"There is a unique feature to the key design in the S500i – all buttons here are pieces of plastic tacked on a slab. So if you get heavy on the keypad, it might get covered with cracks or splits on the keys. This is a construction-related issue characteristic of all handsets, both the Sony Ericsson S500i, and the Sony Ericsson W580i. This defect even might not manifest itself at all or show up in a couple of weeks. It all boils down to how often you text, how big your hands are and so on. At present all we can recommend is call at the nearest service centre for keypad replacement, there is no alternative way-out. The maker is looking into this problem, but hasn’t received substantial number of returns and doesn’t see this issue as a production or design flaw, the only thing he does mention is that this isn’t a mass defect."