As rumored at the beginning of March, Sprint has now released the Sanyo Katana LX handset, which comes to replace the Katana II model, launched back in the summer of 2007.

Katana LX comes in the same form factor as the other Katana, hence it's another clamshell phone. However, the new device is more orientated towards a fashionable look, and this will probably make it more appealing for young mobile users.

Sanyo Katana LX weighs 3.4 ounces (96 grams) and, when closed, measures 3.7 x 1.9 x 0.7 inches (94 x 48 x 17.8 millimeters), so it's not among the slimmest clamshells out there, but neither among the bulkiest. The phone comes with a 2.0 inch TFT internal display (128 x 160 pixels and 65K colors supported) and an external "glow-through" display that's hidden under the case, offering a pretty interesting view. Furthermore, the new Sanyo features GPS to work with Sprint Navigation (offering over 10 million local listings, turn-by-turn driving directions and so on), a customizable menu, Bluetooth, voice-activated dialing, email and Internet capabilities, speakerphone (a high-quality one, apparently), picture caller ID, downloadable games, a VGA (640 x 420) photo camera, and a 800 mAh battery that should provide up to 4.8 hours talk time (the stand-by time was not made public by Sprint).

Sanyo Katana LX's retail price is, apparently, $249.99, but Sprint's old or new subscribers can get it for only $49.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a contract agreement for two years. The new Katana can be bought from Sprint's website (found at this address) in three versions: Liquid Graphite, Elegant Pink and Pacific Blue, hence there's a color choice for almost every user - more exactly, for every user that doesn't mind having a pretty basic-featured phone.