Siemens CX65 with Flash IFL-600 review

1 September 2004 15:53 GMT / By Stuart Miles

There are lots of different variants of the 65 series from Siemens. You’ve got the ultra tough M65, the Blackberry working SX65 and the now this model the CX65. Geared towards the business user who isn’t looking for a swivel out keyboard, the CX65 has clean crisp lines.

More akin to comfortably sitting in a business meeting rather than carrying an extreme sport look feel gone are the bright orange colours and the metal exoskeleton. In comes grey and silver, a very functional keyboard - unlike the SX1 and a large clear screen the same size as the M65.

In built in the back of the camera is a VGA camera - its strange that Siemens is still without a 1 megapixel model, and this camera like all that seem to be appearing in mobile phones at the moment can also capture video. Additionally to the CX65 is the add-on flash bulb that allows you to take images in dark places. In practice is works very well and certainly does a better job than Photo lights seen on some cameras. However where it will increase the quality of your photos, just like a conventional flash does, the placing of the flash - at the bottom of the phone does cause problems as when you hold the phone for the most part your hands cover the flash.

So you don’t run out of space, the phone comes with 11mb of on board memory. Unfortunately this isn’t expandable, but then with only VGA quality images this shouldn’t cause too much of an issue.

Battery life lasted well across the week we were testing the unit and Siemens suggested time of 250 hours was close to the mark.

Inside, the phones interface is identical to others in the 65 series range, applications bundled are virtually identical to the M65, aside from the exclusion of the Bike-O-meter software, and strangely Siemens obviously believes that users of this model aren’t going to want to play the same games as those who buy the M65, because of that the games are different - either way the large screen certainly helps play them or look at calendar information.

Verdict

It might have tri-band, but while we can forgive Siemens for excluding Bluetooth in the M65 because of the nature of whom the phone is marketed at, it's inexcusable to leave it out in what is obviously a business phone offering from the German manufacturer.

Additionally while the large screen is a welcomed element of the phone like the M65 we just know that within a month or two it would be scratched to pieces, while the M65 had the metal exoskeleton the CX65 offers no protection. Good, but when compared to others in the series and others in the marketplace the CX65 just doesn't cut the mustard.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Siemens
Price as reviewed: £price dependent on contract
The good: Flash add-on large screen…
The bad: …that will get scratched in seconds, and then there is the placing of the flash bulb.
Quick verdict: Good, but when compared to others in the series and others in the marketplace the CX65 just doesn’t cut the mustard.
Score