If 2004 was the year of megapixel camera phones, 2005 has been the year of cell phones with MP3 players. Although the overhyped Motorola Rokr E1 grabbed the biggest thunder, Sony Ericsson countered by quietly introducing the Sony Ericsson W800i and Sony Ericsson W600i Walkman phones. After a review of both mobiles, we found the W800i to be a superior alternative to the Motorola phone, and we now can say the same for the W600i. Sporting an eye-catching swivel design, which will soon be available to Cingular customers, the W600i offers a slightly different feature set than the W800i. The W600i's camera has lower resolution and lacks an external memory card slot, but the phone offers changeable faceplates and advanced gaming options as consolation.

At first glance, the Sony Ericsson W600i vaguely resembles the Sony Ericsson S710a. Color scheme aside (orange vs. black), the W600i has the same rounded edges and similarly designed navigation controls of the S710a. Yet, a closer look will reveal some more distinct differences. The W600i comes with a looped antenna resembling that of the Sony Ericsson J300, and the phone is comfortably smaller than the S710a, at 3.6 by 1.8 by 0.9 inches and 4.3 ounces. And if you don't like orange, you can swap out the front and rear faceplates in favor of white or blue versions, which are sold separately.