Sony Ericsson C905 (my gadget)

Advantages

• Quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE
• UMTS / HSDPA 2100 (tri-band for the US), up to 3.6 Mbps
• Bluetooth 2.0 including A2DP and EDR
• Overall good build quality
• Bundled 2 GB memory card
• 2.4-inch large scratch-resistant TFT display
• Improved user interface, messaging and organizer applications
• 8-megapixel camera with auto focus, xenon flash, and lots of features
• Built-in A-GPS with WayFinder Navigator software
• WLAN (802.11b/g) with DLNA support
• TV-out functionality

Disadvantages

• No HSUPA support
• No front facing video call camera
• Mediocre battery performance
• Heavy weight and large dimensions
• Camera lens cover
• Annoying lanyard eyelet
• Limited video recording

Sony Ericsson’s current portfolio shows a few phones that are similar to the C905 - the G705 and its music-loving sister, W705. None of these are camera-centric offerings though, hence the poorer camera. In addition to this, the W705, unlike the G705, lacks a built-in GPS. If we take a broader look at the market, only the Samsung Innov8 comes to mind as a very similar product. However, the Innov8 is a smart phone, meaning it’ll trump the C905 in some areas, such as web browsing, while falling behind in other aspects.
The C905 comes in a pretty standard box. Quite a pity, as this is a high-end product, and therefore should project that feeling from the moment you get your hands on the sales box. In the box you’ll find the following (depending on region and operator):

• Sony Ericsson C905
• Charger
• USB cable
• Stereo headset
• Memory Stick Micro USB adapter (CCR-70)
• Strap
• Software CD
• Manual, brochures, etc.

That’s not bad at all for a product in this price range.

There’s no arguing that C905 could replace mid-tier compact cameras, but it still doesn’t stand a chance against high-end compact cameras and digital SLR cameras. We did a brief comparison between the C902, C905 and a Nikon D80 (d-SLR), and the outcome was quite clear: C905 is a lot better than C902, but miles behind the Nikon D80. We had originally planned a much larger and comprehensive comparison, but as the days went by, we realised that we simply didn’t have the time.

The C905 records video clips in MP4 format (container for the H.263 codec) in 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA). We measured an average video bit rate of about 450 Kbps, with a few peaks at 550 Kbps. That’s a really good bit rate for this relatively low resolution. The video framerate is 30 frames per second, so that’s nice as well. The best thing about video recording on the C905 is the audio quality. The C905 features two internal microphones, so the recorded audio is in stereo and it sounds fantastic.

On paper, Sony Ericsson aims high with its latest 8-megapixel Cyber-shot phone, the C905. It’s the first product from the Japanese/Swedish venture to sport such a high resolution camera, and, if you ask us, also the first capable of competing with the standalone compact camera. In addition to this, the C905 features built-in GPS, and is also Sony Ericsson’s first feature phone to include WLAN. Mix that up with Sony Ericsson’s excellent user interface and a slightly updated set of organizer applications, and you’ve got yourself a mighty fine, albeit heavy and large, phone for the masses.
In this review we’ll be focusing mostly on what’s new in the C905 compared to other recent Sony Ericsson phones. If you’ve got a question about the C905 or feel like we’re missing important parts of the review, please let us know either by contacting us or submitting a comment. Having said that, you should be able to find an answer to most questions somewhere on the site, whether it is in posts or other reviews.