Posted on 18/05/2010 at 16:07 by Gareth Arnold
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| From Mobile Phone Review |
The Aino came out late last year, a millennia ago in mobile terms, and like the Symbian operating system it runs, it’s beginning to show its age.
The phone is muddled. I suspect it got its name at a design meeting conducted something like this: “I know, let’s put a great camera in it; Ai know, let’s make it a competent music player too! Aino, we could even bundle a gimmicky Bluetooth connector in there that has no real use!”
You get the idea. And like a lot of Sony Ericsson products, the Aino has that ‘designed by committee’ feel to it.
This is not to say it’s a terrible phone, but while some features are really quite good, others feel distinctly tagged-on.
First the good things. The 8-megapixel camera with LED flash is decent, especially outside, and it’s possible to get some quality snaps as long as you don’t mind waiting a few seconds for the large images to save.
Shutter lag is not bad for a camera phone, and the different camera settings, including macro, portrait, night, etc do make a difference.
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| From Mobile Phone Review |
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| From Mobile Phone Review |
And it’s pretty good at talking and texting, with fair call quality and an iphonesque ‘conversations’ feature allowing you to follow each text exchange as a series of coloured speech bubbles.
You can also use the phone to control content on your Sony PS3 using Sony’s remote play feature, similar to the service offered on the Play Station Portable.
Connectivity is great, and push email and contact syncing were easy to set up and worked seamlessly through both wifi and 3G.
Sound quality is good through the bundled Bluetooth connector that comes ready-paired with the handset, even though the music controls are irritating, but what I can’t understand is why Sony Ericsson didn’t go the whole hog and provide a set of Bluetooth headphones?
Instead we have a half-finished solution: a Bluetooth connector with a set of ear buds that plug in the top. Why is this Sony Ericsson?
It’s this kind of muddled thinking that characterises the Aino. The menu system, for example, is quietly insane.
Go to menu, go to organiser, and what do you find? You find video calling. Yes folks, video calling is filed under organiser, along with Sony’s admittedly effective Media Home application, a neat program that syncs your computer’s media library with your phone. Clever.
But why is this filed under organisation? Surely it should be under media? Just a thought.
Is this picky? Maybe, but the Aino’s quirks don’t stop there. I’ve got some late-breaking news for you… the Aino has a touchscreen. Yes, a touchscreen! Why have I left it this late in the review to mention this you ask?
Because the touchscreen on the Aino is an afterthought of the highest order.
It’s as if a disgruntled employee, we’ll call him Richard, said “Aino, let’s add a touchscreen” in the meeting we mentioned earlier. Everyone else said “no Richard, that’s just going too far.”
But in the dead of night Richard snuck in and added it anyway without telling anyone. I bet they were cross when they found out.
You see, the touchscreen only works when the phone is closed. And then only with select applications, namely the camera, radio and media libraries.
No finger scrolling through contacts or scribbling messages with a proddy stick for you Aino customers! No tactile web browsing or pinch to zoom! It is as if they are teasing us on purpose.
And it’s a shame because the screen itself is bright and crisp, with rich colours and good contrast.
You almost want to like the Aino. It even comes with a nice dock that charges the phone and Bluetooth gimmick at the same time.
And it looks smart in that stylishly dull way Sony Ericsson do so well.
But it is deeply flawed, and under its straight-laced exterior hides a crazy mass of split personalities. You can almost imagine it gibbering to itself quietly when it thinks no one’s listening.
If you must have a Sony Ericsson, there are better options out there.
Check out our review of the more vivacious Vivaz to see what I mean.
Overall 5/10
Good
Excellent camera, good screen. Battery life ok, lots of features.
Bad
Bizarrely limited touchscreen, odd menu choices, slow.
Conclusion
An unfocused phone that feels unfinished. Good ideas unrealised. Sony Ericsson can do better than this
Full spec click here