Although relatively slimline, the Sony Ericsson T310 is not exactly the smallest mobile phone on the market. Yet, do good things only come in small packages? Read our Australian review to find out.

Despite its attractive design, comprising a dual-tone colour scheme and rounded edges, the first thing we noticed about the Sony Ericsson T310 was its rather heavy frame. At 97g, with a thickness of 19mm and a 104x99mm frame, the T310 is hardly capitalising on market demand for smaller, lightweight mobiles. In fact, in a market where newer phone models boast almost ridiculously small dimensions, the T310 could be confused with the 'bricks' of old.

Much of the T310's size is dedicated to its 101x80 pixel screen, which supports approximately six lines of text, and a 256-colour depth. Although colour screens are de rigeur for newer models--targeting purchasers interested in multi-media messaging and image-capture applications--we found the T310 disappointing in this area. The lack of extensive colour depth, in comparison to the 4,000 colours found on several competitive models, is extremely noticeable in the backgrounds and gaming applications, rendering graphics as pixilated, rather than clear, images.

The T310 harnesses Super Twisted Nematic (STN) passive-matrix colour display technology, and is therefore prone to STN's inherently low vibrancy and slower response times. STN's limitations were very apparent when we tested the games available on the T310, namely Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game. The initial screen is visually unappealing, with low-resolution graphics and branding, and this does not improve as the game progresses. Although we were impressed by the bundling of this game with the phone, we were equally disappointed by the execution of this application.

The larger surface area of the T310 is not utilised by the keypad, with buttons requiring nearly child-sized fingers for use and a 5-way mini joystick which certainly lives up to its description and makes navigation a risky proposition. We found the tiny joystick very hard to manipulate effectively, often registering the wrong direction when touched.

Although we considered the phone's colour capabilities limited, the same cannot be said in regards to its sound capabilities. Not only is voice quality crisp and very clear, the polyphonic capabilities are superior to many models on the market. Ring options such as "Autumn Sky" and "Copacabano" boast the depth and strength of sound that set polyphonic-capable mobiles apart from the tinny rings of old. We were also impressed by the repertoire of tunes, and somewhat amused by the odd titles, which include "House of the Rising Drum".

Another standout feature of the T310 is the functionality involving the creation of text messages. The phone relies on drop down menus for selection of alternative text options, enabling faster, more accurate text-message creation.

The T310 relies on icons for its initial menu/navigation screen. The organisation of menu options is comprehensive and extremely user-friendly, as is navigation within these menus. Alongside traditional menu options, such as phone settings, call information and access to games, is an 'Organizer' section which boasts very basic versions of PDA capabilities; such as the ability to set events, activate alarms and timers. We found setting up reminders of events within this area very efficient and user-friendly.

We had little complaint with the battery life of the T310. Utilising a 700mAh Lithium-polymer battery, the T310 supported 11 hours of talk-time, or five days of medium usage. It also purports to support 400 hours of standby time.

The T310 also boasts a Wireless Application Protocol browser and e-mail messaging, and utilises either GPRS or tri-band GSM data account types. It is also able to transmit data through an infrared port.

Alongside the inbuilt features, the T310 is available with a number of accessories, most notably the CommuniCam Mobile Camera MCA-25. As with Sony Ericsson's earlier T300 model, the detachable camera snaps onto the T310 and comandeers the screen for some mobile photo fun.

Overall, Sony Ericsson's T310 is an average mobile phone suited to an average budget. However, if you are really looking to maximise your multimedia messaging experience, we suggest you consider upgrading to a mobile phone with more advanced colour capabilities.

Sony Ericsson T310
Company: Sony Ericsson
Price: AU$447
Distributor: Sony Ericsson
Phone: 1300 650 050

Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive, a CBS Company. All Rights Reserved.
ZDNET is a registered service mark of CBS Interactive. ZDNET Logo is a service mark of CBS Interactive.