Sony Ericsson MW600

Appalling, just appalling. A complete waste of money – I bought this because the specifications said "connect to two devices at once" and indeed, it could do that, if you nursed it through the connections each time you wished to use it. Pairing is straightforward, but connection certainly isn't. For example, it needed many attempts to connect to my (Sony!) phone this morning. I constantly got a "paired but not connected" message; my new laptop paired this morning so I could hear music while I typed, but just now it has steadfastly refused to pair.

The volume control operates by touch and is sporadic in its responses - adjusting volume to an acceptable level is a hit and miss affair.

The AC plug pins on the charger were bent when I received it, though the packaging was intact, and the amount of effort to straighten them indicates it was more than likely a manufacturing fault.

The ear buds are a strange shape (they are deliberately angled) and fitting them to the ears is not straightforward; sound quality is okay, but lacks bass as many such devices do. Worst is the coating on the far too-short cables: it is very grippy and snags on skin and clothing, so as one's head turns, the buds are often pulled out from the ears.

The clip on the main device is very weak and works its way off clothing with even slight movements. The buttons are tiny, and even my relatively small hands (for a man) struggle to operate them. If you chew your fingernails, be prepared for frustration. And that's just turning it on!

I have not tried the FM radio as yet and have no inclination to do so - if that is as bad as the rest of the device it will be an utter waste of effort.

That it doesn't even play well with other Sony devices says so much about how far Sony has fallen of late. No longer synonymous with quality, Sony is now synonymous with overpriced, underspecified hardware that is poorly executed, but nevertheless appears to be a favourite .

Note: after typing and editing this review, I was able to re-pair the device (something I should not have to do) and connect with my laptop. Finally, after trying for 10 minutes or more.

The frustrations of this device are constant and many. Avoid it.