It finally happened – we managed to get our paws on Telecom’s new range of phones, introduced to help customers get the most out of its brand new XT Mobile Network. The important thing to note is that XT is a 3G-only network, so you can expect that Telecom’s new devices will offer the latest in technology and mobile data speeds. This is where the W508a comes in – and Telecom’s XT Network is the world’s first network to make this new device part of its arsenal.

At first glance the W508a looks like the usual sharp-looking clamshell in the style that has become synonymous with Sony Ericsson. The unit we had was made of "metal" grey plastic with some silver highlights, with the funky keypad buttons accented by a blue backlight. The look of the phone can be customised with up to eight exchangeable Style-Up faceplates, designed for different tastes and moods.

The ‘W’ in the model name means that the device bears the Walkman branding, and thus carries that proven music-player pedigree at its core. We liked the features of the music player, but we’ll cover that in more detail under "Multimedia". The W508a has external controls for the player (just below the external screen), which makes it much easier to operate without having to open the phone to perform simple functions such as play/stop, previous and next track. In addition, the W508a has a feature called Shake Control, which lets you play the next or previous track, and control the volume, by simply shaking the phone. Not surprisingly, the W508a has been designed with the modern music lover in mind.

Once you flip the phone open, a bright 2.2-inch screen appears, displaying 262k colours in QVGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels). Both internal and external screens are covered with scratch-resistant coating that will keep them looking good for longer by preventing those annoying micro-scratches. The 100MB of internal memory can be extended with Memory Stick Micro M2 cards. A 1GB card comes in the sales pack and the device supports cards of up to 8GB in capacity.

The main navigation is done using a four-way D-pad with a central confirm button, which also doubles as Walkman controls. The way the main menu is displayed can be personalised depending on each user’s preference – a standard 12-icon grid, a rotating spiral or a single item at a time. Shake Control allows navigation of the Walkman player through simple gestures and quick shakes of the device. Another great little feature is Gesture Control – how many times has your alarm gone off in the morning and you had to find your phone, open it and click the right button just to snooze it? Well with Gesture Control all you have to do is wave your hand above the camera lens and the alarm is automatically snoozed. Silencing an incoming call works in the same way, for added convenience while in a meeting or if you’re unable to answer it at the time.

The Sony Ericsson W508a is a quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900) and tri-band 3G UMTS/WCDMA/HSDPA (850/1900/2100) phone. Interestingly, Telecom’s XT Network only uses the UMTS/WCDMA/HSDPA mode at 850 band (and 2100 in certain urban environments). Data speed through Telecom’s new XT network is visibly much better than what we’ve experienced so far on any network in NZ. The pages download almost instantly, making it a true pleasure to surf the net on the go. Another benefit is that the 2G or 2.5G GSM modes will not be utilised at all, which means that if you have XT coverage you will always be in 3G mode, which offers maximum data speed.

The battery is quoted to last up to three hours of talk time and up to 400 hours (16.6 days) in standby. In our testing it performed at around 95% of those values. The voice quality was really good and natural, with callers sounding loud and clear for both parties. This is a very welcome improvement that the XT Network will have over Telecom’s existing CDMA network. Video-calling is also supported by the W508a, which is made possible by the secondary dedicated video camera just above the main display.

The W508a offers hands-free calling both through the built-in speakerphone (which was loud with good sound reproduction) as well as the Bluetooth functionality, supporting both mono and stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth headsets. The address book can store up to 1,000 entries with 24 fields per contact. Call management functions include voice and speed dialling, open-to-answer (for flip function) and Gesture Control for silencing incoming calls by a simple wave above the camera.

Messaging application lets you keep in touch through SMS, MMS (including video messages), voice messages (which are sent as an MMS) and an email client (POP3/SMTP) with push email and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support. Typing on the keypad was fast and comfortable, and there was no lag in the software when it came to accepting the input.

The 3.2MP camera produced nice results in good lighting conditions. The photos are conveniently geo-tagged so they can be automatically sorted by location in your photo management software or in any online albums that support this feature. The images can be edited and fixed directly on the phone using the PhotoFix app, eliminating the need to use the PC software for minor tweaks. There is also a built-in upload function so you can easily share your snaps through Facebook, Picasa Web Album, MySpace, Blogger, or any other website that supports blog posts or uploads through the dedicated email address. Video recording in QVGA resolution is also possible at 15 fps, with an easy built-in function for uploading to YouTube.

As a Walkman phone, the W508a is big on music. We found the music player more than capable, complete with playlist management, sound features (such as MegaBass) and nice visual effects. Other than through the regular player, SensMe is another way to enjoy the music stored on your phone. Once you transfer the files with the included Media Manager PC software (which analyses them before transfer), the SensMe function lets you choose songs from a dual-axis mood map. This allows SensMe to play songs based on the mood you select, which we found to be a cool feature.

Track ID comes useful if you ever find yourself in a situation where a song is playing (over the radio or in a club) and you’d really like to know what it’s called. Simply record a few seconds of the song and Track ID will check it over the internet, returning the song name and artist within seconds. If you want some new songs, they can be streamed over the internet or quickly downloaded from Telecom’s music store. In addition to the Walkman media player, there is also a built-in FM radio for those times when you’d rather let someone else choose the sounds for you.

With all the high-speed data capability built into the W508a, coupled with Telecom’s fast XT network, the internet features are a pleasure to use. The built-in YouTube application allows users to not only view, but also to upload their own videos directly to the YouTube website. The dedicated Facebook application for Sony Ericsson is built into this model and conveniently accessible from the main menu. We can report that it’s a good implementation of mobile Facebook, enabling you to remain in touch with your social network anytime, anywhere. The W508a is also capable of tethering, so you can use your phone as a modem for your laptop, giving you internet access anywhere (provided you’re within coverage). It’s important to note that some of the internet features (such as applications involving video and data tethering) are data-intensive, and Telecom hasn’t released the pricing for XT mobile plans at the time of writing. We suggest that you check the plan you’re on carefully for any included data bundles as well as prices for casual data or if you go over your allowance, so you don’t get a nasty surprise when the bill arrives.

The W508a can help you stay organised with the included alarm, calendar and notes, among other features. Motion-sensitive games are also supported, and new ones can be downloaded directly from Telecom’s portal. The W508a also sports a Music Quiz application that looks at the meta-data of the music files stored on the phone and provides you with some trivia fun. And for those who are into fitness, the Walk Mate app will count the steps you take, and track your progress over time.

The Sony Ericsson W508a is a fun and stylish phone designed for the music lover. We are the first country to get this phone and Telecom is carrying it on its new XT Network. It delivers up to three hours of talk time and up to 400 hours on standby. Video calling is supported, and the voice calls sounded loud and clear. Messaging options are plentiful, so you can always stay in touch. Internet features were also nicely implemented, including YouTube (download and upload) and Facebook. We think the W508a will suit those who want a light and funky phone that is big on music and connectivity.