Sprint Announces LG Rumor

Sprint announced the LG Rumor will be available online later this month and in retail stores on November 4th. The LG Rumor will give Sprint a low to mid end device with a Qwerty keyboard, providing consumers with an affordable device developed for messaging. The Qwerty keyboard will make sending text and email messages easier. Every time the Qwerty keyboard slides out, the messaging menu on the phone automatically appears.

The LG Rumor measures 4.3 x 2.0 x 0.7 inches and weighs 4.13 ounces. It comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, MP3 player, and a MicroSD slot. It supports IM apps like AIM, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger and provides quick access to social networking sites like Xanga and Facebook.

Sprint will offer the device for $79.99 with a new service agreements and rebates. It will be available in two colors - black with blue interior and white with silver interior.

Sign up for notification alerts at www.sprint.com/rumor.

Sprint Announces New BlackBerry Pearl 8130

Sprint is planning to launch its first multimedia BlackBerry handset with the new BlackBerry Pearl 8130, an upgraded version of the original BlackBerry Pearl announced in September of 2006. This will be the first Sprint BlackBerry device with an integrated camera.

The device is 4.2 x 2.0 x 0.6 inches and weighs 3.4 ounces. Some of the upgraded features include access to Sprint's high-speed Mobile Broadband network (EV-DO) for faster internet access, a 2.0 megapixels camera, stereo Bluetooth support, added GPS functionality, and access to Sprint's PowerVision services such as Sprint's Music Store, Sprint TV, OnDemand, and Sprint Navigation.

The phone will be available next month. You can sign up for alerts on device availability by going to www.sprint.com/pearl.

Sprint Announces the Palm Centro

Sprint announced the newest product offering from Palm, the Centro. This is Palm's first device geared for the consumer versus the business user. Following in RIM's footsteps, Palm is looking to regain some of the market share it has lost over the past year by going after the consumer market. The Palm Centro will be available in mid-October at all Sprint Sales channels and Palm retail stores. It will also be available online at www.sprint.com and www.palm.com/centro. After promotions and rebates, the phone will sell for only $99.99.

The Centro is the smaller and thinner than the traditional Treo models. Its measures 2.1"x4.2"x0.7" and weighs only 4.2 ounces. It features a full QWERTY keyboard along with a five-way navigation button. Although smaller than the Treo, it still packs a 312 MHz processor, 128 MB of ROM and 64 MB RAM, EVDO, a 1.3 megapixels camera, Bluetooth, a full color touch screen, and a MicroSD slot for extra memory. The device will also feature Palm OS 5.4.9 and supports Phone as Modem, allowing users to connect to the Internet from their laptop or desktop computer by via the device. The Centro also supports Data Transfer Mode (DTM), notifying users of incoming calls even when they are in an active data session versus just sending the calls to voicemail.

The device will be available in Onyx Black and Ruby Red. It will be exclusive to Sprint for 90 days. You can sign up to receive alerts on the availability of this device at www.sprint.com/centro.

Preview the Palm Centro (w/ video) at PhoneScoop.com.

AT&T Gets Another Music Phone - LG Trax

AT&T is about to add another music phone to its lineup. But unlike the iPhone, the LG Trax supports high speed mobile broadband speeds by operating on AT&T's 3G HSDPA network. The clamshell device has external music controls and has an internal dedicated music key that will take you directly to the media player no matter what screen you are on.

The microSD slot supports up to 4 GB, giving it the same capacity as the iPhone. I also has a 1.3 megapixels camera. Since this is a 3G phone, it will also work with AT&T's Video Share service, which allows one-way live video streaming to other 3G phones. The phone is expected to be available sometime this summer.

The Chocolate by LG - New and Improved

The new Chocolate by LG is pretty much the same as its predecessor. It is a little thinner and lighter than the original. The phone is 3.85"x1.87"x0.67" and weighs only 3.24 oz. It still has a 1.3 megapixels camera and EV-DO support. Some of the new features include an upgraded external navigation wheel, a vibrating touch keypad, and microSD slot that supports up to a 4 GB card.

The new Chocolate will be available in three colors - Black, Black Cherry, and Blue Mint. It will be available from Verizon on July 9th. Pricing is not available at this time.

Calling All iPhone Owners

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Two New Katana Phones from Sprint

In July, Sprint will launch two new thin devices. The Katana II is the successor to the Katana launched last year. It is very similar to the original device - same camera and Bluetooth support. It will be a little thinner and available in 3 colors - black, pink, and steel. It has the same camera and still does not have EV-DO, but it will have GPS. Based on it's price of $50 with service agreements and rebates, this is meant as a mid-level device. (SRP is $249.99)

For the high end, Sprint and Sanyo are releasing the Katana DLX. It will be available in silver, pink, and champagne. It will be similar to the Katana II externally, but on the inside, it will contain an EVDO chip offering access to Sprin't high speed Mobile Broadband network and PowerVision services. It will also have a MicroSD slot and will ship with a 128 MB card included. Other features include stereo Bluetooth support and GPS. The SRP is $329.99, but the phone will be available for $129.99 with service agreement and promotions.

Look for the Katana II on July 1st and the Katana DLX on July 15th.

Sprint's Announces Another iPhone Killer

Sprint will add another device to it's music lineup on July 15th. The MUZIQ by LG will be the successor to the Fusic by LG. The MUZIQ by LG will be one of the first Sprint devices to support 4 GB microSD cards, giving it the same capacity as the iPhone 4 GB model. As is the trend with successor phones, the MUZIQ will be thinner than the Fusic and will not have the external antenna.

The phone will still support EV-DO, Sprint's high speed mobile broadband network, giving you access to Power Vision services, including over-the-air music downloads. It will also still have a 1.3 megapixels camera, FM transmitter, external music controls, and stereo Bluetooth. The MUZIQ measures 3.8"x1.94"x.61" and weighs 3.14 ounces.

The phone will be available for only $99 with service agreement and rebates, which is a lot less than the $499 price tag of the iPhone. You can register to become one of the first to purchase the MUZIQ by LG by going to www.sprint.com/music

Family Phone Pack from Sprint

The Sanyo 3200 is now available from Sprint. This is an entry to mid level phone as it does not support access to Sprint's high speed Mobile Broadband Network (EVDO). However, it still has several other functions that make this perfect for a family pack. It comes in 3 different colors, offering personalization for different family members. The phones support GPS and are compatible with Sprint's Family Locater service allowing you to view the location of family members. There are also Parental Controls allowing parents to limit phone and web access. Other features include Bluetooth and VGA camera. The phone dimensions are 3.5"x1.8"x0.8" and weighs 3.4 ounces. The suggested retail price is $199.99, but it is available for $49.99 with service agreements and rebates.

PPC 6800 (HTC Mogul) Coming to Sprint June 18th

The PPC 6800 (HTC Mogul) may be available from Sprint as early as June 18th via online sales. The retail launch is currently slated for July 16th. The phone will replace the currently available PPC 6700 (HTC Apache). The major differences are this device will be the first CDMA device to ship with Windows Mobile 6 and will be upgradeable to EVDO Rev A this fall. Other than that, it's 1/3 thinner, the camera increased from 1.3 mega pixels to 2 mega pixels, ROM doubled to 256 MB, battery life increased 20%, and the external antenna has been removed. The device comes with a 416 MHz processor and still supports Wi-Fi (both 802.11b and 802.11g). The suggested retail price is $549.99, but it will be available for $399.99 with service agreement and rebates.

Pros: Touch Screen, Windows Mobile 6, Wi-Fi, 2 MP camera, EVDO Rev A.
Cons: EVDO Rev A upgrade won't be available until the fall.

T-Mobile Announces HTC Wing Smartphone

T-Mobile launched their latest smartphone, the HTC Wing. The phone, that is currently available exclusively through T-Mobile, has a Qwerty keyboard that slides out, a 2 megapixel camera and comes loaded with Windows Mobile 6. Thirty percent smaller than it's predecessor, the T-Mobile MDA, also comes with a large 2.8 inch touch screen, Bluetooth, and a MicroSD slot. For data traffic, users will have to rely on Edge speeds until T-Mobile gets a 3G network or use Wi-Fi. The device has a suggested retail price of $499.99, but is avialable for $299.99 with discounts and rebates.

Pros: Touch Screen with a stylus, 2 megapixel camera, large 2.8 in. display, Windows Mobile 6
Cons: Restricted to 2G (EDGE) for mobile data.

Sprint to Launch the UpStage in Red

The popular music phone from Samsung and Sprint is expected to be available in RED sometime around June 18th. The combination phone is a phone on one side and an MP3 player on the other. The current model (available in Black) is on sale for $99.99.

Even with two sides with separate displays, the UpStage is still only 0.3 inches thick. It has a 1.3 megapixels camera/camcorder, Bluetooth, and a MicroSD slot. One thing that separates this music phone from the much anticipated iPhone is the ability to download music directly to the phone over-the-air (OTA) from Sprint's music store. To put music on the iPhone, you will have to download it to your PC and then sync the phone to the computer.

Pros: OTA music downloads, thin, and EV-DO
Cons: The phone does not have much internal memory, but it does have a MicroSD slot to store music and comes with a 64 MB card.

Motorola Announces RAZR Successor, the RAZR2

Motorola is taking the RAZR brand to the next level with its announcement of the RAZR2, available in July 2007. Motorola was able to make the device even slimmer, while packing in more power and features. Processing speed of the RAZR2 is 10 times faster than the original RAZR. It has 2 GB of internal It sports a 2" external display, with features allowing you to view text messages and reply with pre-set text messages and listen to music with virtual music keys, all without opening the phone.

Sprint Launches New Samsung Clamshell Phones - M300, M510

The M300 (not pictured) is an entry level device. It measures 3.6" x 1.9" x 0.7" and weighs only 2.7 oz. It's best features are Bluetooth support and a VGA camera. Being an entry level phone, it works with Sprint's 1xRTT data network versus the higher speed EVDO network. The M300 is avaialable in two colors (red and silver) for $29.99 with a two-year service agreement.

The M510 (pictured in pink) is a mid-range phone. It measures 3.6" x 2.0" x 0.6" and weighs only 2.9 oz. The phone may be tiny, but it packs a lot of punch. It comes with stereo Bluetooth support, a 1.3 megapixels camera that takes pictures and videos, a web browser, a media player, GPS, and a microSD slot for extra storage. The phone also operates on Sprint's high speed Mobile Broadband (EVDO) network allowing over-the-air music downloads, Sprint TV, and PAM (Phone As a Modem). The M510 is a available in two colors (black and pink) for $129.99 with a two-year service agreement.

Sprint Launches Palm Treo 755p

Sprint has announced that the Palm Treo 755p will be available this month. The price tag will be $279.99 with a new two year service agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate. The Treo 755p is the first CDMA Treo with an internal antenna, so it has a smaller form factor than the Treo 700. The phone will be available in two colors - midnight blue and burgundy.

Data Network: EV-DO Rev 0
Operating System: Palm OS 5.4.9
Memory: 128 MB
Processor: Intel XScale 312MHz Processor
Camera: 1.3 megapixels with 2x digital zoom
Expansion Slot: MiniSD

The 755p will offer the same functionality of the 700p. Some key differences are:
1. No external antenna sticking out
2. MiniSD slot on the 755p is different from the SD slot on the 700p. Another key difference here is the 755p's slot is on the side, which makes theft and accidental ejection of the card more difficult.
3. The 755p will launch with the Maintenance Release that is scheduled to be available for the 700p sometime around May 28th. The Maintenance Release is suppose to fix issues with speed to launch applications, Bluetooth, SMS send/receive performance, and MP3 playback.
4. The 755p will come in different colors

Pros of the new device are the no antenna and the miniSD slot.
Cons of the new device are no EV-DO Rev A support and the camera is still only 1.3 megapixels.

BlackBerry 8830

The BlackBerry 8830 is the CDMA version of the 8800 which is currently available from GSM carriers Cingular and T-Mobile. Verizon and Sprint will both carry the 8830 starting this summer. Verizon will have it in May and Sprint is planning to have it available in June or July.

The device is a quad band device so it will be able to work overseas, making it BlackBerry's first CDMA device that will work internationally. It will also have a media player, a MicroSD slot, Bluetooth, full QWERTY keyboard, and built-in GPS.

Although Sprint will be the last carrier to launch the device, it will be worth the wait to hold off getting it from the other carriers. The reason is the phone will be unlocked from Sprint, while it is locked with other carriers. When traveling internationally with a Cingular 8800 or a Verizon 8830, you will be required to use the carrier's SIM card, meaning you will incur international roaming rates. Sprint gives you the option to use the SIM card of a local in country carrier, meaning you will be charged local per minute rates versus international roaming rates. This represents substantial cost savings for the international traveler. One caveat is that if you wish to keep the same number internationally, you will need to use the Sprint SIM card, incurring Sprint international roaming rates.

One cool feature about the MicroSD slot is it is located inside the battery cover. This makes it impossible to accidentally pop out and difficult to be stolen. The bad to this, is it won't be easily accessible, but security is key here.

Still missing from the 8830 is a camera/video recorder. Again, security is the reason for this.