Sony Ericsson Z520 / Z525
Average Ratings
Nice phone But...
I got this phone from Cingular @ the first of Dec. It was was a cool phone but, the battery sucks. It would die every 2 days, & I didn't use it that much. The camera was pretty bad also. The Cons, outweighed the Pros so I won't even mention them. I have always been a Nokia fan, & traded this phone for the Nokia 6101/6102, which is Awesome in every way.
Work in progress
Since there is a total lack of competence at Cingular in regards to activating this phone for me, (and therefore mid-range rating) I will say only what I know so far:
Pros)
1. Stylish
2. Feels good in the hand
3. Sceens are pretty clear
4. Very functional (hopefully)
5. Nice interface
6. Accessories are available.
Cons)
1. Camera button is an outright mistake! it should have been recessed slightly or the area around it built up to protect the button from accidental misfires. Either that or SE needs to provide some way to disable it.
2. The SIM is difficult to remove with something to shove under it
3. Cingular techs have no idea how to work with this phone
Nightmare before Christmas
I have had both versions of this phone the z520a and the z525a which both have had the same problems. There are alot of software issues with this phone. When I want to answer a call while I'm already on the phone my phone shuts completely down(as well as the 7) replacements. YES I HAVE HAD 7 OF THESE ALL TOGETHER. Cingular finally broke down and is giving me a new phone. To anyone who buys this phone you might as well throw your money in a garbage disposal cause all this phone will do is eat your money. I think the only thing i like about this phone is the lights that light up when someone calls. But other than that this phone is really a piece of junk. DONT BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE!
Well this cell phone is very OK but for someone like me it stinks!
I am very ruff on phones and i need s stromger phone! DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE I HATE IT!
the only good thing about this phone is that it is small and takes good pictures
I HATE THIS PHONE AND IF U BUY IT THEN U R NOT SMART
take it back take it back take it back take it back take it back~!!!
Best Phone Ever
I read a lot of reviews before I purchased this phone. I'm a flip phone guy and i've had just about every one out there. I must say this is by far the best. I don't care what anyone says, this is the best flip phone on the market, hands down.
If you read a bad review on this phone, read is closely and you'll notice that the negative comments are generally not about something that really matters! If you want a freakin digital camera, then buy a digital camera! If you don't like the ringtones, then add your own with the bluetooth or download some from the internet. If you don't like that it doesn't have a green button and a red button for answer and hang-up then go back to an old school phone.
PROS:
Battery life - awesome, at least 5 days
Display - very bright and easy to read
Bluetooth - very easy to setup and pair
Speakerphone - great, never "crackled" in over 100 speakerphone calls.
All other Features - rock!
CONS:
Ringtones - I didn't like them so i added my own with the bluetooth, but i've never liked any original ringtones on any phone.
Camera - who cares, it's a phone!
This phone rocks. I'll never give it up.
Like this phone
I've had the phone now for 6 months. This is my second, the screen on my first one went white and was replaced via warranty. I purchased the data cable and am so glad I did.
I agree with most of the Pros listed, here are a some I don't recall seeing:
Upload pics & full mp3 songs to use as ringtones with the data cable.
Panoramic pics! Love that! I had a RAZR and don't think it could take panoramic pics.
Cons:
The bend in the loop antenna. Why? Should have been kept flush with the back of the phone. Just a pet peeve - feels bulkier than it should in my pocket.
Availability of style up covers made by Sony Ericsson. The cheap ones off eBay suck.
All that aside, it's a good phone. I live in San Francisco, and the area I live is notorious for having horrible reception. This phone is no better or worse than any phone I've had on either Cingular or Nextel.
I'm lovin' it
Have had this phone in my hands almost constantly since my wife gave it to my this past Friday, 15-Sep-06. I have been a user of VZW and the now disco'd VX8100. That phone is nice and can be customized if you like to use the VZW stuff. I feel confined by that now. If I want to use themes for the z525a that are supplied by someone else beside Cingular I can. If I want to use Ringtones by someone else I can. Heck, I can do a lot more with this that I can with the VX. Nothing is disabled.
And I don't need to hack the phone to add
things.
Signal is great. Dialing is easy. Just don't try and do it by touch. Light weight Pocketable. Just make sure the PTT key is deactivated if you use it. If you don't, the same applies.
Pros
Battery life
Signal strength
Ability to customize without
having to hack the phone
Changeable faceplates (Style-Up covers)
Cons
Screen dims after 10-15 seconds.
Hard to read display in bright light
Sensative PTT button
The Pros outweigh the Cons in my opinion.
Good phone, not razr quality.
I have recently purchased this phone when I upgraded my Cingular plan. I've carried the razr for the longest time and love it. I've heard many a story about how the Z520a rivaled the razr and I wanted to see for myself.
The Z520a is an excellent phone at an excellent price. (Half the reason I bought the extra phone to try.) It does have features that are not offered with my razr, yet there are many things that the razr has that I wish the Z520a did. Therefore I cannot agree that it is "better" than the razr, but it's really close.
First, the speakerphone is not at all that loud even with the volume set at its highest. The razrs is excellent. This is a fundamental that I think all phones should include and should work well.
Reception is great. This does rival the razr.
The looks of the phone aren't too distracting or particularly attention getting, but it's small and lightweight and the form works well. The flashy light display isn't bad either.
Picture and camera quality are good for a phone. It's nothing special but it functions well. Depending on the picture you're taking and where you're taking it gets you a variance in picture quality.
The menus and setup of this phone is the biggest dislike I have. Although not hard to navigate when you use it often, it does seem less user friendly than Motorola's. And the buttons are completely different and takes getting used to.
Overall it's an excellent phone at a very reasonable price. If you're looking for a high end phone that won't cost you an arm and leg, I'd recommend this one. If you don't care about the infrared technology or the few added bells and whistles and have the extra money to spend, I'd say try the razr. Either way I'm sure you'll be satisfied.
I'm in love (and it was free!)
When my fiance and I decided to upgrade our phones on our family plan, he chose the Z520a (refurbished), and I picked the Nokia 6102i. Our phones arrived on the same day, and within 24 hours, I knew I wanted to exchange my Nokia for the Z520a.
- Physical Appearance: Feels sturdy, the hinge isn't loose (even on our refurbs), the screen is clear, and the keys are large. I actually like the way the loop antenna looks. The external camera button is sensitive, but I carry the phone around in my purse and in my pocket, and I haven't had any problems with snapping unwanted pictures.
- Reception: Excellent (I live in Chicago). I carried a conversation through an elevator ride in my apartment the other day.
- Earpiece Volume: The Z520a's earpiece volume is much higher than the 6102i's.
- Menu Interface: Some people have complained about the Z520a's lag, but the 6102i's lag is much worse. Additionally, the Z520a's interface is very user-friendly and far more customizable than the 6102i's. Each of the four directional buttons on the Z520a are customizable to literally ANY function available on the phone -- applications, folders, obscure settings, you name it.
- Battery: Great battery life. My phone use probably averages out at an hour per day, with some camera phone pictures thrown in every few days, and I think I've been having to charge my battery every 4 or 5 days.
- Camera: Pretty much what you would expect from a 640x480 phone camera with digital zoom and no flash.
- Bluetooth: I use the bluetooth to transfer ringtones, pictures, and themes between the phone and my computer. The Z520a syncs contacts and calendars amazingly well via iSync on my iBook running OS X (Tiger), and I didn't even have to install any drivers or third party programs.
I've liked a lot of my previous phones, but this is the first time I've truly fallen in love with one, and this experience is all the sweeter because I got the phone for free!
Good for price but some flaws
Feature wise this phone meets or surpasses most in its price range. Reception is good, but, speaker volume could be louder. Also, speaker fell out of my first phone and I had to send to Sony for repair. They did it for free under warranty. I prefer my p910a overall, but, Z520a fits in pocket better when you don't need the extra power.
PROS:
Easily fits in pocket.
Good reception.
Built in IM.
Synchronizes with Outlook if you by USB cable.
CONS:
Screen not viewable in sunlight (major problem).
Easy to hit camera button when opening (you learn to hold it differently).
Screen goes blank too quickly (annoying).
No memory card (normal at this price).
