Sony Ericsson W508

• Handset
• 920 mAh Li-Ion Battery (BST-39)
• Charger
• 1 Gb M2 memory card
• Wired stereo-headset (HPM-64)
• Software CD
• Interchangeable front cover

Positioning

The Sony Ericsson W508 is meant to offer those who are looking for a music-minded folder-type phone with a relatively no-frills design exactly what they need – in other words, it’s not tailored for the youth, who normally go for models such as the Sony Ericsson W380, although some even go as far as claiming that the W508 comes in to replace the latter. However in reality there are no similarities between them, neither in terms of positioning, nor feature pack. So, perhaps this newcomer is supposed to carry some other phone’s heritage? As it turns out, the W508 is a stand-alone offering that was originally designed with one goal in mind – to beef up the phone maker’s portfolio, and its purpose hasn’t changed much since then. They opted not to cancel it, but the time frame they picked for its launch has led to some interesting consequences.

Sony Ericsson W380

Sony Ericsson W508

Effectively, Sony Ericsson has two slider-type phones similar to the W508 on offer – the W910 and the W595. In both cases the price is either equal or a bit lower (30 Euros or so) than that of the W508. And since spec-wise they are on a par with the W508, we get three models in one price bracket from the same manufacturer, which is way too many. Even though they differ in form-factor, the W910 will have an overwhelming advantage sales-wise, so the question is, when Sony Ericson are going to withdraw it in order to make way for their new models. And it’s a very difficult decision to make, ditching a popular solution that enjoys a very stable demand, as it’s almost for certain that all newcomers will see much smaller sales. That’s why Sony Ericsson are going to keep the W910 on the shelves as long as possible, which spells disaster for the W508’s potential market. In fact, the only things going for it now are its form-factor (for those who like it), and a 3.2 MP camera that trumps the old 2 MP unit found in the W910.

When they were only scheming the W508, Sony Ericsson assumed that their music-heavy flagship, the W980, would generate significant sales and become extremely cherished, but not everyone would be able to afford it. As a result, a less sophisticated offering, yet housed in a similar design, would really come in handy. Has the Sony Ericsson W980 triumphed, as they thought it would? As of now, it’s available for 347 Euros in Euroset, while its wholesale price is locked at 370 Euros, which, obviously, can not indicate that the W980 is anywhere near “wild success”, even though it’s a decent offering for its niche.

The bottom line is this: the W508 steps into the market at a price point higher than that of its two slider-type predecessors that happen to have very similar technical specifications among all other things, and associated with a not-so-hot music-minded flagship, so its chances for success are between slim and nil. As far as positioning goes, the W508 missed the market completely, offering a no-nonsense design for middle-aged men and partly the youth (18 to 35 year olds), while going for pretty much the same money as its more sharply positioned alternatives. So the only niche left for the W508 is comprised of clamshell buffs, who can’t imagine their phones being anything other than Sony Ericsson. Unfortunately for the W508, there aren’t many users who fit this description.

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Design, Size, Controls

The W508’s design definitely seems to follow in the footsteps of the Sony Ericsson W980, featuring the same layout of touch-sensitive controls. It comes in a choice of two colors - Metal Grey and Poetic White. The extra front cover the phone comes boxed with may vary in color depending on your region. For instance, the Metal Grey variation may ship with one of these panels: Sunny Orange, Forest Green, Architectural Purple or Mysterious Graffiti. For white the following color schemes are available: Midnight Summer, Splashed Art, Radial Blue or Street Hip-hop.

While the panel is easy to swap, in fact all you need to do is hook it up with your nails, it doesn’t feel loose or insecure. All in all, the W508 sports stellar build quality, and I especially like its plastic quality. Its glossy front fascia is accompanied by rough matter plastic on the back, similar to that used in some other Sony Ericsson branded phones.

Since the W508’s production costs are kept at a relatively low level, it doesn’t have a spring loaded mechanism, meaning that in order to flip it open you’ll need to push the top half all the up manually. While it’s easy to get used to this setup, those who are already dependent on swift and easy flip action will be disappointed. Another thing of note about the W508 is its hinge – there is some friction between its plastic parts and it makes a characteristic noise every time you open/close the phone. However, it won’t bother you too much, and this glitch only affects the inner sides of the halves when they meet.

The phone measures up at 93.5x50x14 mm and tips our scales at 98 grams, but thanks to the sliver strip on the side it appears to be narrower than it is. The top end features a lanyard eyelet.

The interface connected is housed on the left-hand side, whereas on the right there is a volume rocker along with the hold switch for the phone’s touch-sensitive controls (it’s very essential, since even a slightest touch makes it fire up the music player). Mounted on the front is the camera lens and the phone’s outer display, covered by hardened glass.

As for the latter, this 128x36 pixel monochrome screen (1.1 inch diagonal) sports pretty average specs and has one line for caller ID, however all service indicators and the clock are displayed in two lines.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com