It's all about fashion and style as Siemens brings its second collection of Xelibri phones to market: Jørgen Sundgot takes a closer look at the sporty X5.
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With its first collection of Xelibri handsets, one cannot go quite as far as saying Siemens introduced a novel concept to the world of mobile phones. However, the manufacturer did go further than all of its competitors in its experiment to bring forward models where style mattered almost as much as functionality - and still does more than most handset makers. This review takes a look at the lowest-ranking member of the autumn/winter 2003 collection: the Xelibri X5.
 | The Xelibri X5 is much fluff and little stuff - and the looks aren't all that, either
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Exterior
Compact, like all other Xelibri handsets, the X5 has a design that lends itself towards the more sporty end of the spectrum, measuring 8.7 x 5.2 x 1.7 cm and weighing 74 g. The phone itself, although candybar in design, is actually two-part, with a click-on plastic cover protecting the keypad and lower part of the handset. The bottom of this cover also offers a belt loop for attaching to a rucksack, gym bag or the likes - a very practical feature.
Meanwhile, the main body of the X5 contains a suitably bright and crisp - albeit small - 12-bit colour screen centered and far up on the front, with a large, four-way navigational pad just beneath it and an action button at its center. Under this we find the keypad, which retains a traditional layout except for the lower row of keys, typically containing the 0,
and # keys. On the X5, these keys have been placed vertically adjacent to the keypad on its right side.
And finally, far up on the left side, we find the SIM card slot - conveniently accessible, and protected by a hinged rubber insert.
Ergonomics
Despite being somewhat wide, the X5 is comfortable to hold and use - although a lack of spacing between keys on a horizontal axis will likely cause some difficulties related to discerning between keys. This aside, keys are well sized and also slightly domed, and also offer good tactile feedback while at the same time keeping noise levels down.
Features
As with all Xelibri handsets, the dual-band GSM 900/1800 MHz X5 is high on style, yet short on features. Although basic functionality is fully adequate both with regard to voice connectivity and SMS compatibility, the most advanced functionality offered by the X5 is voice dialing - somewhat odd considering its high price. As befits a style-conscious handset, however, the X5 offers four system-wide themes and a slew of polyphonic ringtones for personalization purposes.
Performance
Offering a well-designed, icon-driven menu system laid out in carousel fashion, the Xelibri X5 requires little if any time to get accustomed to. User friendliness is excellent, however the handset is plagued by annoyingly sluggish interaction and is unable to keep up with rapid text input. Voice dialing works well although is far from fast - but on the bright side, SIM card exchange is speedy for those wishing to keep the X5 as a second phone.
Voice quality is good, however despite good overall signal reception the handset has a tendency to produce intermittent static in conversations conducted under favourable conditions for no apparent reason. Battery life proved quite good, although claims were - as usual - somewhat over the top with up to 350 hours of standby time and 340 minutes of talk time: we achieved approximately 270 hours and 300 minutes.
Availability
The Xelibri X5 is now available in several larger European markets and the Asia Pacific, as well as from the dedicated Xelibri online store. It sells in the $250 USD range without subscription.
Conclusion
With a handset where style is supposed to be an important part of the equation, the X5 moves on thin ice as its design does not quite conjure images of stylish models on the catwalk. Aesthetics aside, however, its lack of features combined with a relatively high price still make for a poor combination - and only a couple of innovative features such as the clip-on plastic cover and conveniently placed SIM card slot save it from what amounts mainly to a beating in the scores department. If you're getting an Xelibri, at least get one with good looks.
What's positive: Innovative design; easy SIM card access
What's negative: Minimal feature set; overpriced
| Features: | 5/10 |
| Exterior: | 6/10 |
| Ergonomics: | 5/10 |
| Performance: | 4/10 |
| Value: | 3/10 |
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iSW Score:
4.6/10
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Price and availability
The will start selling for TBA () in November 1999.
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