Sagem MYG-5 Review

Overall Rating

Polyphonic ringtones, colour screen, supports games

Build quality is poor, game support is buggy, game paddle is useless, menus not terribly intuitive, download software very buggy

This phone is a bit of a mixed bag. I was very impressed with it when I bought it but now I have significant reservations. On paper and at first sight it is excellent having many of the latest features. However it is let down by poor build quality and in the detail of the features. The standard phone is small and light with a bright and clear colour screen. It has polyphonic ringtones and also supports wave files. You can assign contacts to differing groups and the groups can have individual ringtones assigned. Reception is good and speak quality is excellent. Battery life is moderate - it lasts a couple of days usually but extensive use of the games will drain it in a couple of hours. It differs form most mobiles in that it is specifically designed to look like a gameboy or similar handheld games system and as such has a games paddle and slightly different keys. Now the bad points. I had it a day and it started to show scuffs and marks. After a month, the markings are wearing on some of the keys. In contrast my bulky, unfashionable Nokia 5110 looks almost brand new after several years of heavy use. The game pad keeps sticking. Given this is needed to navigate menus as well as games this is very poor - so poor I'm having to send the phone back for repair. Also, it just doesn't respond properly when playing games. For example, the phone has a breakout style game where you move a paddle to bounce a ball up to knock bricks down. The trouble is if you press the pad it can take a noticeable time for this to transfer into movement of the paddle on screen, If you use the keypad you don't have this problem - consequently I never use the gamepad. Game support is not everything you might hope for. I have downloaded the racing game from orange and this does not display correctly on this phone making it unusable. You can download a software application from Sagem that allows you to download ringtones, wallpaper, etc. to the phone. This works but it has obviously been done on the cheap - it is buggy and gives no meaningful error messages. The menu system is poorer than the Nokia equivalent but you get used to it after a while. Overall - an excellent phone let down by poor quality.

Members' Comments onJimmyC.'s Review

• martin b. on 11th Feb 2003

  The review is spot on, one question to the writer, how did he use sagem software to add pictures to his phone? He says the software works, i can't get it to work at all!!!! (got data cable and software from sagem online within 3 days of ordering) any help appreciated, thanks

• Berger. on 17th Feb 2003

  I have surfed the net high and low and have stumbled across the software that should enable you to download images, sounds e.t.c its called MY PICTURES AND SOUNDS i have downloaded the latest version V6.07. After many attempts i am still failing to successfully download anything any help would be greatly received

• martin b. on 18th Feb 2003

  To berger from sheffield have also searched internet high n' low, pictures n' sounds does'nt work, go to www.mysagem.co.uk, all you need will be there, everything at this site works for your phone, hope this helps you

• manuel. on 29th May 2003

  for download the pictures,sounds try to put in the software manual selection of the comm port , not auto .
  steps :1 bring the phone near the computer
  2 wait for ding sound (windows ) = recognize link
  3 open the sagem software
  4 manual selection of the comm port
  5 select the file
  6 link
  
  dmanu@canada.com

• Lucy. on 15th Jul 2003

  Why can't we ust be like everyone else dammit? Why is my phone forcing me to become a crazed internet combing it expert just to get a lame game, or something more fun than Liberty sodding X? I also think Sagem may employ chimps or close simian relations to assemble, design and manufacture their phones, the amount they break. Bit bitter, they look so fun and pretty. wolf in sheeps clothing?