Sanyo & Sprint Announce Katana DLX
Among the hoards of announcements that came out of CES this week, Sprint and Sanyo have just announced the latest edition to the popular Katana line. The interestingly-styled Katana DLX is aimed at the younger crowd and is Sprint broadband-compatible to accommodate all of Sprint’s current goodies such as Sprint Power Vision, Sprint TV, On Demand and Sprint Navigation. CES typically boasts cutting-edge tech though and a quick perusal of the Katana’s specs might have made an off-the-strip dive a better launching point than the convention center. Wait for it… Wait for it… A 1.3-megapixel camera? Yikes! The Katana DLX does support microSDHC cards however, and we figure that with the 12GB card SanDisk just announced you should be able to store around six billion snaps from the 1.3-megapixel monster. Hopefully the niche design, snazzy finish and colors (Platinum Ice, Pink Satin and Champagne) and moderate $130 price tag can combine to overcome the spec hurdles. Sanyo’s product page doesn’t even mention MP3 ringtone compatibility. If you can get past the grainy pics and if Super Mario-style ringtones are your bag, The Katana DLX is available now and ripe for the picking.
UPDATE: Sorry guys, this is old news!
[Via SlipperyBrick]
On Jan 10, 2008 @ 6:48 pm, JJLO Said:
Did I miss something? The DLX has been out. Did they offer some improvements over the current offering?
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On Jan 10, 2008 @ 6:50 pm, Richard Said:
Wow… I’m… really confused. The Katana DLX has been out for awhile, hasn’t it?
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On Jan 10, 2008 @ 7:11 pm, Mog Said:
JJLO, you haven’t missed anything, and Richard, you’re right: This is the same Katana DLX that Sanyo and Sprint released last year. Same colors, same Power Vision, same everything. So if the phone is less than cutting-edge, than that’s because it’s a mid-range phone (slotting just above the Katana II, which lacks even EV-DO!) from *last year.*
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On Jan 10, 2008 @ 7:45 pm, Daryn Said:
Wow, bizzare that a post like this either went under the radar of boygenius as old news or sprint is trying to sell people on an old but good flavor to help out its dwendling customer base
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On Jan 10, 2008 @ 10:10 pm, n95forlife Said:
Was this a mistake, or did they really announce this phone? I know it’s been out for a while, but wondering if they really did just announce it like it was some great phone.
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On Jan 11, 2008 @ 12:41 am, geinge Said:
that phone sucks.
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On Jan 11, 2008 @ 6:14 pm, shawshank Said:
Give ‘em a break. Whether is sucks or not Sprint did put out a new release on Jan 7, 2008 at CES that made this look like a new thing. You can make an account and see it here: http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/press/index.jsp?pressId=1198871043534
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On Jan 11, 2008 @ 6:25 pm, Nino Said:
Hi All, nino from SlipperyBrick here. Followed the link back and saw you all reporting this phone has been out for awhile. We posted an update on our story reflecting that. Sanyo changed the date on its press release, which threw us off:
STRIKINGLY COLORFUL KATANA® DLX PHONE BY SANYO PUTS INSTANT ACCESS TO OVER-THE-AIR SONG DOWNLOADS, LIVE TV AND MORE IN THE HANDS OF SPRINT CUSTOMERS
The affordable Katana® II by SANYO has a new lower price and sports an ultra-thin design packed with must-have features and increased internal memory
Both new Katana models offer three attractive color options
LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2008, CES Central Hall Booth #11017 – For Immediate Release – Recognizing that customers want instant wireless connectivity without sacrificing fashion, Sprint (NYSE: S) and SANYO announce the availability of the Sprint Power Vision® Phone KATANA DLX by SANYO…
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On Jan 12, 2008 @ 4:28 am, Mog Said:
Sony pulled the same thing with “re-announcing” the W580i, I recall. And most blogs fell for that one, too.
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