By Stephen Schenck | May 9, 2011 3:55 PM
Sprint has kicked-off sales of the Samsung Replenish, the Android smartphone that claims to be the environmentally-conscious choice. The phone is constructed at least partly out of recycled materials, the main contributor towards its “green” status, but you have the option to get even more earth-friendly with optional components like a battery cover with integrated solar panel. Sprint is marking the phone’s release with an early software update, containing bug fixes and security enhancements.
Admittedly, the Replenish isn’t for everyone, as even the biggest champion of eco causes may be turned off by Samsung’s hardware choices, including a 600MHz processor, 256MB of RAM, and a diminutive 2.8-inch display. Sure, the phone’s environmental message may raise it a few pegs, but the real selling points are likely to be its $50 on-contract price tag and the savings Sprint is offering by waving the $10 monthly premium data fee.
The Replenish update, bringing the phone to revision ED23, is going out OTA currently. Sprint expects to get it out to all owners by Wednesday or so. Fixes include those affecting the phone’s status LED, email sync over Bluetooth, and communication speeds when roaming with a different provider. The small update shouldn’t take more than five minutes to install.
