Sony Ericsson W350

Here at Pocket Gamer we'd like to think that those chaps at Sony Ericsson are a kindly bunch, and that they dutifully perform all manner of good deeds such as helping old ladies cross the road and spending their free weekends working in pet rescue centres - as volunteers, naturally.

Why do we entertain such thoughts, you ask? Well, just one glance at the latest addition to Sony Ericsson's burgeoning Walkman range should convince you that the company isn't adverse to random acts of charity - the W350 is undoubtedly a benevolent exercise in bringing the latest mobile tech to the downtrodden and disenfranchised.

Picture the scene - a little boy enters his local mobile phone shop with his mother in tow, excited at the prospect of picking out his very first mobile phone. He stares in wonderment at the rows and rows of shiny gadgets, each promising to turn his little world upside down.

There's just one small problem. All of these phones cost the earth, and mummy has to watch the pennies what with petrol prices on the rise and the accursed credit crunch looming overhead. With tears welling in his eyes, the forlorn little chap turns to the door.

All of a sudden something catches his eye.

It's a Sony Ericsson phone, and what's more it has Walkman capability - all for a very reasonable price! Hurrah, for all of the small boy's Christmases have come at once!

Ok, so this tale is probably a little too saccharine, but it's clear that 'entry level' handsets such as this are aimed squarely at those consumers who want to own the latest technology but simply don't earn enough cash on their paper rounds to do so.

The W350 is the successor to the W200 and W300 devices, both of which were also aimed at the cheaper end of the market. The difference here is that while both of those phones looked and felt as cheap as the price tag attached to them, the W350 boasts a far more assured and desirable appearance.

For starters, it's agreeably diminutive. Weighing in at a miniscule 79 grams the W350 is so light it almost feels like a toy. Thankfully the robust build quality - a SE hallmark - quickly convinces you otherwise. The rubberised plastic casing may not exude class but it helps the phone sit snugly in your palm, and generates a pleasingly dependable impression.

Those of you who appreciate retro phone design will be happy to note that the W350 is a 'flip form' handset - the like of which has become quite rare in these days of swanky 'sliders' and 'spinners'. The flip covers the keypad and features five dedicated Walkman buttons that allow you to effortlessly control your tunes when the phone is closed.

Speaking of music, the bundled Walkman software turns out to be disappointingly outdated, but this is probably to be expected given the modest nature of the phone. Granted, version 3.0 offers far more razzle and dazzle but the second edition seen here arguably does everything you could possibly need it to.

Taking into account that it comes with a measly 14MB of built-in storage space, archiving your bangin' garage mash-ups using the internal memory isn't really an option, but thankfully there's a 512MB Memory Stick Micro included which should be enough for your average entry level user.

Sadly, as you inspect the W350 more closely it begins to betray its budget roots. The 176x220 TFT display is like a relic from the past and although it's undeniably bright and colourful, when placed alongside other phones in the same price bracket it can't help but appear hopelessly outdated. The same is true of the lowly 1.3 megapixel camera, which lacks a flash and takes disappointing poor quality snaps.

However, by far the most disappointing aspect of the W350 is the way it handles games. The tiny screen isn't up to showcasing the very latest titles and the D-pad makes controlling them something of a nightmare - it has a rather unusual oval shape and is so inaccurate that pressing up or down without accidentally pushing the centre button is a hugely challenging game in itself. Needless to say, those of you with bulky digits won't have much fun with the interface of this phone.

While it's unfair to compare the W350 with the best handsets currently available there's no denying that some of the key issues are related to the design rather than the admittedly humble technology contained within. The petite size is appealing but it unfortunately means the keypad is cramped and awkward to use effectively if you possess hands bigger than a child's.

But then it's quite possible that this is an intentional move by the manufacturer as the W350's low cost and entry level feature-set is likely to endear it to fresh-faced teenagers worldwide rather than established mobile veterans.