gadget reviews : Kyocera Dual Screen Android Echo Hands On

Kyocera Dual Screen Android Echo Hands On
The Sprint Kyocera Echo took us by surprise on many levels. Never did we expect a company--not exactly infamous for smartphones--to do something as radical as bring a "first" to the industry. Before we tell you what we think of the concept of a dual-display Android phone, let's talk about the Echo and exactly how it works. First, let's go over the hardware. The phone, as you might expect, is a bit of a tank. It has sharp edges, a very boxy design, and a rather thick profile. That said, it's not much thicker than [name your favorite smartphone slider]. It's also a bit lighter than you would expect. The hinge that makes the first display flip next to the second display seems quite robust, and we're excited to see that it can work in multiple positions so that you can get either a side-by-side view, or a slightly tilted view, ideal for using the bottom display as a keyboards. In terms of specs, it's running on the (now becoming last-generation) Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz CPU with around 512MB of RAM and Android 2.2. The battery is a paltry 1300mAh or so, but you get two batteries when you buy this phone. In terms of availably and pricing, expect the Echo to hit for $199 on Sprint's 3G network in the Spring of 2011. Also included is a second battery, and a second battery charger, cause face it...two displays will consume twice as much power as one. How does it work? Let's start by explaining that Kyocera has had to redo all stock applications in order to get them to properly