The appeal of the phone begins with its design that is inspired by nature, including the internal patterns as well as the materials used to make the handset eye-catching. The phone slides open smoothly, revealing a sleek, flat keypad. The keypad is awkward to use for texting, though it has a strong visual style.

The size of the Sony Ericsson S500i mobile phone makes it easy to carry in pocket or bag at 99 x 47 x 14 mm and 94 gm in weight. The screen on the phone is larger than most with a display of 262k colours and a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The screen is visible whether the slide is in the open or closed position, offering continuous viewing. Because of the larger size, viewing photographs and videos taken with the phone's camera is easier on the eyes than with many other phones. It is also bright enough to be clearly visible in the bright outside light and displays the artwork and themes fabulously.

The camera itself is really nothing special at 2 megapixels. Some users find that the lack of a flash and auto focus are definite drawbacks while others find it is just fine for taking snaps and videos to send to friends and family. If the camera is a big concern, a different model of phone might better suit you.

The S500i is not the top-of-the-line like the K810i in the Walkman line, but it does have plenty of gadgetry for a mid-range mobile phone. The music player is of good quality and allows you to use compatible headphones as well as a Bluetooth headset. The built-in memory is only 12 MB, which is rather small. Since it can only store a few songs, this is a big drawback for music lovers who want to take their music with them. Fortunately, it is possible to purchase a 1 GB memory card to expand the storage capacity. This lets you download plenty of music from your PC to you mobile phone with a USB connection.

If you like games, the Sony Ericsson S500i has pre-installed 3D Java games and you can download more for your entertainment. Access to the Internet is fast and easy with Edge, so email, browsing the web and RSS feeds are readily available. When you travel abroad, there is no need to leave your S500i mobile phone at home since it is quad-band and has reception worldwide.

Though this phone has features that appeal to many people, one feature that gets a lot of attention is the light effects it displays down the sides of the phone during incoming calls. Add to this the animated wallpaper and the visual appeal of the phone is amplified. For the person who wants to stand out in a crowd, this stylishly fashionable phone will do the trick.