First Sprint Windows Phone 8 Device, HTC 8XT, Launches July 19

Sprint will dip its toe into the Windows Phone 8 waters next week, when the carrier debuts the HTC 8XT on Friday, July 19.

Sprint customers will finally have the option of a Microsoft Windows-based smartphone for $99.99 and $50 mail-in rebate, as well as a two-year contract.

The 8XT, which was announced by Sprint late last month, is geared toward music lovers, boasting dual front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifiers, and Beats Audio for "studio quality" sound. It also comes with an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash on the back, as well as a 1.6-megapixel front-facing cam.

Powered by a 1.4-GHz, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, the 4.3-inch device supports 4G LTE and 1080p video capture. Sprint's 8XT also comes with 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM memory, a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 64GB memory cards, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS support, and a 1,800mAh lithium-ion battery.

The handset resembles its older cousin, the HTC Windows Phone 8X, available via AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. The 8XT, though, boasts eco-friendly features, like a high energy efficiency rating (more than 73 percent), a lack of environmentally sensitive materials (PVC, phthalates, bromine, chlorine), and 98 percent recyclable packaging that is 100 percent elemental chlorine free.

The HTC 8XT also supports Microsoft Office 365 for small and mid-sized businesses.

Meanwhile, Sprint last month also revealed that the Windows Phone-based Samsung Ativ S Neo will launch sometime this summer, with a $149.99 price tag. An exact release date has not yet been revealed.

The Samsung-built handset carries a 4.8-inch high-definition display, powered by a 1.4-GHz dual-core processor, with 1GB of RAM, a microSD memory card slot, and 2,000mAh lithium-ion removable battery.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2421508,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05039TX1K0000762

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