Boy, Sprint sure loves it some portrait QWERTY Android phones. We've already seen the Motorola XPRT, Titanium, and Admiral as well as the Samsung Replenish launch in 2011, and now another such device has been spied in the latest version of the Sprint Playbook. Dubbed the Express, this mystery device is packing a 2.6-inch touchscreen, 600MHz processor, 3.2-megapixel camera, 1,500mAh battery, Sprint ID, and Android 2.3. It's not clear exactly who makes the Express, but the Playbook does show that it'll be available for Direct Ship only on November 18th for $19.99 with a two-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate.

Obviously the Express is an entry-level type of smartphone — evidenced by its specs and the fact that Sprint doesn't even name its manufacturer — but it could be a decent option for folks looking for a BlackBerry experience on an Android phone. Plus the Express is packing Gingerbread out of the box, which is always a plus. The 18th is just about a week and a half away, so if that release date holds true we should be hearing more about the Express soon. Stay tuned.

Via Android Central