Only a few days from its release via MetroPCS, Samsung Messager, the new and affordable QWERTY handset, has been launched by Cricket.

The Messager is available as of today on Cricket's official website and in its stores, for the same retail price that MetroPCS is offering it, namely $199.99. The good news for Cricket's customers (besides the phone's availability itself) is that the regional US carrier is giving the Messager in two color versions: green and navy blue. Moreover, those who buy it online are eligible for a $20 discount, so the device would actually cost only $179.99.

Together with the full QWERTY keyboard that will surely allow users to input text with ease, Samsung Messager also brings the following features: a 2.1 inch TFT display with 176 x 220 pixels and 262K colors, Music player, stereo Bluetooth, Web and email capabilities, Instant Messaging, a 1.3 Megapixel camera, microSD card support and tri-band CDMA connectivity.

"Cricket customers want attractive devices that enhance their social lifestyles and we believe that the Samsung Messager strikes the right balance of features and functionality in a stylish device. Since the Samsung Messager allows users to quickly text message, swap photos, download applications, and listen to music, it should be a big hit with our customers. This array of features combined with Cricket's unlimited messaging and Mobile Web services make the Samsung Messager a must-have device for customers who use our value driven product offering," declared Scott Edwards, senior vice president of marketing for Cricket.

Samsung Messager (model name SCH-R450) weighs 4.58 ounces (130 grams) and, with the QWERTY keyboard not slid, it measures 4.4 x 2.0 x 0.7 inches (112 x 51 x 18 millimeters). Its battery is said to last up to four hours in talk-time mode or up to 250 hours in stand-by mode.