Sony Ericsson Elm Mobile Phone Preview – the Eco-Friendly Choice

RATING: 4/5 – It is fair to say that we like the sound of the Elm, but cannot give it full marks until we get to grips with the handset. It really is something different and it pleases us to see that massive companies (like Sony Ericsson) are willing to take risks that the consumer market may brutally reject, especially when these chances are taken in a bid at improved sustainability. A dig at creating a better public image or not, we appreciate what Sony Ericsson have done, not only for the ‘green’ image, but for the impressive features.

The latest addition to an environmentally-conscious line that includes the GreenHeart, Sony Ericsson’s Elm is an innovative handset that is expected to hit shelves in the first or second quarter of this year.

The candybar shape that has been fostered (that is, without the human curvature feature), is tidy and appealing, as are the two colour schemes: Metal Black and Pearly Rose.

Elaborating on the human curvature design – despite the fact that it is unusual, the weight balance is consequently perfect, whilst the ergonomics are pleasing.

Camera and video recording

Even by today’s rising standards, a 5-megapixel camera is more than satisfactory. Auto-focus, LED flash, smile detection and other added extras are all on board, making for a whole host of photographing adventures upon release. Picture samples are currently few and far between, particularly at optimum resolution for the handset, so we are currently unable to pass judgment on the image quality of snaps taken by the heavily built-up GreenHeart newbie.

In being able to record VGA videos at 30 frames per second, the Elm also looks to impress in this department.

Astounding multimedia capabilities

As seen on other members of the GreenHeart clan, the enriched flash Media Center on the Elm looks to be second-to-none, with countless exciting prospects that look to be well worth the wait.

The music player enables the user to sort tracks in to playlist, genre, artist, album, and so on – the standard in the world of modern mobiles. There are several nice features, including the MegaBass equaliser and auto-rotation that are set to be particularly exciting.

Although there is no XviD or DivX support on the Elm, there are rewind and fast forward features to be used within the video recording forte, a positive attribute, to be sure.

Rounding off a very nice media section is the image gallery; enabling the user to store photos and send them directly to internet based folders.

Additionally, Photo, Image and MusicDJ are all present – an added extra and a familiar one with returning Ericsson clients.

Final thoughts

We appreciate that when the Elm is released, it will not be one on its own, as its siblings have duly taken care of this matter. On a more positive note, Sony Ericsson have not stolen the idea from rivalling manufacturers (at least not directly), which means that the Elm is a welcome addition to the GreenHeart line.

The Sony Ericsson Elm not only lets you help the environment but is also a cheaper alternative to today’s latest high feature phones. Expect a lot of cheap mobilephone contract deals that you can easily get once this phone is released; get the best Sony Ericsson Elm cashback offers online while you’re at it.