design

The first observation most will make about the K850i is regarding its thickness: there's no escaping the reality that this phone is bulky. The design is not especially sharp-edged and will fit into most pockets, but it's certainly not for those who like to wear tight clothing. It's about 50 percent thicker than the W580i we reviewed before, though the technical features of the K850i at least help explain away this difference.

A more obvious but minor issue is also the glossy black finish. It gives Sony-Ericsson's phone a refined look, but rarely stays clean. Be prepared to wipe the phone clean as fingerprints and other smudges dirty the phone on a daily basis.

Having pointed out these issues, the K850i feels better-bulit and more solid than the W580i, and is also more intelligently designed. All of its buttons are small but easy to press; I rarely mistyped or hit the wrong button, even with the K850i's unusual frame-shaped directional pad. The touch-sensitive buttons just below the edge of the display are also a welcome addition to non-touchscreen phones. It effectively fits in more controls without compromising space for other buttons.



Sony-Ericsson has also refined the visuals for the phone, especially the large display. I found the large display easier to read, and the lighting that surrounds the buttons and sides of the phone is subtler than on the W580i -- if still something of a light show compared to subtler phones from other companies.

by Jon Fingas