Sprint (NYSE:S) has released pricing and availability information for its second WiMAX-enabled device, the Samsung Epic.
The device will become available beginning Aug. 31, but Sprint is offering the opportunity to reserve the smartphone for purchase at www.sprint.com/epic4g beginning 
Aug. 13. The device will be available in all Sprint retail channels along with national retail partners RadioShack, Best Buy and Walmart on Aug. 31, and those customers who reserve a phone online pick them up at a Sprint store beginning that day. Sprint is pricing the device at $250 with a two-year service agreement and after that pesky $100 mail-in rebate.
The Samsung Epic, powered by the Android 2.1 operating system, features a slide-out, full Qwerty keyboard and 4-inch super AMOLED touchscreen display supporting a series of touchscreen gestures, including multi-touch pinch, long tap and zoom and vertical and horizontal swiping. Other features include a dual camera, 5 megapixel camera/camcorder, mobile hotspot capability for up to five WiFi-enabled devices and support for 3-D graphics.
Like the HTC Evo, Sprint will require subscribers to purchase Everything Data or Business Advantage Messaging and Data plans that start at $70 per month along with a $10 per month "Premium Data" add-on for WiMAX access. For another $30 per month, customers can subscribe to the mobile hotspot service.
For more:
- see this release
- read this Samsung Epic fact sheet
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