There are so many brands and types of cookware that the same pan has is called a different name in different places!.
I've been using non-stick cookware ever since i started cooking, but after seeing the lessons on pan frying and sauteing etc, feel like switching over to stainless steel. I want to start with one pan for pan frying and another for sauteing. Some places say that a saute pan has sloped sides but I've seen 'saute pans' with straight sides!!?
Is it correct to say that a saute pan has to have sloped sides ( for easier pan tossing) and a frying pan to have flared sides ( so that steam may escape easily and promote browning?. Can you saute and pan fry in the same pan?

Indeed there are so many brands, which is why it can be a bit daunting.
Perhaps some of these links will shed a bit more light on the subject for you.
http://rouxbe.com/community/forums/7/topics/462?page=2#2665
http://rouxbe.com/community/forums/7/topics/462?page=1#2342
http://rouxbe.com/community/forums/6/topics/677
http://rouxbe.com/community/forums/6/topics/514

As for whether something is a saute pan...these are often mis-labeled. Manufacturers often call them saute pans when really they are just fry pans. I would say to focus on what the pan looks like and not exactly what it is called. For sauteing, a pan with slopped sides is the best. For pan frying you can use a pan that has slopped or straight sides. If your pan is properly heated and you follow the steps in the pan frying lesson then either one will do.