Sprint Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE coming Aug. 19 priced $199.99

Just as was rumored, Motorola and Sprint's new Photon Q 4G LTE is confirmed to arrive this Sunday, Aug. 19. The phone will cost $199.99 with the usual two-year service agreement, and boasts some of the highest-end specs you'll find on a QWERTY slider. In anticipation of the launch, Sprint will start taking pre-orders today, and pre-order customers will begin receiving their handsets as early as this Friday, Aug. 17.

In addition to a full physical keyboard, a dual-core CPU and support for Sprint's shiny new LTE network, the Photon Q offers Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich with on-screen buttons, an 8MP rear camera and a qHD "ColorBoost" display.  In addition, there's NFC and Android Beam support and HDMI mirroring capabilities.

If you're a fan of press releases, we've got Sprint's after the break, along with the full spec list. Hit the link below for the official Motorola Photon Q pre-order page.

More: Motorola Photon Q

Calling All QWERTY Fans! Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE from Sprint Available Aug. 19 for $199.99; Pre-Order Begins Today

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. (BUSINESS WIRE), August 13, 2012 - Offering a device packed with features to provide the ideal work-life balance, Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national wireless carrier offering truly unlimited data for all phones while on the Sprint network, today announced the Sunday, Aug. 19, availability of the first 4G LTE-enabled smartphone from Sprint with a full QWERTY keyboard and international roaming capabilities, Motorola PHOTON™ Q™ 4G LTE. Motorola PHOTON Q will cost $199.99 (excludes taxes) with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement.

Motorola PHOTON Q will be available for pre-order beginning today at www.sprint.com/photonq. Customers who pre-order Motorola PHOTON Q will begin receiving their smartphone as early as two days before the device goes on sale – while supplies last.

“At Sprint, we recognize there is a large group of our customers that love the ease of a physical QWERTY keyboard,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “By bringing a device like Motorola PHOTON Q into our portfolio, we are able to give these customers the option of a physical keyboard plus international roaming capabilities to stay connected while traveling abroad.”

Motorola PHOTON Q features a slide out PC-like QWERTY keyboard for double-thumb efficiency. Each laser-cut key is outlined in LED lights so users can see what they’re doing, even in the dark. It also has a dedicated number row for maximum typing efficiency and accuracy.

Combined with a large 4.3-inch ColorBoost™ display, Motorola PHOTON Q offers the largest screen currently available on a 4G LTE smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard. Its 8-megapiexal rear-facing camera with 1080p capture and playback along with an HD front-facing camera produce a high-quality multimedia experience that provides the perfect blend of business and pleasure with blazing speed on the Sprint 4G LTE network2.

Additional key features on Motorola PHOTON Q include:

• 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• Android™ 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich
• ULE Platinum Certification, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint
• SMARTACTIONS™, the free Motorola app that helps extend battery life and intelligently automates routine, everyday tasks so that smartphones can do more for consumers
• Mirror mode when connected with HDMI cable (sold separately) to view images, files and movies on a larger screen, like your TV at home
• Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize an Android-powered smartphone with apps, widgets, ringtones and more all, in a single download
• NFC support to share links, apps, YouTube™ clips and more with Android Beam™
• Sprint Professional Grade designation making it business ready with full corporate security, including remote wipe, pin lock and data encryption