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Music phones aren't as common as digital camera handsets, but it looks like they'll catch up before long. A few of the latest entries (that are shipping) are three Walkman-branded phones from Sony Ericsson that use Cingular service: the W600i, W800i, and W900i. We tested the bargain-priced W600i ($149 to $199 with a service plan) and found it loaded with attractive features, yet also constrained by an odd storage limitation.

Design
The W600i comes in three colors, and we got the bold orange one, which is cheerful looking and about the same color as a rubber safety cone. Owners can buy different colored face plates, if their phone needs refreshing.

This is a swivel phone, so you'll need to swivel it open to access the keypad. It's a small phone (3.6 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches), yet chunky and heavier than it would first appear (4.2 ounces).


W600i Closed

A looped handle on the top holds the antenna, and the phone also offers a 1.8-inch, 176 x 220 pixel TFT screen and a 1.3-megapixel camera (with flash). The handset provides EDGE/GSM (quad-band) service, as well as Bluetooth and infrared ability.

The W600i's design actually makes it easier to use for music playing than calling. It features a dedicated Walkman button on the front, for calling up the music playing software, but not the standard start call and end call buttons. Instead, contextual buttons, which change depending on what's on the screen, give you calling options.


W600i Swiveled Open

The front also offers dedicated buttons for returning to the previous screen, clearing what you've done, and connecting to the Internet. The sides offer play/pause, keypad lock, camera, and volume controls.

Features
Getting music on the phone requires using the included music transfer software (Windows only) which lists your locally-stored MP3 files, converts them for the phone (we like that users can downsample to a lower bit rate, to fit more songs), and loads them.

The W600i is limited to 256 MB of memory, so at an average bit rate, you'll only get about 60 songs. We were shocked that the phone doesn't have a Memory Stick slot, so there's no way to increase that capacity.


W600i's Music Playing Software

The desktop software is a bit inelegantly designed and will take some getting used to. Users can also transfer Outlook calendar and contact data. There's no Macintosh software, but Mac users can plug the phone into their computers and drag MP3 tracks in manually.

We found that doing so occasionally causes glitches in the phone's music listings, but at least it gives Mac users an option. Loaded songs can be used as ringtones, a great feature that the iTunes-using Motorola ROKR lacks. The phone transfers songs with an included USB 1.1 cable, not a faster USB 2.0 connection.

A small speaker on the rear of the phone lets you share your music with people around you, although the sound quality is poor. For a much better experience, use the included stereo headset and turn the bass on. We loved the surprisingly rich, thumping sound.


W600i's Menu Screen

The 1.3-megapixel camera produces good results in sunny conditions, but we found indoor shots to be far grainier than with other similar cameras. We like that the camera offers three picture resolutions, two resolutions for video, a self-timer, and a night mode. We also like the three included games-Extreme Air Snowboarding, Gauntlet (the classic 80s arcade game), and Worms Forts 3: Under Siege-which are all great, simple timekillers. Games are played in landscape mode, which uses the screen better.


Rear of the W600i, Showing the Camera

The Sony Ericsson W600i delivers terrific sound for music-lovers, but we wish it could hold more songs. If a large track library is important to you, look to one of the other Walkman phone models.