The Sanyo SCP-7050 Mobile Phone is a solidly built phone marketed to people who need a rugged mobile device. If slim form factor is what you desire, you'll want to look elsewhere. Durability is the focus here, and the rubber-clad device measures just over an inch in thickness. This construction provides the clumsy with confidence, being that the rubber is non-slip. Despite its bulk, though, the SCP-7050 is surprisingly comfortable to hold to the ear. It's also one of the few phones that adheres to the U.S. military standards for dust, shock and vibratim.

On the outside of the phone is a relatively basic external LCD that displays the usual information: time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID. Despite the spurning of prettier attributes, the internal screen is two inches diagonally, gorgeous, and delivers very crisp and bright performance with support for 65K colors.

Though not particularly attractive in design, the functionality of the keypad with its bubbled buttons is great for dialing without looking and the toggle and soft keys can be used for dedicated functions. If you don't want to dial at all, the SCP-7050 offers a 500-contact address book that can store up to 700 total phone numbers, 1000 e-mail addresses and 500 web addresses.

In addition to its durability, distractions are kept to a minimum (there is no music player) and security issues are addressed by the omission of a camera. Actually, an increasing number of corporations and schools address this security problem by banning phones with cameras, so the SCP-7050 can provide connectivity to the outside world when your coworkers and fellow students have to leave their beloved devices at the door.

Despite these omissions, the SCP-7050 is not bare bones and it does offer quite a few unusual features. Embedded in the phone is a GPS locator, so if you subscribe to a fee-based service you can receive turn-by-turn directions on your phone. Another great feature is access to Push-to-Talk technology, which basically means your phone can double as a walkie-talkie, keeping you in contact without having to dial numbers. The phone can also serve as a modem.

Call quality for the SCP-7050 was superb, with no breakups or static to report. Meanwhile, the battery offered about four hours of talk time and six days of standby. Other features include: voice memo recorder, voice-activated dialing, vibrating ringer, Bluetooth, and speakerphone. Overall, this is a great phone for the clumsy or for outdoor enthusiasts who want reliable service and don't need fancy adornments.

Pros: Durable shock-resistant design, excellent 252K-color internal LCD, great call quality, GPS locator
Cons: Bulky design, limited features (no camera)

Warranty
1 year