The X-TC features a 2.4 inch QVGA widescreen display, sliding QWERTY keyboard, EVDO data. Bluetooth with stereo audio support, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder, and speakerphone.

The JAX is a rebranded Kyocera Melo S1300 bar phone featuring a color display, speakerphone, mobile web access, and downloads support.

The phone features 1xRTT data, speakerphone, and support for messaging, email, and voice control along with A-GPS support.

No carrier branding is present, but the support for the CDMA AWS band denotes that either MetroPCS or Cricket may carry the phone at some point with nothing confirmed at this time.

 The phone does away with the customizable uiOne interface with selectable themes and the familiar Sanyo interface in favor of Sprint’s now standard OneClick BREW-based user interface which PhoneNews.com has covered in-depth.

The phone’s feature set is otherwise identical to the Katana Eclipse launched earlier this year save for programmable EL lights on the front flip, with external music controls, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, speakerphone, GPS support via Sprint Navigation, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder, and Bluetooth with stereo audio support.  

The phone is now available for $149.99 after new 2 year agreement and $150 instant online discount before an additional $50 online rebate, bringing the total to $99.99.

All images below available in HD, click to enlarge… 

CTIA Wireless IT really is not as much a newsmaking show, as it is a showcase of where the industry has been. Microsoft didn’t show Windows Mobile 7, HTC didn’t have a booth, and Verizon didn’t even talk about open access for consumers.

Probably the most exciting part of the show, is giving us a first-hand look at the devices headed into the holiday buying season. And, without further ado, here they are:

Sprint

Sprint had their full holiday lineup on display. The HTC Touch Pro and Diamond are in the Windows Mobile area below, and live shots of the BlackBerry Curve 8350i are in a previous article.

Windows Mobile

Kyocera

Kyocera’s phone section was buried in a back corner. But, we did find some new models… and WiMAX gear as well.

PCD

PCD introduced itself at the show. Shortly after being spun off from UTStarcom, as UTStarcom divested its wireless phone assets, the company had few new products on display. The Virgin Mobile Shuttle (pictured in the Virgin Mobile section) was the only new handset. And, unfortunately, we also learned that the SMT5700 was cancelled on AT&T. The EDGE-only, still Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone, is now headed to South America for release.

Verizon Wireless

Verizon had little to put on display. In fact, the entire booth was dedicated to Open Development; Verizon’s do-it-yourself MVNO solution. Not peep was made about users submitting their own devices for approval.

Research In Motion

RIM showed off their just-announced BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 for T-Mobile. Nextel’s Curve 8350i was covered in a previous article. Also shown, the BlackBerry Curve 9000, set to launch shortly on AT&T.

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile showed off its new Shuttle from PCD, meant to bridge the gap between low-end Virgin Mobile and high-end Helio phones. The phone will launch as a Virgin Mobile device, with Buddy Beacon pre-installed.

The Motorola VE20 is a higher-end phone, aimed at replacing the Motorola RAZR2 V9m, which Sprint ambiguously pulled from its lineup abruptly earlier this month. Sprint also pulled the Motorola Q9c at the same time. The VE20 is similar to the RAZR2, including the RAZR2’s external touch screen. Both phones are now available both online and in Sprint Retail Stores.

Sanyo Kyocera Katana Eclipse Product Page
Motorola VE20 Product Page

The Sanyo Katana Eclipse (6750) is expected to release late this month for Sprint. It features a 1.3 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, GPS access, and external music controls.

Buy a Sanyo Katana 2 from Amazon.com
Buy a Sanyo Katana DLX from Amazon.com

The midrange clamshell is expected to launch late next month and features external media player controls, GPS access, microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, and its famed speakerphone along with a 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, and EVDO data access.

Neither Sprint nor Sanyo have confirmed the phone at this time.

The Kyocera TNT! features an external speakerphone mounted on the front flip, 1xRTT data access, instant messaging support, full telecoil support for the hearing impaired and WAP browser with access to Virgin Mobile content.

The phone is now available from Virgin Mobile online for $19.99.

The Virgin Mobile Festival Special Edition of the Kyocera WildCard features a new white color with special graphics wrapped around the internal display giving the appearance of a concert stage along with access to streaming music, Bluetooth, speakerphone, 1.3 megapixel camera, and QWERTY keyboard along with a free one year subscription to SPIN magazine, 50 free downloads from online music service eMusic, and access to a special guest area during the Virgin Mobile Festival at Pimlico RaceCourse in Baltimore, Maryland on August 9th and 10th.

The phone is now available from Best Buy online for $99.99 while supplies last.

Starting with the announcement that the Japanese parent company has completed its acquisition of Sanyo’s US mobile phone division, the one time manufacturer of entry-level basic phones for small carriers has evolved into a potential player in the general wireless handset development marketplace.

The manufacturer has announced its first CDMA AWS-compatible devices and has completely reimagined its CDMA handset design philosphy, offering features now considered common in other handsets and actually reaching parity with more established CDMA handset manufacturers, addressing common issues regarding stability and reliability.

The manufacturer has also announced its entry into the crowded GSM handset development space by announcing its first GSM lineup, primarily intended for Latin American networks that have recently converted from CDMA to GSM. Read More for a detailed look at both GSM and CDMA lineups.

Kyocera has long been known for offering basic, no-frills devices designed primarily for voice only use.

When attempts were made to expand into multimedia features in the past, such as offering something as simple as a WAP browser, the phones would suffer from bugs that would lead to devices being rejected for final approval, or even the addition of unstable firmware that would manifest itself in odd behavior during normal operation which was especially evident with their first attempt at developing CDMA EVDO devices for now defunct carrier Amp’d Mobile and their first phone with a media player and memory card slot .

Thanks to the recent purchase of Sanyo’s former wireless phone division, Kyocera’s research and development has improved markedly from the past and has come up with phones that utilize almost all of the hall marks of the former Sanyo wireless phone division.

The first phone to benefit from the new developments in CDMA is the Kyocera Neo E1100.

The stark black clamshell resembles a Japanese market model right down to its large reverse hinge and features a 2.2″ QVGA internal display, hidden outer OLED display that illuminates within a lightpipe that denotes incoming calls, messages, and other functions, a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, WAP browser, email client, BREW support for games and applications, and voice dialing.

The second phone in the new lineup is the Kyocera Mako S4000.

The clamshell is targeted towards those that would like to strike a balance between features and stability while remaining stylish at the same time by featuring a VGA camera, external display, large keypad,1.8″ internal display, and BREW support for games and applications.

The last phone to benefit in the CDMA line up is the Kyocera Adreno S2400.

The simple appearance of the clamshell belies its featureset as it includes a large 1.8″ internal display, external display for caller id, and MP3 ringtone support.

To close out the CDMA lineup, all three models will feature support for the new CDMA AWS bands on the 1700Mhz frequency. All of the above phones are expected to launch sometime in the 3rd quarter.

Kyocera has also announced its entry into the GSM market with a lineup of four phones ranging from entry-level to high-end destined for the Latin American market starting with the E4600 slider, E3500 clamshell, E2500 bar, and ending with the S1600 thin bar phone.

The Kyocera E4600 slider is meant to be the high end of the GSM lineup as it features quadband GSM support, a large 2.2 inch display, media player, microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth, and a 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder.

The Kyocera E3500 clamshell is meant to be a step down form the E4600 by downgrading the camera to 1.3 megapixels and display, but is otherwise identical feature wise by including the media player, microSD card slot, video recorder, Bluetooth, quadband GSM support, and adds external media player controls.

The E2500 is the bar version of the E3500 clamshell and is identical in features with quadband GSM, the 1.3 megapixel camera and video recorder, Bluetooth, media player, and microSD expansion slot.

The S1600 is meant as an entry-level device featuring a VGA camera, Bluetooth, and SMS/MMS support with dual-band support for either GSM 900/1800 or 850/1900.