Dec 15 2002
Sony Ericsson T68i
The T68i is almost famous for its on board Bluetooth (wireless radio networking
scheme to connect devices together at close ranges). It was even the phone that
Steve Jobs used to show off Jaguar’s Bluetooth avidness. I was in the market
for a phone for a few months, but I didn’t want to get one that I wasn’t completely
happy with. I first saw the T68i back when I first started looking, but it was
expensive—$250 to $300. I couldn’t really justify the money for the color
screen and Bluetooth… So I waited. Well, now I have the sucker in hand (for
a great price that I tell you how to get at the end), and it’s a beauty.
First thing I noticed out of the box was the size, it’s dinky. Check out this
shot I took of it next to my
iPod. It’s the same height, but a lot thinner. The buttons have a good feel,
and the joystick rocks (it goes 4 directions plus clicks). Since it’s a GSM
phone, it came with a SIM card that I had to install. You just pop it out of
a credit card sized holder, and pop it in underneath the battery. It’s basically
a tiny smart card that stores data and gives your phone information to log onto
the network (identifies your phone number and such).
GSM isn’t for everyone… If you live in a small town, you probably don’t have
coverage. I don’t live in a big city, and have done some driving around to more
rural areas and the coverage has stayed strong but you should check the map
LINK for your area. The interstate network (in the USA) is well covered which
makes traveling more fun. The cool thing about GSM is you can go anywhere in
the world and use your phone! I’ve heard rumors that you can buy prepaid SIM
cards and make local calls in Europe (phone number changes but hey, it’s local).
The sound quality (at least in my area) is excellent. Several people have commented
that it doesn’t sound like a typical cell. I don’t know if it’s the GSM, or
the phone, but I like it. It comes with a hands free kit (cheaper one, but it’s
free) which works well but degrades sound quality (like most hands free systems
do).
Not only does it have Bluetooth, but it also has Infrared. You can beam business
cards, pictures, or almost anything you have on your phone to another phone
that has either BT or IA and a phone that can handle it (most should handle
SMS, but fewer will handle pictures and sounds). I didn’t purchase the Bluetooth
hands free set, but it looks neat. You can check it out here, but be prepared
because it is expensive.
The games are high quality. My favorite is Battleship (called Navy Fleet but
is exactly like Battleship). You can play against the phone, against a friend
via BT or IR, or against someone on the same phone (pass it back and forth).
It has several card games, including a very playable Solitaire game. Some of
the other entertainment options are themes, pictures, sounds, and a camera (not
included). You can even create your own themes and send them via Bluetooth or
IR. I’ve set up a picture of the beach to be my background, which really shows
off the color screen. I’ve also set up custom pictures for different people
when they call! You can upload pictures from your computer and use a friends
picture as their icon when they call!
The screen is beautiful. It’s got 256 colors, which really makes a difference
when navigating menus. Color adds a lot to an interface, once you start using
it, you can never go back. The main menu is a collection of icons that grow
larger when you mouse over them, it’s a great concept. You can set the display
to always stay bright, never stay bright, or only stay bright when you are using
it. I try to keep it bright at night and in low light situations. Using the
screen sucks battery, but most often it isn’t being used (it’s in your pocket).
When it’s not being used the time is displayed really large which is handy.
All around this phone is great, I’m having a hard time finding something wrong
with it. The documentation is probably the only thing lacking, but real geeks
never use the manual 
. If you are looking for a new phone, and don’t mind
using T-Mobile (so far no complaints) nab this sucker for an unbelievable price—$24.99.
. The phone
is normally $299, but Amazon.com is selling it for $25 off PLUS a $250 rebate!
It’s an Amazon.com only rebate, and is only good until the end of Feb so hurry up!
