Cricket launches first Android phone -- ZIO by Kyocera

SAN DIEGO, USA: Cricket Communications Inc., a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap Wireless International Inc., and Kyocera Communications Inc., a provider of Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless devices, announced the immediate availability of the Sanyo ZIO (pronounced Zī -O) by Kyocera.

This is the highly-anticipated first Android phone launched by the innovative leader in no-contract, nationwide mobile wireless. ZIO blends an elegant design with an ultra-intuitive user interface to unlock the vast array of content and applications in Android Market.

The all-new Sanyo ZIO by Kyocera is immediately available online at mycricket.com, at Cricket-branded retail stores and at dealers nationwide without a contract for $249.99. The sleek new device comes equipped with a vivid, 3.5inch WVGA touchscreen and runs on Cricket’s all-3G network, providing users with access to the tens of thousands of Android Market applications, GPS capabilities and much more. In addition, the ZIO features real web browsing at 3G speeds and Wi-Fi connectivity.

“Launching ZIO as our inaugural Android device is the first big step of many that Cricket is taking to provide elite, yet affordable devices and service plans to customers on any type of budget,” stated Matt Stoiber, vice president and general manager of devices for Cricket Communications. “Not only are we offering Smartphones at extremely competitive prices, but our rate plans truly reflect the needs of our customers and a respect that we have for their wallets.”

ZIO uses CDMA2000 1xEV-DO rev. A and Wi-Fi network technologies and features an impressive, high-resolution 3.5-inch WVGA motion-enhanced, touchscreen display as a backdrop for a fully customizable mobile multimedia experience.

Along with the touchscreen, an intuitive, effortless trackball helps users navigate features such as the 3.2 MP camera with video record/playback, media player, full HTML web browser, Google Maps and countless widgets and applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Open Table and more available in Android Market.

ZIO offers substantial user-available internal memory (512MB) and supports an additional 32GB through its microSD memory slot. ZIO also comes equipped with an ambient light sensor and accelerometer for easy viewing virtually any way, anywhere.

“This is an important milestone for Kyocera, as we launch the highly anticipated ZIO and bring the power of Android to Cricket consumers,” said Eric Anderson, vice president of sales at Kyocera Communications Inc. “ZIO is the first in a series of Android devices Kyocera will bring to market and we’re excited to partner with Cricket to set the standard by offering a Smartphone device that encourages individuality for the customer who desires unlimited expression.”

Cricket is launching a special, all-inclusive $55 Android service plan to accompany the device, which offers customers unlimited talk, text, picture mail, web browsing, email, international text and more – all without telecom taxes and fees – at nearly half the price of Smartphone service plans at other major carriers. The $55 Android service plan is one of a number of new, all-inclusive voice service plans that the company has recently begun to offer to consumers.

Cricket is the first carrier to offer the new, feature-packed ZIO. ZIO is the second of three Smartphones expected to be launched by Cricket in 2010. Cricket launched the Blackberry Curve 8530 earlier this month.