Post by SandStorm on Jun 26, 2006 18:51:36 GMT
In the changing world, things are getting faster. we want music on the move, fast downloads, see real time TV, and even why not, making some videocalls, and see your love from your phone when you are on the move.
All looks pretty, but not all persons can afford one expensive phone to have 3G...
Untill now.
Siemens SFG75
The Siemens SFG75 enter the battle dome, ready to take their own challenges. This device is also know as BenQ S80 (it is one BenQ phone), O2 X4, and more recently, in some markets as BenQ S82 (Vodafone version of S80)
The main weapon: It's price!
This is the cheapest 3G phone around, only 109€!
This phone also have mp3, memorycard (mini sd style), integrated 34Mb memory, 1.3mp flash camera, BT and IrDA so, really good for the given price!
Design & Build Quality
The phone features the classic clamshell factor, with one external antenna.
On the front cover you see the 96x96 pixels 65K colours display, the camera lens and the flash.
It weights aroung 110g, with is fair enough for the 3G phones, and is compact.
Feels solid and I don't notice any cracking sound.
Display
Colours show! The internal 256K colours 176x220 display is simply brilliant and suberb!
The colours have life! But once taken to the sun, it is hard to see.
The external display features 96x96 pixels, and is 65000 colours.
You can see if have new messages, missed calls, network and battery status, etc.
Funny fact, you can read the messages with the external display if you want!
Quite handy, no need to open the phone to read the sms's.
You can have your own banner on the internal screen. Can you find what's mine? You got it.
Menu/OS
Time to one fresh air!
This phone OS and UI is built by BenQ, afterall, the whole phone is BenQ.
It features 9 nice animated icons.
Your options are:
-> Phone Book
-> Messages
-> Calls
-> Games
-> Entertainement
-> Media Center
-> Tools
-> Services
-> Settings
This phone UI is pleasant to our eyes, this aqua blue is really pretty. and of course, you can navigate by using the numeric keys.
It is not so costumizable like real siemens products, but now, lets put ourselves in the standart costumer: The standart costumers don't give a cent for UI costumising or the great Sieemns file manager!
But us, give, And I really miss the so open system in this phone.
Also, the phone is way fast operating, no delays, in my opinion, it is very good!
MP3 player/Sounds
This phone can play loads of audio formats.
Midi, Wav, MP3, amr, smaf, etc.
The sound provided by the loudspeaker is loud as hell!
You can almost wake up your familly if your phone ring at full volume!
Of course, you can set your own message tone, group calls tone, etc.
To lost one call, you might be really deaf, or simply you was a victim from T_K_K_L_Luigi.
And better of all, no acoustick shock protection!
This phone MP3 player is TipTop!
Effective controls, nice presentation, I simply hope the new hibrids to have this so good MP3 player!
Even with the clamshell closed, you can see the current playing track on the external display, control the volume, and the sound provided by the phone loudspeaker is clear and nicelly audible.
Tools
you can find currency convertors, World clock, calculator, Alarm with several days, and up to 5 alarms at same time, stopwatch, countdown, etc.
This phone feature one nice Callendar, with month view.
On each date you can set your own events.
No notepad, but you can add one by Java. SXG75 and EF81 are way more expensive and also don't have them.
Remember guys, this is one low end 3G phone, and fully featured for its price.
Video
You can play 3gp and mp4 files with this phone.
And while recording, you can record nonstop!
Then, the maximum size will be the left storage on your mini-sd card, or 34mb integrated memory.
While recording clips, you can add effects, like Sefia, Negative, black and white, etc.
None of our Siemens phones do this, so, one big plus to this phone!
Camera
1.3Mp camera, just don't expect Nikon or Pentax stile photos with one so cheap phone.
In dark environmets it is not so good, and the flash is not worthy.
Have it, or not having it is almost the same.
But the flash is only handy in 2 ways, one, is for example, you are taking one photo to yourself (yes, closing the clamshell you can take self portraits) and there is backlight behind you, creating on you one shadow effect, so, you won't see cleary your face.
This way, with the flash enabled, it will correct that shadow, and even with the light behind you, your face can be seen.
The other use for flash, is really well hidden, and not acessible by the standart menus.
You can add several effects to the images. Sefia, Monocrome, Negative, etc.
Also the lighting can be set to automatic, daylight, flourscent light, incandescent light, etc.
You can adjust the brightbess and photo contrast, not forgetting the 10x digital zoom.
Some pics:
Connection
The recomended way to connect your SFG75, is by USB cable.
You can set a mode, and your phone work as one USB card reader, letting you transfering MP3, Videos, and images fast.
The IrDA is open, you can send and receive all you want. But only once each time.
Bluetooth is only for BT headsets. It is a shame, but there is 3G devices that don't even have IrDA or BT, so, if you was preparing to blame this phone, STFU, this is so Cheeeeap that make it the best choice for the guys that want mainly one good MP3 player, Videocalls, and really LOUD ringtones without the acoustick shock protection.
Keypad
Noisy keypad that light up with one beautifull blue light.
If you had setup the energy saving mode, the keypad don't light up.
You have direct acess to the camera by using the side button.
Also controll the ringtone volume using the side buttons too.
It featires one 5 way navipad.
After using joystick for the last 2 years, I am not very anoyed, since it does what is have to do.
You can have direct acesses to MP3, Write message, profiles and image gallery by pressing the navipas up, down, left, right while on standby.
The center, is the 'ok'
You also have the 'c' key to delete digits, or characters in sms's, the dedicated videocall key, and the internet key.
To set the silent mode very fast, there is one trick to long press the right softkey, and it will enable the mode.
The left softkey in standby leadme to the adress book, and the right one, my service provider set that to their internet services. Now, I can acess my provider net services with the right softkey, and the dedicated internet button.
Thank you very much TMN! At least it don't have the vodafone brandings.
Java
Java midp 2.0 supported, with this phone clear display, gaming is really nice.
It came with 2 preinstalled games. The Extreme racing (formula1) and tenins.
You only can put games by wap, so, if you allready have games for it, you need to upload them to the internet, and point your phone browser to download them.
Piracy oblied them to this.
Adressbook
Up to 500 contacts can be stored, you can set one photo (or videoclip) to your contact, store the email, fax, etc.
Group calls allowed, and this phone have one integrated blacklist. Very handy, no more calls from my boss at weekends.
Messages
I simply can't see how many messages we can store! looks like the memory is the limit. You have the option to archive your sms's too.
iTap input, that don't allow to save your words, lucky the new BenQ devices let save them, and started to use T9 like Siemens.
I hate iTap, and I knew this when I bought the phone. But since this low end devices sms makers use the standart input, it is not a fuss to me.
Secrets
Fun time!
press *#300# and the call button, and you see your FW version and date. By pressing the *#301# and call button, you see the developer menu, that let you test your device, like we are used with standart siemens.
Now, the best on this menu:
You have one option to test the flash, and you can set it allways on, so, finally, the led is usefull!
Use it as a torch!
Conclusion
The cheapest 3G device around.
Fast and stable Firmware, no reboots, no freezings. The only bad point is the flash, only usefull as torch.
Recent BenQ phones are way better (looking up for S81, and the S88 have one suberb camera)
It offer great value for money, and I am happy with it.
Fell free to ask what you want, and I will be glad to answer.
All looks pretty, but not all persons can afford one expensive phone to have 3G...
Untill now.
Siemens SFG75
The Siemens SFG75 enter the battle dome, ready to take their own challenges. This device is also know as BenQ S80 (it is one BenQ phone), O2 X4, and more recently, in some markets as BenQ S82 (Vodafone version of S80)
The main weapon: It's price!
This is the cheapest 3G phone around, only 109€!
This phone also have mp3, memorycard (mini sd style), integrated 34Mb memory, 1.3mp flash camera, BT and IrDA so, really good for the given price!
Design & Build Quality
The phone features the classic clamshell factor, with one external antenna.
On the front cover you see the 96x96 pixels 65K colours display, the camera lens and the flash.
It weights aroung 110g, with is fair enough for the 3G phones, and is compact.
Feels solid and I don't notice any cracking sound.
Display
Colours show! The internal 256K colours 176x220 display is simply brilliant and suberb!
The colours have life! But once taken to the sun, it is hard to see.
The external display features 96x96 pixels, and is 65000 colours.
You can see if have new messages, missed calls, network and battery status, etc.
Funny fact, you can read the messages with the external display if you want!
Quite handy, no need to open the phone to read the sms's.
You can have your own banner on the internal screen. Can you find what's mine? You got it.
Menu/OS
Time to one fresh air!
This phone OS and UI is built by BenQ, afterall, the whole phone is BenQ.
It features 9 nice animated icons.
Your options are:
-> Phone Book
-> Messages
-> Calls
-> Games
-> Entertainement
-> Media Center
-> Tools
-> Services
-> Settings
This phone UI is pleasant to our eyes, this aqua blue is really pretty. and of course, you can navigate by using the numeric keys.
It is not so costumizable like real siemens products, but now, lets put ourselves in the standart costumer: The standart costumers don't give a cent for UI costumising or the great Sieemns file manager!
But us, give, And I really miss the so open system in this phone.
Also, the phone is way fast operating, no delays, in my opinion, it is very good!
MP3 player/Sounds
This phone can play loads of audio formats.
Midi, Wav, MP3, amr, smaf, etc.
The sound provided by the loudspeaker is loud as hell!
You can almost wake up your familly if your phone ring at full volume!
Of course, you can set your own message tone, group calls tone, etc.
To lost one call, you might be really deaf, or simply you was a victim from T_K_K_L_Luigi.
And better of all, no acoustick shock protection!
This phone MP3 player is TipTop!
Effective controls, nice presentation, I simply hope the new hibrids to have this so good MP3 player!
Even with the clamshell closed, you can see the current playing track on the external display, control the volume, and the sound provided by the phone loudspeaker is clear and nicelly audible.
Tools
you can find currency convertors, World clock, calculator, Alarm with several days, and up to 5 alarms at same time, stopwatch, countdown, etc.
This phone feature one nice Callendar, with month view.
On each date you can set your own events.
No notepad, but you can add one by Java. SXG75 and EF81 are way more expensive and also don't have them.
Remember guys, this is one low end 3G phone, and fully featured for its price.
Video
You can play 3gp and mp4 files with this phone.
And while recording, you can record nonstop!
Then, the maximum size will be the left storage on your mini-sd card, or 34mb integrated memory.
While recording clips, you can add effects, like Sefia, Negative, black and white, etc.
None of our Siemens phones do this, so, one big plus to this phone!
Camera
1.3Mp camera, just don't expect Nikon or Pentax stile photos with one so cheap phone.
In dark environmets it is not so good, and the flash is not worthy.
Have it, or not having it is almost the same.
But the flash is only handy in 2 ways, one, is for example, you are taking one photo to yourself (yes, closing the clamshell you can take self portraits) and there is backlight behind you, creating on you one shadow effect, so, you won't see cleary your face.
This way, with the flash enabled, it will correct that shadow, and even with the light behind you, your face can be seen.
The other use for flash, is really well hidden, and not acessible by the standart menus.
You can add several effects to the images. Sefia, Monocrome, Negative, etc.
Also the lighting can be set to automatic, daylight, flourscent light, incandescent light, etc.
You can adjust the brightbess and photo contrast, not forgetting the 10x digital zoom.
Some pics:
Connection
The recomended way to connect your SFG75, is by USB cable.
You can set a mode, and your phone work as one USB card reader, letting you transfering MP3, Videos, and images fast.
The IrDA is open, you can send and receive all you want. But only once each time.
Bluetooth is only for BT headsets. It is a shame, but there is 3G devices that don't even have IrDA or BT, so, if you was preparing to blame this phone, STFU, this is so Cheeeeap that make it the best choice for the guys that want mainly one good MP3 player, Videocalls, and really LOUD ringtones without the acoustick shock protection.
Keypad
Noisy keypad that light up with one beautifull blue light.
If you had setup the energy saving mode, the keypad don't light up.
You have direct acess to the camera by using the side button.
Also controll the ringtone volume using the side buttons too.
It featires one 5 way navipad.
After using joystick for the last 2 years, I am not very anoyed, since it does what is have to do.
You can have direct acesses to MP3, Write message, profiles and image gallery by pressing the navipas up, down, left, right while on standby.
The center, is the 'ok'
You also have the 'c' key to delete digits, or characters in sms's, the dedicated videocall key, and the internet key.
To set the silent mode very fast, there is one trick to long press the right softkey, and it will enable the mode.
The left softkey in standby leadme to the adress book, and the right one, my service provider set that to their internet services. Now, I can acess my provider net services with the right softkey, and the dedicated internet button.
Thank you very much TMN! At least it don't have the vodafone brandings.
Java
Java midp 2.0 supported, with this phone clear display, gaming is really nice.
It came with 2 preinstalled games. The Extreme racing (formula1) and tenins.
You only can put games by wap, so, if you allready have games for it, you need to upload them to the internet, and point your phone browser to download them.
Piracy oblied them to this.
Adressbook
Up to 500 contacts can be stored, you can set one photo (or videoclip) to your contact, store the email, fax, etc.
Group calls allowed, and this phone have one integrated blacklist. Very handy, no more calls from my boss at weekends.
Messages
I simply can't see how many messages we can store! looks like the memory is the limit. You have the option to archive your sms's too.
iTap input, that don't allow to save your words, lucky the new BenQ devices let save them, and started to use T9 like Siemens.
I hate iTap, and I knew this when I bought the phone. But since this low end devices sms makers use the standart input, it is not a fuss to me.
Secrets
Fun time!
press *#300# and the call button, and you see your FW version and date. By pressing the *#301# and call button, you see the developer menu, that let you test your device, like we are used with standart siemens.
Now, the best on this menu:
You have one option to test the flash, and you can set it allways on, so, finally, the led is usefull!
Use it as a torch!
Conclusion
The cheapest 3G device around.
Fast and stable Firmware, no reboots, no freezings. The only bad point is the flash, only usefull as torch.
Recent BenQ phones are way better (looking up for S81, and the S88 have one suberb camera)
It offer great value for money, and I am happy with it.
Fell free to ask what you want, and I will be glad to answer.