

- The voice command, as I understand it, can be activated only with additional monthly fee. The competition gave that for free on the less equipped phones.

WHY DID WE NOT CANCEL THE AT&T PLAN during the first ONE month of grace period?

This one goes to Amazon.com and its new stifling way of business: If you cancel or reduce the plan within the first SIX months, you have to pay $250 for each phone!!!

Perhaps I was too generous to include “$0.03 for all three phones” as a Pro for this, seemingly, deal; or more seemingly, ordeal.

4 Stars Ericson z750a Phone battery life fix!
I had the same problem until I turned off the G network on the phone itself. I called ATT and they told me: “There’s no way to disable the G network” then I called Sony and they told me that the phone was built like that per ATT’s request. Since it was using ATT software on the phone’s operating system it was not able to disable the G network.

In summary this is the fix and i have tested on several phones and it worked:

Step 1: Replace your ATT Sim card with a different provider’s SIM card. This SIM card doesn’t even need to be activated. I used T-Mobile’s SIM.

Step 2: Once you use a differen SIM card your phone’s programming options will change. You will have a new option that will let you disable your G network as default. You can even turn it off. That’s what I have. Your phone will last at least 4 days or more.

Step 3: Reinsert your ATT SIM card and enjoy life. You won’t see the “G” on your screen anymore. You don’t need it.

4 Stars Great when de-branded takes 8G cards
This is my review which was on a different color version of this phone. Update: I picked up a 8G card for this, works fine in both branded and de-branded versions of the phone. Also, there are 900mAmp and 950mAmp versions of the battery, I have the 950.

I picked up this phone (2 actually) for $50 each after rebates. Call quality if excellent. Has Walkman-like media player for music and video and podcasts, audio books. Megabass for headsets, but no stereo speakers on unit (there are lots of external speakers available though). When on 3G you can surf and talk at the same time.

First, make sure you get a unlimited data plan. There is one for $15/mo. (at this time) since ATT doesn’t consider this a smart phone. You can tether with this phone on that plan. Download the PC software from SE’s website to sync the phone to your Outlook or other contact list. Can sync with bluetooth or data usb cable (proprietary but only about $5 at many websites).

Then decide if you really want TV or XM radio on the phone. The TV is clips few of which are updated daily unless you subscribe, a few music videos etc. XM is a $9.95 subscription. MLB Game Day is also an subscription. If you don’t want these things (and will never buy anything from the ATT Media Mall), then spend $16 or so, and debrand the phone and uncover a gem.

Here’s a partial list of what you can gain:

1. GPS – I get accuracy to 10 meters, works best in car with charger attached, can drain battery in 2 hours or less. Must use 2007 NavTec Google Map app in firmware, newer Google won’t work as well. Locator Services can be left active and minimized so that Google will immediately know where you are. But do it connected to a charger! Also AmAze navigator (the version for the C702, I think) will work on the phone giving you turn by turn navigation for free. (don’t look at the phone while driving it’s too small)

2. TrackId is now free rather than a subscription. I don’t know why anyone would actually pay for this monthly. While I am sometimes curious as to what I’m hearing, I’m not paying $5/mo to find out one or two songs. TrackId works fine on music from classical to country to rap/hiphop, the most abstract techno/disco strangeness you can come up with, and on generic firmware it’s free.

3. Blogging from camera as a ’send to blog’ (Blogspot.com) uses email account and data plan.

4. RSS Desktop – has as many features as an iPhone’s. Auto scroll, configurable updates. easy to add RSS, when browsing the RSS symbol will pop up and using the left soft key, you can add it to the listing. Updates anywhere from every hour to once a week.

5. Podcasts (video and audio) I believe that it may be configurable by the rss feeds rather than the PC Suite sync method, at least my phone seems to update them. PC Suite method will load podcasts daily, and sync with your phone. Media Suite needs data cable (about $6 from other Amazon sellers).

6. Exchange ActiveSync without any shortcomings (as have been reported elsewhere), specific Exchange sync.

7. SyncML for everything else. There are reports of it working with MyLife/iLife.

8. Email push client – works with ANY pop or imap server, and can filter out unwanted domains, etc from the ‘push’– you can select domains to accept from. No applications to view attachments, but you could bluetooth or use cable to transfer to a PC/laptop.

9. Network Sharing function, phone can be part of office network via USB or Bluetooth

10. Choice between ‘GSM & 3G’ vs ‘GSM’ only is now unblocked, fixing the battery life issues. Even in combined mode, if the phone isn’t updating it will drop down to GSM/Edge when not actually using the web. You can also search networks and simply not chose the 3G ATT network too. You’ll need SE’s webite and tools to reconfigure internet, picture and SMS services if you debrand. Recent updates may not show the z750a, use the z750i. You can also configure ANY ISP’s email from their site (including Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, any so called ‘residential’ carrier like Comcast or Cablevision, etc (but not MSN/Hotmail), and multiple ones on the phone.

11. You won’t accidentally open a Internet browser when pressing the central button, it’s a Message Center button now. Other buttons and shortcuts are also rearranged in a more logical fashion, camera button changes to MediaNet browser and all the softkeys are configurable including the ring around the central button.

There’s OperaMini for this phone, Yahoo Go!, AmAze, etc.

FM radio needs antennae phone jack to work, but if you want to use your standard stereo headsets you’ll need it too, to connect with since ATT didn’t include the part. FWIW, ALL SE phones use the came cables and chargers, so if you have a prior SE phone that came with cables use those. The are a ton of profiles built into the phone including the latest Stereo Bluetooth profiles, Bluetooth remote controls, etc. I bought a HBH-DS980 the Bluetooth Stereo wireless to use with this phone. You can’t use it with FM radio, however.

Voice command controls only for/with handsfree units, allows multiple commands per contact, multiple phone numbers per contacts, multiple addresses per contact. Just like Outlook or any other full blown contact manager. Contacts can have own ringtone and photo. Naturally if you are using your SIM card to store you can only have ONE phone number per contact. Download SE’s software to get the sync software to put all your Outlook contacts into the phone.

I don’t like that it’s hard to find appointments and you have to view each day to see a list, rather than a consolidated list of the appointments in order. Tasks as nice, multiple alarm timers.

Generally its a very nice phone, battery issues aside. Better, IMHO, unbranded. (Oh, and it’s SE Java8 platform, so no MS Mobile here.)

3 Stars Not a great phone
Overall, I really don’t like this phone much. Besides the short battery life mentioned in the other reviews, I have other problems with the phone. Flipping the phone is very stiff and I find myself sometimes sending calls to voice mail because I pushed one of the buttons on the side of the phone trying to get it open. The cursor control in the center of the phone is very inaccurate. I find myself constantly pushing the wrong part of the cursor control and misfiring, for example creating voice messages when I’m trying to create text messages. Also, the text messaging is not easy. There’s no easy way to type the same letter twice without waiting the second or two until the key resets. Other phones use the single space to trigger the end of the wait without a space but this phone doesn’t. The display on the outside of the phone is cute but mostly it’s a gimmick to make the advertising pictures look nicer. When the phone is sitting on my desk, nothing is displayed and it’s easier to look at my watch then it is to find the tiny button on the side of the phone to make the time display. (Yes, the tiny button that I seem to always press when I’m trying to open the phone to answer a call.) It’s true that the display shows the incoming call but usually by the time I look at it, the scrolling is only showing the end of the number so I miss who is calling anyway. It would be better if the phone let you put in a short version for your contacts (like “Jack” or “Mom”) and only displayed that.

The camera does take decent pictures and the voice quality is good but if I could get a new phone it wouldn’t be this one.

4 Stars Mid level phone user’s phone
The Sony Ericsson has all the bells and whistles that a super cell phone user may have but it may not be the most convenient for them. I for one don’t use internet hardly ever. I know it has it but too be honest I would just get frustrated being on it. It’s the normal flip phone and if you basically just text and use it as a phone then it’s probably the perfect one for you. I do like the fm radio feature but its required you get their earphones (sold separately) to use it and its not so convenient to carry them around also.

The one complaint everyone has is the battery life. Don’t believe the description it gives. The main thing about battery life is the capacity measured in mAh. The more of those = the more battery life. I think it has 950 mAh so it’s basically the same as any other phone. I usually charge it every night. I usually can go 2 nights without a charge but if you use the phone a lot you’d probably only get 1.5 days of life. Other than that its a decent mid-range phone. No problems and no big complaints.

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