LG Lotus, Moto i576 land at Sprint

Wrapping up its phone introductions, Sprint today launched one LG and one Motorola phone for different audiences. The LG Lotus appears targeted at the Verizon Blitz and has a short, squat design built for messaging. In place of the Blitz's slider, the Lotus uses a flip phone layout. LG's device is also pitched as a designer model with an ornate textured pattern and comes with more advanced features than the budget Verizon model, including a two-megapixel camera, full 3G data and stereo Bluetooth audio. External music controls are also part of the design. The Lotus is further one of Sprint's first phones to have its in-house, simplified interface for access to common features that include the company's music and video services. The carrier launches the new LG cellphone sometime in October and will ship it in black and purple versions for $150 when joined to a two-year contract.

Leading off what's promised as a series of new phones for the iDEN push-to-talk network, the Motorola i576 is designed to be equal parts stylized and rugged with a manhole cover-like faceplate and RAZR influences but US military-grade dust- and shock-proofing for hikers and field workers. A camera is absent but is replaced with both Bluetooth and real GPS mapping. It has a specific October 19th debut and will cost $70 with two years of service.