Sanyo S750 3G handset

Review We've come to believe that your choice of mobile phone says more about what you are than who you are. But one thing is clear: we all like to think we're ahead of the technology curve. Sanyo may be a late entrant into the UK mobile phone market - this is the first device the company has launched here - but it has managed to include everything the mobile phone user could want, writes Stephen Patrick.

The design of the handset follows clear fashion lines. Its split design allows for the keypad to slide in and out depending on when you need to use it. When closed, the 2.4in screen that dominates the handset. But, weighing in at 122g, it's a little heavy for the average phone. It's bulky and a little awkward too, almost as if Sanyo's designers couldn't quite work out how to shave those last few grams off. You're not going to carry this phone around in your trouser pocket - maybe your coat pocket, at best.

The S750 is 3G compatible, so you can use it to download video and music, as well as use 3G location and entertainment services. The S750 is available in this country with an Orange contract, which currently offers a host of bolt on services. The combination of the large screen and video services made the S750 a pleasure to use, something which can't be said for many other 3G phones on the market.

Orange's 3G network isn't as widespread as people think, with only the major cities currently getting anything approaching consistent bandwidth. Find yourself out in the countryside and you'll find the phone drops back to GSM/GPRS services, for which the S750 provides a quad-band radio. When you are in the 3G area, speed is dependent on how many people are sharing the same cell. That said, we managed to keep a healthy signal even in the busy business districts of both London and Manchester.

The user interface is simple and you can navigate around the system with as few clicks as necessary. What would a modern mobile phone be without a built-in camera? The now commonplace 1.3 megapixel camera can be found in the S750, offering images up to 1280 x 960 pixels. There's only 8MB of internal memory, but the S750 sports an SD card slot, so you'll be able to store your work and images in comfort. Bluetooth comes as standard.

Verdict

The Sanyo S750 may not be the prettiest or most robust 3G phone on the market, but it handles well. While we couldn't help feeling that the handset isn't quite right - mostly because of the size, but also the unimpressive battery life - the services are good and the inclusion of a larger-than-average screen means that content is watchable. The only question is whether you actually want to carry something bricklike around with you?

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