Siemens catches up with more stylish cell phones

Zatni Arbi, Columnist, Jakarta, zatni@cbn.net.id

Remember the Siemens SL55, the fashion handphone from the German company?

We took a close look at this model in late August after Dian Graha Elektrika graciously let me play around with it for a week. I concluded my review by saying that this cute model was not exactly for those with large palms, nor was it for people who do a lot of messaging.

But it was a very stylish cellphone nonetheless, and a hit with women.

Then I got the chance to play around with the more affordable M55 model. Like the SL55, the M55 also debuted during the Hanover CeBIT event earlier this year. It was a more utilitarian cellphone, although the element of style is still present. Better still, it fits my palm better.

With these two models and newly released duo, it is clearer than ever that Siemens is determined to repeat its success with trendy and cute cellphones.

As you may already know, Siemens have recently launched two more stylish mobile phones worldwide. But first, let's have a look at the Siemens M55.

I would classify the M55 as a mainstream model. The screen is rather small, and the colors were not really as vibrant as the models from other vendors with the same 4,096 color feature.

It reminds me very much of my old SL25 -- small, sturdy and reliable, but with a screen that is a bit behind its time. However, it is not really a surprise, as this model -- which is still available on the local market -- is already more than half a year old.

Certainly, screens with 16-bit color depth were not yet available when they completed the design of this cellphone.

What are the good things about this entry? It is a tri-band cellphone, which means that you can use it in more places around the world, including the U.S.

It is also MMS- and GPRS-capable, which means that you can browse the Web or send and receive e-mail messages. It also employs synthesizer technology from Steinberg -- Cubassis Mobile -- to combine multiple musical instruments to produce unique musical audio files for ring tones, etc.

Another nice feature is the red light that shines from the sides of the unit each time you have an unread message. Siemens calls it Dynamic Light, and it has different functions as well, including telling you that a call is coming.

The cellphone is very lightweight, too, and it comes in six colors that are more neutral for men users.

If you have a QuickPic camera, you can also attach it to this cellphone and take pictures that you can share with others via the MMS service. The M55 also has an optional plastic wrap that can protect it from bumps and drops.

The battery, which is made in Indonesia -- and gives me a sense of pride that I badly need -- has a latch that locks it into position. I do not think the latch is necessary.

On the other hand, the battery cover feels a bit loose, which gives the cellphone an impression of a cheap cellphone. Although it did not fit snugly, I found it still hard to open.

Siemens promises that the battery will last up to 250 hours and provides five hours of talk time, which is quite generous.

What else is on my wish list? Although the design of its keypad is better than the one we found in the SL55, the individual buttons still require a bit of finger power to press.

I prefer a more responsive keypad, although not a soft one. Also, the operating system is a bit slow to start and shut down.

Siemens categorizes its target cellphone users into four groups: professionals, simplicity seekers, trendsetters and the young and active. While the SL55 is meant for trendsetters, the M55 -- with support for MMS and GPRS -- is targeted to the last group.

However, at this price range, it has a lot of competitors. One of them is the newly released Alcatel One-Touch 535, which we will review next.

Late last month, the German technology giant launched two new models: the A60 and C62. The earlier has extra-long SMS and Enhanced Multimedia Messaging. The C62 is far more fashionable with its bar keypad, three-tone colors and chrome touches.

Both the A60 and C62 are tri-band cellphones and both boast long battery standby time as well as talk time.

Like the earlier models from this German company, they also have a slew of accessories, including handsfree and car kits.

However, although they are not intended to be high-end models, they still use 4,096-color screens.

Since the latest phones do not boast any tangible distinctions with their predecessors, I believe that cellphone makers, including Siemens, should take more time to design their products and think through the feature mix, rather than continuing to bombard the market with new but almost identical-looking and identically equipped cellphones.