Review It may not be as eye-catching as a Walkman music mobile or a Cyber-shot cameraphone, the K660i's web-focused features may grab another type of user in a similar way, Sony Ericsson hopes.

The candybar K660i is SE's first mid-tier handset to be marketed specifically for its online-friendliness, and it features a set of illuminated browser shortcut keys that become active when surfing, 3G HSDPA for mobile broadband connectivity, and a browser with landscape mode as the default setting.

Sony Ericsson's K660i: the internet in your pocket, apparently

The K660i’s other features are typical of a mid-range 3G mobile. The display is standard-sized for a Sony Ericsson mid-ranger: a 2in, 240 x 320, 262,000-colour job. Video calling is facilitated by a camera on the front, with a two-megapixel camera doing the main shooting duties on the back. There are music and video players on board, but there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity on this phone. The K660i has also been loaded with a Google Maps, and an on-screen RSS ticker is included too.

But while web optimisation may be the main selling point, in reality there’s no new ‘super browser’ experience – virtually all of the web functionality built into the K660i has been seen before on other recent 3G phones, such as the Walkman W890i - reviewed here. Instead, the differentiator is the emphasis placed on user-friendliness.

The illuminated browser shortcut buttons are a first here. They echo Sony Ericsson’s recent Cyber-shot camera control shortcut keys. Lined up alongside the 3, 6, 9 and # keys, four miniature icons light up when you launch the browser. Holding the phone in landscape orientation, you can take the browser shortcuts by tapping the relevant number buttons below them.

Related Reviews

• Review BenQ E72 budget Windows Mobile smartphone (9 October 2008)
• Review Motorola ROKR E8 music phone (15 July 2008)
• Review Nokia N78 (19 June 2008)
• Review Sony Ericsson Walkman W380i budget music phone (10 April 2008)
• Review Nokia 8800 Arte and Sapphire Arte handsets (3 April 2008)
• Review LG KF600 dual-display sliderphone (17 March 2008)
• Review Sony Ericsson Walkman W890i mobile phone (13 March 2008)
• Review Onyx Liscio micro mobile phone (4 March 2008)