Dec 26, 2008 02:13 PM
2806 Views
Got the P1i day before after a weeklong debate against the N81 8GB. Like many others I have also been a Nokia user throughout and this was the first time that I tried a SE phone, the P1i. I wanted to give SE a chance and besides N81 had feedback that it was prone to frequent hanging. My comments on P1i:-
THE GOOD - Good touchscreen functions and good handwriting recognition. With a bit of practise, you can input text really fast using the handwriting recognition software. Good camera, MegaBass function enables you to use it as a passable substitute for a low volume music (speaker) player. Music player enables you to skip to any location within a song, a feature which many find very useful. The keyboard and Jogdial need some getting used to but are good once you get comfortable.
THE BAD - Slow, but only just. For a phone with such features, at least a 300 MHZ processor is the minimal requirement. It appears that applications remain open even after exiting and one has to go to the task manager to close them. This makes the phone slower.
Comes with a 1 GB card and expanding it to 4 GB would cost you US$65 (US$115 for 8 GB). This is rouchly 3 times the price you'd pay for a MicroSD card used by Nokia/Samsung/Motorola/HTC models. No outlet for 3.5 mm standard earphones. Volume on the earphone is a shade on the lower side.
Had problems installing the SE PC suite software as my antivirus reported a Trojan. Guess SE, like MS, wants to know all about the habits and details of its users by any means, fair or foul. So chose not to install.
THE UGLY - Now for a few things I feel very strongly about. What really makes me tear my hair is that these renowned manufacturers (read SE, Nokia, Apple, etc) really have a talent for shocking you in areas where you least expect it. I can understand them using their proprietary card sticks and chargers but what is really irritating is that they fiddle with/spoil the most basic things that everybody would take for granted. The P1i for example comes with earphones that just dont fit in. Too large or too dis-shapely, if I can use such a word. So I have shelled out a good INR 17.3K (US$ 430) for a phone with earphones that are just impossible to wear. Maddening, aint it. People who have bought the Nokia 3500 and have found out that the speakers are placed bang in the middle of the back side, would understand the feeling.
Again the screen protector is the worst that I have seen on any phone. The fact that this is a touchscreen phone needing more protection, does not seem to have meant anything to SE; it is hell bent on getting your screen to turn scratchy (unless you have the guts to shell out 5 dollars for a piece of transparent plastic). A 2.6 inch screen where the album art is roughly 1cm in size (you can hardly see it). The 175$ software voucher isn't very useful as the softwares are mostly zilch (no games either).
It's a good phone, good value for money too, make no mistake about it but if someone had told me beforehand about the earphones, I doubt i'd have bought it.
