Believe it or not, Sprint fans, there actually are other new handsets available from the carrier beyond the Palm Pre. You might not think so with all of the focus that the webOS device is — or was — getting, but it is true. Sure there’s the Tour coming down the pipe for all you BlackBerry fans out there, but what about there rest of you? Well, between yesterday and today Sprint has launched three new handsets that should fill in the gaps quite nicely. First up, the LG LX370 was announced today featuring Sprint’s One Click UI, EV-DO Rev. A, a 2 megapixel camera, GPS, Sprint TV, stereo Bluetooth and microSDHC support. Fair enough for a $100 slider (after $50 MIR). Also announced this morning is the Samsung Exclaim, which sports a side-sliding QWERTY keypad along with a 2 megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, Sprint TV, Sprint One Click UI and microSDHC support. The Exclaim is a touch more affordable at $80 after a $50 MIR. Last but not least, the HTC Snap finally decided to join the party yesterday. Already available from Best Buy and Radio Shack, the Snap has already been detailed a zillion times so just know that it’ll run you $150 after a $100 MIR if you want to snag it directly from Sprint. See anything you like?

Read (LG LX370)
Read (Samsung Exclaim)
Read (HTC Snap)

There’s no question — the HTC Snap was in dire need of yet another moniker. Snap, Cedar and Willow were hardly enough so our pals at Verizon have gone and added another name to the pile… Say hello to the HTC Ozone. With Sprint’s version of the Snap jumping off this Sunday, we had a sneaking suspicion that Verizon’s Snap wouldn’t be far behind. Lo and behold, one of our Verizon ninjas just swooped down and dropped this screenshot on us. So far no pricing or release timing are available but training is set to kick off next week so the release shouldn’t be too far off. Notables from the provided info are Wi-Fi, Microsoft My Phone compatibility, Visual Voicemail, VZ Nav, Internet Explorer 6 mobile and of course the fact that it’s a world phone. Hit the jump for a bigger shot.

Thanks, KrazyVZW!

Believe it or not, there is actually more than one Sprint handset being launched this weekend. No, seriously! Right on schedule, the HTC Snap has touched down in Sprint stores across the country and your pals at BGR decided to share a few quick unboxing pics. Courtesy of one of our ninjas, behold Sprint’s iteration of the Snap. Sure the pictures are a little blurry and sure it’s hard to get excited about the Snap when the Pre launch is the day before, but business users may be happy to see a pure business handset as it gets ready for lift off this Sunday. Hit the jump for a few more shots including a size comparison with the BlackBerry Bold.

There’s a reason companies around the world often go to HTC when they need to outsource handsets — they’re without a doubt among the best when it comes to build, form and design. This year at CTIA, the HTC Snap announced this morning was the only new addition the company showed off, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take another look at two of the most exciting upcoming handsets currently on deck too, right? Hit the jump and get your gawk on.

First up, a few more shots of the Snap. As you can see, the Inner Circle feature wasn’t live yet on the handset which is a shame because we definitely wanted to check it out. As for the hardware itself, it feels great. The dimensions are ideal for a work horse candybar, the keypad is surprisingly inviting and the handset has that nice rubbery feel a la the HTC Touch.

Next up, the handset we can’t wait to get back at BGR HQ so we can abuse the hell out of it: The Touch Pro2. Just look at it… That sleek case, that giant sliding/pivoting touchscreen, that spacious QWERTY keypad; it’s all good, literally. The Pro2 is a bit of a beast though, but sacrifices must be made in order to stuff all that sexy into one package.

Last but certainly not least is Pro2′s little cousin, the HTC Touch Diamond2. As you well know, it’s basically a Pro2 sans-QWERTY — just like the original Diamond and Pro. Same giant touchscreen, same sexy TouchFLO 3D UI over Windows Mobile and same attention to detail. If a QWERTY isn’t your thing and WinMo doesn’t make you head for the hills, the Diamond2 is definitely a contender to be your next handset. Definitely.

Fresh from CTIA day 1 in Las Vegas, HTC is about to unveil its latest Windows Mobile handset that sets its sites on the likes of BlackBerrys and the Nokia E71. Slim and sleek, the HTC Snap sports a sexy 12mm-thick case and a smooth QWERTY keyboard. At first glance the Snap may seem a bit behind the times as far as specs go — the 2 megapixel camera is pretty underwhelming and Windows Mobile 6.1 standard is soooo 2008, but let’s put things in perspective. Consider the handset’s competition: The BlackBerry Bold has a 2 megapixel camera and the Nokia E71 has a slightly beefier 3.2 megapixel shooter, though we’ve seen sun prints that come out clearer than E71 pictures. Beyond that, neither handset wields what we would call an up-to-date OS. Instead, they rely on tried and true platforms known for stability and functionality over sex appeal and zip — just like Windows Mobile 6.1.

The HTC Snap is a messaging handset for people whose first priority in terms of handsets is communications. In that vein, the Snap will be HTC’s first handset to feature its new “Inner Circle” email prioritization system. It’s pretty clever, actually — Inner Circle allows users to define a group of high priority contacts. When inboxes start to get a bit out of control, a simple tap on the dedicated Inner Circle button will automatically place any emails from high priority contacts at the top of the inbox. Simple yet pretty smart, we’d say. Add to that the fact that email/PIM is without question one of Windows Mobile’s strong points and you’ve got yourself one hell of a work horse. As far as the US is concerned, expect an unlocked version dubbed the HTC S522 (with AT&T-compatible 3G) to drop this Summer. Hit the jump for the full specs, a bunch of additional images and the full release.

• Qualcomm MSM 7225 processor, 528 MHz
• Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard OS
• QWERTY keypad with dedicated messaging, email and Inner Circle hotkeys
• 256MB ROM, 192MB RAM
• microSDHC support
• Dimensions: 4.59″ x 2.42″ x .47″ (LxWxT)
• Weight: 4.23 ounces (with battery)
• Display: 2.4″ (diagonal) QVGA (320×240)
• 1500 mAh battery
• HSDPA/WCDMA 900/2100 MHz or HSDPA/WCDMA 850/1900 MHz (HTC S522)
• Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
• Wi-Fi (b/g)
• GPS/aGPS

HTC Snap™ makes staying in touch with more people less complicated

HTC’s newest QWERTY smartphone features “Inner Circle” to automatically prioritize email from life’s most important people

LAS VEGAS – April 1, 2009 – HTC Corporation today debuted its newest QWERTY smartphone, the HTC Snap™. Designed with a set of features selected to deliver everything customers need without overwhelming them with things they don’t, the HTC Snap makes it easier than ever to stay in contact with life’s most important people.

A recent study conducted by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by HTC* found that 44% of US adults are often overwhelmed by the amount of email they receive, and over half (55%) of US adults prioritize five or fewer people with whom they communicate via email. In response to these issues, HTC’s innovative Inner Circle feature allows HTC Snap users to press a dedicated Inner Circle key to bring emails from a preselected group of people to the top of their inbox, enabling important messages to be acted upon immediately.

“Recognizing that people are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of email, the HTC Snap introduces Inner Circle, an HTC innovation that makes it easy for people to prioritize messages from the most important people in their lives at the press of a button,” said John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Snap represents the latest step in HTC’s mission to create a range of innovative smartphones, each with specific benefits designed to both surprise and delight our customers.”

With a slim, sleek profile designed to fit perfectly in the hand, the HTC Snap measures less than a half-inch thick (12 mm), yet it can deliver up to eight and a half hours of talk time with the standard 1500mAh battery. The full QWERTY keyboard is ergonomically designed with extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback to make typing emails and text messages fast, accurate and comfortable. High-speed 3G HSPA connectivity makes it quick and easy to send pictures to friends, access favorite social networking sites, or download large files while on the go.

The HTC Snap is powerful enough for experienced business users looking for an affordable, straightforward choice for remotely synchronizing email, calendar and contacts with their Microsoft Exchange server. However, the flexible Microsoft Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard platform allows the HTC Snap to also be simple enough for first-time smartphone users wanting to keep their family life organized.

The HTC Snap is expected to be available in select channels during the second quarter of 2009, rolling out in markets around the world throughout the second half of the year. Additionally, an unlocked version supporting HSDPA at 850/1900MHz for the US market will be made available under the name HTC S522 during the summer.