Sanyo 5500 Now Available

[SU-News]

Sprint released their newest handset, the highly anticipated Sanyo 5500. New features include video mail, short messaging service, and ready link.

[scaredpoet]

Because they certainly don't seem to realize it. None of the stores I've called in NJ have it, and telesales doesn't have it either as of this morning. All claim the release date has been pushed back to "the first of the month."

[satman]

Nothing in the Chicago area either... Nice rollout!

[hesh]

I called two stores here in Charlotte, NC, and one said they're getting it sometime this week (and to keep calling), while the other store said next month. They did say the price was $379.99 though.

[5500what]

Not yet available in michigan, sprint stores have said possibly Dec. 1

[pcdebb]

maybe it was a press "release", no proof of it here either, stores I called know nothing about it

[SANYOVISION]

Can somebody loan me the money for the 5500? Can't promise ill pay u back.

[5500what]

found one at a sprint store in michigan, I have called different sprint stores so I guess very few stores have them.

[wizard1914]

Nothing here in Louisiana either. I'm still waiting to buy a holster clip at any of the local Sprint or Radioshack stores. None of the Sprint stores are even selling the 5400, which I bought a week ago @ Radio Shack!!!!

Sprint is really acting like they don't want to make $$$!!!!

[Strider420]

Originally posted by satman
Nothing in the Chicago area either... Nice rollout!

They are evreywhere here in the Windy City (and boy is it windy today). Check out the store over on Broadway and Diversey (the Sprint store not the ABC wireless).

[bigbabyaggie99]

It is not available in Arkansas yet. I was also quoted a price of 450.00. Is that correct?

[scaredpoet]

Just exchanged my SCP-540 for a 5500. :) I found a store in Manalpan NJ that had them in stock.

It's REALLY a nice phone! Not as light as the 5400, but understandably so, there's a LOT of electronics packed into the exact same form factor. It takes decent video, but so far I haven't had success sending the video non VideoMail phones (I guess they're not capable of it). Sending to e-mail works just fine as long as you have a quicktime plug-in.

Other than the camera (which takes photos about on par with the 8100, only it's 480 x 640 resolution) and of course the dark navy blue/almost black color, the phone pretty much works exactly the same as the 5400..

[BretB]

I picked up a vm4500 at the Sprint store across from the Fairfield Mall... They had 10 units in stock when I picked mine up.

Bret

[MystaMax]

i want mine! :( gotta wait till best buy gets them!

[hesh]

I'm just gonna keep harrassing the local Sprint stores about them. Best Buy around here usually doesn't get anything on time.

[scaredpoet]

Yeah, that's the best thing to do. Just keep calling. Eventually you'll find one that has a few. Might even be worth a road trip if you find a store in a nearby city that has them.

[Yung Vito]

i got mine here in new jersey too... and i love this phone

[scaredpoet]

Which store?

[MacPCS]

about how much would it cost me to trade in a Sanyo 8100 for it (if that is at all possible)

?

[shareef777]

If you currently own a phone purchased from Best Buy with a PSP then you can upgrade to any newer phone. i.e. I purchased my 8100 for $200 and will get the VM4500 (official name) for the retail price of $380 minus the $200 credit from my 8100. So $180 isn't too bad for the 4500. But Best Buy won't get the 4500 till Dec. 3rd. I was able to check out the 4500 at a local Sprint store (which is the only place I know of in Chicago that has the 4500s). Guess Sprint is getting a little GREEDY with where and when they release their new phones. Well, as soon as I looked at the 4500 and the Sprint person saw I already had a Sprint phone, she let me know that I would only be able to purchase the phone for $380 and that I'd have to wait at least two weeks because all the available units are for new customers only. Like I said, GREEDY.

[hotis300boy]

Happy to share I picked up my VM4500 from the store here in Orlando....I love the phone n all the goodies, including REAL time text messaging already on this phone, Ready Link, 15 second Video recordings, speaker phone, area code recognition. Now to let out the ugly parts. I am VERY disappointed in the camera quality. Everything appears yellow and I have a 5300 and I can take pictures in complete darkness using the flash and they come out decent. With this phone I took pictures in the dark with flash and they came out all black. Sorry to admit after all the amanzing stuff this phone has, you would think that Sanyo/Sprint would atleast make the camera comperable or better then the 5300 and other models after that. I want PM's from other owners and their feedback and opinion on the camera colors and quality. Also the video has a bad lagg. Meaning its with sound but when it plays back the sound comes before/after your mouth is actually moving. But then again cell phones have come a long way and this is just a first of its type. I am just very analytical when spending $400.00 including taxes. Sorry lol Do reply though please

[Hernie]

5500 is here in Orange County California. and the phone is BAD ASS! still havn't been able to put it down. i love the fact that it has the option to send text messages without logging on to the stupid short mail page ( too bad the service isn't supposed to be started until January)

[biggdaddy007]

The 5500 is not yet available in Milwaukee as of yet. I am waiting on this phone before I go RL!!! Does anyone know how much they are going for?

[Hernie]

i don't see anylag with my video. and the camera seems a little bit yellow. over all i LOVE this phone i love how all the menus are quick also, there is no lag

[pcslover]

Here's a link i found for the Sanyo "5500". Actually i think sprint calls it VM4500...what do i know about Sprint though..i'm Canadian.

http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/PhonesAccessories/PhoneDetails.jsp?%20navLocator=%7Cshop%7CphonesAcc essories%7CallPhones<br%20/>%7C&selectSkuId=sanyovm4500

[hesh]

The stores here in Charlotte now have them. One store has already sold out, but the other is holding one for me and I'm going to get it in about an hour :)

[3.1415926536]

Here is a link to the User's Guide for anyone, like me, who wants to get as much info on this phone as possible.

http://www1.sprintpcs.com/media/Assets/Equipment/Handsets/pdf/sanyo5500.pdf

[not yet]

called radio shack in saginaw, mi. they had 2 left, and the flint sprint store had 1.

[dknight247]

Knoxville, TN claims to have a couple of phones.

[rain]

How much do they go for?
anyone know when best buy is going to get this phone in stock

[EScottH]

I had a hard time finding the VM 4500 on Sprint's website. I finally got a link to work:

http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/PhonesAccessories/PhoneDetails.jsp?navLocator=%7Cshop%7CphonesAccess ories%7CreadyLinkPhones%7C&selectSkuId=sanyovm4500&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1476377&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_SCID=ECOMM&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_PCode=None&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_cartState=group&bmUID=1070166351935

Scott

[EScottH]

I got my RL 2500 a week ago. I think it is time for me to go the Sprint Store and try out their 14-day return policy....

Scott

[rain]

the one that sucks is its going to be $20 extra for readylink and pcs vision. anyone know how much just readylink service is?

[Gotyouopen]

Originally posted by EScottH
I had a hard time finding the VM 4500 on Sprint's website. I finally got a link to work:

Sweeeeeeeeeeet! Good job

http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/PhonesAccessories/PhoneDetails.jsp?navLocator=%7Cshop%7CphonesAccess ories%7CreadyLinkPhones%7C&selectSkuId=sanyovm4500&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1476377&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_SCID=ECOMM&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_PCode=None&CURRENT_USER%3C%3EATR_cartState=group&bmUID=1070166351935

Scott

[o3jeff]

Originally posted by rain
the one that sucks is its going to be $20 extra for readylink and pcs vision. anyone know how much just readylink service is?

Probably $15 depending on your plan.

[krafty75]

I seem to remember when the 5300 came out it was $400 so its not to bad to go out and pay a little less for the VM4500, even if the video isnt all that good its the first of many to come out. I know i am goin gto wait for the next one to come out because i know its going to be better then the first!

[Quill]

Alrighty, if you got the www.spcs.com and click on the link to Phones and Accessories they now have the VM4500 officially up on the list and you don't have to go searching hard for it.
Funny, too, since people having been going to SPCS stores for at least a week now and buying the handset.

[Gotyouopen]

Originally posted by krafty75
I seem to remember when the 5300 came out it was $400 so its not to bad to go out and pay a little less for the VM4500, even if the video isnt all that good its the first of many to come out. I know i am goin gto wait for the next one to come out because i know its going to be better then the first!

And when the next 1 comes out don't buy that 1 either! because the 1 after that is gonna be better! But wait don't buy that 1 also because the 1 after that is gonna be even better! etc..etc..etc....Do you see where im going with this. To make it simple buy the latest phone now, Sell it when a better phone comes out!

[jbird]

Originally posted by shareef777
If you currently own a phone purchased from Best Buy with a PSP then you can upgrade to any newer phone. i.e. I purchased my 8100 for $200 and will get the VM4500 (official name) for the retail price of $380 minus the $200 credit from my 8100. So $180 isn't too bad for the 4500. But Best Buy won't get the 4500 till Dec. 3rd. I was able to check out the 4500 at a local Sprint store (which is the only place I know of in Chicago that has the 4500s). Guess Sprint is getting a little GREEDY with where and when they release their new phones. Well, as soon as I looked at the 4500 and the Sprint person saw I already had a Sprint phone, she let me know that I would only be able to purchase the phone for $380 and that I'd have to wait at least two weeks because all the available units are for new customers only. Like I said, GREEDY.

You sure about the upgrade thing? I thought their PSP only was for returns of defective products. If what you said is true then SWEET! I can ditch this wack ***** a600 and get a real phone for 80 bucks :)

[shareef777]

Ok, first about the Best Buy PSP. I went in yesterday with my 8100 (defective speaker) and they said that your "required" to take any Sprint phone to a Sprint store to be diagnosed first. Once you get a "test failed" ticket from the Sprint store you take it back to Best Buy at which point they tell you to pick out a new phone and bring it back to the exchange counter. They first issue a credit for what ever you paid on your PSP covered phone, and then charge the new phone on the bill. My total came up to $162. $200 credit for my 8100 plus $350 for the 5500 brings a total of $150 plus tax. The great deal is that your PSP continues on with your new phone.

Second, charges for ReadyLink, PictureMail, VideoMail. If you get Vision you get one of these three choices extra ($20 for both). You get to choose what extra feature you want with Vision. To get a second or third feature, its $5 per feature per line. If you have a plan over $100 you get EVERYTHING for free, includes Vision, ReadyLink, PictureMail, and VideoMail. Me and my friend share a plan that is $100 so we got every possible feature Sprint offers for both our phones at no extra charge. It has been verified by every Sprint employee I've contacted.

P.S. I love my 5500!!!

[shareef777]

Update on pricing:

If you have a buisness account that is over $100 per month, you get ALL servies for FREE. That includes ReadyLink, Picture Mail, Video Mail, along with Vision.