Okay Geek Farm
Recap of Sprint's Unveiling - The Kyocera Echo
Daniel Carey
It’s weird. It’s wacky. It’s unique. And it’s headed to Sprint. Intrigued yet? You most certainly should be, this quirky dual-touchscreen smartphone is the latest device to leave Kyocera labs. Unveiled yesterday by Sprint, the Echo, as it has been rightfully named, is the world’s first working, consumer centric, dual-touchscreen smartphone.
Under the Hood
At a fairly ritzy launch event with performances by such entertainers as world famous illusionist David Blaine; Sprint unveiled its next halo device: the super peppy, eye catching, dual-screen Echo by Kyocera.
It is most definitely an interesting concept, in essence, Kyocera has taken a play straight from the PC power-user handbook. Dual monitors. Through an interlocking steel hinge mechanism, two 3.5-inch screens (each 480 x 800 pixels) combine to create a usable 4.7-inch display (960 x 800 pixels). In theory it’s a good idea, however, in practice maybe not so much. As GigaOm’s Ryan Kim reports, “actual execution is a little uneven.”
At its unveiling, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse noted that dual screens allow for simultaneously run applications over the two displays. For instance, you could have an email app or social network aggregator open on one display, with a keyboard open below on the other display. Or, better yet, you could be watching YouTube content on one screen while you peruse the site for a daily dose of tree jumping ducklings.
Internally, the Echo makes use of a snappy 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon. Along with said silicon, Kyocera’s dual screen smartphone comes equiped with 1GB of internal storage, an 8GB SD Card, and finally Android 2.2 aka Froyo. When it becomes available this Spring, it will cost on contract $199 (after $100 mail-in rebate). And yes, for those wondering, much like most smartphones today the Echo includes hotspot functionality.
Its Many Possibilities
The Echo does boast certain qualities reminiscent of already available dual screen products, Nintendo’s entire DS line comes to mind. And while the Echo has a certain ‘mature’ feeling that the DS doesn’t capture, it certainly doesn’t boast the same je ne sais quoi. According to Sprint, there are currently plans to release Echo APIs for developers to create applications and games that take full function of both displays. Now, as I’ve stated it’s very similar to the DS, both in design, and practice (once the forthcoming APIs become available that is). However, I can’t help but speculate that with Sony set to unveil its Xperia Play, perhaps Sprint is trying to hop on the Android gaming wagon a little early? Just food for thought.
Engadget’s Video Tour
While at its crux this is nothing more than a gimmick device (Kyocera prove me wrong), it does have great appeal for someone like myself. My current desktop set-up involves dual monitors, so on that level as I previously stated, the Echo appeals greatly. However, whilst I’m a great advocate of dual monitors, in fact if you haven’t tried dual monitors you really don’t know what you’re missing out on, I’m slightly reserved when it comes to a dual screen phone. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by that prototype device shown off by the Astonishing Tribe a while back? Either way, Kyocera has created a class unto its own.
