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Sprint SCP-2400The Sanyo SCP-2400 from Sprint offers some compelling parental control features but not much else. Price: $29 (with a two-year contract)
by Troy Dreier 
Targeted toward parents concerned about their children's safety—not to mention shockingly high phone bills—the Sanyo SCP-2400 offers a lot of versatility for a very reasonable price. Sprint's free parental control software lets you set which numbers this clamshell can dial, as well as which numbers your kids can receive calls from. Plus, you can lock out services that cost extra, such as text messaging. We're not so sure, however, that the different color faceplates make up for the lack of cutting-edge features.
The SCP-2400 is certainly basic, and it shows. It's large and heavy for a clamshell (measuring one-inch thick). You can take your pick of five colors (Silver Sky, Midnight Black, Dark Bronze, True Blue, and Misty Rose). The silver unit we tested has all the charm of army surplus. The inner color screen is bright enough, but the resolution is low and the colors are dull. The external monochrome display is a small text-only LCD (96 x 32 pixels) that glows red-orange after the lid is closed. In addition to the standard directional pad, soft keys, and Talk and End keys, the SCP-2400 has dedicated buttons for accessing the Web and activating the speakerphone. The directional pad sits quite low with a gummy texture that makes it easy to tap. The D-pad doesn't work well when playing games, because it doesn't move fluidly. Using the parental control software is simple; it involves creating a password and then limiting the specific time of day the phone can dial out or receive calls, as well as halting access to paid services. You can also set which people your child can call by simply entering their names and numbers into the address book, then clicking on the Parental Control icon in the main menu. Another safety feature that makes the SCP-2400 good for kids is Sprint's Family Locator, a service that uses the phone's GPS chip to enable parents to locate their children using a compatible Sprint phone or PC. The child receives a text message notification that the phone has been located, and the parent is provided a map along with the accuracy of the location. That service costs $9.99 per month. Unfortunately, the controls are too one-size-fits-all. Parents can block all the PCS Vision services, which include the Web browser, IM tools, and more or none of them. There's no way to provide access to some features while blocking others. More troubling was the spotty reception this phone delivered in the New York City area. We often needed to move near a window to hear the other party. The SCP-2400 is Ready Link capable, which means you can hold walkie-talkie style conversations with other Ready Link phones on Sprint's network. It costs $5 on top of your voice plan. The SCP-2400 includes a voice recorder and comes with eight ringtones and eight melodies plus one game. Otherwise, this phone is pretty bare-bones, with no camera, Bluetooth functionality, or media player. Other optional services include automatic wireless backup ($5 per month) and text messaging (starting at $5 per month for 100 messages). The Li-ion battery is rated for 3.4 hours of talk time. We found the battery was strong, and it lasted four days between charges with typical use (although using data services drains it much faster). Users can buy an accessory pack for $14.99, which includes a card good for one skin (which must be ordered online), a backpack clip, and a manual on the parental control features. The SCP-2400 is a decent beginner phone for younger kids and provides some attractive parental control features. Just don't expect teens to jump for joy when you give it to them. Sprint SCP-2400 Specifications
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