The Sanyo SCP-8400 is the perfect "phone" phone. By that I mean it is a excellent phone first and a communication device second. Basic phone functions are performed very well. Calls are loud and clear. Reception is very good and it even gets a strong signal in my house which all my other Sprint phones failed to do. Dropped calls are the exception now instead of the norm. Battery life is amazing. On light days it can go 3-4 days between charges. On heavy talk days I have never run out of battery. Build quality is excellent. The reassuring snap when you open and close is part of it unassuming charm. The main screen is big, bright, and high resolution.

On top of being a great phone it also packs plenty of useful extras. The included USB cable and Mini-SD card were unexpected but much appreciated. These two things allow you to transfer photos, videos, and voice recordings to/from any computer. Photos taken with my Canon make much better wallpapers than the camera phone photos. You can even sync the phone book with a PIM with a few tweaks (http://www.sprintusers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115350)

If you sign up for a data plan then you get to surf the net on Sprint's faster EVDO network. This is a huge improvement over their first data network. The internet is actually usable at this speed. Download Opera Mini and you will have an excellent portable internet device.

The few downsides:
1. The look is clearly dated and utilitarian. You are not going to showing this off at any parties.
2. The external antenna is clunky but I am assuming this is partly responsible for the great reception.
3. You cannot upload your own ringtones. You have to buy them from Sprint. I believe it was Sprint and not Sanyo that added this handicap.
4. Synchronizing your contact list with your PIM is not included with the software. You have to figure it out on your own. It's worth the effort though.

This is my first Sanyo phone after being with Sprint for 10 years. I can say for sure that Sanyo will be at the top of my shopping list next time.