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Sprint's June launch calendar confirms QChat availability
So that rumored June 15 launch date for QChat in retail channels was pretty much spot on, it seems, according to the latest Brightpoint launch sheet for the month. The shot, posted on the always-chatty HoFo, reveals that Sanyo's PRO-200 and PRO-700 are expected for $249.99 and $279.99, respectively, while the Samsung Z400 comes in at $299.99 and the LG LX400 at $279.99. That's not a very wide range of price points for the initial round of QChat devices, a sign that Sprint's probably totally cool limiting interest in the service to business customers initially. Also due on the 15th is a fresh USB modem, the U680, which is being touted as "the only USB Modem that fits the design of the MacBook AIR [sic] without using USB connection cable." It's the Franklin CDU-680 in its generic form, and it's indeed pretty small as external data sticks go -- music to the ears of Air owners, we'd imagine.[Via PhoneNews]
LG LX400, Motorola V950, and pair of Samsungs round out Sprint's QChat fare
As we've long known, Sanyo isn't the only company contributing goodies to the opening volley of CDMA Direct Connect devices for Sprint -- LG, Motorola, and Samsung all want in on the action, too. LG brings the LX400, featuring a 1.3 megapixel camera in a burgundy shell; it's not our cup of tea, but folks looking for something on the non-rugged side of the PTT spectrum might find their soulmate here. Next up, the Motorola V950 is pretty notable since it marks Moto's inevitable foray away from its own iDEN tech and toward something just a little more modern to support the push-to-talk functionality its users so deeply love. It's a media powerhouse, too, thanks to external music controls, a microSD slot, stereo Bluetooth, and a 2 megapixel cam. Finally, Samsung comes to the table with two models: the rubberized Z400 (surprisingly appearing to be the most hardcore of the foursome) that trades consumer-friendly features for a tough shell -- though they've still felt the need to slap a 1.3 megapixel cam on there -- and the Z700, a fancy, refined set that looks fit for duty in the most fancy of pockets and shares much of its spec sheet with the Moto V950. Pricing and availability haven't been announced for any of the four, but we imagine they'll be pretty reasonable given the overall modesty across the line.
QChat phones, others launching on Sprint mid-April?
Word on the street is that customers might be getting their first crack at Sprint's QChat wares rather soon -- April 16, to be exact. The news comes from phoneArena, which reports that the LG LX400 (pictured) will be launching alongside Sanyo's PRO-200 and PRO-700 on that fateful day, presumably along with the Direct Connect tech (and iDEN heir apparent) itself. The LG is rumored to be coming in at an SRP of $279.99, while the two Sanyos check in at $249.99 and $269.99, respectively. Also slated for April launches are the BlackBerry Curve 8330 in "titanium" along with Sanyo's Katana LX, a replacement for the Katana II that'll presumably keep its slim profile but carry over the forgettable VGA cam.
