14 DAY TRIAL // Today, wireless carrier Sprint announced the upcoming availability of LG Optimus Slider via its prepaid brand Virgin Mobile, a new, affordable yet appealing Android-based device.
The new handset arrives on shelves with an easy-to-use slide out keyboard and should prove a great options for customers interested in staying connected at all times with their social networking accounts.
The smartphone is set to become available for purchase in at Virgin Mobile starting with October 13th via Best Buy and RadioShack stores. It will also arrive at Target on November 6th, and will reach Sprint Stores on November 13th.
Starting with October 17th, the new device will become available via Virgin Mobile's website. It will feature a price tag of $199.99 (around 148 Euros), contract free.
The mobile phone is set to arrive on shelves at the wireless carrier as the successor of the popular LG Optimus V, which was launched earlier this year.
“With the new LG Optimus Slider we’re bringing our customers an updated operating system and slide-out keyboard,” said Mark Lederman, Business Line director, Virgin Mobile USA.
“According to NPD Group, year-over-year preference for a touchscreen has tripled among prepaid buyers, and 21 percent1 of all customers say that having a QWERTY keyboard is a motivating factor in making a purchase.
“Coupled with the popularity we’ve seen on the LG Optimus V we’re looking forward to bringing this fresh option to Virgin Mobile.”
The specifications list of the new device shows a 3.2-inch touchscreen display that hides a slide out QWERTY keyboard beneath it, as well as support for the Nationwide 3G Sprint Network.
Moreover, the new device comes with Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper on the back, and a microSD memory card slot for expanding the available storage space.
The new mobile phone runs under Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and offers fast access to applications via the Android Market, as well as to various services.