Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini ST15i

man i don't understand why one should give this phone such a low rating with all those specs at just 13k and with SE trademark...

It at least deserves a 5 star.... it a winner dude...

"I bought this phone 3 weeks ago from a local retailer in Chandigarh.
This is my first android, after I lost my earlier phone, so I did carry out an extensive research. The Software Engineer inside me wanted a phone with good specifications and the MBA inside me kept on asking me about the marginal value of every rupee spent. So after detailed research for over 2 weeks I decided to buy it. Here are some reasons why. (Please do read this post till last because I have posted some important information there)
1. Great specifications (viz. the processor and GPU)
2. Value for money - Trust me guys, this cell has specifications equivalent to that of phones worth 18K - 19K.
3. Excellent review

Now some pros and cons:
Pros:-
1. Great phone - looks good, handy as it would fit in your pockets easily, sturdy looks,
2. GUI - Timescape is great, it very fast on this phone (compared to any Samsung), although does show some lag when started, but that's the only moment when it is slow
3. Call quality - Good, voice is a bit heavy but excellent network with NO call drops
4. Music - Ohh, I better not say anything. Music is decent without headphones (not loud though - but who listens to music on speaker). And with headphones on - You are in a disc man
5. Camera - Good (not the best - but you won't complain, panorama shot included which is a plus
6. Display - Well I don't know what Sony guys do, the display is very vivid, I watched Aamir's Satyameva Jayate video - and it looks even better than my LCD
7. Powerful flash
8. Processor - Very fast when compared to Samsung Galaxy Y or Galaxy Ace (my friends have it so I know). Qualcomm processor on snapdragon chip set is definitely good speed.
9. GPU - Adreno 205 is good enough for any single core processor, so no complaints in playing any games. After research I found a comparison on GPUs. I have ranked them as per my knowledge best first – Adreno 225 -> Adreno 220 -> PowerVR SGX 540 -> Adreno 205 -> PowerVr SGX 530 -> Adreno 200
10. Heating problem is gone - I had read many reviews about heating problem, so i bought a Jan 2012 model. No heating problems. So make sure you see the manufacture date and buy a recent one.

Cons:-
BATTERY - Without GPRS being on, it would last for a little over a day. With data on well it manages 20 hours.
Camera button – Yoo would keep pressing it, but it refuses to take a shot at times.

So guys i think this phone is really value for money. You can always get a better phone by doling out more cash, but if you want a phone around 15K, I think you should go for it. This phone has all features same as that of any good 19K phone. For example it has same features as on Xperia Neo V (barring HDMI output) and even Galaxy S. Galaxy S plus is a tad above with 1.4 Ghz processor @ 20K.

After through research as per me below are the best phones in specific price range:
1. Below 10K - HTC Explorer
2. 10K - 15K - Xperia Mini or Motorola Defy Plus
3. 20K - Spend 2K more and take Motorola Atrix 2
4. 25K - 28K - HTC Sensation
5. 30K and beyond - HTC One X, Sony Xperia S (not sure about others)

Phones you should not buy
a) Galaxy Y - Bad features and GUI. Do not buy until you have serious budget constraints
b) Galaxy Ace/Ace Duos - Low on configuration, Galaxy Ace has 800 Mhz processor while Duos has GPRS only on CDMA, even Ace plus has Adreno 200 only
c) Xperia mini Pro - Why pay 4K more for just a keyboard. Anyways you will switch to swipe feature soon
d) HTC One V - Grossly overpriced - 1 Ghz normal processor with probably no GPU
e) HTC Wildfire and HTC Incredible - Old phones with old specifications. Even the company would not recommend as you can go for a better model at same price
f) Galaxy S - Again outdated with no flash

Lastly - Do think before you upgrade for Gingerbread to ICS. These upgrades tend to make phones slow if the cell is not feature rich. For example my friends having Xperia mini X10 (Old edition) had speed problems after upgrading to Ginger bread. As a simple thumb rule, ICS only on a dual core processor." Also the moment you purchase any phone, please order a compatible screen guard from Flipkart. There is no use buying a screen guard in market as it might not be the right one.
I also bought a 16GB Micro SD card (Class 10) from Flipkart and it’s running awesome.

Been using this for the last 10 days.
Trust me guys. This one is good. (Android 2.3.3) Pluses?
1. Design. Small, beautiful n packs a punch.
2. Display is cool with bravia engine.
3. Processor, RAM, best in this price range.
4. Its a se
Minuses?
1. Battery (Common with all android phones though 1200mA is a bit low.) Managed 2 days w/o wifi, 3G, n reduced display brightness.
2. Typing. I am still strugglin with the keypad on a 3" screen.
I am still not sure abt the scratch resistant display. Checked the se site and user manual. Couldn't find any claims of the sort. Can't test 'cause its my phone.... :-)

One of the best Touch phones available in the market in this price range, though, it is my personal view that, from a practical perspective, one shell out a couple grand more and go for SK17i (=ST15i QWERTY).

I've been using SK17i for few weeks now and love all the features ST15i and SK15i have on offer. Overall build quality, devices' performance (barring one singular exception of battery backup limitations), features on offer (5MP camera with HD video recording at 720p and host of other settings like Imagine Stabalization that you would normally find in a digicam, tonnes of Android apps, SNS integration, xLoud experience, Timescape, Bravia Engine, Accelarometer, zero-lag SE UI, dedicated GPU unit, GPS, calendar and mailbox clarity, integrated browser goodies, 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM...and still counting) are worth every penny.

A little downside is 320 MB internal memory (which spelt like "all this horsepower and no room to gallop"), but that can be taken care of by putting in a decently sized SD card (say 16 GB) and ensuring you use it for all your data and app installations.

If QWERTY is not a show-stopper for you and your budget is 10-15k, ST15i is one of the strongest contenders out there.

I would have done a more detailed review here, but I would rather reserve that for SK17i. I plan to write, in due course of the remainder of this month, a more detailed experience on the different features, apps and settings that make my day work.

On a concluding note, I would encourage you to define your needs according to your budget and gather ample amount of data before you theorize and make your way towards a decision. Here is how I normally go about it:

1. Define my budget. How much can I "actually" afford to spend upon the phone?

2. Do I have the time and inclination to stretch beyond my current budget? If yes, wait...there's more coming (what with tonnes of releases coming for Android devices along with Microsoft Windows Mobile 7.5 "Mango" devices about to hit the market by the end of Q4 too). If no, let's get to the next step.

3. Scan all devices available within that budget. Avoid looking here and there amongst devices in other price range. Gather data...detailed information about all the features.

4. Now match those features against your daily needs. Define your LIMits (Like to have, Intend to have, Must have its). Avoid "creating" needs.

5. Zero down upon the device that is the closest match to your needs. Visit store for a live experience with devices' demo units, if possible, before you close the deal.

So, overall, SE ST15i packs some seriously how-ever-did-I-live-without-that features which will certainly give a new dimension to way you have known a Smartphone up till now. It sets standards for fellow devices with its rich features, excellent quality, bundled goodies, pricing and sports one of the finest and smoothest UIs available out there.

All the very best with your buy...

Battery standby time has been the major concern for Xperia phone my college bought xperia mini pro and battery was lasting hardly for a day with nominal use