Sanyo S1 Sprint Cell Phone Review
Posted on 15 Jun 2008 | Tagged as: Technology | 124 views
I was in the mall last week and knew I had $150 credit towards a Sprint cell phone to replace my too thick Palm Treo 650, so I decided to stop at the Sprint Kiosk. Right away that sales clerk told me that the most popular cell phones were the new Katana and the S1. The Katana is a flip phone with a camera, and a sleek look. However I never really use cell phone cameras due to poor picture quality and no optical zoom so I thought about my other priorities and kept in mind that I needed a thin phone.
After looking at the new Razr v3 which is an amazing looking phone but too expensive, I decided on the S1 because it was thinner than both the Razr and Katana and only cost me $20 after the $150 two-year contract credit.
The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up the S1 is that it is very light weight but also feels well made. The rubberized profile makes the phone very comfortable to hold. The keypad has a glossy finish which makes sliding across it easy while navigating the menus. The menu interface seems elegant with fancy 3D icons. The menu is simple. Nine categories, most that lead to sub categories which let you perform tasks all controlled by the four-way and enter buttons.
The speaker is very loud which is great if you’re not always right near your phone like me. It also has a loud speakerphone. The phone is longer than most other phones which I like because it makes it easier to hold and talk into it without compromising any width. It charges extremely fast and lasts longer than other phones due to small screen and efficient energy settings.
The S1 is one of the most basic phones you can buy for a Sprint plan. No camera and no qwerty keyboard can be found here. The screen is small and low-res but plenty big enough for everyday calls. The one thing I’m not happy about with this phone is the speaker when it rings. I downloaded a free ringtone from Sprint.com and the quality sounded so horrible that I decided against using any real songs and sticking with the default simple tone tunes that come with the phone.
Overall I am happy with the S1. For someone who just needs a phone and nothing more, it’s a great choice. Someone who wants an all-in-one phone will have to look elsewhere. Although you may not be happy with the amount of features the S1 has to offer, you will be happy with the size, style and value. The official website of the S1 with a features list and demos can be found here.
