Posted by Mia in 
Appearance
The new device is a classic monoblock, not much different from most modern devices of Sony Ericsson not only in size and shape, but also in appearance. It is a some kind of restyling – a simplified version of the more expensive model C902, which we remember by the 5 MP camera with touch control system. And although the camera of the Sony Ericsson C510 is simpler, the appearance of this unit is none the worse, and with the easy management the new model even exceeds its “older brother”.
Unfortunately, Sony Ericsson C510 cannot boast of metal finishing in the shell, as C902, but the plastic is more than satisfactory. The phone comes in two colours – dark (almost black) with blue trim elements, as well as silver with gray inserts. We are testing out the first version.
The matte black lid of the battery compartment, which occupies the two thirds of the rear surface, is made from a pleasant to the touch “soft-touch” material, not allowing the device to sneak out of hands. But the upper part of the back side is flexible – it hides the camera lens and flash.
To open the shutter, you need a little push on it near the top, and then the lid will easily move around a centimetre down. The mechanism works well and without the slightest criticism.
In general, Sony Ericsson C510 is assembled perfectly – gaps are not found even between the lid and the camera body, not to mention other elements. C510 also lies well in the hand and fits easily in pockets of light clothing. By the way, the weight of 92 grams is also a pleasant trifle. Frankly speaking, the device is simply a pleasure to hold in hands, many like it very much.
Controls and Interfaces
The keyboard setting of the new device, like the majority of fresh Sony Ericson models, is executed in the form of bar-type. Twelve oblong slightly convex keys can boast with an excellent tactile impact, rather uniform white backlighting and easy to read letters and pictograms.
But an additional control unit, located directly below the display device, can hardly be described as very convenient. It is a square 4-position cursor key with a confirmation button in the centre, as well as six additional buttons with the standard for most phone functions. If it is more or less comfortable to work with the square navigation button, it is not easy to find the remaining buttons.
Additional controls, located on the outboard ends of the phone, are standard – these are the button activating the camera and the 2-position key-swing on the right face. Notably, there is no separate button to turn on the power of the C510. The call cancel button combines this function.
At the top of the left front is the interface connector of Sony Ericsson, through which the phone connects to a computer, is charging the battery, and also the headset is connected. The latter is connected not directly but through the adapter, which will have to be bought separately. However, this is normal, because owners of Sony Ericson phones have long been accustomed to the absence of the 3.5-mm connector.
Display
Covered with a glossy protective glass the screen TFT of C510 is a classic genre for any modern phone. The diagonal is 2,2 inches, the resolution is 240×320 pixels and it has the ability to display 262 thousand colours. Nevertheless, for the maximum brightness, clarity and colour, the display of the new items can be described as one of the worthy.
The small font size of the internet pages is relatively easy to read, but peering does occur. But the novelty is ideally suited to view photos, because of juicy colours, slight fading in the sun, as well as built-gyroscope, automatically determining whether you hold the unit in the hands in horizontal position or vertically, and in accordance with this, reversing the photo.
Communications
Sony Ericsson C510 is a universal unit. It works in traditional for our country GSM networks, as well as in the further developing third-generation networks UMTS / HSPA. Accordingly, data transfer can take place and through EDGE, as well as through HSDPA. When testing in an urban setting the new model demonstrated good sensitivity and the strong desire to break through the air, even in areas with very weak coupling, where just a single division of the signal was shown on the display. Thus relationship with another person is not interrupted, although audibility was not very good.
In addition, the S510 is equipped with a Bluetooth 2.0 module, which was verified by the example of connection and data transfer to Pocket PCs HP iPAQ 4700. The devices had no difficulty in finding each other, and the transfer of data (several tens of pictures) was carried out with an average speed of 0.6 Mbps.
When you connect your phone to the computer it gives the user a choice – whether he wants to optimize for file transfer, or wishes to synchronize. In file transfer mode the memory is perceived as a normal computer media. The speed of data transfer from phone to PC is about 3,5-4 Mbps. This, of course, is slow, but still higher than that of via USB 1.1, which is limited by the speed of 2 Mbps.
FM-radio
The FM-radio for most Sony Ericsson phones is already traditional. The receiver is very sensitive, the stations are accepted without further interference, and noise. The program interface is the same as in the other tubes, and an additional description is hardly needed. The only thing to add is the RDS-supported service messages.
Camera
A camera phone, by definition, must have a high quality built-in camera. Nevertheless, according to modern standards, the characteristics of the camera of the C510 can hardly be described as impressive: 3.2-MP CMOS-matrix, autofocus, flash with two LEDs. Photo taking is in jpg file format with a resolution up to 2048×1536 pixels, and video – into MPEG4 files with a maximum resolution of 320×240 (the speed of 30 frames / sec).
The menu of the camera and its settings are familiar to us from other phones of Sony Ericsson. Here you can adjust the quality of shooting, the white balance, turn off the flash, put one of the available digital image processing effects.
When shooting, the image in the viewfinder (on phone) moves quickly, without delay. But most importantly, the time from pressing the shutter to getting the finished frame is no more than a second. The absence of delays speaks about debugged and well-polished program supplying the camera, which almost certainly is no different from that found in more expensive models of Sony Ericsson. Well, you can shoot in a vertical or horizontal position.
The quality of images can be described as good – without unnecessary noise and natural colour, but with some overshadowing of details. The latter is especially apparent in the dark. When shooting in night-lit streets the device uses a relatively long shutter speed, that is why the colours are ideal, but the focus is suffering. So in this case, it is better to install the unit on some kind of support. Railings, fences or just a part of the building – is quite fine for this. Macro shooting works relatively well – within a few centimetres the phone easily focuses on the object.
Time of autonomous work
Sony Ericsson C510 is equipped with a Li-Polum battery capacity of 930 mA•h. During normal operation (20 min calls per day, with an address book, viewing tapes of news websites via GPRS), the unit works without charging four days. With efficient use more impressive results can be achieved. So you can say with confidence – the new model will perfectly fit all those for whom a decent time of offline work is an important factor.
Software Features
The menu and the program filling are those elements of the C510, that the manufacturer saved money on. No, there is no question that they are poorly made, just the opposite. Simply the firmware has remained unchanged in comparison with other models of Sony Ericsson latest phones. For example, it almost does not differ from the established model S902, and therefore is unlikely to need detailed description.
The main menu is done in the form of a traditional matrix of 3×4 dimensions, consisting of animated icons. Six themes with animations allow the user not to get bored too soon of his new acquisition. In addition, by using the themes you can not just change the colour design, but also change the view of the main menu – to replace the matrix to three-dimensional scroll strip icons.
There are a few pre-set programs: weather utility, a screensaver in the form of hours, a pedometer and a program for viewing YouTube movies.
Games are even less – a total of three (and, by the way, there is a good race). But with the media player of C510, we are familiar from other models, so that there is no meaning to describe it again.
Conclusion
The price of Sony Ericsson C510 is not so sweet for a camera phone with a simple camera. Nevertheless, among the competitors operating in the networks of 3G, this price is not the highest. To the merits of the phone should be added high quality build, attractive design, original mechanism of sliding shutter, a long time of autonomous work, and a software platform worked out on other models. All this resulted in a very attractive device of a middle price range.
