Test report and technical data Siemens S35
Advantage: robustness, integrated antenna, good features
Disadvantage: software error, message memory too small
The Siemens S35 is predominantly a mobile phone for people with the same needs as me. I travel around a lot not only due to business trips, but also in my leisure time. A reliable mobile phone in my case is an absolute necessity and the Siemens S35 features all what I need and besides that fulfils all my demands. The Siemens S35 combines numerous practical features with robustness, however an apparently unrecoverable software error does not match with the rest of the perfect picture of the Siemens S35.
The Siemens S35 convinces with a most modern and self-contained design. The cover of the Siemens S35 is all in black and the frame of the Siemens S35 is consistently nicely rounded off so as there can not be found any sharp edges on the Siemens S35, which is as well a result of integrating the antenna of the Siemens S35.
There is an infrared connection in the upper corner of the Siemens S35, which can however only be hardly detected. The screen of the Siemens S35 covers five lines and glow in a green-yellowish colour whereupon the intensity of the light could be higher. The arrangement of the symbols on the display of the Siemens S35 is resolved as follows, information on network and battery can be found in the upper part of the screen, whereas two quicklinks for the menu and message editing can be found in the lowest line of the screen of the Siemens S35.
The keys of the Siemens S35 are arranged in a clearly outlined manner, whereat I am particularly glad about the size of the keys. When activating a key of the Siemens S35 it should not happen that one accidentally presses many other keys since the keys are just too small to be accessed separately. This is indeed quiet something in regard of the low dimensions of the Siemens S35 of 118x46x21 mm. Only weighing 99g adds up to this but does not make the Siemens S35 in return somewhat fragile.
Operating the Siemens S35 is made easy by adding several direct links specific menu options on the keypad. But even without those links dealing with the menu of the Siemens S35 is not too complex. The menu of the Siemens S35 is well structured and all the different functions can by accessed an activated easily. The principle behind operating the menu is always the same and if you once got the clou it's real easy. As a result of that the Siemens S35 has a very good ease of use rating.
The technical performance of the Siemens S35 is of the greatest importance of all issues to me and with the Siemens S35 this part is particularly joyous.
Initially the battery of the Siemens S35. The Siemens S35 is equipped with a lithium-ion battery and at the same time this battery is the vibration alert of the Siemens S35. The battery of the Siemens S35 has a very creditable performance since it endures a stand-by time of up to 220 hours and a corresponding talk time of six hours. Completely recharging the Siemens S35 takes about two hours. The battery performance of the Siemens S35 is absolutely brilliant and its importance is not to be underestimated, there can't be done all too much with a mobile phone that does not possess a durable battery. Especially in my case a reliable battery is inevitable since I often can't charge my mobile for days. The great battery of the Siemens S35 was of help in quiet some situations by now.
Now the telephone book and the messaging function of the Siemens S35. The telephone book of the Siemens S35 memorizes a maximum of 100 entries, unfortunately at some point one is forced to delete elderly entries. Howsoever many more entries can be saved on the SIM-card, depending on its capacity. In most cases this shall then do, alltogether usually 225 entries can be saved on the Siemens S35 and the SIM-card together. The small memory capacity does reflect as well on the messaging function, which all in all functions perfectly, but only about 20 messages can be saved on the Siemens S35. Regrettably there's no archive to be found in the Siemens S35 which could have helped.
Further functions in this category of the Siemens S35 are its quickdialing function, VIP-entries and of course an integrated T9 text input software is featured in the Siemens S35. There can be found 35 ringer melodies in the Siemens S35, which can be adjusted individually to the telephone book entries via the VIP-feature. In addition composing own ringer melodies is possible with the Siemens S35 which can later be saved on the Siemens S35 and there are four games installed on the Siemens S35. Those I have never used though.
A featured organizer is more important to me, since it covers a number of functions, which are quiet useful to me. These are for example a currency-converter, an alarm clock, a notebook and a calendar, which all together do help in real life.
Administrating data with the Siemens S35 is enhanced by the w@p-function of the Siemens S35. Even though this function is expensive indeed, it can come in useful as well. Due to the infrared connection and the internet function of the Siemens S35, transferring data is made possible. I had to lie if said I use this function very often, howsoever if there does pop up a situation where I can make use of this features, I do not hesitate.
Within the scope of technical features a rather annoying disadvantage of the Siemens S35 is not to be forgotten. I am talking about a constant software failure, it has happened definitely too often by now that I had a card error, which can only be solved by switching off the Siemens S35.
In addition to that the Siemens S35 quiet often decides to just hang-up, a problem which can as well only be solved by brutally deactivating the Siemens S35, you need to pull out the battery of the Siemens S35. However if you switch the Siemens S35 on again right after such a problem, it functions trouble-free. I have no clue why and when such errors happen and even a software update couldn't help.
Making phone calls with the Siemens S35 tries to compensate this greater disadvantage, since quality of reception as well as sound are just too perfect with the Siemens S35, regardless of surrounding and location.
The Siemens S35 is a very handy, small phone, which does manage to help in real life due to its many smart features. No matter how good the performance of the Siemens S35 is, I can not forget its software error, since it just kills all joy. However the software error does not have any greater influence on the functionality of the Siemens S35, it still convinces with quality, technical know-how and its reception performance.
Whoever can ignore the software error should be happy with the Siemens S35. At least operating the Siemens S35 gives the user some kind of kick since you never know when it will kill itself again!
Test-review of the Siemens S35:
Technical features: +++
Reception quality: +++
Ease of use: +++
Battery stand-by time: +++
Design: +++
Instruction manual: +++
Value for money: +++
Overall rating: +++
++++/excellent, +++/good, ++/satisfactory, +/poor
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