sprint-logo

We’ve covered Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, so now its time for those on Sprint find out about 5 new phones soon to be or already available.

The big guy here is the Palm Pre, anticipated Sprint’s top phone this year, as well as one of ’09 top phones overall. If the Pre ain’t your thing though, Sprint is offering several other exciting phones, seemingly the best lineup of all the carriers we’ve covered this year. So…. read on!

samsung-instinct-s30

Samsung Instinct S30 (in silver/gray, also available in a copper/brown)

1. Samsung Instinct S30

This just launched and  is already in stores. This Instinct is I guess something we can view as Instinct 1.5; nothing really significant was updated that couldn’t simply have been added to the current version, most notably in regard to software. Only in design were there significant changes, the model made sleeker and with a friendlier touchscreen (though the first Instinct’s was already pretty good). Otherwise, it’s everything notable about its predecessor: 3G, GPS, Sprint TV, Sprint Music Store, 2.0 megapixel camera, Facebook/MySpace/YouTube apps built-in, etc. All in all, nice but we suggest you take a look at some other phones on our list before you buy it :) — the other phones we got here look to be that good.

Available now for the same price the old Instinct started at, $129.99 with a 2 year contract from Sprint.com (though Best Buy is selling it for only $49.99, just fyi).

(Reminder:  All the following phones below have yet too be released so, like the case is with all other carriers, their actual release date may not come for awhile — if it’s not canned entirely in the interim.)

samsung-chianti-sprint

Samsung Chianti (click for bigger pic)

2. Samsung Chianti

Think of this as a Samsung Propel for Sprint. Like AT&T’s Propel, this phone has a widescreen with a full slide out QWERTY keyboard, 3G, 2 megapixel camera, Music and Video players, and microSD card slot for adding memory.

This also is said to be a very “green” device, so those of you really concerned about the environment should find a really good winner here: a great texting phone while doing your bit to help the environment.

The Chianti is rumored to be coming early next month (rumors point to May 10th), and while we don’t know a price yet, we can’t believe this will go for more than $100 (though who knows).

samsung-dash-sprint

Samsung Dash (click for bigger pic)

3. Samsung Dash

Ok, here is another bad boy coming to Sprint, which is supposed to be the true successor to the Instinct (the Instinct S30 that just launched recently is more like Instinct 1.5 as we said above; this appears more like an Instinct 2.0). Check out the specs on this guy:

  • 3.2 inch touchscreen– This is the same size of the Instinct’s screen, but is said to be packing a higher resolution screen (HVGA) that will make everything– web, txt, pix, videos– look much better.
  • Sprint 3G
  • Accelerometer– Like whats on the iPhone, iPod Touch and Blackberry Storm. This allows you to flip the phone on its side and then have the screen automatically flip to that side as well. Instinct 1 unfortunately didn’t have this.
  • WiFi– Something which was much needed on the Instinct 1
  • GPS
  • Sprint TV and Music Store
  • Mp3 and Video Player with microSD card slot
  • 5 megapixel camera with auto focus– This is definitely a nice touch, and should preform much better than the Instinct’s current camera (2 megapixel).

When this will come out and for how much we don;t yet know but we’ll keep you updated of course.

blackberry-niagra-1

BlackBerry Niagara (Pic from Boy Genius Report.com)

4. BlackBerry Niagara (aka BlackBerry 9630)

Pretty much the Sprint version of the upcoming BlackBerry for Verizon. Features for this rumored “Best BlackBerry Ever” (a lethal fusion of the Blackberry Bold’s (AT&T) renowned keyboard and the Curve’s excellent and sleek screen and design– the best of the best 2 BlackBerrys pretty much). Spec’s for this version of the BlackBerry Niagara include:

  • Best BlackBerry design ever!– See above comment on screen, design and keyboard.
  • Sprint 3G
  • 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording and flash
  • GPS
  • BlackBerry OS 4.7– The latest BlackBerry OS currently (BlackBerry’s makers, RIM, are said to have version 5.0 almost ready, and depending on when this comes it, it might just launch with that).
  • Mp3 player with microSD card slot and 1 GB of memory built in– Very nice.

Unlike the Verizon version, which is rumored to come in the next month or so, we don’t exactly know when the Sprint version will launch (Verizon is said to have some sort of exclusive time period where they are the phone’s only carrier in the US– like a couple weeks/months….), and we also don’t know an exact price. But on May 5th-7th, RIM is holding their annual BlackBerry conference, and anything we hear their we’ll make sure to report back here.

htc-touch-pro2

HTC Touch Pro2 (Note: this is the standard, European version of the Touch Pro2. The Sprint version looks very similar just without the video chat ability)

5. HTC Rhodium (Touch Pro2)

Very similar to the rumored Touch Pro2 for T-Mobile arriving sometime this summer. It looks pretty identical to that version, loaded with so many features that if you’re looking for a touchscreen/real keyboard phone running Windows Mobile, this must be your pick (even if your not concerned on Windows Mobile and just looking for a good, cool texting phone, this should be on your list).

  • 3.6 inch High Res screen with slide out QWERTY keyboard– a great touch screen which, if it’s anything like the Touch Pro’s– and we assume this one’s much better– means you’re in for a great device. And like the older AT&T Tilt, the touchscreen tilts up- very cool.
  • Sprint 3G with ability to use Europe 3G when traveling overseas.
  • WiFi
  • FM Radio– This is something we didn’t see on the T-Mobile version, but hey we won’t mind if they put it in
  • GPS
  • Windows Mobile 6.1, with an eventual Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade option– Good OS, and you can add apps and customize it pretty well. Windows Mobile 6.5 adds an official App Store (called Windows Marketplace for Mobile), a new home screen, and an improved mobile Internet Explorer web browser, among other things. Windows Mobile 6.5 should be out later this year, and we’ll cover it more when that time nears. HTC also puts YouTube, Opera, and Facebook apps included on the phone, and they even throw in a cool, fun game called Teeter which uses the phones’ accelerometer (reorients the screen according to holding position, think iPhone-ish) and you use it to move a ball into a hole. It’s better than that just sounded– trust me.
  • 3.2 Megapixel camera with flash and auto focus

This is said to be coming later in the year, probably after the summer (sorry Sprint users, you’ll need to wait this one out), but it sure looks like a really good phone.

pre2

The Palm Pre

6. Palm Pre

At this point not much else can be said about the Palm Pre (we covered everything when it was first announced here), but regardless, if there is one phone capable of putting Sprint back on top, this is it.

Not only does it boast a set of features close to or matching the iPhone — 3.2 inch multi touch (yes, multi touch) touchscreen, thin design, sleek interface using webOS (the phone’s operating system), apps, WiFi and 3G — but it even adds a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. And, like I said before in other posts, Palm knows keyboards, so expect quality. It’s already the most anticipated ’09 phone (so far) for gadget enthusiasts (like us) and should be for every teen (the sane ones anyways ;) ): very cool, feature-loaded (including touchscreen), and with the supremely significant–esp if your’re a big texter — physical keyboard (before my iPhone I used a Palm Treo 650 and though it was an ’04 model, I now frequently wish for that great keyboard again, so imagine how great Palm’s 2009 version of the keyboard will be!).

Unfortunately, we still don’t know when the Pre will be released, or for how much, but stick tight: Palm promised it will be out in the first half of 2009 (which ends June 30th), with most rumors pointing to a May 17th release. If you want some grounded evidence to prove an upcoming arrival, note that Sprint’s been putting it in all their new ads (see the videos here, and Sprint’s site here).

Any of these on your wishlist? Thoughts on the new Palm device in general- interested in buying it when it comes out? Think its better than the iPhone? Let us know in the comments.