On the top of the phone is the power button, which also allows you to put the phone in flight mode. The infra-red (IrDA) receiver is also located here, right next to the power button. On the right-hand side is a small button labelled with an @ sign. By default this will launch the web browser, but this can be changed. Just below this is the memory card slot, which accepts the new M2 - aka MemoryStick Micro - format. It's very difficult to insert and remove the memory card as the slot has a cover that doesn't open very far. A 64MB M2 card ships with the M600i as standard and you should be able to pick up a 512MB card for around £25.

At the bottom of the M600i is the latest generation of Sony Ericsson data/charger connector, and a USB cable as well as a travel charger is supplied with the M600i. However, the M600i doesn't charge over USB, which I think is a major omission, as it's the ideal way to charge your phone if you have a notebook with you.

By now you're probably wondering about the camera. Well, there isn't one. The M600i is a business device and as such doesn';t need a camera, or at least that appears to be the reasoning behind the omission. It also cuts cost, which might not be a bad idea. What the M600i does have around the back is a rather loud speaker.

At 10.7 x 5.7 x 1.5cm and 112g, the M600i is quite wide, but thin, so it fits neatly into most pockets. The problem is that the screen tends to pick up quite a bit of sweat on a hot day when you hold it to your ear for any length of time, but this is a common problem for PDA-type phones. The 2.55in, 240 x 320 screen is quite bright, easy to read and can display 262,144 colours.