Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) announced three new phones for the U.S. market, with two of them targeting heavy texters. From left to right, they are:

• SCP-6760 Incognito – it’s actually a Sanyo (OTCPK: SANYY)-branded sideways clamshell that combines a touchscreen (2.6-inch QVGA) with full QWERTY keyboard. In addition, there’s the so called “glow-thru” keypad and OLED secondary display, as well as 3G radio, Bluetooth 2.0, 2-megapixel camera, threaded messaging support, and microSD memory card slot. Sprint (NYSE: S) has picked up the Incognito and will start offering it on November 30th.
• S2300 Torino – another QWERTY phone, this time in candybar form. Specs include a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, threaded messaging, speakerphone, and 1xRTT data. It should be available in February 2010.
• S1310 Domino – basic candybar with tri-band CDMA radio, 1xRTT data, Bluetooth, WAP browser, speakerphone. Should be available in December.

And that’s it from Kyocera. Nothing high-end-ish, just something for the mass market.

[Via: PhoneScoop]

Thirteen impressive new phones are coming down the pipe for Japanese service provider KDDI. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Casio Exilim Keitei CA003: 12 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom, autofocus, image stablizer, and 20 images/second rapid shot
2. Sharp Aquos Shot SH003: 12 megapixel camera, FM transmitter, transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
3. Sharp Aquos Shot SH006:  12 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
4. Casio Exilim Keitei CA004: 8 megapixel camera with face detection, autofocus, and VGA video recording
5. Sharp SH004: 8 megapixel camera with noise reduction and low-light filter; low-power mode and call noise-cancellation
6. Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) Bravia U1: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies; waterproof
7. Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) SA001: 3.2 megapixel camera with image stabilization; 14.7mm thin closed
8. Toshiba (OTCPK: TOSBF) T003: 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, face detection, and image stabilization; waterproof
9. Sharp SH005: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies; waterproof
10. Sony Ericsson S002: 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus; GSM support
11. Sony Ericsson Urbano Barone: 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilization; large keys for the elderly; transfer and view Blu-Ray movies
12. Kyocera Mobile Easy K004: 2 megapixel camera with autofocus; easy-to-use UI
13. Kyocera Mamorino: Security-centric, helps parents keep tabs on kids; waterproof

Oh yeah, and the vast majority have WVGA displays and infrared support. Man, it’s a whole other universe over in Japan. The Bravia-branded phone is pretty slick, and the only other time we’ve seen optical zoom on a 12 megapixel cameraphone was on the Samsung W880. Overall, a solid winter lineup from KDDI – I just wish we had something comparable over here.

[KDDI via MobileCrunch]

Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) unveiled bits of its strategy to the world. Apparently, the Japanese company plans to introduce its first Android-powered smartphone at some point next year. In addition, they also said they will be unveiling a dual-mode CDMA/LTE device in 2011, which will rely on some of the existing platforms — again, Android is mentioned.

If I were at Kyocera, I would make sure to have something to show off at the upcoming 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In that sense, I’m hoping they and other companies will have more on display. Can’t wait for February…

[Via: PhoneScoop]

On top of showing a fancy foldable UMPC concept, Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) has some design photos of a phone called the NXT with a context-sensitive display. Controls change depending on whether you’re playing a video game or watching a movie. The real usefulness would rely on how seamlessly the phone transitioned between modes – after all, there are plenty of third party apps that can do this sort of stuff already, but the biggest hurdle is readily accessing them. To be fair, the UMPC is a little more, shall we say, avant garde, but the phone looks like something that is actually feasible with current technology. Kyocera isn’t exactly renown for their high-end handsets, however, so this might be little more than a creative pipe dream.

[via Core77]

At the CTIA, Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) Corporation announced the formation of Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI), as a “next step in the global integration of Kyocera’s wireless device business.” The new company will be headquartered in San Diego, and will comprise the combined sales, marketing and service functions from Kyocera Wireless Corp. (KWC) and Kyocera Sanyo (OTCPK: SANYY) Telecom Inc. (KSTI), to better manage those functions for all Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless devices in the Americas.

From the official release:

KCI’s formation is the latest step in the global integration of Kyocera’s communication equipment product segment, a segment that began in 1979 in Japan. Looking to expand globally, Kyocera purchased the wireless handset business of Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) Inc. in 2000 and created KWC from its assets. Then, in April 2008, Kyocera acquired the wireless handset business of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (Sanyo) and created KSTI from Sanyo’s North American team, which was headquartered in Chatsworth, Calif. On January 29, Kyocera announced that the global coordination of Kyocera’s communication equipment product segment will take place at the company’s product-line headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. Within the new structure, KCI will be Kyocera’s wireless sales, marketing, customer engineering and service operation for the Americas, representing virtually all products from the communication equipment product segment. Meanwhile, the remaining portion of KWC will focus on engineering, working closely with its counterparts in Yokohama.

Eiichi Toriyama, who joined Kyocera in 1972 and has spent 37 years in sales and marketing, has been appointed as president of KCI. Commenting on his appointment and on the company’s restructuring move, Toriyama said: “There is great strength in the combined global forces of Kyocera and Sanyo’s mobile device groups and KCI represents the new face of this unified business for the Americas. Not only are we streamlining duplicated functions within the organization, but also we are creating synergies with unified, complementary product and technology roadmaps that will ultimately benefit our customers.”

Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) has unveiled two new CDMA phones at the CTIA Wireless in Las Vegas: the full QWERTY keyboard equipped G2GO M2000, aka Virgin Mobile Kyocera X-tc; and Laylo M1400 slider.

The first of the two looks more interesting, thanks to the mentioned keyboard, which makes the device a texter’s dream phone. Other specs include 2.4-inch QVGA screen, media player with dedicated music keys, 1.3 megapixel camera, built-in accelerometer (for auto-rotation, I guess), Bluetooth support, and of course a microSD memory card slot. Size wise, the G2GO M2000 measures 113×52x17 mm, and has a weight of 120 grams.

As for the slider device, there’s a 2.2-inch QVGA screen on board, Bluetooth, VGA camera, and the speaker-independent voice recognition. In terms of size, the Laylo M1400 has dimensions of 94.7×46.7×17.0 mm and weight of 90 grams.

While we know Virgin Mobile USA (NYSE: VM) will launch the Kyocera X-tc later this month, we’ve no idea whether some carrier will pick up the Laylo. We’ll certainly have more to share in the coming weeks…

The Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) X-tc on Virgin Mobile spotted last month is now available to order for $99 off contract, and butting heads with the recently-launched Alltel Banter/Sprint Rumor 2 for discount texting supremacy. Spec-wise, the sliders are in the same ballpark, so plans will really be the dealbreaker on those considering both devices.

• QVGA display with 262K colors
• Stereo Bluetooth
• Dedicated music keys
• Mobile Web
• Email, IM
• Facebook Mobile
• Voice dialing
• 1.3MP camera
• MicroSD card support
• Talk time: up to 250 minutes
• Standby time:  up to 200 hours
• 4.37 x 2.05 x 0.68 inches
• 3.89 ounces

Not a bad little package on the whole, and certainly better-looking than the candybar Kyocera S1300 JAX launched at the same time.

[via Unwired View]

Virgin Mobile USA really looks to be going on a US wireless industry blitz. With MVNO takeovers, new calling plans, and fresh new handsets being announced left and right, Virgin Mobile USA (NYSE: VM) is on a mission to snatch-up more and more US wireless subscribers. The latest move to convince Americans to jump on Virgin Mobile’s US-bandwagon is the new Kyocera (NYSE: KYO)-sourced Virgin Mobile TNT!.

The new Virgin Mobile Kyocera TNT! is aimed at the entry-level consumer looking for basic features in a fairly attractive package. Following on the launch of the Virgin Mobile Arc the other day, the Virgin Mobile TNT! offers customers an even cheaper clamshell alternative – while misleading the rest of us in to thinking the TNT! packs a techy-punch. With a single-line, monochrome external display, speakerphone, and basic web access as its main selling-points, the Virgin Mobile TNT! is even more basic than the already barren Arc.

But, if the Virgin Mobile Arc’s $50 asking price is just a little more than you’d like to pay for a wireless handset, you’ll be glad to hear that the Virgin Mobile TNT! will cost a penny shy of $20. And, don’t forget, you’ll also have access to Virgin Mobile USA’s new unlimited calling plans.

Virgin Mobile USA

Just in time for the Virgin Mobile Festival, the MVNO has announced a special edition of its Wild Card phone. The so called Virgin Mobile Festival Special Edition Wild Card is pretty much the same as the original Wild Card, except that it comes with 50 music downloads from eMusic and a one-year subscription to SPIN Magazine. In addition, lucky 15,000 customers who buy the device will all have special access to the Virgin Mobile Guest Lounge at the festival, where they’ll be able to chat with the man himself, Sir Richard Branson.

Finally, even though this is the special edition device, the price remains the same. It’s available through July 31 exclusively at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores for $99.99.

More information about Virgin Mobile Festival is available on the official website.

Kyocera (NYSE: KYO) announced its entry into the GSM handset market with four new GSM phones. The new devices will launch initially in Latin America, where a number of CDMA service providers recently switched to GSM networks.

Four handsets are:

• E4600 – slider-shaped quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) device; features MP3 player, 2-megapixel camera with video record/playback, Bluetooth, expandable memory and a 2.2-inch display.
• E3500 – Also supporting MP3 and video record/playback, the quad-band E3500 has a clamshell form factor with external music controls, dual color displays, a 1.3-megapixel camera, expandable memory and Bluetooth.
• E2500 – an ultra-slim candybar-style quad-band phone with an MP3 player, 1.3-megapixel camera with video record/playback, Bluetooth and expandable memory.
• S1600 – low-end dual-band candybar with a VGA camera.

Kyocera has already begun shipping to customers in Latin America and retail launches will be announced on a carrier-by-carrier basis in the weeks and months ahead… Full release is available from here.