Siemens S66 is the top-of-the-line model of the x65 series, featuring the same platform as the CX65 and M65, the S66 is targeted towards business consumers. With an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera, extra large color screen, and 10 MB of memory, the Siemens S66 features a comprehensive set of applications and tools packaged in a sharp design.
Design
Featuring bold edges and lines, the stylish S66 measures 109 x 48 x 18 mm and weighs 98 g; perfect for busy professionals looking for a compact device with a clean professional look. Having a black and chrome minimalist appearance, the front features a large 132 x 176 px screen capable of displaying 65K colors, a 5-way navigation joystick situated between two soft keys, and angular numeric keypad.
Turned around, a port for an external antenna accessory is included on the upper left; for those times when the internal antenna may not be enough. Additionally, the lens to the built-in 1.3-megapixel camera is situated on the back, able to capture high-resolution photos up to 1280 x 960 px in size.
Along the left side, an infrared port provides wireless transfers and synchronicity between PCs, while up and down keys along the right provide shortcuts to initiates sound recording, activates camera mode, and functions as scroll and volume adjustment buttons. Connection ports and a RS-MMC slot are located on the bottom, while a spot for a car holder kit lies on top.
Out of the box, the Siemens S66 comes with a standard 750 mAh Li-Ion battery, AC adapter, 32 MB RS-MMC, RS-MMC to MMC adapter, mini CD, and user manual.
Camera
The 1.3-megapixel camera, built with a maximum resolution of 1280 x 960 px, includes other photo sizes such as High - VGA (640 x 480 px), Medium - QVGA (320 x 240), Low - QQVGA (160 x 120 px), and Wallpaper (180 x 240 px).
In Camera Mode, the S66's screen becomes the viewfinder, displaying useful information such as zoom and brightness levels, resolution, as well as available memory.
Should shutterbugs need to get closer to the action, a 5X digital zoom is included; controlled by moving the navigational joystick up and down. However to truly zoom in, consumers will have to walk. Rather than optical zoom, digital merely enlarges the photo much like cropping, as opposed to getting closer. Due to limitations in hardware and moving parts, optical zoom is not yet feasible in camera phones.
Additional camera functions allow users to control Color Modes (Normal, Sepia, and Grey Tones), White Balance (Automatic, Indoor, Outdoor), Brightness (Joystick Left / Right), and Self-Timer. Unfortunately, there is no mirror for self-portraits, so users will have to either use the Self-Timer or randomly point and shoot. When the optional flash accessory is attached, additional menu options (Automatic, Off, Red-Eye) are enabled.
Encoded in MPEG-4, video clips can also be captured at either QCIF (176 x 144 px) or Sub-QCIF (128 x 96 px) resolutions at 15 fps limited to a maximum length of 30 seconds. Photos and video taken with the S66 can be either stored on the internal memory or a memory card. Screen
Featuring a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen, the S66 is capable of displaying 65K colors at 132 x 176 px resolution. Larger than most displays on the market, the S66's screen is vibrant and responsive, clear in both indoor and outdoor conditions.
Since its circuit transistors are placed directly on the glass, refreshing does not require the scanning of pixel locations; providing quick response times needed for using the LCD as a viewfinder in camera mode.
Audio
The S66 is able to play polyphonic ringtones at up to 40 simultaneous instruments. Utilizing the MIDI format, users can compose and edit melodies by overlaying chords, playing "musical notes," much like in an orchestra. The more simultaneous chords supported, the better sounding the music.
Unfortunately the S66 doesn't support MP3s. Fast becoming the new standard in ringtones, MP3s allow users to record an exact duplicate from an audio source, including music with lyrics or recorded voice.
Messaging
Text messaging functions are standard nowadays, supporting SMS (Short Messaging Service), EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service), and MMS (Multimedia Message Service), and the Siemens S66 is no different.
With EMS users can format their messages with attributes such as style, size, alignment, and paragraphs, while MMS goes one step further by allowing users to add graphics, sounds, videos, and time-based sequencing.
Combined with the built-in camera, users can take pictures and videos and attach them as text message greetings or vacation postcards. Additionally, with SMS Zoom, users can select three font sizes, displaying 6, 9, or 11 lines of text at once.
Similar to predecessors, the S66 comes with a fully functional email client supporting POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP protocols. Unlike other phones with watered down email clients, the Siemens S66 supports up to 5 email accounts.
With T9 predictive text, messages can be typed quicker. Instead of having to press keys several times for a letter, the S66 chooses from a dictionary of words and phrases and anticipate what is being written.
Internet
While browsing the web, the S66 is built on WAP 2.0 with Class 10 GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). GPRS is a non-voice high-speed service that allows information to be sent and received across mobile networks. Being Class 10, the S66 contains four downlink slots and 2 uplink slots resulting in transfer speeds of up to 48 kbps and 24 kbps for receive and send rates respectively.
The connectivity features on the S66 are excellent, providing both Bluetooth technology and an infrared port used for pairing accessories and transferring multimedia between a PC and the phone.
As the first phone on the market to feature advanced Bluetooth 1.2 technology, the Siemens S66 offers Enhanced Voice Processing, designed to improve voice connection quality, particularly in noisy environments, using corrective error detection. Bluetooth 1.2 also offers a fast and seamless data transfer even in today's crowded WLAN environment.
Combined with the organizer, the S66 can update and synchronize business and 3rd party applications via SyncML. As the common language for synchronizing devices and applications over networks, SyncML updates any personal information, such as email, calendars, to-do lists, contact information and other relevant data; making it consistent, accessible and up-to-date, no matter where the information is stored.
Through Bluetooth, a wide range of accessories can be paired with the S66, including numerous headset solutions and in-car solutions. With the Car Kit Bluetooth, convenient communication on the road without a complicated installation is no longer just a dream.
