Sony Ericsson Z520 / Z525
Average Ratings
ICK!
I must say, first off, that I did not buy this phone new, it was given to me by a friend. However, this phone is less than a year old.
My biggest disappointment with this phone is the voice dialing. It says it's available and one of it features, however they needn't have bothered. It might as well be non-existent. I have recorded the names in my phone book and I can scream the name into my phone and it still won't recognize it. So this means I can't use the voice dialing on my bluetooth headset either, which is the primary reason I bought the headset in the first place! I know some Verizon phones (probably the LG phones) have a great voice dialing system, where you don't even have to record the name and it knows who you're trying to call, so I'm not sure why SE couldn't even get close....
I'm also having tremendous problems with the software and such. I've had multiple instances of it freezing and having to pull out the battery and power cycle it. Also it likes to slow down tremendously to the point that it takes several seconds to respond to any button commands (going through the menu or dialing a number).
I also LOVE (sarcasm!) going though my pictures at the end of the day and having a dozen or so pictures that are completely black from going off inside my pocket or my purse.
I've also noticed that when you're using speed dial and you hit, say, number 3, it doesn't show up with the number you've programmed in until you're actually making a phone call. I had major issues with that until I managed to memorize who I had programmed into my speed dial...
I must say I've never had so many issues with any of my past phones and I've really lost any faith for SE.
PROS
Never had a dropped call (Cingular)
Sound is fine through the ear piece and my bluetooth
Good battery life
CONS
Major firmware issues
Speed dial iffy
Voice dialing AWFUL!
Camera button not a good spot
Great Phone For My Needs
My needs include the phone to make and accept clear calls, and a phone that is easy to use. The Z525a fits both of my criteria. I've been a cell phone user for only the past four years, and this is my second phone. I'm extremely pleased with this one. It has more features than I'll ever need or use. I don't need my phone to be a pocket entertainment center...I just need it to do what it's supposed to do...be a good phone. I would highly recommend this phone.
PROS: Calls are clear.
Call volume loud enough to hear.
Speakerphone has good quality.
Ringtones are loud enough to hear
Vibrate mode is actually practical.
Bluetooth a definite plus.
Z535a very easy to set-up and use.
Good ergonomic design for talking.
CONS: Can't think of any.
If your needs are basic, this phone will more than satisfy your expectations. A great little phone!
Cant mess with it
I really like this phone seriously its a good phone but that AWFUL ptt button cingular just ruined the phone. I have to open and close it --- open and close it --- open and close it ---------then call. thats bs i shouldnt have to do all that to make a call, just imagine if youre trying to call someone while youre driving and you have to do all that, bs.
anyway
PROS
CUSTOM RINGTONES (oh how i miss thee), camera and video, the price, "okay" connection, loved the buttons and the lights when it rang, beautiful display
CONS
funky ptt button, weird antenna, the way it flips open (i missed my spring loaded flips)
This is a nice phone but not for me... not at all.
Pretty nice phone
Overall, this is a very nice phone. My dad, brother, and I all have had the Z520 (without PTT) since December 2005. When it first came out, there were some software issues which caused animated GIFs to stop being animated, the menus to stop appearing correctly, and all mp3 and midi files to stop playing sound. After having them replaced through warranty, we have had very little problems with them.
The cons of this phone are that the camera button on the side is too sensitive. There have been several pictures taken of the insides of our pockets. My brother had one replaced by warranty because the camera would take pictures when the phone was sitting flat in the palm of his hand without anything touching the buttons. All that aside, the phones that we have now after dealing with warranty are great.
These phones have many features and are very durable. They have been dropped many times with no physical damage. Very easy to sync with a PC using a data cable or bluetooth.
Not worth it
I have been using the sony ericsson ever since christmas a year and a half ago ago, and since three months after that the phone has given me nothing but problems. i had to call cingular to have them replace it three times and every time the phone was defective. the keys stick, it freezes while going through the menu, it shuts off on its own and takes pictures on its own. the screen is clear when dialing and very bright while dialing as well, but it is very dull when when you open it. its exterior is so cheap that when ever you drop it every scratch shows up. they said it would last for two years, but it barely lasted one. and it has gotten so bad the battery doesnt even last a whole day. This is by far, the worst phone i have ever used.
No Complaints
This phone has it all...great sound quality, reception, I works as it should, every time.
Not as bad as people say
As a Cingulat WSC rep, you'd think that I'd stay away from this phone. But I use this as a GoPhone occasionally and it works just fine.
Pros.
Small
Sony Ericsson Brand
Good Sound
Lotsa Bars
Plays Ringers as cleat as hell!
Camera/Video are okay.
Cons.
No Mp3
No Expandale Memory
Video is 30-60 maximum. (Can't win them all.)
For a basic phone, it's pretty cool; but when I can get a Sony Ericsson K750 or a W810i, then it's on like Donkey Kong, ya feel me?!
Little Freaking ahhhhhhhhh
OK, It was awesome at first. I'll give it that. I was just coming off a SE z500. So the size and overall look was dramatically improved. As soon as I went to use the speaker phone I was instantly depressed. I swear. The Z500 had an awesome speaker phone. I would go to let people hear a ring tone or something. I just played it from the outside of the phone and they could hear it from where ever they were. This new phone. Ha. I couldn't play anything with the phone closed and when using speaker phone on a call; I would still have to put it close to my ear. But above all. The most annoyed any electronic device has ever made me EVER. THE SIDE BUTTON CAMERA ACCESS WAS THE WORST. I wouldn't even move and it would go off. I keep it in my pocket (it's not so cool in a purse for a guy) and by the end of the day I would have over 300 pictures of my pocket. Sometimes I would forget to turn on silent mode before I entered a customers house. Out of nowhere, the phone takes a picture. Loud camera sound perfectly pronounces itself. The customer looks at me as if I am casing the place for a later game snatch and grab. The point is. I hate this phone. Right now I am waiting on the SE w300i in the mail. My SE z520a has some sort of flaw that makes the background scroll and then go blank for days. I have to shut and reopen about 80 times before the screen comes back.
PROS- I like the size
- I like the color
- people seemed impressed with it
CONS- horrible side buttons
- Horribly defective
- horrible sound
- designers just threw it out in
the market
I hope this new phone does not let me down
Terrible Phone.. Even worse customer svc
Gave a 1, because while they work.. they do work fine. However, own 2 Z520a, the first one had the display screen fill with lines after only 90 days. Sent to sony and had the phone returned saying it had either been dropped or wet. Not only did they not repair.. but voided any remaining warranty. Phone calls to them proved useless. My carrier has stated that there are problems with this phone and Sony will find a way out. I do know other owners that have been told the same thing.. regardless of the repair needed. They never opened the phone to make their determination. The second phone stopped working all together within 10 months.. will not even turn on. I refuse to purchase any more products from them. Would suggest taking this phone at your own risk.. cause you truly are.
Pros..
Good reception
Nice size
Cons..
Dependability
Customer svc
Unless you place in a case.. will find that when opening, the camera button is in the way and you end up taking useless pics.
Good Features Marginal Quality
I have owned the Z525a for about 5 months now and have had OK luck with it. Previously, I went through 3 Z520a phones that died.
PROS:
Bright Screen that you can see, especially at night, good keypad, and a fairly predictable menu selection. Quad band GSM and decent email features.
CONS:
This phone (Z525a) is forever trying tell sell me PTT (Push To Talk). The Z520a was always taking pictures of my pant pocket. I wish there were some way to turn off that large side button, as it is quite the menace. Reception is pretty poor and I have had a lot of trouble with dropped calls. Bluetooth functions are barely passable and the phone just randomly turns itself off. The software has trouble with hiccups for which your have to pull the battery out to restart the phone (this is called a hard reset). Be careful using the call forward feature. It gets stuck alot and you have to call Cingular to get it unstuck. The most terrible thing about this phone is that all of the connection and power technologies are proprietary, and accordingly, are outrageously expensive. Personally, I am currently waiting for Cingular to bring forth the new N75 clamshell. My first two cell phones were Nokia and that is what I am heading back towards.
