Sony Ericsson today launches the K500i in Singapore. This phone follows the success of K700i and sports a similar silver colour, while other colours may be available in other regions. The major differences with the K700i are the lack of bluetooth, radio, and flash. The K500i also comes with smaller user 12mb memory (K700i has 42mb). At the list price of S$588, it is officially S$260 more expensive than K700i, but the street price difference is only about S$140.

I personally prefer the size of the K500i. It’s slimmer by width, longer by length, and thinner. K500i could pull off as a nice price-feature alternative to K700i, but the orange keypad backlight spoils the classy look. There is little doubt that this phone would capture a larger market share than K700i as the price appeals better to the mass-consumer. Proponents of radio features would well prefer to K700i but personally it does not justify the price difference. only bluetooth advocates and memory-hungry users should opt for K700i. As a feature-seeker myself, for once I am tempted to opt for a mid-range phone model as it truly is more value for money.

In short, there is no doubt that Sony Ericsson produces excellent mobile phones with user-friendly features and interface. I have a Web page listing the goods of Sony Ericsson phones compared to the competitors. [Chester Tan]