Cricket on Tuesday announced it is now offering a new handset, the TXTM8. Like some other Cricket devices, the TXTM8 sports a QWERTY keyboard hidden behind the horizontally sliding front face that features a 2.2-inch display. The tri-band device can also connect to the Internet, can sync e-mail addresses and access social networks. The Cricket MyHomeScreen gives users quick access to news and weather information.

Other features of the handset include a 1.3-megapixel camera with zoom, an MP3 player, a microSD card slot, voice recognition, and stereo Bluetooth support. The TXTM8 is available now at Cricket retail stores and dealers for $160, though a current online discount lowers that price to $130.