Intriguing design? Check. Nice specs? Check. Low price? Check. What else can an Android phone want from life, and the new
Pantech Discover delivers it fully, at least on paper.
Coming to AT&T Friday, January 11, the Discover sports that curvy shape that is all the rage amongst industrial smartphone designers when they want to appear trendy, and talk about "ergonomic interaction" at announcements. It will also feature Pantech's Easy Experience mode for prioritizing your most used apps, and, for the first time, AT&T will preload it with its DriveMode service, which aims to prevent texting while driving by shooting out auto-reply messages.
The specs are nothing to sneeze at, too, with the Pantech Discover mirroring your world on a 4.8" HD screen, powered by a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, and backed by a 2,100 mAh battery. The 13 MP rear camera, 2 MP front-facer and dual speakers round up the goods, and we even get a microSD slot for storage expansion in addition to the 16 GB of internal memory, so all is well with the world.
The price? That will be $50 with contract for you, good sir, or, the way Pantech puts it - "high quality smartphones don't need to come with a high price tag" - and the cheapskate in us wholeheartedly agrees. The downside? It ships with Android 4.0 for now.
Press Release
AT&T's Second Smartphone to Feature "Easy Experience" Mode Provides Robust Multimedia Entertainment
DALLAS, Jan. 7, 2013 – Kicking off 2013 with one of Pantech's most impressive Android smartphones to date, AT&T* announces the Pantech Discover™, available for $49.99** with a two-year agreement, in all AT&T channels beginning Jan. 11. Pantech Discover will be the first AT&T smartphone pre-loaded with the AT&T DriveMode® application, an app designed to help prevent texting while driving.
A 4G LTE smartphone, the sleek Discover boasts a large 4.8-inch HD display (1280 x 720) and an impressive 12.6-megapixel camera with 4X zoom, as well as the ability to record and playback video in HD 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 frames per second. The Discover's dual 3D surround sound speakers provide a rich audio experience, ideal for listening to music and watching movies, while the built-in near field communication (NFC) technology allows users to share content, read smart tags, or pay for goods and services right from their phone. Packed with high tech features for an affordable price, the Discover provides tremendous value, fast data speeds, and high performance to entertainment seekers and business professionals alike.
The Discover features AT&T DriveMode®, an app that helps curb texting and driving. The app can be set-up to automatically send a customizable reply to incoming messages once a vehicle starts moving 25 mph. The auto-reply message is similar to an "out-of-office alert" and can reply to texts, emails and wireless callers letting your friends know that you are driving and unable to respond. The app will automatically send all calls directly to voicemail; however, the user has the option to create an "allow list" or it can also be turned off manually at any time if the user needs to make a call immediately. ***
"The Pantech Discover combines a feature-packed experience – complete with a 12.6-megapixel camera and HD display – with a cost-effective price point, giving AT&T customers yet another strong option in our 4G LTE portfolio," said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president- Devices, AT&T. "AT&T is dedicated to educating customers about the dangers of texting while driving and providing real solutions to help prevent the behavior. With DriveMode pre-loaded on the Discover, we hope that users will be less likely to text and drive."
First announced for AT&T on the Pantech Flex in September 2012, Pantech's exclusive Easy Experience and Standard Experience modes, are also available on the Discover. The Easy Experience mode prioritizes customers' apps on the home screen in a clearly organized and easy-to-read format. Customers can easily switch between Easy Experience and the Standard Experience, a classic Android format available for users who prefer to access Discover's wide range of features – social media, video, email – in a highly customizable interface.
In addition, the Discover is a great option for business users as it comes with full VPN and EAS support plus device encryption for secure access to corporate email and intranets. Its 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 16 GB on-board memory plus SwiftKey app allow for maximum efficiency, while its 2,100 mAh battery makes it easier to be productive all day.
"Pantech is taking 2013 by storm with the launch of Discover," said Gary Cherner, vice president of marketing and sales at Pantech. "By launching products at very competitive price points, Pantech is continuing to prove that high quality smartphones don't need to come with a high price tag."
AT&T customers have access to the nation's largest 4G network****, covering more than 285 million people. AT&T has two 4G networks that work together for customers, LTE and HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. That means AT&T customers are able to enjoy a widespread, ultra-fast and consistent 4G experience on their compatible device as they move in and out of LTE areas. With other carriers, when you travel outside of their LTE coverage area, you may be on a much slower 3G network.
More information on the Pantech Discover can be found at http://www.pantechusa.com/Discover.
Liveblog: LG CES 2013 press conference 
More HTC Sense 5.0 screens leak, maybe the M7 as well 
