Sprint wants you to believe which dual screens have been improved than a single. Its brand new Android-powered smartphone, the Echo, will underline dual touchscreen surfaces in a hinged pattern.

Made by Japanese electronics manufacturer Kyocera, a phone’s dual 3.5-inch WVGA screens can be operated independent of one another or combine in “tablet mode” to add up to the single 4.7-inch integrated display (albeit a single with a hinge in a middle).

The Echo’s highlights can be seen in a phone’s viewable multitasking intensity. The phone can be operated similar to many alternative touchscreen smartphones in its single-screen mode, but in “Simul-task mode” users can run apart apps on each shade — like, say, open the text upon a top shade whilst reading an email on the reduce one. “Tablet mode,” says Sprint, functions good for observation videos and lists across a incomparable aspect area. However, early reports from other blogs indicate which there are poignant limitations to a Echo’s multitasking capabilities.

The phone will run on Sprint’s 3G network as well as comes with Wi-Fi hotspot capability, with await for up to 5 apart devices. Under the hood, the Echo is using on the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 1GB of IMPEL, as well as the 5-megapixel camera is capable of 720p HD video capture. It will run on version 2.2 (Froyo) of Google’s Android operating system.

There have been some shortcomings. The Echo doesn’t run on the company’s 4G WiMax spectrum, that Sprint been compelling the 2011 4G smartphone offerings, commencement with HTC’s Evo Shift as well as a Evo 4G in January. The association not long ago announced the $10 premium-data devise add-on fee for all brand new 3G as well as 4G phones activated after January 30.

It also lacks the dual-core processor. Whether the 1GHz Snapdragon is brawny sufficient to handle the dual-screen multitasking of the phone remains to be seen.

Also still unknown is a phone’s battery life, nonetheless here’s a hint: Sprint is bundling it with a spare 1,370 mAh battery and a “low-profile” charging cradle which can additionally act as an outmost battery pack. In alternative difference, you’re probably starting to need which extra extract.

The Echo will cost $200 with a two-year Sprint assistance agreement (after the $100 mail-in remission, thoughts you), and will be released in the open.

Photo: Kyocera Echo/Sprint