Review of GSM/UMTS-handset Sony Ericsson C702

Mobile-review have posted their review of the Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-shot. Here is their final impression.

Impressions
Our C702 unit was loud enough to break our preconceptions about muffled sound of ruggedized handsets. The phone’s vibra alert turned out to be average strength-wise, though. The reception quality of the C702 was quite good – we got strong signal levels in most places and didn’t notice any significant differences from other contemporary solutions.

The C702 is set to arrive this June at a price of 320 Euro. It has no standout features or treats barring the casing design; as for the camera, it’s actually nothing new, since the Sony Ericsson K770 packed in pretty much the same unit. The C702 is a fairly good choice if you are in the market for a handset that is a fraction more protected from dust and abuse than most other mass-market solutions. Also going for this phone is its lens cover and flashlight mode for the camera. But, the bottom line is this: the C702 has no bells and whistles as far as its camera department is concerned, it even can’t stand up to last year’s flagship, the Sony Ericsson K790/K800. It’s a well-rounded and versatile device aimed at a small-numbered audience bent on ruggedized phones. The C702 is robust enough to survive a few tumbles and resist water and mud, but of course it doesn’t have the level of protection to spend a minute in water and take no damage. On the other hand, Sony Ericsson isn’t charging the maximum for it, on the contrary, the C702 is relatively affordable for this device type, especially for want of real competition. While it boasts a nearly perfect build quality, its plastic quality and materials let it down. Some will come across the problem of worn-out keys, some won’t; the good news is that the manufacturer has promised to sort this out, but considering the shape of the C702’s buttons and their size, we have some doubts that Sony Ericsson will be able to improve their coating significantly. Also among the C702’s failings is its display that gets washed out in the sun.

On balance, the C702 has a likable design, mediocre specs and its price tag is 25 percent heftier than that of its non-ruggedized counterpart. All this indicates that Sony Ericsson is into niche-aimed solutions and puts a lot of effort into diving the market into narrow segments. As of today it has no rival out and about, so all fans of the late Siemens M-series can well thrown the C702 onto their short-lists, given its similar degree of protection, prowess in basic functions and some extra contemporary feats under the hood (camera, music, GPS).