Sony Ericsson Aino – not all bad!

The slim, smart-looking Sony Ericsson Aino has loads of great features packed into a combination touch-screen and traditional keypad phone.

Pros

The chic matte finish is understated, while the generous 3-inch screen is vivid and colourful.  Media shortcuts include photo display, music, video playback, camera, or FM radio; all work admirably.  The speakers perform well and the charging dock is conveniently angled to make viewing videos a pleasure.  The Aino is one of Sony Ericsson’s latest mobile phones that come pre-loaded with the BBC iPlayer app so users can watch a selection of television shows instantly with just an internet connection.  The camera features an LED flash and its 8.1 megapixel resolution is much more powerful than most of the latest mobile phones.

Cons

Like many other Sony Ericsson mobile phones, the Aino does not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which limits sound quality and audio playback.  The touch-screen turns off as soon as the phone slide is opened; this creates some problems with internet navigation and ease of use.

Conclusion

The Aino is sleek and fits comfortably in the hand.  The camera is excellent, video playback is impressive, the touch-screen functions fantastically, and the extras measure up nicely against the competition.  Despite these benefits, though, there are certain aspects of the Aino that don’t seem to make much sense:  an underused touch-screen, a rather boring interface, and a noticeably imbalanced feel when opened.  Overall, the Sony Ericsson Aino can best be described as underwhelming.