Sony Ericsson K530 Preview
As phonearena.com announced earlier, in June Sony Ericsson (SE) announced 6 new models. One of them was the Sony Ericsson K530 and its emergence was meant to substitute the “predecessor” K510 in the mid product range of the company.
One must bear in mind that this is a prototype rather than an end product, so the manufacturer is likely to make some changes until the final variant appears on the market.
Design:
Sony Ericsson K530 is a standard candybar and is offered in two color variations – Warm Silver (our unit was that color type) and Thunder Black. The difference between both is the coloration of the keypad and the side part of the phone, as well as the area round the camera.
While keeping almost the same weight as K510 (92 gr. / 3.2 oz), the device has “slimmed” and even gained a number of additional options. Its dimensions (102 x 46 14 mm / 4 x 1.8 x 0.5 in) allows for putting it into the jacket or jeans pocket without any bulging.
The display is 2 inch, with resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and 262 144 colors, a very wide visibility angle, and the images are well saturated and contrasting, which makes them decently visible even at bright daylight. It has the same colors like the K510, but with better screen resolution.
The control buttons and the numeric keypad are situated below the display, evenly backlit in white, so one can see them well in a dark environment. One cannot escape noticing that, as in most new models of the company, there is a five-position navigation button here, instead of a joystick. Despite of the fact that the numeric keys are tightly set next to each other, it will be hard to press several of them simultaneously because of their step-like positioning and the distance between the columns.
The camera buttons and those for volume control are on the right side, and the slot for the memory card is on the left. The On/Off key is on the top – a situation that has already become standard for Sony Ericsson as well.
The camera is on the back of the phone. Apart from it and the socket for an external aerial, you will not find anything else here. The lack of a mirror will be an unpleasant surprise when attempting to take pictures of yourself. The lens is laid flat on the back panel without any sort of lid for dust, fingerprint, or even shock protection.
The second, video conversation camera, is reasonably located on the front of the phone, right below the initial part of the “Sony Ericsson” inscription above the screen.
When held in your hand, the phone feels comfortably. The plastic on the back has a coating meant to prevent the unit from slipping or possibly dropping it.
We noticed that the back lid, covering the battery, is slightly playing and even changing its position. However, we must take into consideration that this is only a prototype, not a final version of the device, so the manufacturer is still in the process of eliminating various drawbacks.
One must bear in mind that this is a prototype rather than an end product, so the manufacturer is likely to make some changes until the final variant appears on the market.
Design:
Sony Ericsson K530 is a standard candybar and is offered in two color variations – Warm Silver (our unit was that color type) and Thunder Black. The difference between both is the coloration of the keypad and the side part of the phone, as well as the area round the camera.
While keeping almost the same weight as K510 (92 gr. / 3.2 oz), the device has “slimmed” and even gained a number of additional options. Its dimensions (102 x 46 14 mm / 4 x 1.8 x 0.5 in) allows for putting it into the jacket or jeans pocket without any bulging.
The display is 2 inch, with resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and 262 144 colors, a very wide visibility angle, and the images are well saturated and contrasting, which makes them decently visible even at bright daylight. It has the same colors like the K510, but with better screen resolution.
The control buttons and the numeric keypad are situated below the display, evenly backlit in white, so one can see them well in a dark environment. One cannot escape noticing that, as in most new models of the company, there is a five-position navigation button here, instead of a joystick. Despite of the fact that the numeric keys are tightly set next to each other, it will be hard to press several of them simultaneously because of their step-like positioning and the distance between the columns.
The camera buttons and those for volume control are on the right side, and the slot for the memory card is on the left. The On/Off key is on the top – a situation that has already become standard for Sony Ericsson as well.
The camera is on the back of the phone. Apart from it and the socket for an external aerial, you will not find anything else here. The lack of a mirror will be an unpleasant surprise when attempting to take pictures of yourself. The lens is laid flat on the back panel without any sort of lid for dust, fingerprint, or even shock protection.
The second, video conversation camera, is reasonably located on the front of the phone, right below the initial part of the “Sony Ericsson” inscription above the screen.
When held in your hand, the phone feels comfortably. The plastic on the back has a coating meant to prevent the unit from slipping or possibly dropping it.
We noticed that the back lid, covering the battery, is slightly playing and even changing its position. However, we must take into consideration that this is only a prototype, not a final version of the device, so the manufacturer is still in the process of eliminating various drawbacks.
Interface:
Controlling the unit is rather familiar; this is the traditional user interface of SE. Pressing the navigation button in the middle reveals the menu, arranged in three columns, of four lines each. For quick access to some of the sub-menus you can also use the buttons of the numeric keypad, whose positions correspond to that of icons on the main menu.
The phonebook disposes of the standard options and this is why we will not dwell much on it. One can enter up to 1000 contacts with as many as 2500 numbers. Several phones (mobile, home, work, fax, or other) can be memorized with one name; commands for voice dialing, photo, ringtone, and a lot more can also be added.
Camera:
The camera is a 2 megapixel one with a 2.5x digital zoom and landscape orientation. It is put into operation from either the side button or the menu and is ready to take pictures within a second.
The camera control in K510 model is carried out through tabs, whereas we observe that in K530 it is the same as the control in the Cyber Shot models of Sony Ericsson, that is, by a horizontal menu.
In photographing mode, information about the current settings is displayed on the screen and “1”, “4”, and “7” buttons are also available as shortcuts to the most common modes. Pressing “0” activates a help menu, which indicates the function of each shortcut button.
Pictures, taken at strong light in the open, look well despite the slight blurring. At week light, the lack of a flash predetermines the unsatisfactory result. A somewhat compensating feature is the “night” mode, but it will not be of much help when the light grows very weak.
The unavailability of a “macro” mode is an easily detectable hindrance to taking photos from a short distance; as a consequence of this the images are unfocused and in reality – rendered unusable. In case you try photographing a small-font text from a book or a magazine, it will not be actually readable afterwards.
Shooting videos relies on the same low resolution as that of the old SE (176 x 144); so low, in fact, that the films will be usable for MMS only. Their quality depends mostly on light: for best results one should make videos either in the open or in a very well illuminated room. Duration is only limited by memory availability.
We would recommend that Sony Ericsson supply the K530 unit with a flashlight for taking better pictures even in a dark environment. Nevertheless, we must also consider that this is not a Cyber-shot model and therefore should not be expected to present itself as such.
Music:
The music player is a standard one, using a manual equalizer setting or several pre-set profiles (normal, bass, voice, and treble boost), as well as loop and shuffle play mode. While listening to music (MP3 and AAC formats supported), one can make use of the other functions by simply minimizing the player.
In order to “make room” for more favorite songs, besides storing them in the phone memory (16 Mb), one should also add a memory card of the supported standard - Memory Stick Micro (M2). Depending on the user’s requirements cards of up to 2 Gb are applicable, which is sufficient for storing hundreds of songs.
For much more enjoyment while listening to music, Sony Ericsson have used a stereo-sound supporting Bluetooth (Advanced Audio Distribution, A2DP). This feature enables the usage of a stereo Bluetooth headset, thus eliminating the irritating entanglement in the standard headphone wiring.
However it will take plugging normal, wired, headset, in case you would like to listen to a favorite radio program. The cable serves as an aerial and ensures the proper operation of the RDS system, supplying additional information on the screen.
If you do not know the name of a song that is being performed, the Track ID function can be of help. This is a service for music recognition, which records a fragment from the piece of music, sends it over the Internet, and then feeds back information about the artist, song, and album. We have been delighted and fascinated by the excellent performance of the Track ID: it coped with identifying all the songs we included in the test.
The video player supports the following formats: MPEG-4, H.263, and WMV. It also features video clip viewing on landscape-oriented full screen.
Connectivity and Internet:
Besides the standard GSM networks (900, 1800, 1900 MHz), the phone is operable in the 3G UMTS 2100 as well, and the front panel camera enables the users to make video-conversations with their loved ones. Our readers in the USA should bear in mind though, that this is a tri-band model for use in the 1900MHz 2G networks only.
The Internet browser allows for various view settings in accordance with the personal preferences for convenient work. Both landscape and portrait orientations are also feasible. In this case the high-resolution display can aid a more convenient page viewing. Through the Smart-fit option, pages can be set to appear in one column, thus eliminating the need to scroll horizontally and making it easier to go over pages of wider format.
At opening our site we noticed that the browser was not able to correctly visualize all the elements of the page.
For instant access to news and reading it at the time of breaking, the phone disposes of an RSS reader.
Connecting to a computer is done in the normal for Sony Ericsson way – through a data cable or wirelessly, via the Bluetooth version 2.0, supported by the phone. In contrast to the earlier K 510, we can easily make out the absence of an infrared port here – it is no longer needed.
It is possible to use the unit as a remote control for compatible Media Player, Desktop, or Presenter. To this end you will need a Bluetooth device on the computer.
Sony Ericsson K530 is one of the models that can work with HGE-100 – an external GPS receiver, integrated into stereo headphones, a function that is typical for units of the highest class. Since it has not been released on the market yet, we were not able to test this option.
Controlling the unit is rather familiar; this is the traditional user interface of SE. Pressing the navigation button in the middle reveals the menu, arranged in three columns, of four lines each. For quick access to some of the sub-menus you can also use the buttons of the numeric keypad, whose positions correspond to that of icons on the main menu.
The phonebook disposes of the standard options and this is why we will not dwell much on it. One can enter up to 1000 contacts with as many as 2500 numbers. Several phones (mobile, home, work, fax, or other) can be memorized with one name; commands for voice dialing, photo, ringtone, and a lot more can also be added.
Camera:
The camera is a 2 megapixel one with a 2.5x digital zoom and landscape orientation. It is put into operation from either the side button or the menu and is ready to take pictures within a second.
The camera control in K510 model is carried out through tabs, whereas we observe that in K530 it is the same as the control in the Cyber Shot models of Sony Ericsson, that is, by a horizontal menu.
In photographing mode, information about the current settings is displayed on the screen and “1”, “4”, and “7” buttons are also available as shortcuts to the most common modes. Pressing “0” activates a help menu, which indicates the function of each shortcut button.
Pictures, taken at strong light in the open, look well despite the slight blurring. At week light, the lack of a flash predetermines the unsatisfactory result. A somewhat compensating feature is the “night” mode, but it will not be of much help when the light grows very weak.
The unavailability of a “macro” mode is an easily detectable hindrance to taking photos from a short distance; as a consequence of this the images are unfocused and in reality – rendered unusable. In case you try photographing a small-font text from a book or a magazine, it will not be actually readable afterwards.
Shooting videos relies on the same low resolution as that of the old SE (176 x 144); so low, in fact, that the films will be usable for MMS only. Their quality depends mostly on light: for best results one should make videos either in the open or in a very well illuminated room. Duration is only limited by memory availability.
We would recommend that Sony Ericsson supply the K530 unit with a flashlight for taking better pictures even in a dark environment. Nevertheless, we must also consider that this is not a Cyber-shot model and therefore should not be expected to present itself as such.
Music:
The music player is a standard one, using a manual equalizer setting or several pre-set profiles (normal, bass, voice, and treble boost), as well as loop and shuffle play mode. While listening to music (MP3 and AAC formats supported), one can make use of the other functions by simply minimizing the player.
In order to “make room” for more favorite songs, besides storing them in the phone memory (16 Mb), one should also add a memory card of the supported standard - Memory Stick Micro (M2). Depending on the user’s requirements cards of up to 2 Gb are applicable, which is sufficient for storing hundreds of songs.
For much more enjoyment while listening to music, Sony Ericsson have used a stereo-sound supporting Bluetooth (Advanced Audio Distribution, A2DP). This feature enables the usage of a stereo Bluetooth headset, thus eliminating the irritating entanglement in the standard headphone wiring.
However it will take plugging normal, wired, headset, in case you would like to listen to a favorite radio program. The cable serves as an aerial and ensures the proper operation of the RDS system, supplying additional information on the screen.
If you do not know the name of a song that is being performed, the Track ID function can be of help. This is a service for music recognition, which records a fragment from the piece of music, sends it over the Internet, and then feeds back information about the artist, song, and album. We have been delighted and fascinated by the excellent performance of the Track ID: it coped with identifying all the songs we included in the test.
The video player supports the following formats: MPEG-4, H.263, and WMV. It also features video clip viewing on landscape-oriented full screen.
Connectivity and Internet:
Besides the standard GSM networks (900, 1800, 1900 MHz), the phone is operable in the 3G UMTS 2100 as well, and the front panel camera enables the users to make video-conversations with their loved ones. Our readers in the USA should bear in mind though, that this is a tri-band model for use in the 1900MHz 2G networks only.
The Internet browser allows for various view settings in accordance with the personal preferences for convenient work. Both landscape and portrait orientations are also feasible. In this case the high-resolution display can aid a more convenient page viewing. Through the Smart-fit option, pages can be set to appear in one column, thus eliminating the need to scroll horizontally and making it easier to go over pages of wider format.
At opening our site we noticed that the browser was not able to correctly visualize all the elements of the page.
For instant access to news and reading it at the time of breaking, the phone disposes of an RSS reader.
Connecting to a computer is done in the normal for Sony Ericsson way – through a data cable or wirelessly, via the Bluetooth version 2.0, supported by the phone. In contrast to the earlier K 510, we can easily make out the absence of an infrared port here – it is no longer needed.
It is possible to use the unit as a remote control for compatible Media Player, Desktop, or Presenter. To this end you will need a Bluetooth device on the computer.
Sony Ericsson K530 is one of the models that can work with HGE-100 – an external GPS receiver, integrated into stereo headphones, a function that is typical for units of the highest class. Since it has not been released on the market yet, we were not able to test this option.
Performance:
The phone works fast, so while browsing the menus one will not sense any unpleasant and irksome delay or “thoughtfulness”. The camera even starts in about a second and photographing with the consequent recording takes no more than 3 – 4, which is fairly rapid.
The sound volume of ringing is well above average, so you will hardly need any more. Even in a noisy environment or in case the phone is in the other room, you are certain to hear the call.
According to data supplied by Sony Ericsson, the 950 mAh Li-Polymer battery (BST-33) of the phone endures up to 9 hours conversation time or 350 hours standby.
The voice in the receiver has a medium-high volume, sounding a bit muffled and monotonous, whereas at the other end there is strong and clear audibility with a realistic voice reproduction.
Conclusion:
K530 is positioned in the middle of the Sony Ericsson product range and shows an excellent performance as such, without, of course, claiming the resources of the Cyber-shot or Walkman series.
Compared to its predecessor K510, significant improvements have been made: this phone stands now very near to the capabilities of the “former” high-class company series – K750/W800 – with a 3G network support at that.
In case you need a phone, which does not necessarily feature specific multi-media or smartphone functionality, the K530 will be one of the best alternatives yet to appear on the market.
Expect our full review when final, commercial samples are released.
The phone works fast, so while browsing the menus one will not sense any unpleasant and irksome delay or “thoughtfulness”. The camera even starts in about a second and photographing with the consequent recording takes no more than 3 – 4, which is fairly rapid.
The sound volume of ringing is well above average, so you will hardly need any more. Even in a noisy environment or in case the phone is in the other room, you are certain to hear the call.
According to data supplied by Sony Ericsson, the 950 mAh Li-Polymer battery (BST-33) of the phone endures up to 9 hours conversation time or 350 hours standby.
The voice in the receiver has a medium-high volume, sounding a bit muffled and monotonous, whereas at the other end there is strong and clear audibility with a realistic voice reproduction.
Conclusion:
K530 is positioned in the middle of the Sony Ericsson product range and shows an excellent performance as such, without, of course, claiming the resources of the Cyber-shot or Walkman series.
Compared to its predecessor K510, significant improvements have been made: this phone stands now very near to the capabilities of the “former” high-class company series – K750/W800 – with a 3G network support at that.
In case you need a phone, which does not necessarily feature specific multi-media or smartphone functionality, the K530 will be one of the best alternatives yet to appear on the market.
Expect our full review when final, commercial samples are released.
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