Combining the robust versatility of the Symbian 9.1 OS with a unique dual-action QWERTY keypad made the m600i a versatile messaging device. Out of the box, the messaging application supports SMS, MMS, and POP/IMAP email, and is nicely integrated with the Contacts application as well as the Today! menu on the home screen, which can provide simple alerts when you have new or unread messages in one or more mailbox.
Many third-party Symbian messaging applications are also available to extend support to BlackBerry and push Email services, as well. Instant Messaging clients that support AOL, Yahoo!, MSN, ICQ ,GoogleTalk and more are also available. As such, the m600i can be used as anything from a straight SMS device to a flexible, powerful mobile communications hub.
Note that because the m600i is not available through any US carriers, use of messaging features is dependent on configuring the device with the proper settings. I used Sony Ericsson's "Configurator" Web page to configure my review phone for use with my T-Mobile TZones account, but Email settings (username, password, incoming/outgoing server addresses, etc) had to be configured manually.
Sony Ericsson pre-installed the Opera 8 browser on the m600i, and it's a great way to access the Web from a cell phone. While not quite as amazing as the browser Nokia recently debuted on their e70 smartphone, Opera on the m600i does a great job rendering most Web pages and features Fit to Page and Zoom navigation options as well as a rotating landscape/portrait orientation option.
I was able to get around the Web quite well on the phone, dial-up connection speed nothwithstanding. Pop-Up Blocker, Password Manager, and other Web browser tools made browsing on the m600i much more like a computer-based experience than a typical cell phone-based one.
Though the m600i supports 3G data services, its UTMS 2100 band radio only works in Europe. As such, stateside users will have to settle for GRPS data connectivity. I found basic Web browsing and Email management to be tolerable via GPRS, but it's certainly no match for T-Mobile's EDGE, or the faster HSDPA and EV-DO networks offered by other carriers. It's a shame because the phone is such a capable Web and Email device.
Bluetooth includes support for stereo audio devices as well as file transfer and syncing. The m600i can be tethered to a PC or Mac for use as a cellular modem, as well. I had no trouble pairing the Pearl with a mono headset or my computer. I was also able to connect the phone to a PC for charging, syncing, and use as a mass storage device by way of the included USB data cable. The data cable, as well as the headphones and AC charger, connect to the m600i via a single bottom-mounted accessory port that's compatible with accessories from most recent SE phones.
As mentioned, the m600i is one of Sony's first phones to use its new M2 Memory Stick Micro removable memory card format. The included 64MB card is remarkably small - like a microSD card - and worked very well. It remains to be seen if Sony will shift the majority of its new devices to the M2 standard, and how long it will take for M2 prices to come down in line with the more popular Memory Stick and Memory Stick Duo cards. Currently, M2 cards as large as 1GB are available.
The m600i also has an Infrared device. Infrared can be used for file transfer and remote control of computers and other devices (dependent on software support).
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4.5
