Small, but perfectly formed! (Siemens M35i)

Member Name: Islander

Product:	Siemens M35i
Date:	17/06/01 (503 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small, Light, Features

Disadvantages: Small Screen

An excellent dual-band phone, that is extremely similar to the C35. It is small, Light and fits in the palm of your hand or jeans pocket nicely. The only differences are in the looks – the M35 is not curved, and does not have a protruding aerial (same style as the Nokia 3310), it is also Shock-Proof (helpful if you’re a clumsy sodJ), water proof and dust proof, when you put the battery in you can see the plastic shielding and some removable plugs are supplied for the charging socket and in-car aerial slot, and the battery cover is rubber (similar to the Sky digibox remote battery cover), and has rubberised keys.

On Virgin, it is a two-tone grey and black colour without the tacky silver patch around the screen – so common on a lot of mobiles now (other colours are available on other networks though), and is nice looking.

Functionally the M35 is identical to use to the C35, unlocked it can be used on all four UK networks (as well as everywhere else, except USA/Canada) as it is both GSM 900 (Cellnet/Vodaphone) and GSM 1800 (Orange/1-2-1).

So what features does it have?

The menus are well laid out and very easy to navigate adn there is a function that allows soime menu features to be hidden if not needed, text size can also be changed.

Talk time is about 2-3 hours and stand-by time around 5 day’s with the normal battery, although higher capacity ones are available (and aren’t that expensive), recharging takes about an hour or so. There is also an extremely useful function that allows you to discharge a battery completely – as mobile phone batteries should be let to run down completely from time to time (every three month’s or so), this function allows it to be down instantaneously, rather than having to leave the phone on until it runs down naturally which can be inconvenient. The reason for a complete discharge and re-charge is so that battery life will be extended and alway
s accept a full-charge, as by just boost-charging all the time, the battery ends up getting used to only accepting a small amount of charge and so the capacity gets reduced (I think I’ve explained that right – but look in the comments, someone will put me right if I haven’tJ).

There is one button access to the phone book (99 numbers) and the last ten numbers dialled are stored ready for use.

It is WAP capable (although this service is a waste of time and although promoted as mobile internet is no more than a type of pay teletext service), nice if the phone has it, but I wouldn’t advise anyone to buy a phone for it.

There are around 20 ringtones built in, plus the ability to record one of your own (either type in yourself – compose your own or there are loads free on the net, or download via a cable from a PC – you can’t receive them via SMS like on Nokia’s), it also has a vibrating alert – useful when you don’t want the phone to go off.

You cannot download new operator logo’s, but you can change the start-up message to whatever you want manually, and there are a couple of animations to choose from for starting-up or turning-off.

Four games – Othello, Connect 4, Minesweeper and a 3-D maze type one, although the screen is a bit to small to play any but the first two.

There is an alarm clock (date/time are on screen all the time), calculator, chronometer, currency converter for up to three currencies (have to be manually typed in as they change daily) and an appointments section. Profiles can also be set up if different people use the phone and certain functions/numbers blocked if you wan tot loan it.

It features the normal SMS (Small Message Service) available on all mobiles now, but this phone also uses the T9 predictive text input system, whereby it try’s to guess what you want or give you a few choices, it’s sounds goo
d, but can be aright pain when you want to type a word not in it’s list as you have to be quite quick or resort to the back button.

The manual is superb, very easy to follow, with all functions laid out with step-by-step instructions.

Now the downsides – because the phone is so small, it necessitates having a small screen, though which perfectly fine for normal phone use, is a bit too small for playing the games and for using the WAP access, but seeing as that is it’s only fault I can live with it.

Overall, I’m very impressed with it and would recommend it (unless you want lots of ringtones and operator logo’s), it really is a joy to use.

Summary: