For a phone that is not a smartphone Sony Ericsson’s (SE) G705 slider sure packs a lot of punch. Apart from the usual functionality it includes two features that you will not find in many mid-range phones – Wi-Fi and aGPS.

Unlike regular GPS units, aGPS makes use also of GPRS technology for a ­location fix. The Wayfinder ­Navigator software is great in ­assisting you with turn-by-turn ­navigation, but the downside is that you only receive a trial version onboard (€69 for 12 months or €8.99 for one month after that for South Africans). It feels a bit like extortion to pay to use the functionality of your phone. We feel that ­manufacturers that offer ­onboard GPS or aGPS should provide free navigation ­software and local maps. Otherwise we would highly recommend buying a separate GPS unit.

SE managed to cram a lot of functionality into the G705 without it growing too complex. We believe that the G705 will set the standard to which all mid-range phones will aspire.