When I was made redundant I had to hand in my work phone. So, I was in the market for a new phone. I wanted something a bit more reliable than the Nokia 7110 was (I got through 3 or 4 in 18 months - they kept developing all manner of faults from not answering, to switching off during calls for no apparent reason). I did some research and decided that the Sony J70e was the phone for me. It had only just come out, and as I wanted it on Orange Just Talk I had to do a bit of hunting around for one.

The J70e is a well built, good looking phone and is small and light with a good battery life. It has the usual features of text messaging, calendar, phone book, games, wap as well as picture messaging and email. One feature it's missing that I would have really liked is an IR port, but I can live without that. It has a jog-dial interface to work through the menu, and this works really well (although it did take a little while to get used to).

One of the fun features is the ability to record your own ring tones (there are 3 spaces available) and sounds. You can then configure the phone to use different ring tones for different groups of people - for instance when Richard calls me I have a ring tone of him telling me to answer the phone.

Overall, it's a good looking phone which works really well. I've had it 6 months now and have had no real problems. I like it and I'd buy it again.

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• J70e
  I also have this phone and I am quite unhappy with it, it seems to break at least once every two months with the same fault each time, either it stops ringing or the other person can't hear you talking, I'm now on my 4th one and can't wait till the end of the year till I can replace it. I have spoken to other J70e users who have suffered exactly the same problems. However to it's credit it does look good and it's fun (using your own ring tones). But I certainly wouldn't reccommend it in future, since owning one.
  Posted by Simon on 2002-07-09 15:01:56


• I haven't had any problems with mine yet, but I did used to have all manner of problems with my previous phone (a Nokia 7110) and so can quite appreciate how frustrating and annoying this is. I hope that it just depends on the batch of the phone and that mine will keep on working...
  Posted by Jane on 2002-07-09 15:07:56


• J70e
  I think you're probably right, I would suspect it's been part of a bad batch, as other people I know who have brought these phones have had similar problems, but other people I know who brought theirs at a much earlier time have had no problems... I think yours will work forever.... (just to spite me)
  Posted by Simon on 2002-07-09 15:38:04


• ive had no problems with my phone, but i was wondering whether i could down load ringa tones or screen savas
  Posted by mat on 2002-07-09 19:03:05


• J70e
  I have one too and have problems being heard when I don't hold it close enough to my mouth. My mate who I got it off sez it's made for japanese market so designed for shorter faces? I like it because it rings so quiet I hardly ever hear it.
  Posted by dinger on 2002-10-31 20:20:46


• Sony j70e
  I think the j70's are awful phones. i have owned mine for 8 months and for 3 of those months its been away being repaired. it repeatedly turned its self off. as well as the power problem, the games are poor and have annoying music, the recorded ring tones make a funny noise before coming on and the speaker when on full volume is still hard to hear. vibrate function is non exsistent. you cant feel a thing and as for sony customer care.... well dont get me started!
  Posted by Jed on 2002-11-15 20:15:26


• J70e
  I have had five of these phones and like the other Simon I can't wait to get rid of it at the end of the 12 months. My wife and friend have had the same problems as me with the ringtones not working and the phone switching itself off. I have spoken to Orange who said it was probably a bad batch and also complained to Sony but still got nowhere. At one stage I had three phones in my possesion due to sending the things back the same day that i'd received a new one. My advice is to stay clear of them as they drive you up the wall.
  Posted by Simon on 2003-01-12 21:57:32


• Sony J70e
  I have had one for about 6 months and although I have had no problems with it, it does tend to get a bit sketchy sometimes, the ring tones although quite a few they all sound a bit naff. The vibration is so low and you cannot get vibe and ring at the same time. All in all though it is a nice little phone, I would probably go for another manufacturer next time.
  Posted by jim on 2003-02-07 14:43:42


• sony's suck
  Posted by sam on 2003-02-18 16:20:43


• J70e
  I got one in January and loved it until 2 days ago when it broke in the middle of an urgent phone call. Even when I appear to have a strong signal, when I dial out it says 'call ended' and won't ring out. Incoming calls go straight to Voicemail. And it appears to lose the signal for no apparent reason, even when colleagues sitting next to me on the same network have a strong signal. Thought at first it was a network problem, so contacted Orange, who were very helpful. But my SIM works in other phones, so it lloks like a new phone for me.
  Posted by Sue on 2003-03-06 11:45:21


• my mate has one of these phones. he loves it but i hate it to bits.its hard to use and the tones are rubbish. the only good thing about it is its size. a good fit for most of my pockets. buy it though
  Posted by alex on 2003-04-03 20:11:09


• J70e
  I've had the Sony j70e for a year now and i think it is a great phone. I have only had one problem but was sorted over the Orange helpline. It has cool ringtones and wallpaper but i just wish you could speed dial. If you can let me know!!!!
  Posted by NeilG on 2003-04-21 18:24:36


• Sony J70e ROCKS!
  yeh this is a gr8 reliable fone. is in v bad nik, now but works v fine. polyphonics r annoyin,but my owns r good i bought. i will get a new one soon,but this one is sure gd after havin it 2 yrs and usin it non stop. u say they are unreliable,no way! its better than the nokias and is so light and small! the speaker in its a bit nakered and wen u r asked to enter the nofor the fone calls, it does not work!apart from that, gr8,gd fone,gd fun, reliable and ever lastin no matter wot u do...
  Posted by Sam H on 2003-05-14 13:30:46


• j70e
  can anyone help - in the top right corner of the screen there is a picture of three ppl sat round a table it was never there before... - what is it and how do i get rid of it? help greatly appreciated
  Posted by Ian Jones on 2003-05-16 10:18:50


• J70E
  Re.Ian Jones on 2003-05-16 10:18:50 Ian hold the green call button down for a few seconds (3), a selection will appear.Use scroll to select the large bell icon. Bob's yer bleedin uncle!! I think these phones are great, but the ring tones are a bit naff! Tried to record my own but it sounded like i'd had to much curry and lager!! Better than Nokia rubbish.
  Posted by James Barker on 2003-05-21 10:39:36


• J70e
  I had this fone and i hated it the messages were coming through as data and it was freezing. As i teenager i used my fone alot and i got a replacment fone 3 times and every time the problem would go away but i would get a new problem. So eventually i had to buy a new fone. Mutch x
  Posted by Mutch on 2003-06-16 11:43:45


• J70e
  I had this fone and i hated it the messages were coming through as data and it was freezing. As i teenager i used my fone alot and i got a replacment fone 3 times and every time the problem would go away but i would get a new problem. So eventually i had to buy a new fone. Mutch x
  Posted by Mutch on 2003-06-16 11:43:46


• i luv j70e
  i luv this fone, it is the greatest fone i have ever owned, it doesnt break easily, and the ringtones are very well presneted
  Posted by josh on 2003-06-23 11:17:39


• Sony J70e
  Someone above asked wat the people in the meeting meant it means your fone is on silent! Hold down the call button and itll give u the option to change it!
  Posted by Mutch on 2003-06-25 12:22:36


• J70 ans j6
  The battery disconnects from the contacts when handled slightly roughly causing it to turn off .I had 3 J70e sony replaced each one but i got rid realising it was a design fault ( a phone you couldnt put in your pocket- walk around a bit without the battery bending out)I eased the problem slightly by folding a piece of paper a couple of times and placing between the battery and the cover.I use the completly robust t300 now...
  Posted by daz on 2003-10-05 23:11:48


• SONY J70E
  SAM IS SO RIGHT SONY PHONES ARE COMPLETE AND UTTER PANTS, THE SOFTWARE IS LOW QUALITY AND DESIGN IS EVEN WORSE, I HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO, AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE!!! SORT IT OUT SONY!!
  Posted by ROY on 2004-04-19 15:11:50


• SONY J70E
  SAM IS SO RIGHT SONY PHONES ARE COMPLETE AND UTTER PANTS, THE SOFTWARE IS LOW QUALITY AND DESIGN IS EVEN WORSE, I HAVE HAD ONE OR TWO, AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE!!! SORT IT OUT SONY!!
  Posted by ROY on 2004-04-19 15:11:55


• how do i put the phone on silent?
  Posted by rohan on 2004-07-14 14:10:28


• Putting the phone on silent
  To put the phone on silent, press the button with the green receiver on it and hold it for a couple of seconds. A set of 4 icons should be displayed on the screen. The second of these (which should be highlighted as the default) puts the phone on silent. You should see a picture in the top right of the screen. When you're finished with being silent, do the same steps as above and select the third icon (again selected by default when its been on silent).
  Posted by Jane on 2004-07-14 14:51:21


• J70e
  Can someone please let me know how to lock the keypad and still be able to receive incoming calls?
  Posted by Sharon on 2004-07-27 11:12:26


• Locking the handset
  To lock the handset, press the middle of the top buttons (the one that lights up when charging, between the green and red buttons) and then the "# @" key at the bottom right of the phone. To unlock the handset just use the same keys. This will lock all keys except for allowing "999" or "112" calls to be made This will not stop the phone ringing or prevent you from answering calls.
  Posted by Jane on 2004-07-27 11:39:19


• It's great phone when U have a cable for it. :)
  Posted by sony.int.pl on 2005-01-28 13:27:33


• j70e
  Had this phone for 30 months, had loads of faults, but loved it because of the personal ring tone my fav was on board a Ducati Monster down the A65, software was dire, sometimes could n't turn the thing off even had to pull the battery out to reset it, speaker for ringer went a bit poxy too, the menu scroll was good also, plastic case cracked a bit when dropped off roof of building (I work on rooftops), phone still worked, so grew attached to it then two ****s robbed me just off Oxford road, well it was christmas:-(, don't think I will get over it, so till no phone has anyone got a K700i are they any good?
  Posted by Rufus on 2005-02-04 22:55:07


• locking the j70e keypad
  Thanks, Jane. I stumbled across your very informative site and have never been able to lock it - Until now! Excellent.
  Posted by Rob on 2005-03-06 18:34:06


• J70e
  i am having problem on my j70e phone, i am not able to lock my phone, its ringing volume is too low when in crowd.
  Posted by Deen on 2005-06-28 09:25:21


• sony j70e
  what are you lot talking about? this phone is the best one i've had, the vibration is strong, ringtones are ok, (my fave is technojam), you can clearly hear the person on the other side, great phone!
  Posted by joe on 2005-10-05 16:25:16

J70e photo

Purchase from: Amazon

Related Links:

• Review Centre
  A set of J70e (and J7) reviews.