PCS Phone Sanyo RL-4920 (Sprint)

The Sanyo RL-4920's supports Sprint's Ready Link walkie-talkie feature, which makes it easy to instantly communicate with anyone on a Ready Link capable phone. When you add that to great battery life (up to 5.5 hours), a color screen, a speakerphone and support for PCS vision services, you've got a powerful tool for mobile productivity.

Design
The RL-4920's sporty candybar form factor sports a 128 x 112, 65,000-color display. An extendable antenna is located on the top right side of the phone and the rear panel is dominated by a speaker for speakerphone and voice dialing applications. Most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button above the handset's dial pad. The Ready Link service is operated by a button on the left side of the phone-- walkie-talkie style. A 2.5mm headset jack is also provided, as is a USB-compatible data connector.

Calling Features
The phone's built-in address book allows you to assign up to 300 entries, each storing seven numbers, with a total capacity for 500 numbers and 300 email and Web addresses. A separate Ready Link phone book provides easy access to 200 personal contacts and 200 company-provided contacts. You can customize your caller ID by linking a downloaded image or photo to a specific phone number in your phone book. Choose from 11 multi-chord, melodic ring tones and eight traditional ring tones, including vibrating alert. The RL-4920's GPS location technology pinpoints your exact location when you dial 911 (where available). Perhaps most importantly for users in rural areas, the RL-4920 is a tri-mode phone, meaning it can operate on Sprint's digital PCS network, as well as analog networks that serve many outlying areas.

Hands-free operation of your phone is easy with the built-in speakerphone. Voice recognition allows you to speak the name of anyone in your phonebook for rapid dialing. The RL-4920's Ready Link feature lets you enjoy the convenience of quick, walkie-talkie style communication at the touch of a button with one or several Ready Link users anywhere you go (Sprint PCS Ready Link service charges apply).

Messaging, Internet and Tools
If you need basic messaging capabilities, the RL-4920 has you covered as support is built-in for sending and receiving SMS text messages (Sprint PCS text messaging charges apply). T9 text entry, a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built-into the unit-- a plus for text messaging users.

The phone also supports PCS Vision email and instant messaging capabilities. Sprint PCS Vision transforms the wireless experience from something that's simply functional into something visual, entertaining and highly personalized. MSN Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and AOL Instant Messenger are all supported by Sprint's PCS Vision service. PCS Vision mobile Web services let you check out sports scores, get your seven-day forecast, check your flight status, and stay up to date with the latest news. Experience full-color graphic versions of popular Web sites.

For business users, the RL-4920 offers something special. Sprint PCS Business Connection service is supported by the phone and it gives you secure, remote, real-time access to Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes information-- including email messages and attachments, calendar, business directory and personal contacts. You can also respond to meeting requests, access documents stored on your desktop PC, and view email from Internet email accounts, including Sprint PCS Mail, Yahoo!, Earthlink and more.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the RL-4920 including a calendar, a calculator, an alarm clock, and a to-do list and scheduler. A voice recorder lets you record up to 50 minutes of voice memos for later retrieval or download to a PC.

Entertainment
The RL-4920 lets you choose different font sizes when sending messages or accessing your browser. You can also choose one of four background screens for your phone's display. With PCS Vision service, you can download games like Tetris and Pac-Man, as well as additional ringers, screensavers and backgrounds.

Vital Statistics
The Sanyo RL-4920 weighs 4.03 ounces and measures 4.22 x 1.85 x .89 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5.5 hours of digital talk time, and up to 168 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the AMPS 800/CDMA 800/CDMA 1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
RL-4920 handset, AC battery charger, lithium-ion battery, user's manual.

1 Nice design, battery life...horrible speakerphone feature
I've been a big Sanyo fan for some time (of the options provided by Sprint). Great battery life and consistently strong reception on digital and analog roaming situations. I was excited to get this one as a replacement to my dead 4900.

I love the size, keypad, battery, etc. What is the deal with the speakerphone? I can't hear anything on it...all garbled. With all the speakerphones I've seen lately, none of them match a Nokia that I had YEARS ago!

What's the deal?

2 Worthy Successor to the 4900
For the last two years, I've carried a Sanyo 4900, which has been well known as being the best phone available for Sprint PCS users, with it's unmatched reception strength and lengthy battery life. I'd still be carrying mine except for an unfortunate incident with a washing machine. This phone, the 4920, follows up and improves upon that tradition.

The reception is just as good as the 4900, and the battery life, if anything, is better. The USB cable I bought at Radio Shack still allows me access to the Internet from my Powerbook, and I can still use my old chargers.

In addition, the phone is slightly smaller, and the new screen and GUI is much prettier with more vibrant and lifelike colors. Navigation is faster, web browsing is faster, and it's packed with nice little features like showing the state of origin of an incoming call.

So, if you are a 4900 user like me, and are worried about ever getting a better phone, and don't need it to take pictures or other non-phone nonsense, then this is your next phone.

3 Great reception
This is my first review on anything. I have had this phone for a few days now and still learning it. But one thing that stands out right away is the reception. When I drive to university from home, there is a strip where on my Nokia had no reception, a DEAD spot. With this phone, I have reception the entire area. It is also more clear with voices that were garbled on my Nokia.

I need to know how to create folders for my address book, I had folders on my Nokia so I didn't have to scroll through ALL the contacts list. I can't find that on my Sanyo.

But I really am pleased, so far, with this phone.

4 Best Phone on the Planet!
Can't see why this is not the most regarded phone out there! It has features that are basic and simple to access and the battery life is the best in ANY phone out there on the market. It is everything you want in a cell phone without the hassles. It's a wonder it is not on every cell phone magazine as the best phone on the planet! I can go on and on about this phone. Oh and one more thing..It's stylish! I JUST LOVE IT!!!

5 VERY GOOD PHONE ... DURABLE
I BOUGHT TWO OF THESE PHONES AND SO FAR I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS EXCEPT FOR THE WAY SPRINT HAS BEEN SCREWING AROUND WITH THE BILL. THIS PHONE HAS A LONG BATTERY LIFE AND I'VE DROPPED MY PHONE A COUPLE TIMES AND NOT A SCRATCH ON THE SCREEN JUST A FEW SCRATCHES ON THE COVER. ALL AND ALL THIS IS A GOOD PHONE !! =)

6 Great Phone I Promise
I like the speaker phone feature and the ready link feature and its great for text messaging....i like this phone and its easy to carry and use.....

7 So far so Good!
I've had the phone for about a week now, and I can't find much to complain. It's a basic phone which gives you basic features, and heck it's got the best last battery power! I used to have the Sanyo SCP-6200, and just switched to this one. Love the color screen. Very good reception at all places that I've visited, and heck it never heats up! (like my last phone!!)