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    HomeMobileCell PhonesKyocera Torque Arrives at Sprint March 8 for $99.99 (press release)

    Kyocera Torque Arrives at Sprint March 8 for $99.99 (press release)

    Kyocera Torque – the First Ultra-Rugged 4G LTE Android Smartphone with Sprint Direct Connect and Smart Sonic Receiver Audio Technology – Drops, Dunks and Spills into Sprint on March 8 for $99.99 after a $50 MIR  and with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade.

    Torque is our first Mil-Spec 810G touchscreen smartphone. For workers in the trenches, families at the beach or the snowboarder knee deep in powder – Kyocera Torque, is built to survive extreme elements and everyday use.

    Torque is an ultra-rugged, Android 4G LTE smartphone featuring Sprint Direct Connect push-to-talk service and Kyocera’s award-winning Smart Sonic Receiver audio technology. The technology eliminates the need for a traditional speaker in a handset, instead using vibrations to transmit sounds directly to the eardrum with unparalleled sound quality. Placing the phone in contact with the general area of the ear creates clear sound even in very noisy environments such as construction sites, sporting events, concerts and playgrounds.

    Waterproof, Dirt-Proof, Drop-Proof

    Built to Military Standard 810G, Torque is made to withstand water, dust, shock, vibration, solar radiation, humidity, and extreme temperatures, along with IP67 standards for dust and water immersion.

    Torque has been tested to hold up against life’s extremes – including some most people will never see – to help ensure it will be there when you need it, including:

     

    • Waterproof whether sprayed or immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes, Torque can handle all the rain, sprinklers, hoses, spit, drool, drinks, sinks or toilet water life can throw at it – that’s more than can be said of the around 82 million handsets in the U.S. that have already been destroyed by liquid.1
    • Extreme Temperatures of -22° to 140°F (-30° to 60°C) for a non-operating unit for two hours and -4° to 122°F (-20° to 50°C) for an operating unit for three hours – from backcountry snowboard trips to hikes in Death Valley, don’t sweat it.
    • Dropped 26 times from 4 feet high – or, the average week with kids at the playground.
    • Heavy dust for six hours – going off the grid while off-roading and camping will never be an issue.
    • Horizontal, vertical and sideways vibrations for one hour – that mountain bike ride or roller coaster will be no match for Torque.
    • Exposure to salt fog, for a complete 48 hour cycle; this cycle includes 24 hours exposure to salt fog followed by 24 hours drying time  – ideal for surfers, beach lovers or those who left their hearts and phones in San Francisco.
    • 95 percent humidity for 10 days straight – the phone can handle it, but its owners may not.
    • Solar radiation exposure of 1120 W/m2 for 24 hours – you might need sunscreen, but your phone doesn’t mind soaking up some rays.
    • Low pressure at 57.11 kPa/15,000 feet (4,572 meters) for two hours – higher than the tallest mountain peak in the lower 48 U.S. states.

    Check out the full press release….

    Kyocera Torque – the First Ultra-Rugged 4G LTE Android Smartphone
    with Sprint Direct Connect and Smart Sonic Receiver Audio Technology –
    Drops, Dunks and Spills into Sprint on March 8 for $99.99

    Online Adventures from Ultimate Adventurer and Fun-Loving Dad Bear Grylls to Show
    How Torque Can Survive the Extremes and Everyday Life

    OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Feb. 22, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE:S) and Kyocera Communications Inc.

    today announced the March 8 availability of Kyocera Torque, the “live more, fear less” handset
    built to survive extreme elements and everyday life.

    The ultra-rugged, 4G LTE Android™ smartphone will be available in all Sprint retail channels,
    including Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1), for $99.99 after a $50 mail-
    in-rebate via reward card, with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service
    agreement (pricing excludes taxes).1 Powered by Android 4.1, Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE
    speeds and up to 18.9 hours of talk time, this device will benefit from Truly UnlimitedSM 4G LTE
    data, text and calling to any mobile device with no metering, no throttling, and no overages, all
    while on the Sprint network.

    Torque is built to Military Standard 810G (MilSpec) to withstand dust, shock, vibration, solar
    radiation, humidity, blowing rain, low pressure, salt fog and extreme temperatures, along with
    IP67 standards for dust, sprayed water and full immersion of up to one meter deep for up to 30
    minutes. It features Sprint® Direct Connect® push-to-talk service and is America’s first phone to
    include Kyocera’s award-winning new Smart Sonic Receiver technology, which transmits sounds
    not only as traditional sound waves, but also as vibrations carried by body tissue directly to the
    eardrum and inner ear for unparalleled sound clarity even in the noisiest environments. Torque
    is designated Sprint Professional Grade, which ensures advanced security, device management
    and Exchange Active Sync capabilities are protecting data on the device and over Sprint’s
    nationwide network.

    “The durability and sound quality of Torque are amazing for a 4G LTE smartphone,” said David
    Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “Whether you’re on a construction site, an
    outdoor adventurer or a mom that worries about their kids breaking their phone, Torque can hold
    up to those drops, spills or dunks. With Sprint’s 4G LTE network and truly unlimited 4G data,
    text and calling plans, it’s a tremendous offer for business customers, busy kids and adventurers
    alike.”

    In keeping with Torque’s ability to tackle the extremes and everyday life, Kyocera has sought the
    help of Bear Grylls – Everest mountaineer, former British Special Forces, star of television’s “Man
    vs. Wild,” and the father of three active boys. See Grylls take Torque on a series of “adventures”
    ranging from biting snow, spraying water and mud to a day of splashing in a water park full of kids
    at http://www.youtube.com/kyoceramobilephones.

    “Bear Grylls is the ultimate survivor, in both his extreme adventures and the challenges he
    deals with day-to-day like the rest of us,” said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general
    manager of global sales and marketing at Kyocera Communications. “Most of us know him
    as an intrepid adventurer, who has withstood the most extreme environments, but he’s also a
    businessman and a parent, and he appreciates the value of a smart, rugged device like Torque
    that can seamlessly support those different sides of his lifestyle.”

    In 2012, Sprint added more coverage area to its Sprint Direct Connect push-to-talk service –
    creating three times the push-to-talk coverage of its Nextel National Network – with the addition of
    roaming and Sprint 1xRTT coverage areas.2 The expansion of the Sprint Direct Connect network
    also marks another milestone for Network Vision, Sprint’s nationwide network upgrade using the
    newest, most advanced equipment in the industry. Sprint plans to consolidate multiple network
    technologies into one seamless network with the goal of increasing efficiency and enhancing
    network coverage, call quality and data speeds for customers.

    Sprint introduced its all-new 4G LTE network in July 2012 and now offers service in 58
    markets.3 For the most up-to-date details on the Sprint 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, please visit
    www.sprint.com/4GLTE. For detailed 4G LTE maps, providing coverage information right down
    to the address, please visit www.sprint.com/coverage. Customers are encouraged to check back
    often, as the maps will be updated when coverage in these markets is enhanced.

    For more information about the Kyocera Torque, please visit http://
    www.kyocerasmartphones.com/torque or www.sprint.com/torque.

    About Sprint Nextel
    Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services
    bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint
    Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2012 and is widely recognized
    for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless
    4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data
    services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance
    Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1
    Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all
    national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during
    the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings,
    listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications
    company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint
    and www.twitter.com/sprint.

    About Kyocera Communications Inc.
    Kyocera Communications Inc. is the headquarters for Kyocera wireless devices in the Americas.
    Designed with durability, dependability, and long-term value as priorities, Kyocera mobile
    phones help people feel comfortable with new technology and use it to connect, perform and
    outsmart life’s challenges. At the heart of Kyocera’s products is a belief that one size doesn’t
    fit all and that people should do more with phones instead of being confused by them or having
    to alter their lifestyles to accommodate them. For more information, follow the company at
    www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones or www.twitter.com/kyoceramobile.

    Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent
    and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine
    ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials
    with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become
    a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, printers, copiers, solar power generating
    systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial
    ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2012, the company’s net sales totaled 1.19
    trillion yen (approx. USD14.5 billion). The company is ranked #426 on Forbes magazine’s
    2012 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.

    ###

    American Express Prepaid Reward Card (“Card”) provided in connection with this Rebate offer is a prepaid Card that
    is usable at U.S. merchants that accept American Express Card. Some limitations apply. The Card is not redeemable for
    cash (except where required by law) and does not provide ATM access. Use of Card constitutes acknowledgement that it
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    ISSUANCE, UNLESS FUNDS ARE EARLIER DEPLETED. For BALANCE, customer service and Cardholder Agreement,
    visit americanexpress.com/sprint or call 866-608-3756. Card issued by American Express Prepaid Card Management
    Corporation.
    2Three times the coverage based on square-mile coverage comparison of Nextel National Network to Sprint National
    Network (inclusive of roaming).
    3Anderson, Ind.; Atlanta; Athens, Ga.; Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Barnstable/Hyannis/Mid-Cape, Mass.; Boston;
    Calhoun, Ga.; Carrollton, Ga.; Chicago/Naperville/Joliet, Ill.; Clark County, Va./Jefferson County, W.Va.; College
    Station/Bryan, Texas; Columbia, Tenn.; Dallas; Emporia, Kan.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Fort Worth, Texas; Framingham,
    Mass.; Franklin County, Pa.; Gainesville, Ga.; Gary, Ind.; Gettysburg, Pa.; Granbury/Hood County, Texas;
    Hagerstown, Md./Martinsburg, W.Va.; Harrisburg/Carlisle/Hershey, Pa.; Harrisonburg, Va.; Houston; Huntsville,
    Texas; Hutchinson, Kan.; Indianapolis/Carmel, Ind.; Kankakee/Bradley/Bourbonnais, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan./Mo.;
    Lawrence, Kan.; Manhattan/Junction City, Kan.; McPherson, Kan.; Muncie, Ind.; New Bedford/Fall River, Mass.;
    Newnan, Ga.; Peabody, Mass.; Rockford, Ill.; Rome, Ga.; Salina, Kan.; San Antonio; Santa Rosa/Petaluma, Calif.;
    Sedalia, Mo.; Shenandoah/Page Counties, Va.; South Bend/Mishawaka, Ind.; Southern PR: Ponce/Coamo/Guayama,
    Puerto Rico; St. Joseph, Mo.; Topeka, Kan.; Vallejo/Fairfield, Calif.; Waco, Texas; Waukegan/Lake County, Ill.;
    Western PR: Aguadilla/Isabela/Cabo Rojo/Mayagüez, Puerto Rico; Wichita Falls, Texas; Wichita, Kan.; Winchester,
    Va.; York/Hanover, Pa.

    1The

    © 2013 Kyocera. All rights reserved. Kyocera and Smart Sonic Receiver are registered trademarks of Kyocera
    Corporation. Sprint and Direct Connect are registered trademarks of Sprint Nextel. Android is a trademark of Google
    Inc.; use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. Bluetooth mark is owned by the Bluetooth SIG Inc. and
    any use of such mark is under license. MicroSD is a trademark of SD-3C, LLC. Snapdragon is a registered trademark
    of Qualcomm Incorporated. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.

    David Novak
    David Novakhttps://www.gadgetgram.com
    For the last 20 years, David Novak has appeared in newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV around the world, reviewing the latest in consumer technology. His byline has appeared in Popular Science, PC Magazine, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Electronic House Magazine, GQ, Men’s Journal, National Geographic, Newsweek, Popular Mechanics, Forbes Technology, Readers Digest, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Glamour Magazine, T3 Technology Magazine, Stuff Magazine, Maxim Magazine, Wired Magazine, Laptop Magazine, Indianapolis Monthly, Indiana Business Journal, Better Homes and Garden, CNET, Engadget, InfoWorld, Information Week, Yahoo Technology and Mobile Magazine. He has also made radio appearances on the The Mark Levin Radio Show, The Laura Ingraham Talk Show, Bob & Tom Show, and the Paul Harvey RadioShow. He’s also made TV appearances on The Today Show and The CBS Morning Show. His nationally syndicated newspaper column called the GadgetGUY, appears in over 100 newspapers around the world each week, where Novak enjoys over 3 million in readership. David is also a contributing writer fro Men’s Journal, GQ, Popular Mechanics, T3 Magazine and Electronic House here in the U.S.

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