The S1 seems to be a standard slim candybar phone. Does it have any surprises lurking underneath the surface?
Review summary of the Sanyo S1:
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 The low score may be shocking, but in our reviews we tend to look for a wide range of features on a modern multimedia phone. Unfortunately, the Sanyo S1 is as basic as phones get these days. Sanyo has a reputation for making solid phones that work well but aren't necessarily much to look at; the S1 is a rare departure from that trend. We're not completely sold on the S1's looks, but we like how slim it is. The rest of the phone isn't as impressive, with average call quality and poor additional features, like the awkward voice dial. Messaging was outdated, but was still functional for light SMS users. Ultimately, users could do worse with their $20, but there might be free phones out there that are a better choice for bargain hunters. Release: November 2007. Price: $20.
Pros: Slim design, rugged rubber casing
Cons: Average call quality, not ideal for messaging
29%
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Full review of the Sanyo S1:
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Design - Good
Usually Sanyo makes solid phones that aren't necessarily the most attractive; the S1 represents a departure from that school of thought. The S1 is a slim-profile candybar phone. The surface, aside from the buttons and screen, is encased in rubber, providing a good grip, making it sturdy and resistant to scratches. We liked that the battery cover on the back has a locking switch, because we're constantly dropping our phone and watching the battery fly out. Its design makes it easy to slip in any pocket, although the 1.7-inch, 65,000-color display looks a bit small and low-res for our tastes.
The main menu has 9 different menu items, and uses standard d-pad navigation with numbered selections for quick navigation through the submenus. An oddly-placed red status light along the right side of phone's face blinks when a new message/call is received.
Calling - Good
We were disappointed by the phone's speaker (both of them, actually). Voices sounded grainy whether they were at a high volume or low. Callers complained of static from our microphone, which managed to faintly pick up our whispers, but faintly, and music being played in the background was inaudible. We were able to connect a Bluetooth headset without any issues, but voice dial was impractical and annoying, as it forces you to make individual voice tags for each contact you want to voice dial, therefore making it only useful for contacts you call often. Even then, you have to match the same tone and pitch you used when recording the voice tag, or else it won't recognize who you're trying to call.
We loved wireless backup, which automatically and periodically backs up all your contacts OTA, for a fee of $2 a month. We prefer smartphones that sync to our computer, but for someone who desperately needs the peace of mind that their contacts are secure even if their phone isn’t, we like this feature a lot. Proliferation of this service would certainly help cut down on the number of "I lost my phone" e-mails we receive. There was also a voice memo recorder, something we find to be mostly an afterthought and mostly useless, considering the files cannot be exported to a computer, but we suppose it could be useful for grocery shopping lists and the like.
Messaging - Mediocre
The S1 displays less than a hundred of a possible 160 characters when composing an outgoing SMS, but considering the 128x160 resolution on the display, we can't really expect much more. Also, with no camera, sending MMS is out of the question, and we weren't able to receive MMS either. The T9 Keypad works OK, and message organization was pretty basic, with inbox, outbox, sent and drafts folders. While we weren't thrilled about the messaging interface, it's par for the course. There was no included IM programs, which was probably for the best. The basic versions of AIM available for download to the phone are terrible anyway, and pounding out IM conversations on a 12-key keypad is less than desirable.
Price and availability
The Sanyo S1 will start selling for $20 ((Sprint)) in November 2007.
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