By Alexandra Burlacu | Aug 14, 2012 12:12 PM EDT
Sprint announced on Monday, Aug, 13, that the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE smartphone will be available in the U.S. starting in Aug. 19. Announced last month, the smartphone is "the first 4G LTE-enabled smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard and international roaming capabilities," and Motorola's follow-up to last year's Photon 4G.
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"At Sprint, we recognize there is a large group of our customers that love the ease of a physical QWERTY keyboard," said David Owens, Sprint's Vice President of Product Development, in a press release. "By bringing a device like Motorola PHOTON Q into our portfolio, we are able to give these customers the option of a physical keyboard plus international roaming capabilities while traveling abroad."
The Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE will come with a $199.99 price tag (taxes not included). That price is available with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and a two-year service agreement with Sprint. The handset is already available for pre-order, and customers who do so will receive their smartphones two days before it goes on sale, "while supplies last."
The smartphone packs a dual core 1.5GHz processor, a 4.3-inch ColorBoost touchscreen with a 960 x 540 resolution and scratch-resistant coating, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32GB through SD cards. The full QWERTY keyboard has LED backlighting and a dedicated number row, adding to a total of five rows to provide a PC-like typing experience. Other features include an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture and playback, HD front-facing camera for video chats, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and NFC (Near-Field Communication) connectivity, as well as support for "mirror mode," which allows users to connect their smartphone to larger screens through HDMI.
The Photon Q 4G LTE is also the first smartphone to include the SmartActions App, which automates routine tasks and helps extend battery life. Meanwhile, Sprint Professional Grade designation provides full security, including remote wipe, pin lock and data encryption for the business-ready smartphone. According to Sprint, the Photon Q "provides the perfect blend of business and pleasure."
Sprint has been rolling out its 4G LTE network starting with Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Atlanta, Kansas City, and Waco, Texas, with more cities expected to get coverage soon. Sprint plans to expand its 4G service to Baltimore, Gainesville, Ga., Manhattan/Junction City, Kan., and Sherman-Denison, Texas, before Labor Day. The carrier expects to complete its 4G LTE rollout by the end of 2013.
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