Sprint PCS's latest Sanyo cell phone, the PM-8200, is a blend of two previous Sanyo mobiles. While it is essentially an upgrade of the SCP-8100 camera phone, it inherits nationwide Push To Talk (PTT) capability and a few design elements from the RL2500. It's a solid match, however, and this newest handset comes loaded with nearly everything a user could want. The Sanyo PM-8200 is slimmer (3.34 by 1.85 by 1.02 inches) and lighter (3.6 ounces) than its predecessor, the 8100, and it slides easily into a front pants pocket.

While the overall style is not particularly memorable, the flip handset nonetheless has smooth lines and is solidly constructed. Although we tested a standard silver unit, it also is available in more dramatic midnight blue or deep red variations. Like the Sanyo RL2500, the front flap has an oversize speaker and a 1-inch diagonal, 65,536-color external display that shows network strength, battery life, caller ID (when available), date, time and picture caller ID. The camera lens and flash are conveniently located on the bottom of the front flap, while a Ready Link button, a headset jack, a volume rocker, and a camera shutter key line either spine. There's also an external call key for placing calls when the phone is closed.