The Sony Ericsson Jalou has more than solely its looks to sell itself though. Getting under the skin, it is an HSDPA 3G-enabled handset with a typically competent set of essential contemporary mobile features, including a music player and FM radio, 3.2-megapixel camera and video player options, plus online-based apps for Google Maps for location finding, plus embedded apps/inks for YouTube and FaceBook. It has 100MB of onboard storage, but this can be boosted using MicroSD cards.
Design and handling
The tiny dimensions of the Sony Ericsson Jalou - 73(h) x 45(w) x 18.2(d)mm closed, and weighing 84g - are matchbox-like, and make it suitable for the smallest pocket or bag. It does feel budget quality and plasticky, though, and the brash gloss finish and angled design is one of those love it or hate it jobs. Sony Ericsson reworks the trick of having a hidden LCD panel running sideways along the front of the flip.
This mono 1.3-inch display glows bright through the casing when the phone is activated, showing date and status info on standby, providing incoming caller or text message details, alarm alerts and so on. The camera lens is also on the shell front, embedded in a tiny raised bolt-shaped unit. There's no secondary video calling under the flip - though, let's face it, that's unlikely to be a deal-breaker.
Pop the flip open and the inside keypad is again all angular shapes - a chrome-trimmed hexagonal navigation D-pad standing out, plus number keys marked by chrome diamonds. Tacky or trendy, gaudy or glam? It's not exactly understated.
The matt finished one piece numberpad is a bit creaky-plastic but is fine for text typing. The D-pad though can be awkward. It's almost flat and is flush against adjacent keys, which can lead to occasional mis-pressing at the edges if fingers go slightly astray – particularly annoying if you accidentally hit the Call End button mid-function rather than the right select key and end up back in the standby screen. Longs nails may help.
The otherwise standard Sony Ericsson set up sees the D-pad offering shortcuts from standby - including camera activation - and an Activity Menu button for zipping quickly into key feature shortcut and info menus. These are user configurable.
The display itself is a small 2-inch QVGA (240x320 pixels), 262,144-colour TFT. It's clear and bright, and an accelerometer is built in to auto-rotate the screen between portrait and landscape if you change orientation in certain functions; however, with this amount of screen real estate, the viewing experience is limited.
The laughable so-called 'mirror screen' function is a barely worth mentioning - press the Clear button in standby and it simply blanks the screen, allowing you to see your reflection in the blackness - just like with many other handsets.
Features
The Jalou's user interface is similar to Sony Ericsson's mid-tier models so has an icon-grid main menu and tabbed sub menus - all quite conventionally arranged and easy to navigate. Similarly, its features and apps are familiar Sony Ericsson fare.
The media player neatly compiles music, videos, photos, games and web feeds into accessible folders, updating automatically when new content is loaded up or slipped in on a memory card. There's no USB cable supplied in-box, so using an optional card or Bluetooth are the easiest way of sideloading content.
The music player user interface is tried and trusted Sony Ericsson. It works effectively with intuitive controls, and tracks are neatly organised into familiar music player category slots and playlists, and there are headings for podcasts and audiobooks too, should you wish to load any of those. The earphones provided are standard issue earbuds offering average sound quality - acceptable for a mobile, with a competent if unexceptional performance with some bass underpinning it.
Sony Ericsson has again used its own chunky multi-connector plug on the side of the phone, which is a tad tangle-prone and awkward in the pocket or handbag; there's no 3.5mm headphone socket or adapter supplied with the Jalou.
An FM radio can be brought into play with the earphones in - a serviceable player that's efficient and straightforward to use. Sony Ericsson's clever TrackID song identification software is one of the radio options, and is available too as an app for tracks you hear around you.
Video playback looks smooth on the display, and can play full screen, but the screen space is restrictive if you're thinking of this as a video player main act.
The Jalou's camera is a fairly run-of-the-mill fixed focus shooter. It fires up in a couple of seconds from a D-pad shortcut, and the viewfinder default is set up for portrait holding and shooting using the navigation select pad to fire away. That doesn't allow for a large view of your subject, but it's acceptable for a down-range point and shoot snapper.
Performance
Doing the calling basics, the Sony Ericsson Jalou is certainly up to scratch, with a clear, good quality performance. Battery life is also decent for such a small phone; on 3G networks, Sony Ericsson reckons on up to 250 hours standby or 4.5 hours talktime (or 350 hours standby and 7 hours talk in GSM-only coverage). In test, we managed a comfortable 3 days and more between charges with regular amounts of use.
Conclusion
If you like a touch of bling with your ring-ring, the Sony Ericsson Jalou delivers a low-cost glammed up fashion phone. Of course, its brash, bright and angular design is aimed at a specific audience, so its appeal is limited. Under the bonnet though, it has a steady set of features and functions that you'd expect on a lower mid-level Sony Ericsson. Its plasticky feel and creaky keypad feel cheap, and we'd have liked a bigger display, but the Jalou offers a reasonable, if not exceptional, feature package and decent all-round performance for the price.