Category Archives: Kyocera

Sprint Announces Android 2.3 Kyocera Milano, Priced at $49 and Launching September 9th

Posted by on September 8, 2011 6 comments

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Sprint today introduced a new low-end offering from Kyocera, the Android 2.3 Kyocera Milano. The pint-sized handset rides the line between messaging feature phone and full-fledged Android smartphone.

It features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3-inch display, and 512MB of onboard memory. It also gets the Sprint ID treatment for device personalization. The handset can be switched to ‘Eco Mode’ to better manage device battery life. The Milano will be available for $49.99 when it launches tomorrow, September 9th. Read on for full press details.

 Sprint and Kyocera Launch Two Family-Friendly Phones
in Time for Back-to-School

Kyocera Milano brings QWERTY keypad and Sprint ID customization to heavy texters and first-time Android users; With a comfortable candy-bar form factor, Kyocera Brio offers Sprint customers a simple way to stay connected

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and SAN DIEGO - Sept. 8, 2011 - Sprint (NYSE: S) and Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI), provider of Kyocera and Sanyo-branded wireless phones in the Americas, today announced the launch of two devices in their lineup, Kyocera Milano and Kyocera Brio. Ideal for heavy texters and Android newbies, Kyocera Milano is an entry-level "QWERTY plus touchscreen" smartphone running Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread, and featuring Sprint ID. Kyocera Brio offers a simple way for users to stay connected with friends and family without all of the bells and whistles.

Both devices launch September 9 in all Sprint retail channels, including web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1). Kyocera Milano will be priced at $49.99 (excluding taxes) and Kyocera Brio will be available for free (excluding taxes); both with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1.

"At Sprint, we strive to offer an ideal wireless device for every customer’s needs, including those who prefer simplicity without sacrificing style or substance," said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. "The Kyocera Milano bridges the gap from feature phone to Android smartphone, making it ideal for those just starting to make the switch. Kyocera Brio focuses on a truly effortless wireless experience."

With a distinctive rounded shape and soft-touch finish, Kyocera Milano has a low profile that makes it easy to hold and slide into a pocket. The phone’s slide-out QWERTY keyboard enables accurate tactile input for text messages and emails. Its touchscreen is augmented by Swype®, which provides a faster and easier way to enter text on any screen when used with the device’s virtual keyboard. One continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard is all it takes to enter words using Swype. The patented technology enables users to enter words faster and easier than other data input methods, at up to 40 words per minute.

"The touchscreen experience on smartphones is extremely popular, especially when optimized with an app like Swype, but many smartphone users are still looking for the familiar tactile experience of a full QWERTY keyboard," said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of sales and marketing at KCI. "Kyocera Milano delivers an easy-to-use, customizable Android experience with multiple keyboard options in a compact package for less than $50. It’s ideal for those making the leap to Android but not wanting to give up their QWERTY keyboards."

Kyocera Milano’s ‘Eco Mode’ is a proprietary preloaded power-management application from Kyocera that helps users manage battery life on their devices. User can pre-set a point (based on percentage of battery charge remaining) at which their phones will go into low-power-consumption mode by automatically adjusting various phone functions like screen timeout and brightness. Additional key features on Kyocera Milano include:
Sprint ID, which helps users cut through the clutter of Android Market’s 250,000 apps, allowing them to select from a variety of ID packs that feature apps, ringers, wallpapers, widgets and more downloaded onto their device with a couple simple clicks. Available ID packs include E!,  MTV Music ID, Green and NASCAR
3.2MP camera with camcorder
512MB onboard memory
2GB microSD™ memory card included (and supports up to 32GB)
Wi-Fi hotspot capability2, supporting up to five devices
Google™ Mobile Services
Full Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync® support
Sprint Zone™ for one-stop access to account information, phone tips, news and more

Kyocera Milano requires activation on one of the Sprint Everything Data plans plus a required $10 Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $69.99 per month plus required $10 Premium Data add-on charge (pricing excludes taxes and surcharges) - a savings of $40 per month vs. Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month vs. Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web. The Mobile Hotspot option is available for an additional $29.99 per month and supports up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously (pricing excludes taxes and surcharges).

Sprint Playbook Reveals New Devices, Fees and Programs – Outs HTC Holiday Launch Date?

Posted by on September 1, 2011 No comments

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Looks like “Change is the name of the game” for Sprint moving forward and with that comes a handful of policy changes and fee increases. In an effort to keep customers from walking away onto rival carriers, Sprint is attempting to make it less attractive for those trying to get out of their contracts early. Yesterday, we reported on the rumored increase of Early Termination Fees that will only be affecting new customers starting September 9th and this latest leak confirms that. Gone is the old $200 ETF which will now be replaced by the $350 penalty for breaking your contract early. Keep in mind, Sprint will still prorate your ETF by shrinking the penalty the closer you get to the end of your term.

I don’t see a problem with Sprint trying to protect themselves when it comes to ETF’s but this new increase on their “Upgrade Fees” definitely raised my eyebrow. Effective Sept. 9th, Sprint will also be increasing their “Upgrade Fees” from $18 to $36. What’s strange is I’m pretty sure I was already being charged this here in Cali (not sure if it was different in other regions?). Upgrade fee’s are usually pretty easily waived if you buy from certain retailers, sweet talk a Sprint rep or buy your device on Sprint.com.

 

Starting October 2nd, Sprint will be eliminating their 1-year contract option from their list of plans they currently offer. I honestly didn’t even know they offered 1-year plans being a 2-year subscriber myself. Switching to this “Sprint Rewards Me PLUS” program, this is specifically for Sprint employees and doesn’t have anything to do with Sprint customers (I knew it sounded too good to be true). Bummer. Thanks, _epic!

Moving on, it looks like Sprint is anticipating a September launch for the upcoming HTC Holiday (Raider). I don’t imagine they have any kind of inside info on the device and more than likely, they’ve just been keeping up to date on Phandroid with all the rumors and leaks. So, I would take this with a grain of salt.

Last but not least, (okay — maybe least) is the next Android handset from Kyocera dubbed the Milano. This device will fit snugly into Sprint’s line of mid-range devices featuring a single 3-inch screen, Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, 512MB of RAM/ROM and a cheap $50 price tag.

Alright, so that just about sums it up for “the new Sprint.” We’ve seen gobs of new plans, fees and policies from just about every other carrier this year and it seems Sprint will be no different. Any of the news here make you wary about jumping onto Sprint this year? Pound for pound, I still feel like Sprint is the best option when it comes to pricing, premium handsets and service (if you have it in your area). But make no mistake — with all these new changes, I’m keeping a close eye on you, Sprint…

[Via AndroidCentral]

Sprint Drops The Price On Epic 4G, Nexus S 4G and Echo

Posted by on August 19, 2011 No comments

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Looks like Sprint flew under our radar and dropped the price yesterday on some of their “old school” Android lineup. If you’re a new customer you can now sign up for a 2-year agreement and snag yourself a Samsung EPIC 4G for $100, Nexus S for $50 ($30 online), and the Kyocera Echo for free. Don’t forget, the girls — they love the Android (pictured above).

I’d have to say, all of these are pretty solid Android devices (yes, even the Echo). Lets see if Sprint can’t clear out some of their stock with these now extremely affordable handsets. Usually we see price drops from Sprint when they’re getting prepared to release something new — something you may need a tiny little telescope to see…

[Via BriefMobile]

Kyocera Giving Away 10,000 Copies of Android’s Greatest Gaming Apps

Posted by on August 16, 2011 No comments

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In what seems like more of a “thank you” gift than an attempt at bolstering sales, Kyocera announced today that they would be giving away same of the hottest games in the Android Market for users of their wildly popular dual-screened Echo handset on Sprint. This is part of their “Summer of Free Apps” campaign in which the Kyocera will pay for the first 10,000 downloads for a handful of titles including: Burn the Rope, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Monkey Ball?, Colours, Coropata, Crazy Dunker, Cupig, Induced Current, SmackTalk!, Space Wander Landing, Sudoku Master? and Transporter.

All these games can be found in the “Top Apps” shortcut in the Echo’s Android Market. Better hurry before the 10,000 copies run out! Hey, HTC. Where are my free games?

[Via Electronista]

 

Kyocera Giving Away 10,000 Copies of Android’s Greatest Gaming Apps

Posted by on August 16, 2011 No comments

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In what seems like more of a “thank you” gift that an attempt at boosting sales, Kyocera announced today that they would be giving away same of the hottest games in the Android Market for users of their wildly popular dual-screened Echo handset on Sprint. This is part of their “Summer of Free Apps” campaign in which the Kyocera will pay for the first 10,000 downloads for a handful of titles including: Burn the Rope, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Monkey Ball?, Colours, Coropata, Crazy Dunker, Cupig, Induced Current, SmackTalk!, Space Wander Landing, Sudoku Master? and Transporter.

All these games can be found in the “Top Apps” shortcut in the Echo’s Android Market. Better hurry before the 10,000 copies run out! Hey, HTC. Where are my free games?

[Via Electronista]

 

Kyocera Echo’s Gingerbread Update Now Rolling Out

Posted by on August 10, 2011 No comments

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Due to bugs (and not so much due to a very misleading changelog), Kyocera had to delay the Gingerbread update for their dual-screen Android on Sprint. Whatever issues were still lingering around must be fixed up now, though, because it’s just about ready to pop out of the oven. Changes are the same as before – save for NFC and WiFi calling, of course.

[UPDATE 2, 2:02PM CDT 8/10: Sprint will restart the Gingerbread update to Kyocera Echo users beginning today (August 10). In an effort to provide the best possible customer experience, Kyocera and Sprint have addressed a previous issue with the update raised last week. The Gingerbread update will provide Kyocera Echo users with performance enhancements including faster response, improved power management, enhancements for gaming, and more. See below for full list of new features and enhancements.]

[Thanks Anthony!]

Android 2.3.4 upgrade (Gingerbread) features:

  • An upgrade to the Swype 3.0 virtual keypad, with Tap Correction and Horizontal Word Choice List (predictive text)
  • An improved Downloads application, offering easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email or another application
  • Pinch-to-zoom in Browser, Gallery, Maps, & Sprint Navigation

Eco Mode
A customized app from Kyocera that helps users manage battery life on their devices. User can pre-set a point (Based on percentage of battery charge remaining) at which their phones will go into low-power-consumption mode. When in Eco Mode, Echo automatically will change various settings – chosen by the user – to conserve power, including Screen Timeout, Display Brightness, Wallpaper, Auto-Sync, Haptic Feedback and Auto-Rotate Screen.*

[Update] Kyocera Echo Gingerbread Update Said to Bring… NFC Capabilities?

Posted by on August 1, 2011 No comments

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[Update 2]: And now the Gingerbread update is rolling out. Check for it over the air.

[Update]: Looks like it was a mistake after all, but the possibility doesn’t completely dissipate. A Kyocera representative told BriefMobile that both the WiFi calling and NFC support features were listed by mistake. Android 2.3.4 listing apparently went up too early and the inaccurate information was left in. They did, however, say that that they were working on these features in experimental form, meaning there very well still could be an NFC chip inside the Echo. I guess we won’t know until Kyocera feels it’s no longer “experimental”. [Brief]

Whoa, color me surprised. An impending Gingerbread upgrade for Sprint’s Kyocero Echo is said to be bringing with it a couple of big features. One of them is WiFi calling, something we didn’t see coming from Sprint or Kyocera. That pales in comparison to what’s said to be coming next, though – NFC support.

The Kyocera Echo was announced and launched with nary a word about any near-field communication chip inside, so it’s surprising to see Kyocera list this as a feature of the forthcoming update. We can see where Sprint and Kyocera might have wanted to keep this feature a secret.

As you might know, NFC support didn’t make its way to Android until the advent of Android 2.3. If Sprint and Kyocera were to advertise the feature before they were able and ready to enable it, they would cause a lot of consumer confusion and no one wanted to deal with that.

It makes us wonder if the chip is inside any of Sprint’s newer phones, and if it is, why it hasn’t been enabled. For now, the Kyocera Echo is believed to be the second phone on Sprint’s carrier with this sort of functionality if Kyocera hasn’t made a mistake in their error. Let’s look forward to it coming sometime soon. A full list of features are below. [Engadget]

Android 2.3.4 upgrade (Gingerbread) features:

  • An upgrade to the Sype 3.0 virtual keypad, with Tap Correction and Horizontal Word Choice List (predictive text)
  • An improved Downloads application, offering easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email or another application
  • Pinch-to-zoom in Browser, Gallery, Maps, & Sprint Navigation
  • Internet calling over Wi-Fi
  • A Near Filed Communications (NFC) Reader to interact with posters, advertisements, products, etc.

Echo Mode
A customized app from Kyocera that helps users manage battery life on their devices. User can pre-set a point (Based on percentage of battery charge remaining) at which their phones will go into low-power-consumption mode. When in Eco Mode, Echo automatically will change various settings – chosen by the user – to conserve power, including Screen Timeout, Display Brightness, Wallpaper, Auto-Sync, Hpatic Feedback and Auto-Rotate Screen.*