Sprint Announces Ultra-Rugged Android Smartphone

U.S. carrier Sprint has announced an ultra-rugged Android smartphone in the form of the Kyocera Torque. The Kyocera Torque sports a 4-inch WVGA screen and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core Qualcomm MSM8960 processor, as well as 1 GB of RAM.

4G LTE connectivity is also included, as is a 5-megapixel camera, NFC, 4 GB of internal storage (which can be expanded up to 32 GB via a microSD slot), and a 2,500mAh battery. It'll run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The company has also made efforts to ensure the phone can stand up to some every day wear and tear.
"Anyone will quickly appreciate the durability of this smartphone, whether you work in rugged environments or just enjoy outdoor activities," said David Owens, vice president of Product Development.
"It seems like everyone I talk to has damaged a phone by dropping it on a hard surface. This phone is for all those customers who want to make sure even if that happens, the phone will withstand the fall. This is an impressive Android device that can withstand extreme conditions while bringing our customers the speed of Sprint 4G LTE and convenience of instant push-to-talk communications from Sprint Direct Connect."
Sprint says that the device is waterproof and can function in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. The carrier said it still functions after being dropped 26 times from four feet high and can survive heavy dust for six hours.
Source:Internet

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A Dual-Screen Smartphone

Dual-screen smartphones are few and far between, but NTT DoCoMo and NEC apparently think a pair of displays is better one one, hence the new clamshell Medias W N-05E announced in Japan today. Joining two qHD 960 x 540 4.3-inch screens with a hinge on the right, allowing the display on the rear to be twisted forward and make for an almost-square 960 x 1080 touchscreen.


Inside, there’s a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 processor paired with 1GB of RAM, running Android 4.1, along with a 2,100 mAh battery, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The rear camera runs to 8-megapixels, and there’s a front-facer too; the 16GB of internal storage can be augmented with a microSD card (up to 32GB in size). Connectivity includes LTE.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen an NEC clamshell of this sort. A little less than a year ago, the company showed off a prototype of this very handset, though without any hardware details or, in fact, a working concept.

The two displays can be used as a single, stretched panel, or to run two apps independently. It’s also possible to flip the N-05E by 90-degrees and use the bottom panel as a sizeable touchscreen keyboard.
NTT DoCoMo claims the new phone will last up to 460hrs on LTE standby (up to 630hrs if on 3G), while talktime is up to 500 minutes on a 3G network. Of course, talking is a very different proposition from using two potentially-power-hungry displays, and you’ll have to accomodate a 12.2mm thick device in your pocket or bag.
That power issue is arguably what has prevented twin-screen phones from storming the market. Kyocera attempted it, with 2011′s Echo, and Fujitsu flirted with doubled-up displays even earlier, but battery concerns – and a shortage of apps to take explicit advantage of the extra screen – have kept the impact minimal.
NTT DoCoMo will offer the Medias W N-05E from April in Japan, though there’s no word on whether NEC will sell the smartphone elsewhere in the world.
Source:Internet

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