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Sprint, which has been pushing Android products at a speedy rate of late, will begin selling the HTC Evo 3D smartphone and HTC Evo View 4G tablet June 24.
Sprint, which recently launched the Kyocera Echo and Samsung Nexus S 4G Android smartphones, is selling the Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” handset for $199.99 with a two-year contract. Also launching with Gingerbread, the 7-inch Evo View 4G tablet will cost $399.99 with a two-year data deal.
The Evo 3D 4G sports a 4.3-inch, quarter high-definition display that lets users capture and view content at 4G speeds and in 3D without requiring special 3D glasses.
The handset, which drew rave reviews at the CTIA show where it was introduced in March, is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor. The handset also has a 1.3-megapixel camera and dual 5-megapixel cameras-one 2D, one 3D-to take regular and 3D pictures.
The phone requires activation on one of Sprint’s Everything Data plans, which start at $69.99 a month, plus a required $10 premium data charge for smartphones. Consumers may opt for the mobile hotspot option for an additional $29.99 per month to connect up to eight WiFi-enabled devices via the phone.
Sprint Premier customers can purchase the Evo 3D online three days before the national launch while supplies last. Qualifying customers will receive an email on June 21, or they can log on to their account at www.sprint.com on June 21, click “show me my rewards” and then “Sprint Premier Community” for more information.
The Evo View 4G, meanwhile, is more or less the HTC Flyer tablet the company unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February.
Fitted with a 1,024-by-600 resolution display, the tablet is powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and sports a 1.3MP front and 5MP rear camera, along with the latest HTC Sense user interface.
The Evo View is something of a tweener tablet. While most Android tablets today are launching with the tablet-tailored Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” build, this slate will launch with Gingerbread. However, Sprint said it will be updated over the air to Honeycomb when it is available for a 7-inch gadget form factor.
That explains the $399.99 base price at a time when native Honeycomb tablets cost $499 to $799. The View also has 32GB of memory to store movies, photos and apps, and a 4,000-mAh lithium-polymer battery.
Rate plans for the HTC Evo View start at $34.99 per month for 3GB of 3G data and unlimited 4G data usage on the Sprint WiMax network. Unlimited text, picture and video messaging are included at no charge. Consumers may purchase 3G-only plans if they wish.
Consumers may add GPS Navigation for $2.99 per day or $10 per month. As with the Evo 3D, the mobile hotspot option is available for $29.99 per month.
For a limited time, customers who purchase the Evo View 4G will receive the HTC Scribe digital pen at no charge with a two-year service agreement. That pen, which typically costs $79.99, allows users to write, navigate and interact with their tablet. Notes and annotations may also be instantly saved to a user’s Evernote account.
Customers can preorder HTC Evo 3D or HTC Evo View 4G at any participating Sprint store with the purchase of a $50 Sprint gift card for each device. Sprint stores will open at 8 a.m. local time nationwide June 24.