Product Description

If a cool clamshell with every possible customizing option is what you want, Z520a is your phone. You can change the front and back covers, have any combination of ringtones, images, and light effects play when a call comes in. And you can have a unique combination for your favorite friends in your phone book. Z520a is all about sharing. It has an easy-to-use VGA camera for still images and video recording to capture fun moments and Bluetooth™ and MMS to share them. A speakerphone gives your original artist music tones the sound they deserve. Z520a is all about expressing yourself. Do it. The Z520a combines crisp and clear color menus, animated wallpapers and content with unique and sophisticated light patterns which light up the phone when a call comes in and when you receive a message. Impressive color and cool light.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38065 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: SonyEricsson Mobile Communications
• Model: Z520a

Amazon.com Hands-On Review

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

Amazon.com Product Description
An upgrade to the venerable z500a, the z520a adds Bluetooth, an upgraded main display and fun lights around the keypad. All this goodness is delivered in a package that is smaller and lighter than its predecessor. With dual screens and a VGA camera with video capabilities, the z520a is a serious next-generation phone. It's the perfect handset for folks who want to get all the latest wireless goodies in one chic package.

Design
The z520a's 65,000-color, 128 x 160 display is housed under the front cover while the outside sports a supplementary 101 x 80 color display that can display time, call information, battery and signal strength, and more. The VGA (640 x 480) camera is housed on the front cover as well. The z520a uses an internal antenna-- nothing to snag or break off-- and a five-way button just above the dial pad is used to control most of the phone's menus and features. Up/down buttons on the left side of the phone can be used for quick volume control and menu navigation. USB data and charging ports, as well as a headset port, are located on the phone's bottom edge. And because the z520a's front and rear faceplates are changeable with Sony-Ericsson Style-Up covers, you can dress it up to suit your style. The design also incorporates a unique carry handle on the top of the phone.

Calling Features
The z520a's phone book can hold up to 510 contacts with multiple entries per contact. A call list remembers your most recent missed, received and dialed calls. The phone's voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names. The phone also features a speakerphone for easy, hands-free talking. In addition to a vibrating alert, the phone supports polyphonic ringtones as well as MP3- and AAC-format ringers, allowing you to use portions of your favorite songs to alert you to incoming calls. There's even a bundled application that lets you mix your own ringtones with up to 16 tracks. Meanwhile, more ringtones can be downloaded from Cingular's MEdia wireless web service. Picture caller ID lets you assign a photo to specific callers. Similarly, a ringer ID lets you assign ringtones to callers. Lastly, users of Bluetooth headsets will find perfect compatibility with the z520a's Bluetooth radio.

Messaging, Internet and Tools
The z520a has all the bases covered when it comes to messaging. Support is built in for sending and receiving text, video, graphics and sound via messages. When used in combination with the phone's built-in camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun (Cingular messaging charges apply). Instant messaging is also supported and the phone ships with a built-in email client.

Getting on the Internet is easy with the z520a, as it supports the GPRS protocol. When used with a Cingular data plan and the phone's USB or Bluetooth data capabilities the phone can be used as a wireless modem for laptops and PDAs. There's also a built-in web browser for MEdia downloads and mobile web browsing. Cingular's MEdia service lets you receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. 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.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the z520a including a voice memo recorder, a calculator, a calendar, and an alarm clock with a timer and stopwatch. Sony Ericsson Sync Station software lets you synchronize your Microsoft Outlook calendar, contacts, notes and tasks with your phone.

Imaging and Entertainment
The z520a was designed for serious fun. The built-in VGA camera captures stills and video to the phone's 16MB of internal memory. Picture effects and custom screensavers, backgrounds, and themes can be set up to fit your personality.

Java support is built into the z520a, making it a powerful gaming companion for both online and offline games. Games are downloadable via the MEdia service or you can use the handset's USB or Bluetooth data connections to load more games and files onto the phone.

Vital Statistics
The Sony-Ericsson z520a weighs 3.46 ounces and measures 3.27 x 1.81 x 0.94 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.5 hours of digital talk time, and up to 300 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

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

Customer Reviews

Great basic phone with really good Bluetooth support
I've been looking for a Bluetooth phone for over two years now. I've never bought one before because they were always high-end phones with more features than I would ever care about using. I'd been following the Sony-Ericsson phones, but they were always expensive when new and followed the same pattern of featuritis.

I just found this phone last week, and I bought it on the spot. It is exactly what I have been looking for -- a good phone with some very useful features, plus a few gimmicks for the young and hip (or young at heart and hipless). Among the more important features for me, mainly from a practicality / safety standpoint:

- Voice-activated dialing (super-easy to set up, and it even recognizes partial commands -- I'd set up my home number as "Call home", but it worked just fine when I only said "Home")
- Speakerphone function (a little fuzzy, but serviceable as long as you're not in a moving car)
- (Brightly!) Backlit, reasonably large keys
- Lightweight
- Small, but not too small to hold comfortably (I'm 6' 3" with large hands, and I have no problems holding or dialing)
- Caller-specific ring tones to spare me from reading the display (my wedding song's playing? Must be my wife calling)
- Very good signal reception (I generally get 4 or 5 bars in my home, where I used to get 1 or 2 with my old Nokia [both on Cingular])
- Good sound quality, almost as good as a land line

But for me, the most important feature in a cell phone has long been Bluetooth. I really think this is the best technology to come to mobile phones, and Cingular (unlike some other cell service providers ::cough::VERIZON::cough::) doesn't cripple or limit what it can do. Without reading the manual, I quickly navigated to the phone's Connectivity menu, turned on Bluetooth, and told it to find local devices. My Apple PowerBook was right there and turned on, and the phone found it almost instantly. It paired up without any hassle (the PowerBook notified me right away when I needed to enter the passcode for a permanent pairing), and a few seconds later I was using iSync to send over my contacts, saving me a good hour of time vs having to manually key them all in. iSync recognized the phone with no issues and configuration of sync options was a breeze.

I was also able to send an MP3 file from iTunes via Bluetooth (after first pulling out the bit I wanted to use as the ring tone through QuickTime). The phone took the file without any additional software -- I just used the Bluetooth File Transfer utility that came bundled with the PowerBook. The phone automatically recognized it as a sound file, put in the right place, and made it immediately available as a ring tone.

I plan on purchasing the S-E Bluetooth car kit (HCB-700) and possibly the advanced music mute to route the sound through my car's speakers instead of using the kit's speaker. Then I'll have a perfect wireless hands-free setup!

A quad-band phone from Sony Ericsson at last
If you travel overseas, you want a quad band phone. However, until recently that pretty much restricted you to Motorola. I've had three Motorola phones, and they all fell apart within a year, so I wasn't about to buy another one. In addition, I find the current Motorola user interface (on the RAZR) ugly and hard to use.

So, I was delighted when Sony Ericsson finally released a quad band phone in the USA, and Cingular picked it up. The Z520a is a phone for people who want a phone. It's small, robustly built, and has all the features you could reasonably want for telephony. The flashing lights are a gimmick, but a gimmick that can be useful in noisy environments.

If you want to use high speed data services, this phone is not for you, as it lacks EDGE support. If you want to browse the web, this phone is probably not for you--it has a web browser, but the screen is small. If you want to listen to music, get an iPod--this phone only has 17MB free when you get it, and there's no headphone jack. If you want to take 4x6 photos, again, this isn't the phone you want--the 640x480 resolution is good for e-mailing fun web snapshots, but that's about it.

But as I say, it's a phone. It's small enough to fit in the pocket of your jeans. It'll pair with a Toyota Prius via Bluetooth for hands free use. It'll pair with a Mac and sync your contacts and calendars via iSync. It'll play your choice of MIDI files or MP3s sent from your computer as ringtones, so you don't have to pay for overpriced downloads. For my phone at least, Cingular didn't lock down the Bluetooth or otherwise cripple the phone's functionality.

I had a Sony Ericsson T68i, which was incredibly slow. I'm happy to report that this phone is lightning fast by comparison--no noticable lag in the user interface. Java applications take a while to start up, but run fine once they're up.

Why not 5 stars? Well, the inner screen is absurdly easy to scratch--you'll want a screen protector. Also, the arrow keys are a bit fiddly to press; a scroll wheel or joystick would have been very welcome.

A very good cell phone, but...
This is a very good cell phone and Amazon.com gives the best deal. But, you can't transfer your old phone number from different provider to Cingular through Amazon.com. If you transfer your old phone number, you won't get your mail-in rebate. Please read amazon.com mail-in rebate rules carefully!!!
You can read about how to transfer your number through this link : http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/508597/102-6686881-6992121