The Mobile Phone Saving Network

Sony Ericsson Z520a

Wireless/Mobile Phone/Cell Phone

Rated 4.0 out of 5

Sony Ericsson's Z520 is theoretically an update to the Z500, which has been available since 2004. Both devices have a VGA camera, and both have changeable face plates wrapped around a clamshell form factor, but other than that, they really don't have much in common.

The new Z520 is a smaller, and, in most ways, a more advanced and capable handset. It weighs 3.4 ounces with a SIM card and measures 3.7 by 1.8 by .9 inches. The exterior of the phone houses a new, larger 4,000-color display along with the camera lens, a dedicated camera button, the volume control, and an IR port. A large speaker port on the back keeps the sound coming loud and clear, and Sony Ericsson's new USB-2.0-compatible Fast Port on the bottom of the device provides speedy PC connections.

Click the image to see what the Z520 can do for you.

All that, everybody can agree, is good news. But one thing that is both new and a bit controversial is Sony Ericsson's use of a loop antenna at the top of the device. While some people, myself included, like the different look it offers, the design has received a largely cool reception in general. The interior of the phone, however, sports a safe and attractive design. The numeric keypad's buttons are large and easy to use (and well backlit), and the 5-way directional controller, or d-pad, is also of a good design. The new 128 x 160 pixel, 64,000-color display on the inside is also an improvement over the older model, being reasonably bright and usable in harsh light.

The Z520's VGA camera works well enough for casual snapshots, and the photos look reasonably good on the main display. The 40-voice polyphonic sound system can play MP3 as well as MIDI sound files as ringtones. MP3 and MIDI ringtones can also be used for new message notification, something that you couldn't do in older Sony Ericsson phones. Perhaps the coolest feature of the Z520 is its Light Effects system, which displays various light patterns around the edge of the keypad based on who is calling or when a message arrives. It works as a nice addition to the normal ringtone and vibration alerts.

When it comes to making phones calls, the Z520 does a fine job. The new antenna seems to be quite effective at grabbing and holding onto a signal in any of the four GSM bands it supports. Audio quality in the calls was good, and the speakerphone function worked pretty well. The contacts system in the Z520 lets you store all sorts of information about a person beyond the simple phone numbers and e-mail addresses. A flexible profiles system lets you specify a number for your calls to be forwarded to as well as define a group of contacts to allow inbound calls from. The Z520 managed 9 hours of talk time in our test, which is exactly what Sony Ericsson claims the device should be capable of.

Beyond the previously mentioned USB and IR connectivity, the new Z520 also supports Bluetooth for both audio and data connections. This means that you can use a Bluetooth headset or car kit as well as link up with a PC to synchronize your contacts and calendar. One thing the Z520 lacks in terms of connectivity is EDGE data support, which is a substantially faster version of GPRS that is now supported by both major GSM carriers in the U.S.

Beyond the organizer apps like the calendar, task list, and calculator, the Z520 ships with a couple of games. Our unit had NY Nights, a very fun simulation game, and QuadraPop, a Tetris clone. Other Java based apps can be downloaded for free or bought from sites on the Internet.

The Sony Ericsson Z520 is a great little handset. It has the best user interface on the market, great battery life, and a solid feature set that includes full Bluetooth support. For the money, there is probably no better value on the market at this time.

Pros:

2 changeable cover sets included
Bluetooth
Quadband GSM support

Cons:

No EDGE data
Many dislike the antenna design

What's in the Box
Sony-Ericsson z520a handset, lithium-ion battery, travel charger, user's manual, and application software.

--Reviewed by Michael Oryl, editor in chief of www.MobileBurn.com

Features of Sony Ericsson Z520a:

bluetooth, infrared, mms
car cord powers your phone and recharges the battery while on the go
combo & starter kits
comfortable earbud, mini shirt clip optimizes microphone placement & eliminates cord weight pull
compatible with sony ericsson z520a
easy-to-use vga camera with video
easy-to-use vga camera with video with media player - mp3/aac (audio), mpeg4 (video)
expressive clamshell design with light effects and interchangeable style-up covers
expressive clamshell design with light effects and interchangeable style-up™covers
genuine full-grain leather carrying case with clear plastic front protects the display and keypad
includes cigarette lighter adapter, leather carrying case and hands free earbud
media player - mp3/aac (audio), mpeg4 (video)
two displays - one main screen inside and an outside display that shows network status, time, and, on incoming call, who's calling
unlocked for use with your existing gsm 850 mhz, gsm 900 mhz, gsm 1800 mhz or gsm 1900 mhz service provider and sim card. note: this phone does not come with service or a sim card
unlocked phones

Reviews:

Get a free unlocked Motorola RAZR v3i instead!	Rating: 4
Why settle for less, or commit yourself to a specific cellular provider and service plan, when you can get a complimentary unlocked top of the line Motorola RAZR v3i cell phone that works with any cellular service provider and any SIM card. I got mine free at this web site: stuffgratis.biz/razrv3i

Adorable - It's a SONY!

Rating: 4

I bought this phone in April and I must say don't buy a phone on looks alone. Though I love the phone the most annoying thing is I get almost to no signal anywhere inside buildings and sometimes outside the phone will just cut out due to no signal.
Besides the signal problem this phone is great - mine came with a free bluetooth headset and 2 free face plates, one of which is furry to touch. You can buy faceplates separately, which is a nice change to only Nokia phones getting them.
The phone itself has many settings and allows you to go on the Internet and download songs, sounds, themes, music, games, videos and much more.
Some things that are special to this phone include changing how the light glow around the phone, a MusicDJ, a VideoDJ, PhotoDJ, world clock, remote control, media player, camera and infrared port.
You have other average settings like calendar, alarms, scheduler, themes, master reset, sound recorder, tasks, notes, synchronization, timer, stopwatch, calculator, code memo, profiles, language, shortcuts, speed dial, silent mode, key sound, wallpaper (internal & external), screensaver and brightness.
Overall it's a great little phone and I'd recommend it to my friends.

Sony Ericsson has appalling warranty support

Rating: 1

I had purchased two Z520a phones, one of which was defective upon receipt.

I shipped the phone for warranty repairs. However, I was without a cell phone for a month because of their lack of response.

There seemed to be little to no communication between the warranty repair center and the customer service support. It was difficult to get any repair information, and the phone was returned to me unrepaired with the statement that the repairs were not under the warranty coverage.

Obviously, one less Sony Ericsson customer here.........

!!!!!! Crappy phone !!!!!	Rating: 1
This phone is whack (no good). I've had to return it twice because off malfunctions. The first i returned it because it would shut off by it self (even if it was fully charged). Then the second time i had to return it because the screen went blank. They were brand new, and not dropped or anything. I suggest getting some other type of phone!

I dropped this phone ONE TIME	Rating: 2
Even if you're careful, you might occasionally drop your phone. My previous phones were able to survive a few drops. I dropped this one ONCE, and the screen died. Before that, it worked fine.

Great Phone!!

Rating: 5

I was looking for a phone to make decent phone calls. That's all I wanted. I didn't need to watch tv or use the internet or any of that fancy stuff. I just wanted a sturdy phone with good quality sound and good reception.

This phone is it! The buttons are large enough that I don't have to use my fingernail to press the buttons, EVERYTHING is customizable. For every contact, you can add a picture, seperate ringtone AND a different light effect! You can also customize the ouside/inside/startup screens & a screensaver.

The camera is good and the reception is great for my area ((central PA)). The call volume is loud and clear ... and so are the ringtones!! The phone is also very lightweight. So far, my battery life is excellent too.

I must say, I am very impressed with this phone. I traded it in after dealing with a crappy LG7200 for a month. I'm glad I did.

Get a free unlocked Motorola RAZR v3i instead!	Rating: 4
Why settle for less, or commit yourself to a specific cellular provider and service plan, when you can get a complimentary unlocked top of the line Motorola RAZR v3i cell phone that works with any cellular service provider and any SIM card. I got mine free at this web site: stuffnocost.com/razrv3i

Great!

Rating: 5

I Got This phone for Easter and I absolutly ADORE it! It is so cute and trendy and i love the handel antenna. The only bad things are the phone is very slippery. I have dropped it twice. IT SURVIVED THOUGH! it is still in perfect condition. Another is that it is hard to open with one hand. It also CLIKs when you open it. The buttons on the side are also very easy to hit. The camera button is on the side and it was hard to find at first. But the phone has very many cute features. Like you can choose your background colore and the pictures are very unique!!! OVER ALL IT IS SOOOOO WONDERFUL!!! :)

Great Phone .... highly recomended

Rating: 5

After reading the reviews here on Amazon I had mixed feelings on whether to get this phone or not. There are some very positive reviews and some strongly negative ones. I went ahead and got it and I LOVE THIS PHONE. Its just pefect. Small and light and easy to use and lots of features. Excellent reception and voice quality and a good user interface. I havent had any problems with the camera taking pictures ont its own. Not once have I had to delete any inadvertent pictures.

You do have to use the sony headset or one compatible with the Sony Ericsson models. You cant just use a generic pair of headphones. Buy a set on e-bay if you want some wired headphones to use with it.

I am glad I got this model and would choose it again.

DO NOT GET THIS PHONE

Rating: 2

I have had this phone since December of 2005 and have had to have it replaced four times! This first phone kept locking up due to the firmware version, the 2nd one worked fine for a week and then lost the network, (my SIM card worked fine in any other phone), the 3rd phone barely held a signal and would drop calls, the phone I have now doesn't seem too bad, but the reception isn't as strong as the first one I had... When this phone works it has great features, but for the price it's not worth the hastle!

Pretty good phone	Rating: 5
This phone is excellent. The best I've had as far as reliability and signal - may be partly because of Cingular, too. The buttons are a little hard to get used to, but it doesn't take long. The screen is clear and easy to read, the battery stays charged for a good amount of time (especially if you don't use it to call anyone), and it's just an overall good phone. I totally recommend it.

Very cool and fun phone-one little peeve

Rating: 4

I just got this phone as an upgrade through cingular. The first thing I loved was the bigger buttons, making it so much easier to dial than my old lg10. It is a little larger too, than my old lg10 and it is easier to grab and hold and talk on. This is one case where size does matter, smaller phones are incredibly difficult to use. I also love the external screen for a quick take on what time it is. Games are fun and easy to download. I like the features that allow you to see calls missed, messages etc. It's all very intuitive and easy to get the hang of. I always read through every manual when I purchase new items. The phone manual was fairly easy to use and helpful, but not actually necessary to read. I also got on ebay and bought a usb cable to connect my phone to my computer (apparently the upgrade phones don't come with cables, extra software etc. just the phone and a battery). So now I can update my calendar, to-do list and contacts straight from Microsoft Outlook. This is very cool, as now I really don't need to carry my Dell Axim around anymore. When I have an upcoming appointment (usually its a reminder to take my daughter to ballet or pick someone up someplace) my phone makes an entertaining little noise and flashes a reminder at me. As a home-schooling mother of 4 children, a store owner and a writer, I need all the help I can get keeping my schedule straight. The only issue I have with this phone is that the screen turns itself off too quickly and there doesn't seem to be any way of resetting it. I think Sony should have left that up to the user. I don't mind having to charge my phone a little more often, but I want the screen to stay on during my calls and not go off until I flip it shut! This is annoying and I hope Sony will update the software on this phone and allow the users to download a patch or something so we can have control over our own screens. Overall, however, I'm happy with the phone, the internet, the camera, the ring tones, and especially the connectivity with my pc. I'm going to wait another two years to get a new phone. I want the next one to play music like an ipod, have features similar to a pda, and do my nails (jusk kidding).

Most of Object Exchange (OBEX) works with Linux

Rating: 4

I am using Debian Linux Sid with kernel 2.6.16, and the SE Z520a works fine with it over Bluetooth using a generic USB adaptor. The phone supports OBEX file transfer, allowing me to copy pictures and videos to and from the phone, and to delete them, also, using Kbluetooth and the Konqueror file manager. Using the following ffmpeg command [ffmpeg -i videoname.mov -s qcif -r 15 -b 64 -vcodec mpeg4 -ac 1 -ar 8000 -ab 12 -acodec aac -pass 1 videoname.3gp] I was able to convert videos into a format that can be played on the phone to entertain the kids. They can only be a half an hour at the most, however due to the 16mb file size limit. I have not tried to use the phone as a modem as I do not have any internet or data on my account at the moment. That will probably have to wait for the future as I do not yet have a computer that needs such services. Using OBEX SyncML to transfer the address book over Bluetooth does not yet work in Linux, but it is being worked on, and will hopefully work in the future. Otherwise, the other reviews covered all the other aspects of the phone.

Get a free unlocked Motorola RAZR v3i instead!	Rating: 4
Why settle for less, or commit yourself to a specific cellular provider and service plan, when you can get a complimentary unlocked top of the line Motorola RAZR v3i cell phone that works with any cellular service provider and any SIM card. I got mine free at this web site: reallyfree2u.com/razrv3i

By Sony Ericsson