Tag Archives: Sprint

Kyocera Echo Review Part 1

Posted on May 31, 2011 by JMarsden| 2 Comments

Kyocera-Echo-frontThis week I received the Sprint Kyocera Echo to review.

Upon opening the box that I received I found the Echo, extra battery, external charging unit, instructions, memory card, cables.  The Echo comes stock with Android 2.2.1.  There are no rumors if Gingerbread will be available in the future.   Gingerbread could probably help the eminent battery life issue, but that is something that I’m sure Kyocera is looking at.

The dual touchscreen flip is a little challenging to get used to.  The screens are made of Corning Gorilla Glass.  I am sure that there is still a break issue if the phone is dropped, but I am not sure.  Even though the Echo doesn’t have a dual core processor the phone is very snappy.

kyocera-echo-specs

Kyocera was smart with this unit.  Thinking ahead for possible battery use issues they included an external charging unit, and battery.  The charging unit can be used for charging the extra battery, or can actually be switched to charge the phone.  This was very convenient to have.

With all of the features that this phone does have I am amazed that they cut out some of the more important features that are in a good portion of phones that are coming out.  The features I refer to include: 4G connectivity, Front facing camera.

I find that the speaker on the Echo is slightly weaker than expected.  The dual screen capability is nice, but more apps should have been designed to use the dual screen capability to its fullest.  The phone is a bit more square than I originally expected.  It is slightly smaller than the Epic that I own.

Check back next week for Part 2 of my review of the Kyocera Echo.

Posted in Electronics

Tagged , , , , ,

Sprint Epic 4G Follow-up

Posted on May 22, 2011 by JMarsden| 1 Comment

I love Android phones.  They rock in comparison to Blackberry, and IPhones.  I have never owned an IPhone, but I have tried one out, and I am not impressed.  I have now had my Epic 4G since the initial release of the phone.  I loved the phone.  When they released the updates for the phone everyone believed that it would help address the battery issue.  Well, I know that I can state successfully that my Epic 4G still has a serious battery issue.  I have gone into the store a few times, and they have told me that it is charging, and there is nothing wrong with the phone.

Rubbish I say.

Sprint seems to have a way of forcing people to do what they want.  They are still just like any other cellular provider in that they require a contract, and they usually don’t do anything that they will lose money by doing.  If you own a phone that just isn’t performing correct they will do everything they can to get you to purchase a new phone regardless of whether or not the phone is a piece of garbage.  I am not saying that the Sprint Epic 4G is garbage, but even with the full Flash Player capabilities I know that things like Facebook games still won’t run. 

One of the biggest things that I don’t understand is why did Sprint add a $10 charge to phones that use data for surfing?  I may have been a little more receptive if there was a 4G service available in my area, but since there isn’t I am using the same service as a regular phone user in my thoughts.  Sprint has gotten a bit greedy as far as I am concerned.  I am of firm belief that the cellular carriers notice that people are on the net, and texting more because of how the cellular phone has evolved, and that is why they want to jack up our rates.

I anxiously await my new phone that should be arriving this week.  I will tell you how that performs in comparison to the Epic 4G.  I can’t wait to hear the ECHOooooooo!

What is your thoughts on some of these issues?

Posted in Android Stuff

Tagged , , , , , ,

Sprint Epic Official Froyo Is Finally Here

Posted on February 21, 2011 by JMarsden| Leave a comment

Hot off the presses!  This is better than diamonds, gold, and tanzanite jewelry.  FROYO is here.

Ok… I know that we have been waiting for like… a long time, but the long awaited Froyo Update for the Epic 4G is finally here.  You can choose to wait for the OTA update that will be sent out between February 21 and February 25.  This is according to information that was sent out by Sprint.

If you choose to want Froyo now, then you can download the file from the Samsung Download Center by Clicking Here.

NOTE: You need to have DI18 on your phone in order to do this.

Now you ask what to do with it.  Well, after downloading the file follow these steps:

  1. Rename the update.zip.zip to update.zip.(This may not apply to you.  Certain computers will add .zip the end of the file.)
  2. Connect your phone to your computer and go to Mass Storage.
  3. Copy the update.zip file to the SD Card of the phone.
  4. Power off the phone.
  5. While holding “Volume Down” + “Camera” turn the phone on.
  6. Keep holding this sequence until you are at the recovery screen.
  7. Move up and down with “Volume”.
  8. Select “Apply SD Card Update.zip”
  9. Click the “Home” button.
  10. Let it do its thing.

You now have Froyo… EB13 on your phone, and didn’t have to wait for the OTA update.

Posted in Android Stuff

Tagged , , , , , , , ,