Sprint Bringing Out Wallet-Friendly Kyocera Rise Android Smartphone

Sprint has just announced that it will carry the Kyocera Rise, a slideout QWERTY keyboard phone that will be targeted at the budget-conscious consumer, as the entry-level model will sell for just $20 after a mail-in rebate.

Kyocera first took the wraps off this device during the CTIA tradeshow in May, previewing the Android 4.0-powered phone along with its waterproof cousin, the Kyocera Hydro.

More About this Smartphone

The 3.5-inch Rise will feature an LCD display and will pack a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. In addition to its four-row keyboard, the handset comes with a 1,500mAh li-ion battery and a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera with accompanying flash.

The handset will have 2GB of on-board storage, plus a microSD card slot, which will potentially give 34GB of storage, for those who want to purchase a high-capacity memory card. Shipping with Sprint ID, the Kyocera smartphone will offer an Eco Mode feature that allows users to customize and conserve battery life.

In addition to Sprint's nationwide 3G network, the Kyocera Rise is going to be able to connect over Wi-Fi (b/g/n) networks, plus it will support Stereo Bluetooth (2.1 + EDR) wireless technology, and include a high-speed USB 2.0 port.

While this smartphone is certainly not the most powerful device currently on the market, consumers can't beat the price. Sprint will begin selling the Rise on August 19, for just $20 with a $50 mail-in-rebate and a two-year contract, though an Everything Data Plan is required to activate the device.