Sony CMD-MZ5

The CMD-MZ5 is based on Sony's existing CMD-Z5, which means it's a chic little GSM mobile that's bursting with features.

Like the Z5, the MZ5 has both a Wap and a true internet browser, an email application, predictive text input for text messaging, and enough games and ring tones to keep you peering at its backlit screen for hours.

The MZ5 is fatter than the Z5 but at 110g, it's still far from heavy. The extra bulk is largely a result of the Memory Stick slot on the top of the phone. Just pop in the supplied 64Mb stick and the result is a digital music player that can hold two hours of audio.

Sticking with it

Memory Stick is Sony's proprietary solid-state storage technology. The stick looks like a strip of chewing gum and can hold up to 128Mb of data.

The problem is that while, say, CompactFlash storage can be used in devices from a range of manufacturers, only Sony makes products with Memory Stick slots.

Combining digital audio playback into a mobile phone makes some sense - why carry two pocket-size gadgets when one will do the trick? To that end, the MZ5 comes with a pair of earphones that double as a hands-free kit, plus a stylish belt clip.

Music to your ears?

So far so good, but the problems start when it comes to music. Sony doesn't include any means to connect the MZ5 to a PC, which makes filling the phone with music an interesting proposition.

Owners of Sony notebooks with a Memory Stick slot can manage it easily enough, but everyone else will have to connect the phone directly to their CD or MiniDisc player using the supplied optical or analogue leads. The MZ5 will then digitally record music playback.

But the catch is that it's in real-time, so two hours of music takes two hours to record. Unless you buy a few Memory Sticks (which are almost twice the price as CompactFlash), you're unlikely to change the phone's playlist that often.

Price
With contract, £400

Contact
Sony 0990 424424 www.sony-europe.com

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Samsung SGH M100
A neat idea let down by lack of memory.
£350
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Computeractive, Issue 69