14 DAY TRIAL // After unveiling the existence of its new Arc clamshell phone (last week), Virgin Mobile has now also made the handset commercially available. As previously announced, the Arc is a basic-featured device that will drain only $49 out of your pocket, credit card or any other place where you usually keep your money.
With a red-black combination of colors and some smooth lines, Virgin Mobile's Arc falls into the "good-looking" category, but also in the entry-level one since, as already mentioned, it's not packed with too many advanced features.
UTStarcom, the manufacturer of the phone, has included the following into the Arc: Bluetooth connectivity, a VGA photo camera, an internal and an external display (both color and both of unknown size and resolution), Web browser, text messaging, games, calendar, voice memo, stop watch, alarm clock and calculator. The new clamshell weighs approximately 3 ounces (85 grams) and, when closed, it measures 3.8 x 1.8 x 0.7 inches (about 96.5 x 46 x 17.8 millimeters). Its battery should provide up to 3.5 hours of continuous talk-time and up to 14.5 days of stand-by time.
Virgin Mobile says that, according to a recent survey, two thirds of its customers want simple handsets, this being one of the main reasons why the Arc was released.
Talking about the new flip phone, Matias Monges, Director of Mobile Devices at Virgin Mobile USA, said: "The Arc offers a very reasonably priced camera phone with a fashion-conscious finish for consumers who want to capture spontaneous moments with a little style. And with Bluetooth wireless technology, we're sweetening the deal with additional value."
Users interested in buying an Arc can find it in Vrigin Mobile's retail stores from across the US as well as online, on the MVNO's official website, accessible at this address.
