Customer Reviews

Sony Ericsson Z750 Phone, Purple (AT&T)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

[EDIT]

Amazon won't let me change my star rating for this review, just the text so here's my change ... DO NOT BUY THIS PHONE! What a piece of junk this turned out to be! It randomly shuts itself off and then, most of the time, turns itself back on. There's no rhyme or reason to when it does this either. I can be on the phone, have just ended a long call, have just ended a short call, just starting a call or haven't used the phone for hours. Doesn't matter if calls are outgoing or incoming. When I called AT&T about this problem they told me it must be due to something I did, such as "expose the phone to humidity." I was told that if I used the phone outside on a humid day, then the problem was caused by me and not covered by warranty. I have also met other Z750a owners that have this same problem.

[/EDIT]

Original review:
I was extremely happy to find a purple phone, loved the specs and ordered it immediately. I *love* this phone! The battery life does not, in any way, live up to the specs and has to be recharged more often than I prefer. I'd like to be able to change which options are listed when you open the phone [ie Calls, MEdia Net and Menu] and I'd like a quicker way to access my ring tone files. The external display is really neat, but impossible to read in sun light. Other that those four things, I really love this phone! The phone doesn't come with a lot of ring tones and only has two preloaded themes, but as soon as I got my USB cable, I loaded up what I wanted and it's great. The voice quality is fantastic and I love that it has the option for ring with vibrate. Out of all the phones I've had over the past 14 years, this is the best. Plus, the Sony Ericsson online chat support was really great when I had an issue with the software. I suggest getting the USB cord, car charger and extra wall charger off Amazon instead of from Sony Ericsson or AT&T. I got all three in a package off Amazon for $7.50 total with shipping, compared to $20 each from Sony Ericsson and almost $40 each from AT&T. 3-piece Value Combo Pack of Sony Ericsson K750, W800, D750, Z520, W600i, W550i, Z525, W300i, Z530i, W810 Includes: Vehicle Cigarette Lighter Power Charger with Ic Chip + USB Data Cable + Home Wall Travel Plug in Ac Charger

There is obviously a problem with the original battery. See the forum on att.com. I called SEMC and requested a replacement battery, which they sent promptly for no charge and with minimal fuss. The original battery life was about 2 days. With the new battery I am at one week and counting. Mom has the same phone and she's at about 3.5 days between charges. I'm going to call and request a new battery for her phone as well.

Unless you live in a city that has a flawless 3G data network set up by ATT (like San Francisco) you are going to get 2 days of standby, not 16 and maybe 2 hours of talk time, not 9 as is claimed by Sony and confirmed on other internet review sites. Most of these internet tech site review guys live on the West Coast, where ATT has modernized their cell data network, so their numbers and yours may not correspond.

I live in Manhattan and even here ATT's 3G network has crappy coverage, meaning the 750 burns up a lot of power trying to reach the 3G network, which is what cuts the battery life down. If you could disable the 3G network search and stick to the ATT Edge network, you could probably triple the battery life as the Edge network uses less power and is also stronger in more ATT coverage areas. Sony has network tuning available on unbranded 750s, but the powers at ATT have disabled this feature, so you are stuck with perpetual energy expenditure used to search for the elusive 3G network. If I even used the internet much, this might be more acceptable, but I use maybe 5 minutes of internet each week and in exchange I get an 80% battery life hit.

The phone is not bad in other ways, having a pretty large screen, many excellent features, and a decent interface. However, you can't use the digital zoom on either 1 or 2 MP settings, only on VGA mode, so if you want good quality pics, you lose zoom ability, a step backwards from other recent Sony phones. The plastic case also feels flimsy, and the hinge flexes a lot when you open and close the shell, suggesting a potentially short lifespan and limited durability. Ultimately though, having to recharge every 48 hours is too much to ask of a user, and the phone's battery also dies unexpectedly and non-geometrically (i.e. start the day at 35%, lose all power three hours later without making any calls.)

Thanks ATT, for disabling the ability to turn off 3G and also for maintaining such a crappy 3G network strength even in one of America's biggest cities! Upshot: if you are an ATT user, only buy this phone if you live in San Francisco, unless recharging your phone every other day strikes you as convenient.

I picked up this phone (2 actually) for $50 each after rebates. Call quality if excellent. Has Walkman-like media player for music and video and podcasts, audio books. Megabass for headsets, but no stereo speakers on unit (there are lots of external speakers though). When on 3G you can surf and talk at the same time.

First, make sure you get a unlimited data plan. There is one for $15/mo. (at this time). You can tether with this phone on that plan. Download the PC software from SE's website to sync the phone to your Outlook or other contact list. Can sync with bluetooth or data usb cable (proprietary)

Then decide if you really want TV or XM radio on the phone. The TV is clips few of which are updated daily unless you subscribe, a few music videos etc. XM is a $9.95 subscription. MLB Game Day is also an subscription. If you don't want these things (and will never buy anything from the ATT Media Mall), then spend $16 or so, and debrand the phone and uncover a gem.

Here's a partial list of what you can gain:


1. GPS - I get accuracy to 10 meters, works best in car with charger attached, can drain battery in 2 hours or less. Must use 2007 NavTec Google Map app in firmware, newer Google won't work as well. Locator Services can be left active and minimized so that Google will immediately know where you are. But do it connected to a charger! Also AmAze navigator (the version for the C702, I think) will work on the phone giving you turn by turn navigation for free. (don't look at the phone while driving it's too small)

2. TrackId is now free rather than a subscription. I don't know why anyone would actually pay for this monthly. While I am sometimes curious as to what I'm hearing, I'm not paying $5/mo to find out one or two songs. TrackId works fine on music from classical to country to rap/hiphop, the most abstract techno/disco strangeness you can come up with, and on generic firmware it's free.

3. Blogging from camera as a 'send to blog' (Blogspot.com) uses email account and data plan.

4. RSS Desktop - has as many features as an iPhone's. Auto scroll, configurable updates. easy to add RSS, when browsing the RSS symbol will pop up and using the left soft key, you can add it to the listing. Updates anywhere from every hour to once a week.

5. Podcasts (video and audio) I believe that it may be configurable by the rss feeds rather than the PC Suite sync method, at least my phone seems to update them. PC Suite method will load podcasts daily, and sync with your phone. Needs data cable (about $6 from other Amazon sellers).

6. Exchange ActiveSync without any shortcomings (as have been reported elsewhere), specific Exchange sync.

7. SyncML for everything else. There are reports of it working with MyLife/iLife.

8. Email push client - works with ANY pop or imap server, and can filter out unwanted domains, etc from the 'push'-- you can select domains to accept from. No applications to view attachments, but you could bluetooth or use cable to transfer to a PC/laptop.

9. Network Sharing function, phone can be part of office network via USB or Bluetooth

10. Choice between 'GSM & 3G' vs 'GSM' only is now unblocked, fixing the battery life issues. Even in combined mode, if the phone isn't updating it will drop down to GSM/Edge when not actually using the web. You can also search networks and simply not chose the 3G ATT network too. You'll need SE's webite and tools to reconfigure internet services if you debrand.

11. You won't accidentally open a Internet browser when pressing the central button, it's a Message Center button now. Other buttons and shortcuts are also rearranged in a more logical fashion, camera button changes to MediaNet browser and.

There's OperaMini for this phone, Yahoo Go!, AmAze, etc.

FM radio needs antennae phone jack to work, but if you want to use your standard stereo headsets you'll need it too, to connect with. Stereo Bluetooth profiles, Bluetooth remote controls, etc.

Voice controls only for handsfree units, multiple commands per contact, multiple phone numbers per contacts, multiple addresses per contact. Just like Outlook or any other full blown contact manager. Contacts can have own ringtone and photo.

I don't like that it's hard to find appointments and you have to view each day to see a list, rather than a consolidated list of the appointments in order. Tasks as nice, multiple alarm timers.

Generally its a very nice phone, battery issues aside. Better, IMHO, unbranded. (Oh, and it's SE Java8 platform, so no MS Mobile here.)

I too am extremely upset over the battery life. I don't use the phone a lot, but need one in emergency for my 90 yr old mother and sister on Dialysis,so I REALLY wanted the long battery life. I like the phone, its petty and takes great pictures. I can hear very well on it too. We previously had a Nokia and my husband upgraded to another Nokia, and the battery life is VERY good. (BETTER THAN MINE) I paid $175.00 more,and got less...as far as battery life. My phone has a louder ring tone though. I have had mine less than 2 months, and already exchanged it once. Probably will be switching to the upgraded free phone..by Nokia

I've had this phone for about 3 weeks and so far I'm getting great battery life, I haven't really kept track, maybe 5 days or more. I don't have blue tooth and don't make a ton of calls, rarely turn the phone off. I live in the Philadelphia suburbs, not sure what kind of network coverage is around here, I do get the H on the top left.
It's funny, one of the things the salesman said about this phone when I got it was that it had good battery life.
The sound quality is excellent, I like this phone a lot but haven't had time to investigate every feature the way some reviewers have. The display on the front is cool, and hard to see in bright light as others have mentioned.
I like the way it displays the listing of calls, outgoing, incoming and missed.

LOW BATTERY! This is the almost daily alert from this phone. I use this phone for little other than the phone service; no internet, no games, a few pics now and again. If I forget to charge it EVERY night the battery will die on me the next day! I bought this phone because I was so pleased with the SE Z500, what a let-down, so much for brand loyalty. I will never by a phone new to the market again! I will wait for someone else to learn the hard lessons. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE, stay away unless you plan to carry around a charger or extra battery.

I live in what Verizon calls a dead zone. If you do too, you need to be sure to get the phone with the best signal - a non-low-end Motorola or Nokia. This one did not work! It is sharp-looking in purple, but is always covered in fingerprints. (I ended up with a Motorola. Love it, and it works!)

We purchased from Amazon.com one Motorola RAZR2 V9 Phone and two Sony Ericsson Z750 Phones along with a mandatory 2-year contract AT&T FamilyTalk Nation 550 Rollover Minutes.
Pros: $0.03 for all three phones, Rollover minutes.

Cons: just to mention few...
- The worst talk and standby time on all three phones particularly the Sony Ericsson, despite the fact all three of us use our cell phones only for very necessary or in emergency situations.
- More dropped calls than the competition.
- The quality of voice (connection) is a lot to be desired.
- You cannot program the phone on speaker ahead of time. You can activate it only after dialing or receiving a call - A SAFETY ISSUE while driving.
- The buttons on all three phones are arranged in such a way so that one can easily get connected to internet inadvertently. Despite disconnecting it immediately, you get charged by AT&T. The AT&T advice was to either purchase a new plan (for additional high monthly fee) or have the option of internet connection totally disconnected (without reduction in monthly charge despite reduced service). We end up to having to choose the latter.
- The ring tone of RAZR2 V9 when on speaker phone is laryngitic.
- The choices for the ring tones are severely anemic, unless you purchase more tones from AT&T.
- The voice command, as I understand it, can be activated only with additional monthly fee. The competition gave that for free on the less equipped phones.

WHY DID WE NOT CANCEL THE AT&T PLAN during the first ONE month of grace period?

This one goes to Amazon.com and its new stifling way of business: If you cancel or reduce the plan within the first SIX months, you have to pay $250 for each phone!!!
Perhaps I was too generous to include "$0.03 for all three phones" as a Pro for this, seemingly, deal; or more seemingly, ordeal.

Where can I start...? I ordered this phone because I already have a Sony Ericsson and I have been very happy with that one for 3 years. I stayed with this brand so I would not have to order new car chargers and additional chargers for work. I like the big, colorful screen, but that's about all I can say. The battery life is HORRIBLE!!! During my breaks I like to play Tetris on my phone. I sometimes play for about an hour a day. I am on the phone all day, and between my game playing and calls, I never fall below about 25% of battery life left at the end of the day. The first day I used this phone, I made a few calls and played Tetris for about 15 minutes, and the battery was at 50%! By the early afternoon, after several more calls, the battery was dead and needed to be charged so I could finish my day of calls. I fully recharged it that night, and had the same problem the next day. No Tetris, just my usual calls, and dead by early afternoon. The phone occasionally would lock up and need to be restarted, (which takes a LONG time on this phone), and was overall a bust! I am returning this phone and sticking back with my old Sony Ericsson Z525a.