kyocera

As U.S. Cellular's only rugged device, the Kyocera DuraPro meets military standards for shock, dust, and water resistance. And while it excels at being tough, don't expect to find any high-tech specs in this feature handset: it has only a 3.2-megapixel camera and a low-resolution display, and its 3G data speeds are as fast as a slug on Ambien.

Then again, the DuraPro was never meant to be on the bleeding edge of technology, and what it lacks in powerful specs, it makes up for with clear, reliable phone calls and decent photos. The phone is … Read more

Though the Kyocera Event has only 3G data and is nearly identical to the Kyocera Hydro, save for not being waterproof like the Hydro, it still has enough tricks up its sleeve to be considered a reliable and decent handset.

True, the biggest incentive to buy it is that bargain price tag. At $79.99, it's one of the two best Android smartphones (the other being the Kyocera Rise) in its price range. But it doesn't hurt that it has a respectable rear-facing camera and runs Android 4.0 as well.

Design The Kyocera Event is compact, and … Read more

Unlike a lot of phones before it, the Kyocera Torque successfully combines full, military-spec toughness with Android touch-screen capabilities.

Both the handset manufacturer and Sprint are no strangers to rugged devices. But Kyocera's Dura Series family of tough phones was always a little inaccessible to the mass market. Mainly because it was targeted for enterprise workers in the first place, but also because the line consisted of bulky feature handsets that had little or no characteristics of a current smartphone.

But the Torque is unique in that it's equipped with such modern fixings like a 4-inch touch screen, … Read more

U.S. Cellular is about to kick off a phone that can reportedly resist water, dust, shock, and vibrations.

Set to sell online this Wednesday and in stores on Thursday, the Kyocera DuraPro is designed for people who need a feature phone that can handle rugged conditions. The phone can survive in around three feet of water for up to 30 minutes, according to U.S. Cellular and Kyocera.

It also meets Military Standard 810G, which guarantees that it can withstand extreme temperatures, heavy rain, low pressure, salt, fog, humidity, and even solar radiation. The phone itself is protected by … Read more

Sprint today announced that the rugged and waterproof Kyocera Torque will arrive on March 8. Priced at $99 with a two-year service agreement, the Torque is the first "Ultra rugged" 4G LTE handset with Sprint Direct Connect push-to-talk service.

Previously introduced back in January, the Kyocera smartphone features a 4-inch IPS display and dual-core processor. Whereas the typical rugged smartphone is hampered by older versions of the platform, the Torque runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is good news for anyone who has grown accustomed to the Holo theme of Android and its added feature set. … Read more

Owning a smartphone usually means being stuck in an expensive two-year contract, but Republic Wireless is offering an unlimited everything service that will cost you as little as $19 a month.

Most smartphone services start at about $70 a month on one of the major carrier networks. Prepaid providers, like MetroPCS, offer similar unlimited everything deals for $50 a month. Now Republic Wireless is offering an unlimited data, voice and text messaging service for smartphones that is only $19 a month.

Dear Maggie, I'm a college student, and my parents are dropping me from their cell phone … Read more

Virgin Mobile today announced that the Kyocera Brio has joined the family of devices offered under the payLo umbrella.

Priced at $39.99, the handset is aimed at those with very basic mobile needs, mainly talking and texting.

The Brio, first released on Sprint, has a 2.2-inch QVGA display, a QWERTY keyboard, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. There's also a microSD memory card slot for expandable storage.

On the smarter side of things, the phone offers Bluetooth 2.0, mobile web, email, and a few basic applications.

Virgin Mobile, one of Sprint's prepaid arms, offers the Kyocera … Read more

Two years is a long time. In that amount of time you can finish a master's degree or, uh...raise a baby into a 2-year-old child. OK, that latter example wasn't the most illustrative, but what I'm trying to say is that for some mobile phone users out there, two years is too long to be locked down in a carrier agreement. That's why I've gathered a few top-notch, recently released phones on prepaid carriers that are ideal for those who want to be contract-free.

Samsung Galaxy Reverb (Virgin Mobile), September 2012 Though it doesn'… Read more

Initially launched on Sprint, the Kyocera Rise is now available on prepaid network Virgin Mobile starting today.

The Rise is an entry-level keyboard handset running on Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

It's equipped with a 3.5-inch HVGA touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1GHz Qualcomm processor.

When I reviewed the handset, I was impressed with its attractively designed keyboard, call quality, and updated Android OS. However, a slow processor and hefty design hold it back from really shining.

The Rise is going for $99.99 online and will be offered in retail stores beginning … Read more