Sony Ericsson C510

Phone type Candy bar

Height 107 mm
Width 47 mm
Depth 12.5 mm
Weight 92 grams

We were first introduced to the C510 at the tail end of 2008, under the codename of Kate, before a better set of leaked pictures came online at the beginning of January 2009. Now it's set for release, we have the final specs and a complete overview of this new CyberShot camera phone and it's looking like a great buy for anyone wanting a competent, stylish mid-range mobile!



Why You Should Buy the C510
3.2 megapixel camera with an LED flash and 30fps QVGA video shooting.
Watch YouTube video on a dedicated client.
The C510 is a 3G mobile phone with HSDPA support and A2DP Bluetooth.
Built-in accelerometer provides automatic screen rotation and motion sensitive gaming.
Increase media storage with a Memory Stick M2.

The Sony Ericsson C510 is a very competitively priced handset, with an emphasis on fun over more serious photography. The mobile is a traditional Sony Ericsson candybar design, available in Radiation Silver and Future Black, and the faceplate will offer no design surprises to anyone familiar with the company's past work. It's a slim one though, at 12.5mm, plus the 92 gram weight makes this a very pocket-friendly camera phone. Flip the phone over and things get more interesting, as the camera lens is hidden behind a brushed metallic cover which slides to one side. Not only is this very practical, but it gives the C510 a really smooth, modern look.

As the C510 wears a CyberShot badge, it has all the toys to make the camera something really special, despite the fact it won't break the bank to purchase. The 3.2 megapixel camera lens may not sound impressive these days, but the truth is, it takes brilliant pictures at a resolution of 2048x1536 and easily holds its own against the Nokia 5800 and the Samsung U600, each of which feature a similar camera. The C510 edges ahead with features such as face and smile recognition, Photo Fix – where you can alter the brightness, contrast and light balance without transferring your snaps to a PC – plus the usual autofocus and LED flash for the best possible pictures.


The C510 will run the latest version of Sony Ericsson's feature phone software, so you'll benefit from a built-in YouTube client for watching video on the move, plus handy features not usually found on a mid-range phone such as threaded SMS conversations. With the 3G HSDPA connection web browsing will be quick and the Access NetFront browser is a great online companion. There's an FM RDS radio and a music player, plus the phone supports cell-based location ID which provides a geo-tagging experience without GPS.

Summary of the Sony Ericsson C510
The Sony Ericsson C510 is a delightfully simple mobile phone, it does everything one could want from a modern handset – 3G/HSDPA, music and media, a great camera, high call quality – all wrapped up in a stylish, cleanly designed casing. Best of all is the reasonable price; the C510 won't be a phone which will have to be admired from afar thanks to a prohibitively expensive price tag! While we appreciate the phone won't be winning many innovation awards, it does fit the phrase 'if it's not broken, don't fix it' perfectly, as the tried and tested Sony Ericsson CyberShot formula just keeps getting better!


3.2 Megapixel Camera

Face, smile detection, geo-tagging
Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
3G (HSDPA), EDGE, GPRS, and HSCSD
MP3 player
FM radio with RDS
WAP 2.0/HTML (NetFront), RSS reader
Memory Stick Micro (M2) card slot for expandable memory
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
Dimensions: 107 x 47 x 12.5 mm
Weight: 92 grams
Standby Time: Up to 400hrs
Talk Time: Up to 10hrs