New 'Pantech Marauder' Coming to VZW: Budget Phone With Slider Keyboard for $50

[dgstorm]

If you, or a family member, are in need of a new phone on Verizon, but don't need all the fancy bells and whistles of the flagship devices like the RAZR MAXX and the Galaxy S III, then perhaps this third party budget phone might fit the bill. The Pantech Marauder has an interesting sounding name, even though it is from a little known company. It has decent specs, including 4G LTE, for the price of $49.99 on a new contract (after a mail-in rebate). It also has one intriguing unique feature. It's a dual-mode phone, and it's secondary mode is called Starter Mode. This is a full screen touch-screen dialer, which is basically like training wheels for folks who aren't used to Android yet. Hmmmm... Perhaps this would be the perfect first smartphone for grandma. Here's a spec list followed by the press release,

• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 5-megapixel camera
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor
• 1GB RAM
• Starter Mode

PANTECH MARAUDER™ TO LAUNCH ON THE VERIZON WIRELESS 4G LTE NETWORK

Dual-Interface Option and QWERTY Keyboard Make Pantech Marauder the Perfect Crossover Choice for Basic Phone Customers Switching to a Smartphone

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. – Verizon Wireless and Pantech today announced the 4G LTE-powered Pantech Marauder™ is coming exclusively to America’s largest 4G LTE network starting Aug. 2. The Pantech Marauder provides first-time smartphone customers with a dual-interface option, allowing customers to fit the device to their lifestyles or specific needs.

Brought to market by Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD), the Pantech Marauder offers customers the option to choose between Starter Mode and Standard Mode. Starter Mode is a simplified and more intuitive experience that is perfect for those who are new to the smartphone world. This option eases first-time customers into the smartphone experience with the help of four easy-to-learn home screens featuring preset widgets and an uncluttered, easy-to-use lock screen. Starter Mode also features a quick dialer icon that allows customers to make phone calls directly from the home screen. Standard Mode is a general smartphone setting for those who are familiar with the Android™ experience. It offers up to seven fully customizable home screens and a customizable lock screen with quick access to frequently used applications. All settings are maintained when switching between modes so customers do not have to worry about losing information.

The Pantech Marauder features a virtual keyboard as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, making it the perfect choice for messaging aficionados and for those who want an excellent messaging experience. With the 5-megapixel camera, customers can take pictures, capture high-definition video, and easily share them as well as video chat with family and friends, using the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

Additional features

· Notification Curtain that displays quick on/off settings, phone settings, connectivity and sync, social media and email

· On device help section provides guided tours for first-time smartphone customers to help learn the tips and tricks of their new device

· 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1 GB RAM

· Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google+, Google Search™ and Google Maps™, as well as access to the Google Play Store

Mobile Hotspot capable to share 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
· Share media with friends and colleagues wirelessly to DLNA®-enabled devices

· Bluetooth® Version 3.0 Support Profiles: headset, hands-free, object push, advanced audio distribution (stereo), audio/video remote control, file transfer and phone book access

· Daily Life Assistants such as clock, calendar and weather

· Easy access email that is compatible with Microsoft® Exchange, Yahoo! ® Mail, Windows Live®, AOL®, Gmail

· microSD™ card slot with support for up to 32 GB



The Pantech Marauder will be available online at Cell Phones - Smartphones: Cell Phone Service, Accessories - Verizon Wireless starting Aug. 2 for $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. New customers that purchase a Pantech Marauder smartphone will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Share Everything plan. Customers can purchase unlimited talk and text messaging with 1 GB of data for $90 monthly access. Customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/shareeverything for additional information on data plans.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to Cell Phones - Smartphones: Cell Phone Service, Accessories - Verizon Wireless.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images of the Pantech Marauder in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 94.2 million retail customers, including 88.8 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 78,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit Cell Phones - Smartphones: Cell Phone Service, Accessories - Verizon Wireless. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Pantech
Pantech Co., Ltd. is one of Korea’s top three mobile handset makers. Pantech has received wide-ranging industry recognition for its innovative handset designs, and has also introduced a significant number of breakthrough technologies in the mobile phone industry. Established in 1991, Pantech collectively has approximately 3,000 employees and 4 regional sales offices worldwide. For more information on Pantech, please visit Pantech USA.

 

[MissionImprobable]

Actually not too shabby.

 

[jstafford1]

Actually not too shabby.

For a "budget" device heck no it ain't shabby. 1.2 ghz dual core and 1GB ram?? Not far off the "flagships"

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gadgetrants]

Yeah, sure. My stupid D3 has a 1GHz dual-core and 512MB RAM. This...crappy little tricycle...kicks my phone's butt. :angry::angry::angry::angry: Me not happy. OH AND DID I mention that it's a 4G PHONE?!?!?!? ARGH.

-Matt

 

[TOMMYBOT]

Yeah, sure. My stupid D3 has a 1GHz dual-core and 512MB RAM. This...crappy little tricycle...kicks my phone's butt. :angry::angry::angry::angry: Me not happy. OH AND DID I mention that it's a 4G PHONE?!?!?!? ARGH.

-Matt

Lol didn't see your 4g line was about to ask if d3 was a 4g

sent from my leaked ics bionic using tapatalk 2

 

[justin82]

not bad for 50.00 and you get to go family data :blink:

 

[pdroid]

Ugh. Love it when "budget" phones are better spec'd than the "flagship" phone you bought last year. I wouldn't care as much if we weren't locked into 2 year contracts. Oh well, soon I'll be buying Nexus devices from the play store and saying sayonara to contracts.

 

[swc2001]

Ugh. Love it when "budget" phones are better spec'd than the "flagship" phone you bought last year. I wouldn't care as much if we weren't locked into 2 year contracts. Oh well, soon I'll be buying Nexus devices from the play store and saying sayonara to contracts.

Exactly!! I wont ever go on contract again because of stupid Verizon making us lose our unlimited data if we do. Boo Lame!!

id rather pay the high price to the google play store and buy off contract than to lose the ability to do 100 Gb a month and not get charged 5000 dollars.

 

[tjk629]

I wonder if this phone will be budget friendly on a off contract price.

 

[Dave12308]

Phonearea claims it will have a 1.2GHz CPU. So not sure which is true, 1.0 or 1.2?

 

[FoxKat]

Yeah, sure. My stupid D3 has a 1GHz dual-core and 512MB RAM. This...crappy little tricycle...kicks my phone's butt. :angry::angry::angry::angry: Me not happy. OH AND DID I mention that it's a 4G PHONE?!?!?!? ARGH.

-Matt

Matt, I'd put your D3 with its 1GHz dual-core and 512MB RAM, not forgetting that far better keyboard and last but far from least the BUILD QUALITY of the Motorola phone against that Pantech any day, perhaps not for performance comparison, but otherwise. Twice the RAM, yeah, 20% faster clock speed, yeah, 4G, well...yeah, but how about phone quality, durability, (potentially greater) freedom from bugs, radio performance, battery life, I mean let's see the actual real-world comparisons before you dis your D3.

 

[94lt1]

Also... that's technology... you buy it today, 6 months from now, if that long, its outdated and near obsolete.. if not completely obsolete...

 

[FoxKat]

Also... that's technology... you buy it today, 6 months from now, if that long, its outdated and near obsolete.. if not completely obsolete...

Outdated, yes...buy obsolete...not if it's re-purposed. My OG Droid is now a mighty fine in-home WIFI music player, browser (which still supports Flash), texting device, email tool, and one awesome touch-screen color remote control for my FIOS, Roku SoundBridge, and SONOS. Now I just have to replace my DENON AVR-3806 receiver with a later model that is Ethernet or WIFI controllable and I'll be totally happy.

My old D2 is also re-purposed as a PSP alternative for my son, and since WIFI is on 24/7 at home, and I have Hotspot for when on the road from my MAXX, he can download and play free games to his heart's content!


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[gadgetrants]

Matt, I'd put your D3 with its 1GHz dual-core and 512MB RAM, not forgetting that far better keyboard and last but far from least the BUILD QUALITY of the Motorola phone against that Pantech any day, perhaps not for performance comparison, but otherwise. Twice the RAM, yeah, 20% faster clock speed, yeah, 4G, well...yeah, but how about phone quality, durability, (potentially greater) freedom from bugs, radio performance, battery life, I mean let's see the actual real-world comparisons before you dis your D3.

True dat. And I love my D3. Just still peeved that the D4 was announced almost 4 months after the D3 and released 6 months after. And that stupid Motorola won't just come out and say "YOU AIN'T NEVER GETTING ICS!" Well, not from Motorola, anyway. :happy3:

EDIT: and re: re-purposing, my son is pretty happy using my D1 as a wifi device, and now we're talking about reactivating it (ARGH, at $30/month for 2GB...). I try to treat my devices well, and either resell or repurpose when I'm done! The D3 will surely keep working, but given the speed of phone-tech it will probably have the sex-appeal of a 1973 Radio Shack CB radio by this time next year. :frown:

-Matt