Cricket ships Huawei Ascend II Android smartphone
updated 01:10 pm EDT, Tue July 12, 2011
Cricket launches successor to Ascend smartphone
Wireless provider Cricket has formally unwrapped the Huawei Ascend II smartphone. It will replace the carrier's lowest-priced Android handset, the original Ascend, which was also its best-selling smartphone. The new device has some marked improvements, including a faster 600MHz processor, a five-megapixel camera and Android 2.3
Otherwise, the 3.5-inch, 640x240 touchscreen stays, as do Wi-Fi and a 3G data radio. Data storage comes from microSD memory card slots.
The handset costs $180 and doesn't require a contract. It is available on Cricket's $55 monthly Android plan that includes unlimited talk, international and local text, unlimited video and picture messaging and data services. Cricket's MyBackup system is part of the plan as well and stores contacts in the cloud.
