Review GSM phone Fly Z200

Package:

• Handset
• Charger
• Manual

Until very recently Fly model line included low-end devices mainly. After developing on the market the company released several models of medium cost range - Z200, Z300. Now the matter concerns Fly Z200, it is a clamshell with two colour screens and a VGA camera.
The device is made in a clamshell form-factor, its design was much laboured at and the handset looks more expensive than it is. The body is made of lacquered plastic. Unfortunately, it is quickly thumbed, but one can see it only while examining closely. The handset is produced in the only colour solution - the combination of dark-blue and silvery.
The dimensions are standard for the class: 88x46x23 mm, the weight is 90 grams. Z200 has a small plane external antrenna, such implementation prevails in Samsung and LG models. Many mobile phones manufactures strive for a clamshell, when put together, to look a single whole as if the upper and lower parts join. The creators of Z200 opposed and emphasised two parts of the device. They have done their best: while folded the handset is perceived to consist of two halves and still that does not spoil its appearance and just accentuates its identity. The device may be opened with one hand without effort, for the opening mechanism is quite slack (a spring). All the same, the upper part does not open up to the stop itself and you will have to do it by hand. It is significant, an opening angle of Z200 is less than that of other clamshells and at first you will be getting used to it, especially if you have used a clamshell heretofore.
On the left side surface there is a headset connector shielded with a rubber shutter and a coupled volume key, long pressing turns on a backlighting of an external screen when the device is folded. The bottom traditionally has an interface connector.
On the right side surface there is a key activating an integrated camera and long pressure turns it on just like when the device is folded.
The front side has a coloured STN screen showing 4096 colours. Information is easy to read, still there is a little lack in brightness. In sunlight the screen fades, but not entirely. At an incoming call it shows the caller's name (a scrolling line), if it is enlisted in the phone book, and a phone number, a picture assigned to the name in the phone book is also shown. Moreover the external screen can serve as a viewfinder, though the picture on it is hardly distinguishable.
An objective of the integrated camera is placed above at the left and there is a flash below. Two ledges stretching out on both sides of the front panel bear not merely ornamentality, as a part of each ledge serves as a call indicator showing up to 7 colours.
A battery also serves as a back cover of the device. It is Li-Ion and the capacity totals 780 mAh. According to the manufacturer, it may work for up to 110 hours in standby mode and up to 2 hours in talk one. In the conditions of Moscow Z200 has served for about 2.5 days in case of 20 minutes of talks and 30 minutes of using other functions. If increasing talk time and using other functions battery life diminishes to 1.5 days..
The internal 262K screen has the resolution of 128x160 pixels (TFT). It can show 6 text lines and 2 service lines at the same time. The screen is really good and may truly show 262K colours, information on it can be read even in the sun.
Under the screen there is a light sensor able to turn on/off a keypad backlighting automatically (if this function is engaged in the menu). Virtually it is just a plaything, for has little profit.

The keypad made of plastic and the navi button with an integrated OK appeared rather comfortable. The number keys like the whole keypad are silvery, slim and oblong, but quite difficult to work with. The keys are well distributed and that prevents a mistaken pressure. The keypad was appreciated by women as it is very convenient to type with long nails.
The bright blue backlighting illumines not the very key but the area around them. It looks very fine, not to mention of a mirror substrate of the keypad. With the backlight turned on the handset bears big resemblance to Motorola V3, the designers seem to have been impressed by the product of Motorola while creating Z200. Besides Latin, the keypad has the Cyrillic characters. All the symbols are easy to read by any light, only the characters on key '3' are poorly illumined.

Menu

Accessing the main menu is possible by pressing the left soft-key. The menu is represented in two types, switching between them is done by pressing the left soft-key. The reason it was made so turns out obscure, for there are little people who often change the menu style.
The first version seems more interesting, it is vertical lists. The selected item is on the top, below there is an animated image which is traversed by the list of submenu items. That looks fine and, the main thing, obvious.

The second version is of less interest: the menu items are denoted by small icons in the right (the screen fits 3 icons at once). The selected item is lit up and a big animated image appears in the left.

The submenu is represented in vertical lists too. Z200 has accessible 4.5 Mb of dynamic memory.
Phone book. Up to 300 names may be saved in the internal memory, for a name you may have a Name (16 characters), up to 4 numbers, an e-mail (48 characters), you also may select one of 4 existent groups or one of 3 user's groups. Also a melody, a colour of light alert, a birth date can be assigned to each entry. There is an option to appropriate a picture or to create an image (pointed out below). Either general number lists, i.e. from the handset and SIM, or SIM merely, or handset merely may be shown as well as each existent group. You can make a new entry, and the available items can be added with Work and Address items.
Messages. Messages item is not accessible in the main menu, entering there is possible by pressing the right soft-key. The handset holds up to 140 messages. Creating own templates and mass mailing for up to 5 numbers are provided. There is no EMS support, but in return MMS is supported and the interface proves acceptable.
Call lists. There are lists of dialled, incomings and missed calls, either item keeps up to 30 numbers. Also there one can check the total and last call duration, yet outgoing and incoming times are unavailable.
Settings. Sound. Various sound settings are adjusted here. There is an option to assign a sound to almost all the operation. Uploading melodies of MIDI is supplied.
Screen. There are various screen settings, namely a backlighting time, setting screensavers to the internal and external screens. Typing your own text and choosing the place it will be located are also provided there and an option of arranging an indicator is worth mentioning as well.
In this section you can adjust everything connected with the phone's functions.
Catalogs. There are all things concerned with the image, sound and additional applications the user has uploaded. An option of viewing photos and videos taken with the integrated camera is also supplied.
Organizer. It includes a calendar, tasks, notes, anniversary, and automatic turning on/off the handset. The calendar enables to make an event on the date chosen, insert a text comment (32 characters), determine the time, response (in time, an hour before, a day before), choose and set up each accessible signal..
Tasks. This possibility copies the functions of the calendar, but permits to set up only date with no time. Also priority (low, middle, high) and a mark 'Done' can be determined.
Notes. That allows creating any text notes (up to 80 characters).
Anniversary. It is quite clear, this reminds of an important date (an anniversary, a birthday etc).
Entertainment. The handset has two games: 'Cargador' (logical) and 'Black Jack' (card).
Image. An image may be designed in the corresponding item and choosing clothes, hair, eyes, lips, face ovals, and complementary accessories is provided. Virtually it is quite difficult to make an image more or less resembling the original, that is rather entertaining function. The created image can be assigned to an entry in the phone book.
Tools. This provides an access to an alarm clock (only one may be determined), a calculator, a world time, a timer (up to 10 intermediate values), and a currency convector.
WAP. The handset has WAP browser of version 1.2.1, it is possible by pressing OK key integrated in the joystick.
Camera. The installed camera permits to get pictures of several resolutions: 96x64, 160x120, 176x144, 320x240, 640x480 pixels. In any case the format of pictures is JPEG and the quality (high, middle, high) may be selected for any resolution.
In the shooting mode the main screen serves as a viewfinder, but it can be switched to the exterior screen. There is a toolbar above, you can select main shooting parameters, including setting up a timer for 5, 7, 9, 12 or 15 seconds.
Also there is an option of series shooting, you can make 3, 5, 7 or 9 shots at one sitting.
Video recording permits to shot films up to 10 seconds in duration. You also may choose the size (64x96, 160x120, 176x144) and select the quality (high, middle, low).
Moreover, there is a simple photo editor, immediately after shooting you can take available effects, lay a frame and make a text notice (up to 14 characters).
Taken pictures are of middle quality. I failed in passing them to a computer, as the handset is lacking an IrDA gap and the kit has no cable. On the screen photos and video look tolerably.

Impressions

The quality and volume of sound in the loudspeaker is of average level. Inside a quiet room the interlocutor is heard greatly, yet in a noisy street the loudspeaker volume is not sufficient. Sounding of the 64-tones polyphony is good, preinstalled melodies resound loud and one cannot but hear a call. To the contrary a vibrating alert is weak and can be missed.
All in all, here is a quite good phone with the durable plastic of the body and assembling of a high grade. The handset has many nice details: a possibility of determining various melodies to almost every action, a light sensor of the keypad, a creation of images, and other small points useful or not. Owing to these, on first acquaintance it leaves a nice impression. After using for some time one realises that the handset is poor in functions..

The present price of Fly Z200 forms 200 USD, actually that justifies itself. The device will serve as a good gift to unexacting girls or women who demand few functions..