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Sprint announces QChat in 40 new markets, 4 new phones
If any of you feared you might never again be forced to listen to loud walkie-talkie conversations from iDEN handsets, start hating, as the service is growing, not shrinking. Sprint has announced the new QChat service is expanding into 40+ new markets and a small team of new handsets are arriving to herald the new service's launch. Markets like Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Orlando are set to go for June 15th through all of Sprint's traditional retail channels. The LG LX400 boasts a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS, and noise reduction and can be had for $79.99 on a two-year deal. The Samsung Z400 is an ultra-rugged 810F military spec. affair with a sad 1.3 megapixel cam, Sprint Navigation, and Bluetooth, in a tough clamshell form factor for $99.00. Two Sanyo sets are also on the list, the $79.99 PRO-700 features a tough rubber housing, Bluetooth, plus Sprint Navigation, and the $49.99 PRO-200 which packs the same navigation features as the others, Bluetooth, and not much else. So with thanks to Qualcomm's QChat technology and Sprint's EV-DO network we'll be putting up with enjoying push to talk for the foreseeable future.[Via PhoneScoop]
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.
Samsung's first Sprint Direct Connect phone wafts in via FCC
Seems a bit odd seeing a rugged, PTT-centric phone on Sprint Nextel that isn't getting sourced out of Motorola's ranks, doesn't it? Indeed, get used to it -- this here is a phone supporting Qualcomm's QChat protocol, the CDMA-based push-to-talk standard that Sprint will be phasing in as iDEN dies a long, slow death. The Samsung Z400 (not to be confused with the phone of champions) clearly takes a page out of Motorola's book, though, by gearing up with plenty of rubber bits, so even if it ends up not being particularly rugged, it'll certainly look the part. It also features a media player, camera, Bluetooth, and support for some sort of "chat and dating" service (seriously, look it up in the manual!) so we have some hope that adding some manufacturers to the Direct Connect ranks is going to spice things up a bit. No word yet on when this one might launch.[Via Phone Scoop]
New Helio hardware in the pipeline from Samsung?
Your interpretation of the Google translation is just as valid as ours, but we're getting that Samsung has entered an agreement with SK Telecom (one of Helio's parents, the other being Earthlink) to provide at least one handset to the MVNO's stable in the October timeframe. No real deets on the device itself, though this pictured Z400 "phone of champions" may be the culprit. Anything is an upgrade from the Hero, although the Z400 lacks the Kickflip's style; at any rate, if Helio wants to save itself, we're hoping Bluetooth finds its way into the mix this time around.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
