Pantech Jest 2, Pantech Hotshot hands-on
At CTIA in San Diego, we caught sight of the Pantech Jest 2 and the Pantech Hotshot, both of which we have yet to see in person even though they have already been announced.
SAN DIEGO--As we walked by the PCD booth here at CTIA, we noticed that Pantech had two phones up for display that we haven't seen before. They were the Pantech Jest 2 and the Pantech Hotshot.
The Pantech Jest 2 is slightly curvier and rounder than the Pantech Jest messaging phone we reviewed last year, and the screen size is a touch smaller at 2.4 inches.
The biggest improvement that the Jest 2 has over its predecessor is that it has a dual-mode GSM/CDMA chipset so it can be used internationally. This is one of a few feature phones (non-smartphones) in Verizon's stable that has this capability. The features are otherwise largely the same as before. They include a 2-megapixel camera, an MP3 player with V Cast Music support, GPS with VZ Navigator, and more. We've heard that the Pantech Jest 2 will be free after a two-year agreement and a mail-in rebate.
The Pantech Hotshot doesn't really deserve its name at all. A pretty middle-of-the-road feature phone, the Hotshot doesn't have a lot going for it. It has a 3.2-inch capacitive touch screen display, a 3.2-megapixel camera, a microSD card that can support up to 32GB cards, and the Opera Mini browser. Its saving grace is its thin profile--it measures less than 0.35 inch thick. Since it's a touch-screen only phone, you'll have to use the virtual keyboard on the display for texting. The Hotshot will retail for $99.99 after a two-year agreement from Verizon Wireless.
Check out our galleries of the Pantech Jest 2 and the Pantech Hotshot for a closer look at these feature phones from Verizon Wireless. For more of our CTIA coverage, check out our CTIA landing page.