[Apfhex]

I'm looking to replace my Sony Ericsson Z600 and its shortcomings (it doesn't have many). I'd love a really small phone, but I'd also love a really decent camera. MP3 playback and high-speed data transfer (such as EDGE support) don't really matter to me. So I think I've narrowed my choices to the SE k750i and the Moto RAZR V3i. Neither of these are available from T-Mobile so I'd be buying unlocked from the best online store I can find. They are similarly priced where I've looked.

What I like about the k750i:
-Really good pictures for a phone. Like, seriously impressive.
-Really good battery life
-Good UI
What I don't like:
-Might be a little bulky
-Not a flip phone

What I like about the V3i:
-Tiny form factor (of course!)
-Quad-band
-Looks to be a huge improvement over the original RAZR, with battery life comparable to at least my Z600, and a 1.23MP camera
What I don't like:
-Camera not as good as the k750i
-Motorola's UI sucks
-Seems a little fragile

And these are the things that I'd like to know: I'm concerned about durability of both, but the RAZR, due to its size and construction, seems more likely to be damaged. I'm also concerned about reception and voice quality/volume. Those are really important!!

Purely comparing features, it seems to come down to: tiny form factor of the V3i and the versatility of quad-band, or a nice camera and the trusted quality of the k750i?

I'm also open to other suggestions, but I'm not going for anything really expensive, and I need good battery life.

[Dark Helmet]

Motorola doesn't know **** about cameras or phone OS's. Sony excels in both, the choice should be simple.

[King Chung Huang]

Skip the K750i. Go for the K800i!

I have a K750i and I love it. In good light, the pictures are really good for a camera phone. Plus, it works great with Salling Clicker.

[slugslugslug]

My K750i doesn't feel too bulky at all. And the pictures, yes, impressive. I mean, perhaps there are certainly cheap compact cameras that take far better pictures, but the phone's gonna be with you pretty much all the time, innit? So you may as well get one with at least the K750's quality. Of course, KCH has a point: if you can hold a few more months, the k790/k800 will be dope.

Also, if you're eligible for a phone upgrade (which I think means your contract has <1 mo. to go or has already expired) and don't mind extending your contract, you should see about getting the phone at a brick-and-mortar store that sells T-Mobile service. That way, you can still get a discount on the phone. Since the K750i isn't officially available in the U.S., you may not be able to find it if you don't live in a big city. But if you do, try mobile phone shops in Chinatown. My K750i cost $200 with a new plan.

[rozwado1]

-Motorola's UI sucks

So, there's your answer...

[Apfhex]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

My K750i doesn't feel too bulky at all. And the pictures, yes, impressive. I mean, perhaps there are certainly cheap compact cameras that take far better pictures, but the phone's gonna be with you pretty much all the time, innit? So you may as well get one with at least the K750's quality. Of course, KCH has a point: if you can hold a few more months, the k790/k800 will be dope.

Yeah, that's exactly what the k750i entices me. I rarely have my regular digital camera with me, and the one on my Z600 is just so useless. However, when the k790/800's come out they'll likely be a lot more expensive than the 750 is now, and, I think a little bigger too.

Also, if you're eligible for a phone upgrade (which I think means your contract has <1 mo. to go or has already expired) and don't mind extending your contract, you should see about getting the phone at a brick-and-mortar store that sells T-Mobile service. That way, you can still get a discount on the phone. Since the K750i isn't officially available in the U.S., you may not be able to find it if you don't live in a big city. But if you do, try mobile phone shops in Chinatown. My K750i cost $200 with a new plan.

Hmm, that'd be great, but like you say I think it would be hard to find a store that sells them. MobileBee.com (where I got my Z600) offers discounts, but only for new T-Mobile customers. I'm really weary of buying from cheaper sites like MyWorldPhone, MobilePlanet, etc.

[ShotgunEd]

I'd go for the S/E. I've used the T610, then the K700 and now the K750i and each has been a solid phone. However each has, after about 6 months, developed an un-responsive joystick. Its replaceable under warranty, but its still something you should be aware of, especially since unlocking might affect the warranty.

The camera is good for quick snaps, don't even think about using it in the dark though, even with the built in light turned on.

[ajprice]

Sony Ericsson. I've had a Moto and agree that the OS is crap. SE phones have good cameras and a good system, and work well with Macs (A Moto does not work with Salling Clicker and never will because of the firmware). I used to have a T610 a few years ago, and my brother has it now, apart from a few scratches and paint wearing off, it is still working fully. I've got a K700 now and it's great, just like the old T610 but with more memory, a better camera and a better screen. There is a new batch of SE phones coming out, including the W810 and the K790/800 CyberShot phones, might be woeth holding on for those to come out, as the K750 has been out a while now and is pretty old in phone years.

[slugslugslug]

I almost recommended the W810, since it is official for the U.S., and quad-band (in case you jump ship to Cingular and need the 850MHz), but then I realized it goes for about $300 more than the K750i and figured price was a factor, too (see the OP's 2nd post here).

The K790/K800 seem to have a far bigger feature advantage over the 750, though again, they'll likely cost an arm and a leg. Regardless of its age, the K750i is still an excellent all around phone. The W800i might be worth considering now that its price has come down in line with the K750i..

[Apfhex]

Well, I was looking at the features for the K790a (NA version with 850MHz) and it's pretty impressive. EDGE, HTML browser (not that T-Mobile lets me do browsing without additional fees, bah), 3.2 MP camera with image stabilization (digital, not optical, though) and their "BestPic" software, etc. I'll at least wait until it's released, maybe if I'm reeeeealy lucky T-Mobile will pick it up. LOL.

What are the differences between the K750i and W800i? It has a different camera cover mechanism and a music button (I'd rather have the regular shortcuts button)... seems to be about it?

The W810 *is* nice looking with nice feature upgrades from the K750/W800, but like you said it's twice as expensive, which is just too much.

[CharlesS]

Why would anyone buy a phone that's not quad band? Interoperability with the rest of the world is the whole reason to go GSM over CDMA. Otherwise, what's the point of GSM in the first place?

One vote for the V3i.

[ajprice]

The k750 and w800 are essentially the same phone, the only differences apart from the look of the phone are in the software (w800 has the Walkman music player, and can be used as a music player with the phone part turned off), and the size of the bundled memory card (k750 has 64MB card, w800 has a 512MB card).

[slugslugslug]

One more difference: the w800 comes with a headset that is by all accounts far better and includes a 3.5 mm jack so you can use any ol' headphones you want with it. And it's possible, though I haven't done it, to flash one model's firmware into the other's, though you need windows software to do it.

CharlesS: is the 850 MHz band common anywhere outside the U.S.? 'Cause if it's not, and you know you'll be with T-Mobile for a while, then a 900/1800/1900 phone isn't so bad. Or if 850's common somewhere you're just not going.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Motorola doesn't know **** about cameras or phone OS's. Sony excels in both, the choice should be simple.

OSs are different for different Motorola phones. Nextel Motorola phones have vastly different UI than Verizon phones. But then you've been told this before.

[Apfhex]

Forget what I said about not caring about music playing capabilities - I've been looking at the W810i and I'm totally drooling over this. I think SE's Walkman phones are finally good enough to consider replacing my iPod Shuffle (much as I love it, it'd be one less device to carry). And it solves my quad-band conundrum (say that 8 times fast ). I'll wait for an "official" US release and see how far prices drop in the coming weeks/months.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

CharlesS: is the 850 MHz band common anywhere outside the U.S.? 'Cause if it's not, and you know you'll be with T-Mobile for a while, then a 900/1800/1900 phone isn't so bad. Or if 850's common somewhere you're just not going.

T-Mobile is using the 850 band more and more lately. They're also signing roaming agreements with GSM providers that use the 850 band. So if you get a phone that lacks 850 on T-Mobile, you're going to get a lower quality of service.

And of course, if you get a phone that has 850, 1800, and 1900 but lacks 900, you're going to have a huge problem anywhere outside the US.

[slugslugslug]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

T-Mobile is using the 850 band more and more lately. They're also signing roaming agreements with GSM providers that use the 850 band. So if you get a phone that lacks 850 on T-Mobile, you're going to get a lower quality of service.

I'll admit to getting less-than-perfect reception with my phone, and obviously perfect would be better. But it works where I need it.

And of course, if you get a phone that has 850, 1800, and 1900 but lacks 900, you're going to have a huge problem anywhere outside the US.

Unless you don't really travel (such people do exist). What's the state of cheap prepaid phones in other lands, though? Since I imagine most folks would be getting prepaid SIM cards to avoid insane int'l roaming charges, one might also live without their own phone while on vacation.

Anyway, I agree that quad-band is good and will hopefully find a quad-band phone I like come upgrade time this August. Just saying there are some reasons some folks might not care.

The real question is: Why make a GSM phone that's not quad-band? Rrrr..

[alexandraoliver]

I am the happy owner of a w810i. I actually bought two (by accident) and i cant return the other one because its brand new (stupid non refund policies). I am looking to sell it and can provide pictures. I am looking for $425 (which includes s/h). I think paypal is the safest option for both parties, although i could consider other options. Msg me if you are interested. Thanks

[Peter]

w810i is an awesome phone, and i tihnk its smaller than most camera phones!
Get it.

[Apfhex]

I'm probably going to buy this 1GB+extras bundle once I know enough about the dropped calls issue. That price is a lot less than what prices were when this phone was released (last month?), plus those extras alone are worth a lot making it a very worthwhile deal.

[praveen]

if u doesn't like w810i you can get a w800i too atleast it is better than w550i, w600(in usa) or even k750i and even w900i. the price for w800i has dropped, it gives u a 512mb mem stick, good quality headset and even a 2mpx camera! lolx.