Sprint's new Sanyo MM-7500 EV-DO handset

We all knew Sprint's first round of EV-DO phones were coming; the PPC-6700 is only the first in a long line of 3G-enabled devices they're destined to get, and they'll be due very shortly for some more consumer friendly devices. Thankfully we need wait no longer for the scoop on Sprint's fall EV-DO lineup as an anonymous tipster hit us with a bunch of details on forthcoming devices, like the MM-7500, which will have a 176 x 220 260k color display, Sprint TV support, a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, and hey, the thing'll even come with a USB cable to let you use it as an EV-DO modem. And did we mention the "embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) chip" it's supposed to have like it's little brother, the MM-7400? Cha ching! It'll supposedly debut at $379.99.

[KC @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I am diggin' the included USB cable....

BUT....

If this phone also had Bluetooth it would be darn near perfect!

[Justin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Diggin the rectangular buttons!

[jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Sprint phones are ugly as hell.
It's too bad i get such a killer deal through Sprint, because their phones are generally boring as crap. :

[raindog @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Likewise.... my only hope is to snag a couple PPC-6700's if and when I can.

[Tuolumne @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

No Bluetooth....*sigh*

This will not be $379...more like $329-$349. MM-A920 adds Bluetooth/intenna for $349.

[SPRTUSR @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Wow this phone is fugly!!! I currently have the 7400 but there is no way I'd "upgrade" to this cheap looking hunk of plastic. I'll be switching back to the Samsung when the A920 comes out and keeping my reliable 7400 as my back up. Sanyo needs to get a clue when it comes to NEW and INNOVATIVE design. UGH!!

[Justin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

"Sanyo needs to get a clue when it comes to NEW and INNOVATIVE design."

That's completely incorrect for the most part - what Sprint needs to do is just let Sanyo bring over their Japanese-market designs and stop effing them around with bullshit. Check out Sanyo's absolutely diesel phones for KDDI at the link below (any phone ending in 'SA'). Plus KDDI's network is very much like Sprint - most of the innards of Sanyo's other market phones are of course based on the Japanese hardware.

http://www.au.kddi.com/seihin/kinobetsu/index.html

[meshuga @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

"..even come with a USB cable to let you use it as an EV-DO modem."
Has anyone confirmed this? Everything I have read indicates that Sprint has forced Sanyo to disable dialing #777, which is the standard way to connect to 1xRTT/EV-DO on nearly every CDMA phone I have used, including the PPC-6100. Least all the new Sanyo phones are like that. You guys sure the usb data cable isn't for syncing address book and uploading ringtones/images with a program like Bitpim?
Check out sprintusers.com.

[Pete @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I don't like like styling, and I agree with everyone else: where's the bluetooth?

[Ricocpa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I actually like the look of all the Sanyo 7000 series phones. More rugged and the rubber coating makes is more sturdy during drop.

I will agree with everyone else about the bluetooth. Where is it???????

[kev @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Has this phone came ot already and if not when does it????

[Johnie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I just bought the MM-7500. I like the rugged look and wished for the bluetooth as well. Where is the software to download to get online? you would think it was either based in the phone or available with the phone.

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Does the MM-7500 have a QVGA screen or the same as the MM-7400? The Sanyo site lists the main screen as 1.8" internal TFT LCD, QVGA resolution with 260K colors (240x320), but the pdf specifications lists the resolution as 176x220. I'm trying to decide between the 7500 and 9000. Thanks.

[904-233-1793 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I too like the 7000 series and this modelbecause the hard plastic is sturdier. But c'mon people, if you were really woorired bout styling you would've jumped ship to one of the other companies long ago. Sprint/Nextel even when they were seperate dealt with more business-based applications so crazy colors, cusomization, and attention-grabbing phn design is still a work-in-progress. Bluetooth would've been nice though.

[Julian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Personally I think the styling is great. Different strokes for different folks. Having owned a 7400 for a year, it was the best performing handset I've ever owned. And frankly, a year from now, my 7500 will still look brand new since it bounces when you drop it, while the phones you think are stylish will look like you dropped them in your garbage disposal accidentally. By the way, for those of you who think you need bluetooth... this phone has a speakerphone that blows doors on the Samsungs. You won't need it to listen, and people can hear me just fine with the phone on speakerphone in my shirt pocket. Finally, 2006 is going to be the year that GPS navigation programs take off (Garmin Mobile, TeleNav, etc), and those programs are not supported on the Samsungs. It just depends what matters to you. If you want bluetooth today, buy a Samsung. If you want signal strength, durability, performance and GPS, here's your phone. You don't see these Sanyo's in the Sprint repair centers because they are build to last and built to perform.

[Dk @ Dec 22nd 2005 2:39PM]

I had the 7500 and I loved it except for the teenie tiny screen and on demand wouldn't work. The size of the phone itself and the feel was awesome and perfect. Camcorder picture quality was both incredible. The speaker quality was great too. I have switched to the 9000 and this is a super phone here. I HATE THE SIZE AND DESIGN. It is hard to hold and kind of ugly. I hate the flat top. The operations in the phone absolutely fascinate me. Everything is so organized and high tech. The phone I even talk to each other and people trip out. I thought the camcorder quality sucked. The 7500 was much better in camcorder mode as was the a920 because there is a 1.3 setting for both camera and camcorder mode but if you make the screen normal size instead of enlarged the video or tv quality of the picture is much much better. I am still confused about what I want. I like the 9000 performance better than the 7500 even though they are similar. I have no need for themes on the 7500. I can still try the a920 which has it all bluetooth and memory card without the bulky size of the 9000. It's so big I can't even find a nice case for it. I'm afraid of dropping it too. It's kind of slippery and heavy. I'm going to play at the store with the a920 and see if the menus and settings are similar to the 9000 and decide. This sucks making a decision. Due to the way to small screen size of the 7500 and lack of external memory and bluetooth the 7500 is out. That is too bad. I would have been happy with that phone if they had added memory card or bluetooth without making the phone bigger.