Orange SPV C550 Review

Orange SPV C550 Review (Expert)

For music afficionados, the SPV C550 might be the best alternative yet - even better than the Sony Ericsson W800i due to its MP3 and WMA support, although it cannot match the battery life of the latter. The skew towards music is evident through the rejiggered keypad and the inclusion of over-the-air music downloads, but for those not bent on music these and other tweaks might prove more of an annoyance than a boon. Still, there's lots to like about the C550, such as a brilliant screen, good audio quality and long battery life - but keep in mind it's not top-of-the line in any area except for music. What's positive: Sizzlingly sharp screen; good audio quality; long battery life What's negative: Limited connectivity; keypad design issues; so-so bundled headset

posted by infosyncworld.com

The SPV 550 has its faults, of that there is no question, but at the same time there are a lot of features that make up ground overall. The boot up time of the phone itself is dire; it’s just hard to comprehend why it takes so long to get to the point where you can make a call. The speed of the software when in use is also a let down, especially when compared to the recently reviewed M500; they are in different leagues. The accessories, while useful, were lacking any quality and seemed more of an after thought than anything else. The upside to that in the case of the SPV C550 headset is that it’s a simple audio jack, so finding a competent replacement should not prove difficult. The features list is really what makes this phone stand out. There is so much on this device and the menu list is testament to that, a whole three screens full of options are just the beginning. The quality and depth of these applications is what saves the SPV C550 from being a complete waste of time. Put aside the speed issues, and the SPV C550 is a complete handset that provides every application you could possibly need as a mobile user, and more. If you hardly ever switch your phone off and have regular access to a charge point then you could do far worse than the SPV C550 as a Smart Phone, just as long as you have enough patience to put up with its quirks. Pros* Excellent application suite * Good interface navigation Cons* Excessive ‘boot up’ time * Slow user interface * Poor battery life * Poor volume and speakerphone capabilities

posted by hexus.net

The phone itself is fairly nippy and operates well. Whilst it's slightly heavier and slightly larger than the C500 it's not really noticeable. The screen blanking out - when you don't want it to blank out is a bit annoying to say the least, however if you don't mind the screen going off and don't mind pressing one key to see what's happening then this is definitely a phone to consider. The camera quality is excellent, the build quality - in my opinion - is better and the screen will suck you in like a tornado. The addition of the music keys is a helpful addition for those who want to listen to music on the go, however they may be wasted a little on those who don't. As for the games showing up "in a small window" then please do remember that this isn't the fault of the handset - it's just that we have to wait a little for programmers to recode their games and apps to resize depending on the handset running the software. What niggles at me though - I must admit - is the few problems that have been left in. Let's look back a bit shall we. When the Orange SPV E200 was released we had a rapid battery drain problem. This was fixed with a patch shortly after release. Then, when the C500 got released it wouldn't load certain games - a screen problem was left in and games were completely unusable. Again a patch shortly after release fixed this. Now here we are again.:( However, let's look at the bright side. A patch IS possible - a lot of other handsets on the market couldn't have a patch sent down. This can, and when it arrives all will be well with the world once more. Well, once TomTom get their software working on this too, then it will :) So, if you want a phone that has a screen which you can see all the time and you don't mind about camera quality, get the Orange SPV C500. However, if you want one of the new breed with a higher resolution screen, megapixel camera, great sound quality and a joystick then get the C550. If you already have an SPV C500 then, if I'm honest I'd say stick with it for now. However, if you've got an E100, E200, MPx200 or even the Classic SPV then this phone is well worth a gander. The Orange SPV C550 has got the looks, the power and the quality. The addition of the play buttons will attract the MP3 boys and girls who can't let go of their iPod, plus the inclusive 128Mb MiniSD card gives more than enough room for you to carry your tunes around.

posted by coolsmartphone.com

Orange SPV C550 Review (User)

QUOTE(expert_21 @ Aug 7 2005, 07:00 AM)This topic discusses Orange SPV C550. Please post your review and opinion regarding Orange SPV C550 here.Shame that there's been no user opinion here, I've just ordered one and could have done with some thoughts on this. Still sounds a top phone with the features that it has.

posted by ericbfg

This topic discusses Orange SPV C550. Please post your review and opinion regarding Orange SPV C550 here.

posted by expert_21

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