Help me choose a new phone.

[skotbites]

Cheers, just so I'm clear on this what are the differences between the k750i and w800i apart from colour and a larger memory stick with the w800i?

I'm on o2 online which are offering the k750i for free with free bluetooth head set where as the w800i is £50 with no free headset, would I be better with the k750i and spending £50 on a larger memory stick?

Scott

[nate247]

The differences in a nutshell (in no particular order) are;

W800 has, 512mb memory stick (worth £50), comes with some very good stereo headphones (can be used to listen to mp3's or as a handsfree). Included with these headphones is an adapter to plug not only the included headphones but any headphones you own (I have sone top of the range Sony ones and the sound quality is amazing). The headphones and headphone adapter are worth around £30-£40 I would say.

The W800i is also a little more exclusive than the K750, i.e you will see less people with it. It has improved software over the K750i. It has a kind of Ipod style menu system and you can search by artist, track etc. Its basically the ipod software on a phone.

The camera slider is an improvement over the K750i, (i.e the lens cover) the K750i cover is very easy to damage whilst in your pocket where as the W800i one isn't.

There are a few other small improvements but ultimately its about £100 more than the K750 in terms of its extras, better software etc, but you are only paying £50 for these things.

If you fancy changing network Vodafone are doing some amazing deals tariff wise currently and the W800 is free on most of them. Even if you choose to stay with O2, for £50 you won't regret buying the W800i I can assure you

Any more questions don't hesitate to ask.

Nathan

P.S, just thought of another plus. The buttons are alot better on the W800i for texting etc. The ones on the K750 are a bit too plasticy and prone to squeeking strangely enough lol

[Parm]

I've just picked up a W800i myself, it really is a great phone.

I wasn't expecting much from it, I lost my old phone on holiday last week so on Thursday I went to the Orange shop to get a replacement. I simply asked the girl, Tori who was lovely, "whats the best phone at the moment?".
She told me, in her opinion, the Sony W800i, so I bought it.

Been playing with the phone since I got it, it's just way cool.

[Decemoto]

The 6230i has a better screen and camera compared to the 6230, plus a few improvements on the interface, which ties in with the screen thing. I've noticed it's not as responsive as the 6230 though, probably because they shoved the new features on to the same phone, without upgrading the processor. If I was buying a new phone, I'd go for the Nokia evey time (always used 'em, know how they work!) However, I don't think I'd upgrade from a 6230 to a 6230i. In your case, I'd probably go for the k750i. My friend's got one, and the 2mp camera is very impressive!

[Nemeliza]

W800i also has a flight mode function which the K750i does not have.

Flight mode being the facility to use the handset PURELY as a MP3 player and turning off the phone components making it usable on airplanes hence the name "FLIGHT MODE"

with the extra mem the software and the included headfones the W800i is the better out of the 2 sony phonesy, be it ait 'bright'

[autopilot]

The K750 Firmware can be flashed to the W800i, and vica versa. The covers can be changed over between to the too as well (most people prefer the K750i on looks and case quality, including me). I am very unsure how anyone can say the W800i has "ipod like software". It does not even come close to ipod functionality. Its virtually exactly the same media player as the K750i.

I would go for the k750i on looks, but the W800i has a mem stick worth £30 and headphones that sell separatly on the net for £25. The W800i is the clear winner on value for money for sure. (the software, as with the k750i, is a waste of time IMO though).

Personally I really hate the tacky looks of the W800i, but thats just me so dont flame me please. Another thing about the W800i is they have taked away the 'activity' button fuction and replaced it with a button that does exactly the same as the 'play' button on the side for some bizzare reason. Another thing is the really good game that are on the k750i are not on the W800i, but thats a minor niggle i guess. This can be got back with flashing the K750i firmware to it if you want.

I would get the W800i but pickup a K750i case off ebay and replace it. A good guide to this (and firmware flashing) can be found on the howardforums.

As for the K750i VS the 6230i, here is what a wrote in another thread;

Having had both a 6230i and a K750i, i would say beyond a doubt that i would go for the K750i every time. I actually have more issuses with my 6230i (even the replacement would turn itself off) but i accept the 6230i has probaly less. I have been a nokia fan since the first early analogue phones nearly ten years ago. I tried SE, moto's, NEC's and samsungs but always went back to nokia's. But the K750i is the first one to have really converted me away. Many of the issues have been sorted on the K750i, such as some operational delays some older SE's.

This is why i prefer it (may i add these are my own opinions, i don't expect everyone will agree so don't give me a fanboy stylie flaming). I have also tried to be fair, i'm not a fanboy and dont card what make my phone is, as long as i like it...

Menu system - once you get used to the difference, the new SE menu system is better imo. I know the old saying 'if i aint broke, don't fix it' but nokias are begining to seem rather dated and need an update. With all the new features it can take some navaigate down the tree to the option you want. I prefer the K750i menu system ten-fold.

Build quality/style - The 6230i's body is nearly over two years old and looking rather dated. Personally i think its a bit dull too and i think the K750i is far more stylish, but thats competely subjective i realise and not an issue for some people. The 6230i is plastic, the k750i is metal. Also, as with all x-press on nokias, the the 6230i takes on dust and i was forever having to take it appart to clean it out. No such problems with K750i. I also prefer the keypad.

Screen - K750i wins this hands down. But the 6230i is still a large improvement over 6230.

Entertainmant - Far better games engine in the k750i, supporting rather fancy 3d games that laugh in the face of the nokia. But im not much of a mobile gamer myself really so this would not infulence my chioce personally.

Messaging - The email client on the k750i is much better. Texting is much nicer, but actually very simular to nokias anyway and you can set it up how you like it so its almost identical to nokias too.

WAP - Much better brower on the k750i

Camera - K750i is best on the market at the min, no contest there.

MP3 - Better on the K750, but not perfect - Supports proper onboard playlist management and supports drap & dropping of files, unlike the nokias which force you to use the awful buggy Nokia PC suite. SE's suite is no better, but at least you can just use windows explorer. The nokia has to have all the MP3's in the one root folder, which is a real pain. The SE lets you nest as many folders as you like. Also the SE headphones in the box are FAR better than nokia sad effort. But you can buy adaptors - a must for a the nokia IMO, but you can get by with the SE's.
Another thing, the k750i has a play, pause button on the side. With nokia you have no navigate into the menu system. Handy on my bike and in the gym.

Others featues - The k750i has far better video playback for things like tv episodes etc. Also, the k750i has an incredibly powerful LED torch which i use all the time. Better calender too. The k750i has USB charging too, which is useful in the office. The bluetooth on the K750i is also far more rubust. I never managed to sucesfully transfer a file more than 2mb on my nokia very often, even to other nokias.

Battery - I can't decide which is better really. Out of the box the nokia's tend to last a bit longer but they seem to degrade faster over time than SE's.

Memory card - £240!!! for a 2 gig card??? Where from? Kay's Catalogue?! Also If you shop around you can get 1 gig ones for around £70 (my 512 cost me £25). The memory cards in k750i's are 'hot swapable', i.e. you don't need to turn the phone off. You change the nokia card you have to remove the battery. Also, the card works in PSP's so if you have one that may be a bonus. And thanks to the PSP, memory sticks are coming down more and more.

Granted, the k750i had issues, and in many repects the 6230i is a more rubust firmware. But i have no problems since changing it. You can also update the firmware on SE's website using the cable in the box. Can you do that with nokia? I am sure they have been many more faulty k750i's, i know about 10 people who have them and one was faulty. But once you have a working one i think most people would prefer them.

Granted, many of the above features are not important to everyone. But if you are really interested the MP3, Photos and more up to date fautures, they K750i is the obvious chioce by a considerable margin. If i was a business user who just made calls/texts i would go for the 6230i over the K750i, but only by a small margin. But then if i was that kind of user i would would not go for either tbh.

One other thing, the K750i will probably have a higher resale value in 12 months time when you upgrade.

But at the end of the day, i prefer the k750i for the above reasons. You may not like it. It's totally subjective and you should get a 14 day trial on any contract. Try both then choose

[nate247]

I am very unsure how anyone can say the W800i has "ipod like software". It does not even come close to ipod functionality. Its virtually exactly the same media player as the K750i.

Sorry to ask but have you ever used the W800i media player???

I (as an owner of the handset) amongst many others are of the opinion that the software used to play mp3's is very similar to the ipod style sliding menus etc and people that have used the phone would agree.

BTW nobody has said that it is the same as the ipod but to give people who have not used the handset an idea of what the software is like I would say explaining it as "ipod like", not "exactly the same as an ipod" (which I think is what you are mistaking we are saying) is a fair assesment of the phone.

In terms of your quote "the W800i software does not even come close to the functionality of an ipod", I would have to dissagree. If you would be kind enough to offer an insight as to where the ipod software excels greatly from the W800i's I would be very keen to know.

Re the looks of the phone, everyone s entitled to their opinion and yes some do hate the way the W800i looks, but then again a few people I know are flashing their K750i's with W800i firmware (because they don't like the K750 looks) its a bit like Marmite, you either love the looks or hate them.

My advice as I have stated earlier is that if you are planning on getting either a K750i or W800i, go for the W800i because of the extras (makes sense value wise) and then if you decide down the line you don't like the looks, you can change the case.

Your suggestion of going from a K750i to a W800i (buying the case, plus you would need mem card, flashing firmware, buying decent headphones etc) would be a costly affair, especially as the W800i is going for free on alot of tariffs now much like the K750i.

Please don't take this as a flaming as it isn't meant in that sense just me putting my informed views accross in response to yours.

I am only interested in helping skotbites choose the right phone by giving him the best advice possible.

P.S, my advice is very impartial as well (although it may not seem it the amount I am bleeting on about the W800i). I have had over 20 or so phones this year alone and normally change handsets as frequently as I eat hot dinners lol

[Parm]

My brother has a K750i and I have a W800i, we both agree that the W800i looks a lot better.
Of course, everyone has their own opinions, but to us the K750i looks like the previous Sony Ericssons and doesn't look like a fancy phone. Whereas with the W800i, you just look at it and know it's the business.

[autopilot]

Sorry to ask but have you ever used the W800i media player???

Yes, quite a bit Have you used a K750i? The media player is very simular, they have added a couple of options which make it slightly better. But not worth and upgrade from a K750i to a w800i. But as you say, thats not the point as he has neither. I was not really disagreing with you just offering some alternative options as some people are put of the W800i because of the looks and some of the usful functionallity that was dropped from the K750i. But i did say that some prefer the K750i, just as some people prefer the W800i. Just a mater of taste. I was only pointing out that you could buy the w800i and change the case/firmware if you wanted to.

Your suggestion of going from a K750i to a W800i (buying the case, plus you would need mem card, flashing firmware, buying decent headphones etc) would be a costly affair, especially as the W800i is going for free on alot of tariffs now much like the K750i.

Thats not what i said mate ...

I would get the W800i but pickup a K750i case off ebay and replace it. A good guide to this (and firmware flashing) can be found on the howardforums.

Note the "i would", if i was choosing between the two, thats what i would do.

I am only interested in helping skotbites choose the right phone by giving him the best advice possible.

And good advice it was too, the W800i is far better value for money than the K750i. I agree with you, I was just adding to it

PS, we will just have to agree to disagree on the ipod bit tho dude

[nate247]

Thats fair enough mate, guess we just like differing evolutions of the handset i.e K750 / W800.

For the record I had a K750i for 3 months from release date, found it very buggy and although a good looking and functional phone (obviously not too dissimilar to the W800i), I just feel that the W800i (now released) is a better purchase overall as it improves the whole user experience in my view with the slightly improved software.

Yes the events button has dissapeared (slightly frustrating) but if you press up on the directional joystick it gives you pretty much the same functions as that button did.

Also re the ipod style software, I agree that the W800 is no ipod but I do feel that the software has alot of borrowed features (i.e the sliding menu's, same searchable title headings i.e artist, track etc, has customisable playlists, graphic equaliser, the phone plays games + its able to play videos in the walkman menu (something the ipod can't). Either way I just thought the easiest way to explain to somebody was to liken the software to the ipod style menus etc.

It wasn't meant to be taken literally but hey, nice to have a little light hearted depate every now and then, unlike other forums that can sometimes get very nasty (not that I care to register to any of those) lol

We both have opinions, we agree on somethings and not on others, thats life

All the best, Nath

[Stringent]

I'm waiting for the Nokia N91 ...

[skotbites]

I know it's been ages now but just remembered this thread.

I ended up with a W800i and after6monts or so of everyday use am still loving it.

Joystick is a bit pants tbh but apart from that and initial firmware related probs it's all been good. shame they're about to launch the w810i which imo looks better and does away with the jostick but hell it'll be upgrade time again soon.

Scott