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Impressed by the new Katana DLX

This Sprint phone isn't much to look at, but it delivers.

Ronn Owens
Ronn Owens is a host for KGO Radio. When not working on his daily talk show, he is pursuing the latest in cell phones.
Ronn Owens
The Katana DLX doesn't look very interesting, but it does a lot of things well.
The Katana DLX doesn't look very interesting, but it does a lot of things well. CNET Networks, Inc.

Looks truly aren't everything, as evidenced by this remarkable Sprint Katana DLX. While basic in appearance, this Sprint offering raises the bar in features.

Two words epitomize this gem: speed and availability. Live TV (though not via the superior DVB-H platform), fast Web access, a current--dare I say almost complete--over-the-air music list that easily justifies it's 99 cents per song download, a solid 1.3 megapixel camera, easy contacts transfer, supports up to a 4 gig microSD, etc.

And may I also add, call quality is excellent. It's from Sanyo, which may be the most underrated cell phone manufacturer around.

Oh...it's also very light, comfortable, and affordable. I continue to be amazed at what I discover. This ain't your brother's Katana. Wow!