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Where you at? Sprint Direct Connect Now brings push-to-talk to select Android devices
Sprint announced on Wednesday the availability of its new Direct Connect Now Android app, which brings push-to-talk capabilities to the Kyocera Rise and LG Optimus Elite with support for other devices "coming soon." Compatible with both Nextel and Sprint Direct Connect devices, this free app features group calls for up to 21 people, touchscreen controls, call alert notifications and contact synchronization. While we appreciate this advancement in push-to-talk communication, we can't help but shed a tear reminiscing about the good old days of Boost Mobile's "where you at?" campaign. Please join us as we pour one out and celebrate faded memories of the chirp.
Kyocera Rise arrives on Virgin Mobile with ICS, 3.5-inch display and slide-out QWERTY keys
Just as we'd heard, today's the day that budget-minded (and not-so-shy) Kyocera Rise hits the Virgin Mobile USA shelves. Available now for a mere $100 -- without any contracts, of course -- this 3.5-inch, Ice Cream Sandwich device boasts some pretty run-of-the-mill features, including an HVGA, 480 x 320 LCD, a single-core, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 2GB of built-in storage which can be expanded to 32GB via microSD and, as you can see above, a full-on, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Naturally, Virgin Mobile's betting on folks to bundle the cheap handset with one of its unlimited data plans -- not to mention Kyocera's handset is yet another addition to the prepaid carrier's rising smartphone lineup. Those interested can give the Rise a better look down below, where a nice gallery filled with charming press shots awaits. %Gallery-164061%
Kyocera Rise coming to Sprint August 19th for $20, Virgin Mobile to follow on August 31st for $100
Kyocera announced the QWERTY-packing Rise at this year's CTIA without mention of any carrier support. Regardless, we had a feeling it would eventually end up on Sprint, given the lengthy partnership the two companies have enjoyed -- not to mention a few leaks. Indeed, we got official word this morning that the Kyocera Rise will be available on Sprint August 19th for $20 (after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year commitment), with Virgin Mobile following up with a prepaid version on August 31st. The non-contract price? $100. That thirty-dollar difference makes for an incredibly tough sell when a contract is attached. For the forgetful Freds out there, the Rise features Android 4.0, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon S2 processor, a 3.2MP camera and a 1,500mAh battery that claims 8.5 hours of talk time. Check out more details in the press release after the break.
Kyocera Rise linked to Sprint and Virgin Mobile in leak, clue vanishes in a hot minute
Kyocera has already committed to launching the Hydro with Boost Mobile next month, but the Rise is still the bridesmaid, and not a bride -- at least, not until a blink-and-you'll-miss-it leak that emerged this weekend. A Twitter update by EV leaks has the Android 4.0 QWERTY slider attached to Sprint and Virgin Mobile, with a press photo of the Sprint version as evidence. Unfortunately, that's about all we'll get to see in the near future: the post and the whole account ceased to exist not long after they first appeared, which makes permanent proof a little hard to come by other than through an Unwired View recap. Still, we already know the Rise is destined for CDMA providers in the US, and Sprint's longstanding partnership with Kyocera makes the Rise an obvious candidate as the carrier's next on-the-cheap messaging device -- the image may just give our hunches some meaning.
Samsung Jasper for Verizon leaks on Twitter, dual-core Snapdragon and ICS in tow
Such is the natural order of things. First the blurrycam, then the FCC sighting (albeit the Sprint version) and if you're lucky, a final juicy leak. This is the story of the Samsung Jasper for Verizon. Details of the mid-range chin-heavy phone just showed up on Twitter, and claim the device will have a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon MSM8960 processor, a mediocre 800 x 480 display and Android 4.0. The skinning looks lighter than some other Samsung attempts, and the buttons along the bottom are also a deviation from other recent big hitters. While the DNA all seems a bit familiar, it seems Verizon will finally have a version to call its own.
Kyocera Rise ascends to heights of FCC acceptance
Kyocera and the FCC have become buddies lately. A couple weeks ago the waterproof Hydro got the go-ahead for United States use, and today we witnessed its brother, the QWERTY slider known as the Rise, make it through the government's hallowed halls. While it doesn't give us any information as to the phone's destination or any additional specs, we at least know it's one step closer to possibly getting some play time on a CDMA carrier's shelves. As a refresher, the Rise (also known as the C5155) features a Qualcomm MSM8655 SoC with a 1GHz CPU, a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 IPS LCD panel, a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash and a 1,500 mAh battery. Oh, and a lightly-skinned version of Android 4.0. Hopefully we'll see this show up on a prepaid lineup near you sometime this summer, but we'll keep you posted as we hear more.
Kyocera Rise hands-on (video)
Kyocera is looking to regain a foothold in the US smartphone market, and curiously enough, it's doing so by catering to niche audiences. First we saw the Hydro, a waterproof handset, and alongside it is the Rise, which features a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Both phones are built for CDMA networks, although Kyocera has yet to announce carrier availability for either. We wouldn't be surprised in the least to see it going to Sprint or any of its prepaid brands, but this is just speculation for now. Spec-wise, the Rise is very similar to the Hydro, and this extends to the OS. In our brief time with the phone, we were treated to a largely vanilla interpretation of Ice Cream Sandwich, which makes the Rise a bit of a rare breed in the QWERTY world -- hopefully its future carrier doesn't dictate huge alterations. The phone features a Qualcomm MSM8655 SoC with a 1GHz CPU, a 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 IPS LCD display, a 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash and a 1,500 mAh battery. When compared to other QWERTY sliders, the handset itself is rather compact and fit nicely in our hand. We were similarly quite fond of the sliding mechanism on the Rise, which felt natural and provided just enough resistance. The four-row keyboard is altogether forgettable, but it should serve those who insist upon physical keys just fine. Our biggest gripe about the Rise, however, is its low-res display, which seems like quite a misstep -- even for a budget device. In terms of storage, you'll find 512MB of RAM, 2GB built-in and a 2GB microSD card. The Rise also features 802.11n (WiFi), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and EV-DO Rev. A. It's safe to say that Kyocera is targeting budget audiences with the Rise, but the strategy may work to its advantage if other carriers fail to keep their QWERTY sliders up-to-date with the latest version of Android. No pricing was announced at the show, but we imagine it will be strongly tied to whichever carriers choose to sell it. You'll find our hands-on video after the break.
