Mobile-review.com Review GSM-phone Siemens SX1. Design, size, keyboard

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Review GSM-phone Siemens SX1. Design, size, keyboard

This phone is available only in one case’s color (Ice Blue), silver plastic that looks alike steel, screen’s edging is darker than the phone’s edges. This solution gives the phone lightness, and it looks more delicate. The denial of usual style keyboard was caused due to the developer’s desire of creating the smallest phone among other smartphones (although some markets are already selling Sendo X). Its size is 109x56x19 mm, it’s very thin, this isn’t a common thing for such models. The developers had also tried to keep an average button size, and not to make them microscopic. They completed this task with an A+, by placing the keypad on the screen’s sides. This solution is very interesting from design’s point as well, the phone receives unusual and futuristic look. Unfortunately for SX1, most users got used using a normal keypad, and it will be hard for them to learn how to use SX1’s. And if dialing a number is not a problem, inputting text is not so easy.

Let’s look at the test’s result that was held for Siemens SX1 among volunteers. This test is available here.

The phone is rather wide that’s why it becomes impossible to type by using only one hand (you will have to move your thumb among the screen, as well as moving the handset in your palm). Holding SX1 with two hands seems to be the most reasonable way to use the phone. In that case you are typing with your thumbs, this is convenient since you’re not obstructing the screen and since the device’s weight is 116 grams you have to learn the art of balancing it between your hands.

This video clip (AVI, 3.75 ëÀ) shows the convenient way of text inputting. Although the text being typed is plain random, we weren’t planning to type anything that had sence, just look at the hands.

The phone features TypeGun – a game that teaches you how to use SX1’s keyboard. It takes about 2-3 days to learn how to use it efficiently. For those who need to input the text, this software will become very useful, so we advice you to spend some time with this game. The text input speed and its precise ability will improve.

The keypad is located slightly about the case, and they’re pleasant to be pressed. You can feel their actual move. This realization has some negative sides present as well. When you’re talking on the phone and holding it with your shoulder – accidental key press are possible. In that case you and your interlocutor will hear the tone. This problem isn’t very actual (especially since this phone can work with Bluetooth headsets), and not every SX1 owner will encounter it, but it’s still possible.

The keyboard’s backlight color is blue. This creates certain difficulties during average lighting conditions; the symbols are simply going blurry and hardly readable.

On the contrast, functional keys occupy much space and hence, they are really comfortable. The small five-positional joystick is the only exception. It’s very small and glossy. This peculiarity plays a bad joke on it; the joystick sometimes is too slippery, and it becomes hard to hold a finger and coordinate your moves. Not all users will pay attention to it. This is a matter of habit. It is easier to use joystick than the alphanumerical keys. The keypad is the weakest point in the phone. By the way, speed of the text input plays plays a great role for a smartphones. Business users demand this function to be convenient and usable.

Eldar Murtazin ([email protected])
Translated by Alexander "Lexx" Zavoloka([email protected])

Published —13 February 2004

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