Cricket Zio now available for pre-order, ships August 21st

If you want to experience Android but can’t afford a high-end phone and their expensive data plans, then the Cricket Zio may be the device for you. This entry-level Android phone is selling for only $229 online and comes with a $55 per month unlimited everything plan.

The Zio is an mid-range Android phone and it features a 3.5-inch WVGA display, 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, 3.2 MP camera, and Android 1.6. Kyocera plans to offer an upgrade to the Android 2.x OS sometime in the future, but there is no guarantee the Cricket version will see this software update.

Cricket Wireless might not be available in your area yet, but they just signed a big network agreement with Sprint and offer coverage in all 50 states. They are best known for their no-contract plans which offer flat rate pricing.

Since Cricket does not require contracts, you are not forced to subsidize the cost of your phone with your monthly plan. For just $55 per month, users get unlimited talk, text, and web. This is the best deal I have seen for Android and it’s nice to have more no-contract options. At only $249 ($229 online), the Zio is also one of the cheapest Android phones to hit the United States.

It might not be the most exciting device, but the Zio opens the door to a whole new market of customers that want a smartphone without the typical smartphone costs.

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