As
expected, Sprint has announced the SPH-m620 "UpStage" dual-faced musicphone today, giving Sprint a decided "wow" factor in its lineup -- for the moment, at least. Manufacturers seem to be turning to unusual form factors in an effort to gain some differentiation in a crowded high-end and specialty phone marketplace, and the UpStage fills the bill nicely with a full side devoted to traditional phone activities -- "calls, text messaging, and contact management" to use Sprint's verbage -- while the entirety of the flip side takes the form of a traditional MP3 player; a button press switches between sides. Naturally, the phone offers a microSD slot for up to 2GB of external storage, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and stereo Bluetooth, while an included 3.5mm jack adapter lets folks use more traditional headsets if they so choose; even cooler, incoming calls are announced via text-to-speech while you're jamming out. Also included is a Music Manager app for sideloading tunes to the phone via USB and a unique "battery wallet" boosting the phone's stamina for playing music up to a solid 16 hours or 6.3 hours of talk time (up from 2.5 hours talk time without) -- you sacrifice a bit of girth from the phone's normal, svelte 1.73 x 4.07 x 0.37 inch form, but for music junkies, the tradeoff may be worth it. Simultaneously with the phone's release in early April, Sprint will be offering 99 cent over the air (nice!) music downloads good on its entire Music Store catalog, which we reckon is just perfect for a phone of the UpStage's nature. Look for it to hit shelves for $149 on a two-year agreement with a $50 rebate available.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Sean \\\ @ Mar 26th 2007 5:57PM
I have gotten to use this phone and it is really nice. It's barely bigger (thicker) than my gf's iPod nano that I compared it to. The touch UI is very nice. Sure, it's not a perfect device (main flaw is texting on the phone side), but nothing really is these days. It WILL be my next phone (upgrade from A900) and hopefully very soon. Unfortunately the people at the Sprint store today were still clueless about it.
nibsy @ Apr 20th 2007 9:31PM
but how do you set it down? lol, this thing looks amazing, too bad it doesnt come in canada
alex @ May 24th 2007 12:32PM
beautiful. time to unlock this bad boy
pwmccarthy @ May 24th 2007 12:36PM
niiiiice
KaliforniaKid @ May 24th 2007 12:44PM
Daddy like!!! Time to UpStage the old Sprint fone! (BWAH HAH HAH HAH!!!)
spivey @ May 24th 2007 12:48PM
my girl friend just got this phone, its different for the sake of being different but its not better. The controls are confusing and the extra lcd screen isnt necasairy.
Seoung-Koo Yi @ May 24th 2007 12:50PM
Pick me
The Moose @ May 24th 2007 12:59PM
Feed Me!
Angel Rodriguez @ May 24th 2007 1:03PM
upstage me
Jonathan Batidta @ May 24th 2007 1:05PM
Holla
Rich Weaver @ May 24th 2007 1:05PM
Cool phone
Pmosis @ May 24th 2007 1:18PM
Woo! Me me!
jesse @ May 24th 2007 1:22PM
yessss i want a nice music player/phone.
niranjan @ May 24th 2007 1:31PM
dual faced phone..oh man thats so cool!!
George Norman @ May 24th 2007 1:35PM
Sprint PCS brand new from the begining all lucent technology all the way up...The UpStage is just that a lot of phone squeezed into a wafer thin package with a new dynamic of front and back use... just another fun way to flip a phone... my business cells right now are Sprint all the way-Send it this way-Thanks-George
Duncan Lawrence @ May 24th 2007 1:41PM
This phone sure looks perdy.
Have a nice day everyone. :)
djton @ May 24th 2007 1:51PM
What will they think of next! I'd like a three sided phone myself!
tofupunk @ May 24th 2007 2:06PM
Sprint eh? Yeah, I could do Sprint.
Brian @ May 24th 2007 2:11PM
uuupppstaaageeee....
Joe @ May 24th 2007 2:13PM
ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh gawwwwwwwddddd
Frank M. @ May 24th 2007 2:17PM
upstage for the win!
Earle @ May 24th 2007 2:23PM
Another contest! Yea!
ThePhwner @ May 24th 2007 2:23PM
I shall be Upstaged!
Jason @ May 24th 2007 2:25PM
Thanks
Jack @ May 24th 2007 2:27PM
Oh, I'm drooling for this. Send it quickly please.
Rick @ May 24th 2007 2:27PM
This would make a nice graduation present for me.
david @ May 24th 2007 2:33PM
yup, strange but nice.
Ultraorange @ May 24th 2007 2:33PM
I would put this in my pants pocket when I'm not using it
Michael L @ May 24th 2007 2:34PM
I guess I could go back to Sprint and be gouged if a nice phone came along.....
Sam @ May 24th 2007 2:36PM
Nice phone to bad its on the worst network in the world
Baseer @ May 24th 2007 2:39PM
pick me pick me
Quinton @ May 24th 2007 2:40PM
Another one?? Sweet :)
Adam @ May 24th 2007 2:40PM
This would be nice.
cory @ May 24th 2007 2:41PM
Hopefully Apple will get the hint and offer iTunes downloads directly to the iPhone!
Mark @ May 24th 2007 2:46PM
Sweet.
Roger @ May 24th 2007 2:47PM
me please
Dzan Ta @ May 24th 2007 2:48PM
yo....would like this...!!!
Rick Lyon @ May 24th 2007 2:56PM
I will never go back to sprint.
Dominic @ May 24th 2007 3:31PM
Unique phone!!:D
evelyn @ May 24th 2007 3:33PM
ill sprint a few miles to get this phone!!
Naveen John @ May 24th 2007 3:50PM
meh
Rishi @ May 24th 2007 3:52PM
Me pleeaase!
Ben Damonte @ May 24th 2007 4:17PM
sweet...
Christopher Knopick @ May 24th 2007 4:34PM
Gives a whole new meaning to flip phone.
Gadget_FREAK @ May 24th 2007 4:38PM
f the iphone?
Joel @ May 24th 2007 4:41PM
I'm in.
LaplaceDemon @ May 24th 2007 4:45PM
Pick me please! =)
ram @ May 24th 2007 4:54PM
I work for Sprint. Sprint is betting big time on this beautiful beast. Personally I have to feel the phone, coz its a weirdest concept phone :)
das @ May 24th 2007 5:26PM
Another me too - thanks for the contests guys!
Jack @ May 24th 2007 5:30PM
This phone is a phone and a MP3 player, FTW I want one!