Sprint Launches the Kyocera Echo - Nation's 1st Dual-Touchscreen Smartphone
April 18, 2011 10:00 AM | Kyocera | Smartphone | Sprint Nextel | Comments (0)
Kyocera Echo, the nation’s first dual-touchscreen smartphone, launched today in all Sprint retail channels, including the Web and Telesales (1-800-Sprint1). Sprint and Kyocera Communications Inc. announced today’s launch of the innovative Android device, available for $199.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade.* Featuring two high-resolution 3.5-inch WVGA touchscreen displays connected by a durable, patent-pending Super Copper Alloy “pivot hinge,” Kyocera Echo allows users to use both displays independently, side-by-side or combined to form a tablet-like experience with 800 x 960 pixels in a 4.7-inch (diagonal) display. The device also folds up easily into a pocket-friendly single-screen configuration. A complete look at Echo’s unique features and functionality is available at www.echobykyocera.com or www.sprint.com/echo. |  |
“We’re a multitasking society, always looking for more information and easier ways to do things in our mobile lifestyles,” said Yasuhiro Ohishi, president at Kyocera Communications Inc. “We’ve heard tremendous feedback from people who’ve had the chance to experience the device, something we highly encourage consumers to do at any Sprint store. Because it’s so unique and a new experience for Android users, it’s helpful to experience it firsthand.
“The mobile and computer worlds often build on each other – we looked to ways in which consumers use their computers when developing Kyocera Echo since smartphones are essentially used as mini PCs every day. Drawing from these cues, Echo brings a new level of functionality to the Android smartphone.”
The Reviews Are In…
With an 8 out of 10 rating for Echo, Engadget commended Kyocera for its execution: “What the Echo delivers is an entirely new approach to Android, and … Kyocera has managed to add a second screen to the experience without flubbing the execution. The screens themselves were sharp…thanks to Tablet Mode Extension app, even everyday titles like TweetDeck and Facebook were given new life.”
“In a world filled with interchangeable Android phones, the Kyocera Echo truly stands out,” touts LAPTOP Magazine, which rated the device 4 out of 5 stars and tweeted “Kyocera Echo lives up to the hype.”
Kyocera Android Developer Program Expands
The Kyocera Android Developer Program, supporting development of dual-screen-compatible apps for Echo, continues to expand. Users can go to www.echobykyocera.com and find direct links to many of the growing universe of compatible apps.+ Several developers are planning to offer special promotions for their compatible applications, which will be featured on the site and highlighted at www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones.
Operating on the Android 2.2 operating system, Kyocera Echo gives users access to more than 150,000 apps in Android Market. The device utilizes Sprint’s nationwide 3G network and Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g); is Wi-Fi hotspot capable, supporting up to five devices; features a 5 megapixel camera with flash, autofocus and digital zoom plus 720 HD camcorder; supports corporate (Exchange ActiveSync) and personal (POP & IMAP) email, IM (Google Talk), and text messaging; and has 1 GB of onboard memory with an 8GB microSD card for the external memory card slot, which supports cards up to 32GB. A complete look at Echo’s unique features and functionality is available at www.echobykyocera.com.
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