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CNET editors' rating:
3.0
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 30 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The
good: Solid, clear call quality; excellent, feature-packed 1.3-megapixel camera and video recorder; included 16MB Mini SD card; speakerphone; plays MP3 and unprotected AAC music files.
The
bad: Big and bulky; no Bluetooth or infrared; smallish keys; streaming video is jittery and murky; short standby battery life.
The
bottom
line: Sprint subscribers will get a kick out of the multimedia features on Sanyo's new megapixel camera phone--if they can stomach the lack of Bluetooth and the hefty size.
Specifications: Carrier: Sprint PCS ; Band / mode: CDMA 800/1900 / AMPS 800 ; Talk time: Up to 204 min , Up to 200 min ; See full specs
Price range: $17.00
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 04/19/2005
Close the phone, and you'll see the 1-inch-diagonal, 262,000-color external screen, which displays signal strength, battery life, voicemail/message status, photo caller ID info, and customizable wallpaper. The display also acts as the camera viewfinder when the phone is closed--perfect for self-portraits. Just above the speaker grille is the camera lens and a small switch for close-ups, while to the left is an LED flash that pulsates during calls and when the phone rings. Also, the tiny flash sits to the left of the speaker. Last but not least, the slot for the Mini SD card (which is protected by a rubber flip-up cover) is on the top edge, right next to the antenna.
Flip open the phone, and you'll find the big, gorgeous 262,000-color internal display. Measuring a little more than 2 inches diagonally, the razor-sharp TFT display looks great, with rich colors and plenty of detail. We also like the animated main menu, although it's not quite as elaborate as those we've seen on other multimedia-type phones. Our only real complaint is that it's hard to see the LCD in direct sunlight, a problem that's typical of TFT displays.
The MM-5600's keypad looks sharp, but it took some time for us to acclimate to the small oval keys. That said, we like the dedicated speakerphone control between the Talk and End buttons; the shortcuts on the five-way navigational keypad for messaging, contacts, and Sprint PCS downloads; and the dedicated camera buttons--one above the Talk button and the other on the right edge of the phone. Other buttons on the sides of the phone let you start a call using voice commands, tweak the volume, record a voice memo, or access Sprint PCS's two-way Ready Link service (see Features).
Billed as a multimedia phone, the Sanyo MM-5600 has a jam-packed feature set that doesn't disappoint. The handset comes with a 300-name phone book with room in each entry for six phone numbers and an e-mail address. Caller ID contacts can be paired with a photo and any of 17 included polyphonic ring tones. Other features include a vibrate mode, voice commands and memos, a speakerphone, a calendar (with daily and monthly but no weekly views), a world clock, a calculator, an alarm clock, a stopwatch, support for Sprint's 1xRTT network and Ready Link two-way radio service, three-way calling, text and multimedia messaging, and a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. The mobile offers 3MB of shared memory and a 16MB Mini SD card, which you can plug into your PC with the included adapter. You even get a USB cable for phone-to-PC transfers, a luxury that doesn't usually come in the box. Missing from the mix, however, is Bluetooth and infrared connectivity for wireless file transfers and headsets. When it comes to fully functioning Bluetooth, Sprint is still behind the curve.
The MM-5600 comes with an excellent 1.3-megapixel camera that's equipped with a 20X digital zoom (a 4X digital zoom is the norm) and takes snapshots in 960x1,280, 480x640, or 240x320 resolution. Camera phone fanatics will appreciate the wide range of options, including modes for soft focus, mirror image, beach/snow, and scenery; a 5- to 10-second self-timer; color tones ranging from red, green, and blue to negative to black and white; brightness and white-balance controls; and Economy, Normal, and Fine quality settings. You also get a flash a macro switch for close-ups. Our snapshots looked impressive for a camera phone, with plenty of detail, rich colors, and little in the way of video noise. Unsurprisingly, night shots weren't quite as clear, and the LED flash can light objects within only a few inches. Once you're done snapping, you can send them to friends via a multimedia message or along with a quick voice memo in an e-mail, transfer them to your PC via the USB cable or the Mini SD card, assign them to contacts, or use them as your internal or external LCD wallpaper. All in all, it's a great mix of features.
Continue reading- See more CNET content tagged:
- Sanyo Electric Co.
User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 30 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 3 of 30 user reviewsSee all 30 user reviews
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8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
"Any phone without bluetooth or long battery life is dead in the water."
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Where to buy
Sanyo MM-5600 (Sprint):
$17.00
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$17.00 | Yes |
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