Introduction:

Last year, the K800 was the best 3-megapixel cameraphone in our comparison, and after the 5-megapixel models like the N95 were announced, SE had to do something to stay compatitive. The K810 was just a minor update, redesigning the exterior but not improving anything on the functionality and it cannot be considered as the next level. K850 which we introduce you here is the real successor of the K800 improving the key feature – the camera, with 2 additional megapixels resolution, built-in lens cover, updated interface, additional flash for focus-assistance and higher resolution for video capturing. This is the top-end Cyber-shot phone of Sony Ericsson, its most-advanced camera phone up to date. Of course, the model doesn’t improve only the camera, but also brings newer generation of the software with updated multimedia menu to turn into all in one device.

The sales package includes:

Sony Ericsson K850
Charger
USB Cable
Stereo Headphones
Strap
CD with Software
Manuals


Interface:

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the Sony Ericsson K850 moves the Cyber-shot line to the next level thanks to both hardware and software changes. The hardware innovations are described above, while the software ones will follow. As a whole, the interface is similar to the ones before, but is upgraded, tweaked in some of its parts. In this aspect it reminds of the W910, which also runs the same generation of software.

Main Menu


This is the first Cyber-shot phone with support for Flash Themes. In the past, only Walkmans did, but with newer models we see that Sony Ericsson has integrated this feature also into the “S” (S500) and “T” (T650) series, and now into the “K”. The flash themes can change the icons in the main menu and as we’ve seen in previous models, can even use other layout for it, for example a horizontal list with large visualization. They definitely look much better than the ordinary ones.


Phonebook:


As far as saving numbers to the phonebook is concerned, there's almost no difference with the previous models; you can save up to 1000 contacts, while each of them can store several numbers (up to 7000 numbers in total), e-mails and web addresses, as well as a personal picture and ring tone, or video-tone for indication when you have an incoming call. You can add contacts to groups but you cannot set a common ring tone or a caller ID to a given group. As a whole, this function is planned to be used only when you want to send a message to more than one contact for example. Finding a contact is done by directly entering letters from the keypad, but unfortunately only the first word of the name considered during the search. However, an option we really liked was to sort the names both by first and last name. Still, if you’ve sorted them by last name, you will not be able to search by First name, which now appears as second word.

When you start dialing a number directly from the standby screen, you will find one of the tweaks coming with the new firmware. The phone will search the phonebook and the calling history for matching results (both about numbers and names) just as it is with any WM6 or BlackBerry device. The convenient thing is that it searches the names as if you type them with predictive input system. For instance, if you want to dial “Neo”, you have to dial 636 (6-MNO, 3-DEF, 6-MNO) and almost immediately the phone will show you all matching names. Unfortunately, like in the contacts menu, the phone won’t search through the second word of a name.

This is just ridiculous and people spending so much money on a phone don’t only require camera with large resolution, but also decent phone functionality. Any phone nowadays should be able to find the names by the second word.


Organizer:

Just as the Contacts, the Organizer menu has its own icon in the main menu. Its options include calendar, tasks, notes, alarms, calculator, timer, stopwatch, code memo, applications links, and synchronization option.
Calendar