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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.
Sprint's Motorola Admiral quietly displayed on YouTube as America watches dancing cats
It may not have quite as many views as Admiral Ackbar, but a chieftan of Sprint's CDMA-based Direct Connect service was officially outed by the carrier via YouTube earlier. Our device in question, the Motorola Admiral, has now been given a speedy lookover despite the fact that the company hasn't even seen fit to acknowledge its existence otherwise. 'Course, we don't imagine this was accidental in the slightest -- the video of the rugged Android device has been up for several hours without getting pulled -- but it's still a curious way to introduce one of the first phones featuring a brand new service. Regardless, we now have the clearest shots of the portrait QWERTY smartphone that we've seen yet; the two-and-a-half minute teaser didn't list off a lot of specs, but it did confirm the handset's 3.1-inch display and five megapixel camera with LED flash. That should count for something, right? Still, it likely won't be long before we get a real announcement with the full rundown, so just keep yourself entertained by watching the "related videos" section in the meantime. Check out the vid after the break.
Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint on July 24th for $149, still stubbornly rocking Eclair
When Motorola took the wraps off it's rugged Titanium in May it left out a pair of pretty crucial details -- namely price and release date. Thankfully, our friends over at Sprintfeed scored some details and it looks like the "Sturdy and QWERTY" Android handset will be landing on July 24th for $150. Otherwise there's nothing new to report, you're still getting the same military-grade resistance to the elements, support for Nextel Direct Connect, and five megapixel camera. Sadly, it's also still shipping with Eclair leaving this Moto a solid two generations behind the current crop of Google phones. Still, if you need a smartphone with a physical keyboard that can withstand some serious abuse there aren't too many other options out there. Update: We just received the image as well from an anonymous source -- looks legit! [Thanks, Jon]
Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium
It took 'em long enough, but it seems as if The Now Network has managed to snap up Motorola's Droid Pro... just seven months after Verizon Wireless did so. For whatever reason, Sprint's dubbing its version the XPRT, with the same 3.1-inch HVGA touchpanel, full QWERTY keyboard, 1GHz CPU and Android 2.2 loaded. It'll go for $129.99 on a two-year contract starting June 5th, but giving that the Pro hit the bargain bin long ago, we're having a hard time believing anyone will pony up for Sprint's iteration. Moving right along, the Titanium gets off on the wrong foot by shipping with Android 2.1, and while it's hailed as the first iDEN device to combine Nextel Direct Connect and Eclair, the G'zOne Commando has somehow managed to show its brawn while stepping up to v2.2. For those interested nonetheless, there's a 3.1-inch touchscreen and a chassis that's built to MIL-SPEC 810G for dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature. She's unpriced for the moment, but the full release can be found just after the break. %Gallery-122877%
Motorola i856 Debut now available on Nextel
Perhaps recognizing that the average Boost customer is more interested in the latest, greatest trendy handsets than the average Nextel customer (read: construction worker with a penchant for putting mil-spec certifications to the test), Sprint has launched a couple recent groundbreaking models -- the Clutch, Moto's first QWERTY iDEN device and the Debut, its first slider -- on Boost first before bringing them over to the big daddy. Don't fret, though, Nextel subscribers, because the i856 Debut is now available to you, bringing that crazy red / black color combo, integrated music player, and network-first slider form factor to a more grown-up audience. It's available now in all sales channels for $99.99 with a $50 rebate on contract.
Sanyo's Pro-200 and Pro-700 Direct Connect handsets get official
Fresh out of the FCC's lair comes a new pair of QChat-enabled mobiles ready to launch on Sprint: Sanyo's Pro-200 and Pro-700. Unsurprisingly getting official at CTIA, the pair of Nextel Direct Connect devices can handle all the hot PTT action you could ask for, and while the Pro-200 (shown above) checks in with Bluetooth, messaging capabilities and mobile e-mail, the beefier brother (pictured after the jump) touts a ruggedized shell "certified to military standards for dust, shock and vibration." Curiously, the duo is only expected to go on sale in "limited markets" this month, with availability popping up elsewhere in due time; those eager to get their chirp on can plan on dropping $49.99 / $69.99 on contract, respectively.[Thanks, Colton]
Sprint to preserve Nextel Direct Connect branding for PTT
Though Nextel may be long since assimilated as a company, parts of its branding look to live on thanks to an official announcement from Sprint today. As prior reports suggested, the carrier is reporting that push-to-talk services will continue to carry the treasured "Nextel Direct Connect" branding that has largely represented enterprise PTT service in the US for ages (14 years, to be exact). Furthermore, Nextel Direct Connect will be used "regardless of network platform," indicating that the name will be used even as Sprint works to transition the bulk of its PTT services from iDEN to CDMA. Speaking of CDMA, Sprint is using the same press release to tout a plethora of new Direct Connect devices in the pipe for 2008, spanning the range from "rugged phones that meet the rigors of military specifications to sleek new flip phones" -- and get this, they'll come from "Sprint's leading manufacturers," suggesting that Motorola is going to lose its stranglehold on the service. The more, the merrier, we say!
Sprint to effectively kill Nextel brand
In a seemingly inevitable move, Sprint has decided to drop the Nextel brand from its marketing messaging, corporate logo and just about everything else as of July 1st (but keeping Boost Mobile, yes?). Just a few days after AT&T intros the iPhone to waiting masses, Sprint's marketing will reinvent itself with a focus on data speeds (of all things) as the key differentiator for its network while at the same time, the Nextel branding will fade into oblivion. Sprint plans to keep it on life support, though, for customers still wanting to inquire about Direct Connect (walkie talkie) and other Nextel-specific services. Other than that, bye-bye Nextel. It was great knowin' ya.[Via mocoNews]
