P1i Accessories roundup

After a few weeks of use I have decided to keep the P1i. This being the case I need to grab some accessories.

While the P1i does come with a cradle, wired headset, spare stylus and a slip case there where a few more things I felt I could do with.

Click the 'Read More' for the full details.



New screen protectors:

The first thing I got myself was a set of screen protectors (Martin Fields Screen Protector for Sony Ericsson P1i). Until then I had been using the leftover screen protectors for my E61 cut down to size. The Martin Fields screen protectors are infinatly better, giving you a much clearer view of the screen. The kit also includes a small protective patch for the camera lens, while I am not convinced how much protection this offers, it doesn't seem to have an adverse effect on picture quality.

Overall I would say I am very please with these, despite my initial concerns over the price!


2nd cradle for the office:

Even though the P1i comes with a cradle included I decided to leave that one in my 'home office' and get a second one for the office. Having used the Expansys Desktop Cradle for the E61 this was a natural choice as a spare for my P1i. While overall I am happy with it, it does have some eccentricities. For example, when seated in the cradle you can no longer see the notification light on the base of the P1i. Additionally I have had a few problems when seating the device to get it to connect properly. However, I have had a similar problem when seating the device in the official SE cradle, as the plastic support does not actually make contact with the phone. This results in the phone being solely supported in the cradle by the plugs in the base of the unit. I have found the Expansys cradle provides mode support to the phone when it is seated, meaning you feel more comfortable using it when it is in the cradle.

While it does have its problems I am overall please with the Expansys cradle.

Upgrade to the memory card:

Not a lot to say about this one really. I have swapped out the included 512mb memory stick with a 2gb model. I got myself the SanDisk 2GB Memory Stick Micro which is currently doing the job fine!

Swap the included wireless headset:

For some reason I can't seem to ge ton with the included wired headset. I have swapped this with the wired headset from the SE W880i which, for whatever reason, seems to suit me better.

For everyday usage I am still using my old Bluetooth wireless headset from my Motorola (yes, I need a new one). This biggest problem with this is its poor battery life!

OK, thats the lot for now, next up is probably some form of Bluetooth GPS peripheral and a proper case.