Live from Sprint's 'Industry First' event with Dan Hesse and... David Blaine

We're not exactly sure what kind of rabbit Sprint CEO Dan Hesse is planning to pull out of his hat here in New York tonight, but Sprint says it'll be an "industry first" and David Blaine is scheduled to appear, so we're definitely curious -- and hey, snacks. So what's it going to be? Unlimited multi-device data plans? That dualscreen Kyocera Echo which leaked a bit last night? David Blaine revealing Dan Hesse is actually a murderous robot from the future? We'll find out when things kick off at 6PM ET.

6:47PM And that's it! Make sure you go and check out our Echo hands-on -- it's definitely a unique device.

6:47PM We're heading for the future! With... expanded maps!

6:47PM More bumping jams. Expand your horizons, guys!

6:46PM And we're closing with a video!

6:46PM "Most people who simultask are a little hyper, so we might also call it hypertasking." Oh boy.

6:45PM "Some people are going to be heavier in tablet usage, so we're including a charger with a separate battery." Really cool -- the charger has a second battery in it that you can swap in, or you can just use the charger as a battery pack.

6:43PM Fared is not very good at the Sims, is what we're learning here.

6:43PM Sprint and Kyocera will be releasing APIs so other developers can take advantage of the two screens.

6:42PM Loading up an optimized version of the Sims now -- the bottom screen is the controls, while the top screen shows the Sim. Looks really interesting.

6:41PM You can enlarge the browser to full screen, or run a different browser instance for each screen, to load, say, Twitter and Facebook. "That's not David Blaine, but that's not bad."

6:39PM He's got texting on the top and he's checking his email while waiting for a text. Nifty. A button in the task manager lets you switch app positions.

6:38PM Showing off some "simultasking" now -- he's launching email and then touching both screens at once to bring up the dual-screen task manager. There are seven bundled apps that can be run in the simultasking mode -- you pick them using the manager.

6:37PM Demoing an app called YouQueue -- you can watch YouTube videos on the top screen while queuing up others on the bottom screen.

6:35PM Playing a video in the gallery app while he sorts more videos on the bottom.

6:34PM Opening the picture gallery -- displaying a picture on the top screen while he sorts and selects them on the bottom.

6:34PM David: You're kind of stealing from the PC industry, here, with how we've designed this.

6:33PM Showing off the email client -- one screen is a preview pane and the other shows the message. Works in both landscape and portrait.

6:32PM Showing off the Echo in tablet mode -- he's swiping through the homescreens as though it's one big screen.

6:31PM "We wanted to start with the roots of a phone and make sure you could carry it around in your pocket or purse. A lot of devices are caught in this middle ground -- we didn't want to make a MID or anything like that."

6:30PM 3.5-inch WVGA LCD displays.

6:30PM Showing off the Echo in single screen mode -- looks like a regular phone, runs Android 2.2. Showing off the hinge -- you can put it in a tilted "laptop" mode. Six pending patents on the hinge.

6:29PM Fared: A lot of people have referred to multitasking, but on a phone it's about switching from one app to another. But we didn't want to do that -- we created a new term, called "simultasking."

6:28PM David: What was the rationale for building a dual-screen product?
Fared: When you look at the computer industry or television, a lot of people are doing a lot of things at the same time.

6:27PM And they're off the stage -- Sprint product chiefs Fared Adib and David Owens are out to demo the Echo.

6:26PM More insanely loud music is playing, while we pause for a photo opp.

6:25PM "I'm confident you will enjoy and love the Echo."

6:25PM He's big-upping Sprint. "We are very proud to reintroduce the Kyrocera brand to Sprint customers with this iconic device."

6:24PM Kyocera's CEO is speaking now. "I wish David Blaine would make me about six inches taller."

6:23PM "The Echo is a key device milestone in Sprint's history."

6:22PM Echo is a Sprint exclusive, available this spring for $189.

6:22PM A full 4.7-inch viewing area when combined, a third larger than 4-inch screens.

6:22PM The first dual touchscreen Android phone -- the Echo. You can do two things at once, or use them as one big screen. "It's almost like a tiny tablet, but you can put it into almost any pocket."

6:21PM Dan Hesse just said "extreme multitasking can be magical."

6:20PM Whoa! The Echo just flipped and folded open to reveal dual screens.

6:20PM A giant Kyocera phone is being wheeled out on stage -- it's clearly the leaked Echo.

6:19PM Incredibly aggressive guitar jams are playing now -- we're now permitted to take photos again. Sprint is "making the impossible possible."

6:18PM And with the appearance of many more fish, he's done! And that was David Blaine, everyone.

6:17PM He's waving around a cloth? It's hard to say. There are ocean noises now.

6:15PM We wonder how many ordinary men would have died by now? It seems like quite a few.

6:14PM He's going to pour some wine now. Underwater. He's pouring wine underwater.

6:14PM He's blowing fake smoke from his cigar. It's neat.

6:13PM He's trying to light a cigar. Dude, you're underwater! But then... magic! The magic of red and orange LEDs.

6:12PM He just opened a book and several more fish escaped.

6:11PM He just let a fish out of his month. A woman yelled "a fish!" That's what's happening here.

6:10PM Shocking news: Blaine is in the tank! He is wearing a suite, and not doing very much. We are literally sitting around, watching a man in a suit sit underwater.

6:10PM Here we go! "It defies everything you know about reality." A tank of 10,000 gallons of water is on stage. Apparently it can drown "up to 8 ordinary men."

6:09PM We were just told security would be closely monitoring people who dare to take photos of David Blaine. This is serious.

6:07PM Two minutes until Blaine time! We are ready. Ready for magic.

6:04PM And we're starting!... in five minutes. Audible sighs from the crowd.

5:57PM They're telling us we'll be underway in 10 minutes. We will continue to study foam preparation.

5:55PM It appears Sprint also wants us to stay for dinner -- the station behind us is prepping to serve braised short ribs with truffle potato foam, slow-cooked lamb shank with marscapone foam, and pulled BBQ pork with cheese foam. Let's hope David Blaine likes foams!

5:50PM Word on the street is that we're not allowed to take photos of David Blaine's segment -- likely because he cannot be adequately captured by human imaging technology.

5:48PM We're here, and in our... booth? Sprint's set this up like a club, not a regular presentation. There are tall cocktail tables and couches, and waiters are handing out drinks and appetizers. Whatever happens here, it's going to happen in style.