Sprint to Release Two-Screen Phone on April 17

The Overland Park, Kan.-based carrier said customers can pre-order the Echo starting on March 26. The device can operate as a conventional smartphone when closed or a side-by-side tablet-like layout with two 3.5-inch displays, which can work together or separately.

Kyocera hopes to catch the tablet craze by offering a hybrid device. For instance, one screen can check Facebook messages while another shows the photo gallery. They can work together for one giant view as well.

The Echo runs on Google's Android 2.2 software and a 1-gigahertz dual-processor. It also integrates a 5.0-megapixel camera with high-definition 720p video recording.

"The Echo's unique dual-screen allows customers to do things they have never before done on a wireless handset", said Fared Adib, Sprint's vice president. "We believe customers will really appreciate and leverage the dual-screen capabilities".

After struggling with a lackluster product portfolio, Sprint is hoping the Echo will draw subscribers to its network, though it comes against AT&T and Verizon, which both carry the iPhone 4 and iPad 2.

Sprint, which bet heavily on 4G by racing out a next-generation network, is in talks with Deutsche Telekom about acquiring T-Mobile.