It’s hard not be smitten with the Sony Ericsson Vivaz when you first clap hands on it. The latest Symbian S60 number from the Japanese-Swedish tie-up is a real beauty, with the design team clearly learning lessons from some of last year’s less sexy cells. How does the design and build quality measure up? Read our Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Design and build quality now and we’ll spill the beans.
Read more of our Sony Ericsson Vivaz review
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Overall review
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Camera and HD video
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Apps and Symbian OS
It may not be hued from a single slab of aluminium like the HTC Legend, or rock bronze highlights like the Motorola Milestone, but the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is a stunning piece of kit. The plastic body feels a tad cheaper than the very best of its smartphone rivals, but that’s a small quibble when it comes down to it. The Vivaz feels great in the hand, it’s as simple as that.
Sony Ericsson’s designers have worked hard on the Vivaz, and as screens get ever bigger and the tech inside our mobiles needs ever more space to breathe, there’s no doubting some of the very best phones are just a tad too big for the pocket of your skinny jeans. Not so the Sony Ericsson Vivaz. Its 3.2-inch screen means that it’s not too wide, and the tapered finish at either edge means it doesn’t sit awkwardly in your palm when you’re tapping out texts or watching video.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Overall review
The focus is evidently on simplicity, but here the Vivaz varies wildly. The dedicated video and camera buttons sit flush to the left hand side of the frame, but still require a decent push so they don’t end up whirring into action while the phone’s in your bag. That said, the USB port on the right hand side is shielded by a cheap and nasty plastic cover, which is awkward to pull back, and a necessary hurdle when plugging in the charger.
The USB port would be better housed on the bottom of the blower, as would the the 3.5mm jack. Sony Ericsson hasn’t been a fan of these inputs in the past, and now it’s seen fit to include a proper headphone socket, it’s slapped it on the side of the device, meaning sticking in our buds makes the phone sit uncomfortably in a pocket.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Apps and Symbian OS
The three central buttons at the bottom of the touchscreen look ace. The middle key lets you tap into the main menu, with call and end call buttons on either side. This should work well, but the interface on the Vivaz means you often end up hitting a hard key when trying to use the corners of the touchscreen to unlock the phone, for example.
The lack of a lens cover does lend the Vivaz its slimline frame, but it also means that it doesn’t have the protection afforded older efforts in the Sony Ericsson canon. That said, we’re happy to trade the chunky looks of the Satio for the Vivaz’s easy-on-the-eye approach.
Read more of our Sony Ericsson Vivaz review
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Overall review
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Camera and HD video
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review: Apps and Symbian OS
