Electronic Lifeline
Written: Aug 29 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: clear reception, durable design, easy to navigate menus, dual band ability, long battery life
Cons: few accessories available, small size makes it easy to lose
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| glpeterson74's Full Review: Sanyo SCP 4000 Cell Phone |
Upon my return home to the United States after being in Japan for over a year, I found that a "new" phenomena was sweeping the country - the digital phone.
In Japan, they were an extremely frugal alternative to even a home phone (which can cost more than $500 US just to buy a phone number). You couldn't walk a block without seeing at least ten (many times more) of the locals conversing on their phones. They were sold just about everywhere you went, complete with service (for about $10.00 US per month with no deposit).
With an active family like mine - my wife and I both commute about 85 miles to and from work, college, and home each day - we found that in order to maintain our sanity, there was no other choice but to jump on the PCS highway. My first was reconditioned Sony CMZ-200. I enjoyed this phone so much! Although bigger than the J-Phone (the main digital in Japan) I found the jog dial and other features were indispensable. Unfortunately, after about a year, it was dropped and the jog dial was broken. The phone still worked, although the loss of the jog was annoying. But, not long after that, the battery began to not hold a charge. It was time to go back to the PCS store.
The Sanyo SCP-4000 caught my eye immediately. Although about half the size of the Sony, I saw that it held about twice as much talk time and about four times as much standby time. It also looked much closer to the phone I had in Japan. But, this phone had more to offer, like dual-band ability, a very large personal phone directory, and internet mini-browser (something fairly new on the market at that time).
As small as it was, I was a little concerned about the reception. Would it be worse than the Sony? How easy would it be to lose? Is it really fragile? Even with these questions, it was the most attractive model at the store, so I decided to dish out the $149 for the phone. I was not disappointed. The reception is crystal clear (although there is considerable static in analog mode), and it has reception in places my other phone didn't. It is easy to misplace; I have done it a few times. But, it is a very durable phone. I have dropped it a couple of times on cement without any damage, visible or otherwise.
All in all, comparing this phone to my last would almost be like comparing smoke signals to fiber optic phone lines.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
glpeterson74
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Member: George Peterson
Location: Vista, California
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 4 members
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