Sony Ericsson C702 Review

Introduction and Design:

No matter how resentful we feel about picture quality of phone cameras or how far it is from what normal digital cameras deliver, what we can´t but need to account for is they come in pretty handy sometimes, especially for capturing interesting things that happen in a blink and end before you have the opportunity to pull out your digicam. A walk on the beach or up a mountain can fall out to be abundant with such occasions, the thing is normal cell phones don´t seem to take dust or water splashes all too well. That is why we whole-heartedly welcome the Sony Ericsson C702 or any other dust and splash resistant camera phones.

These qualities are certainly due to its tough body, half of which is covered in rubber-like material. Our unit is bluish-green, which gives the phone a youthful look. Unfortunately the device is a bit on the heavy side and not exactly appealing and alongside of the Sony Ericsson C902, it looks like a fat, teen, acne sprinkled version of Brad Pit. Unfortunately, the adverse conditions resistant design seems to have adversely affected the keypad and navigational buttons. Keys feel rigid to press, require that some serious pressure be exerted and as a whole, they happen to be one the most uncomfortable buttons we have ever seen on a phone. Send and end buttons are so small, we recommend you procure a proper microscope before you get the phone. The sound rocker on the right hand side of the device is also a tough nut to crack. The only comfy button is the camera shutter. It has a good travel and feels easily discernible to touch, which is good since you need to double press – first to focus then to take the picture. The only thing on the left side of the handset is an M2-card expansion slot.




You can compare the Sony Ericsson C702 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The display itself is 2.2 inches with QVGA resolution and delivers pleasing image quality. Unfortunately direct sunlight renders it virtually unusable and this makes for a grievous shortcoming when it comes to a device that will be predominantly used outdoors.



The 3.2-magapixel camera is protected by a small cover that slides loosely and we figure it can easily get open incidentally. The built-in flash is right under and is, unfortunately, neither Xenon nor “Photo Flash” (like on the C902), but a simple double LED one. The battery cover is rugged, which lets you hold your grasp on the phone more easily and is removed by undoing the safety screw that keeps it in place.  We better stress on the fact that splash-resistant doesn´t mean water-proof. In other words, you can safely unwind taking part in any “singing in the rain” musical, but you better leave any Jacques-Yves Cousteau style shark shooting missions in the Marianas Trench to properly equipped scientists.

Interface:

All latest Sony Ericsson´s phones, from midrange up, share something in common – friendly, likeable interface that allows you to personalize your device in a snap, including menu layout and we aren´t talking only about the way icons appear. The only difference the Sony Ericsson C702 brings out is due to the built-in GPS receiver that is far from being widely spread on cell phones and will definitely help you not to lose your way in faraway lands. The phone also comes preloaded with some decent navigation apps – Google Maps, Wayfinder Navigatior and Tracker that comes in handy if you are into morning jogs. Although the latter function is really fascinating, we just need to give credit where credit is due and tell you how happy we are with the second one. Wayfinder is a full-fledged navigation system that when coupled with a fast GPS receiver like this one (hot start requires less than 4 seconds) allows hassle free, spot-on operation. That we couldn´t get it to process requests like “get me to the best sushi bar that´s nearby” is bad enough, but there is even worse, it will be working free of charge for just several months and duration of the shareware period depends on which country you have bought the phone in.



Camera and Multimedia:

Of course the emphasis, at least when it comes to a phone with the Cyber-shot logo on it, falls on camera itself. It delivers a range of settings, most of which are accessible through four shortcuts buttons. The interface retakes the Sony Ericsson C905 and lets you change the shooting mode, white balance, focusing algorithm or pick out from various effects. You also have the GeoTag function that thanks to the GPS can provide pictures with locale information. Just another way to tease you friends showing off snapshots you have taken at the Carnival in Rio.


If you are intent on similar surreptitious activities, you better sign up for social network services. Despite pictures look a bit colorless and burnout, their quality is just fine for blogging. Taking a closer look reveals that even outdoor pictures are rather noisy and unpleasant. The ones shot indoors are not to be circulated among the public under no circumstance. What is even weirder is the fact that the upper left corner of all images tend to be blurry.




Video capture capability is limited to merely QVGA resolution at 30 frames per second, while colors are so hollow that objects have a ghost look to them.

There is not much to say about the multimedia menu – it brings together music and video player, installed games and web feeds. As a whole, audio quality is acceptable, although sound lacks depth no matter whether you´re using a pair of earphones or the built-in loudspeaker. You would hardly find yourself watching videos on the video player, ever, since it only supports H.263 coded content and it simply cannot deliver decent image quality.

Performance and Conclusion:

We believe the Sony Ericsson C702 has been designed to hold out against splashes and dust and it shows, but what about calls? The manufacturer claims battery provides up to 7 hours of continuous talk time and 300 hours in standby. The fact in-call quality is mediocre at best is just another topic. What you hear coming out of the phone during calls is muffled and monotonous sound, while you voice is overly sharp and (intrusively) strong. All told, in-call quality is second rate at best.

The same goes for the phone itself. It has certain advantages – splash and dust resistance, built-in GPS receiver and very good navigation software. Speaking of phone functions and camera… let´s just say it strikes the golden medium and there is nothing that can get you ecstatic or overly annoyed, erm, other than the uncomfortable buttons that is. Still, we do like the whole adverse effects resistance things, plus there are quite many people who need such a device out there. If you are one of them, all you need to know is you’ve got a decent option available. As for us, we´d rather wait until something more high-tech and affording the opportunity of underwater picture taking sessions has come out.