Kyocera Rise coming to Sprint and Virgin Mobile with QWERTY keyboard and Android 4.0

Kyocera Rise

Kyocera Rise

Sprint and Virgin Mobile today announced the Kyocera Rise, an Android 4.0 smartphone set to launch on both networks. Sprint will begin selling the phone on Sunday, August 19 for $19.99 after mail-in rebate. Virgin Mobile will offer the Rise for $99 without a contract beginning August 31.

The Kyocera Rise is an entry-level smartphone targeting Sprint and Virgin's budget-conscious customers. The device features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, and a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (MSM8655).

Sprint requires an Everything Data Plan when activating the Kyocera Rise. Virgin Mobile customers can choose from its Beyond Talk plans that range from $35 to $55 per month, depending on how many voice minutes the user pairs with unlimited data and messaging.

Here are a few key specs from the Rise:

- Google Play with access to hundreds of thousands of apps
- 1GHz MSM8655 Qualcomm Snapdragon processor for fast access to apps and web surfing
- 3.2-megapixel camera with an LED flash and 30 frame-per-second camcorder
- Kyocera's "Eco Mode" software to better monitor and conserve battery power
- microSD memory card support up to 32GB
- Dedicated capacitive menu button for easy access to application-specific features
- Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize Android smartphones with apps, widgets, wallpapers, ringtones and more

In addition to Sprint's nationwide 3G network, the Kyocera Rise connects over Wi-Fi (b/g/n) networks, supports Stereo Bluetooth (2.1 + EDR) wireless technology, and includes a high-speed USB 2.0 port.