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The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman phone.

Sony Ericsson’s second Android-powered Walkman phone, dubbed The Live, reminds me of my ex-girlfriend – curvy body, glossy finish and very loud.

When I first picked it up, I automatically tried to slide it open to reveal the QWERTY keyboard. But there wasn’t one. I’ve always avoided touch screens because of my builder’s hands – as with my ex, I always seemed to push the wrong buttons.

But, while The Live’s HVGA resolution 3.2” capacitive screen is very sensitive, you don’t need pinpoint accuracy to write messages. The predictive text feature not only guesses what you’re going to say nine times out of 10, but adds words it doesn’t know, like names and slang, to its ever-increasing dictionary.

Messaging on The Live is a truly multimedia experience to the point of nausea. Sometimes you feel as if it is behaving like one of those persistent salesmen, suggesting “Would you like to add a sound to that sms?” or “Would you like to upsize to a video?”

The phone software (Gingerbread 2.3) takes some getting used to, but once you are used to it there is no going back. It is so versatile; everything moves and all the menus can be changed to fit your needs, business or pleasure. Making the most of the screen, its corners are where you can stow away application shortcuts.

However, with only 320MB of RAM on the processor, the phone sometimes feels sluggish, especially when running multiple applications simultaneously.

The five megapixel autofocus camera can capture a 720p HD video recording, but the still shots are nothing to shout about, especially in low light. Focus goes out of the window and subjects often appear cross-eyed.

With its dedicated Walkman button, The Live differentiates itself from the rest of the Android pack with enhanced music features. It’s difficult to emphasise just how LOUD the phone rings or plays music. The xLOUD in-built speaker loudness booster means one could throw a small party in a park, bedroom or office just using the phone.

The notes lose their crispness if you turn the volume right up, but it is the most comprehensive loudspeaker the phone industry has seen.

TrackID is a brilliant feature as it means you can be sitting in a car or dancing in a club and record a snatch of a song. The phone will automatically search for the name and artists and give you the option to purchase the track.

This is precisely Sony Ericsson’s niche. It focuses on what it does best – music. Its Walkman brand with the orange logo is as old as tape recorders. And unlike my ex-girlfriend, this phone actually works. - The Star

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