AT&T's Android-Powered Pantech Flex Targets First-Time Smartphone Users

One of the nation's largest wireless carriers is trying to gain traction among first-time smartphone adopters, as AT&T will soon release an entry-level budget Android phone designed to make the transition from featurephone to smartphone a breeze.

Teaming up with Pantech, the carrier will offer the Flex, an Android 4.0-powered handset that boasts an "easy experience" mode, which limits the interface to a single home screen equipped with large text and buttons. It also features a simplified menu to ease up on the navigation and scrolling brought by the full-fledged Android experience.

Once users are ready to take off the training wheels, though, the device also provides a secondary, standard interface. Verizon customers can get this same dual-interface arrangement on the recently-released Pantech Marauder.

Powerful but Inexpensive

The Pantech Flex is going to sport a 4.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display, and will pack a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon processor, an impressive offering for a handset that will only cost $50 with a new two-year contract.

Weighing in at 4.6 ounces, the smartphone will house dual-cameras, with an 8-megapixel shooter in the rear and a 2-megapixel front-facing cam. Powered by a 1,830mAh battery, the Flex will hold 8GB on-board storage, although will be capable of holding more thanks to a microSD slot.

Launching Sept. 16, the Pantech Flex will round out AT&T's smartphone collection, offering consumers a more wallet-friendly option, compared to expensive flagship models like the Samsung Galaxy S III and Apple's upcoming iPhone 5.