The LG Viper made its debut alongside Sprint's Galaxy Nexus back in early January, and today Sprint has let loose some details on the Viper's availability. The carrier has announced that the Viper will be priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate, and pre-orders for the LG-made device will kick off on Thursday, April 12th. An actual launch will be happening later this month, though Sprint has yet to divulge the exact day that it'll be going down.

Since it's been so long since we've heard anything concerning the LG Viper, here's a quick spec rundown: The Viper packs a 4-inch 800x480 display, 5-megapixel rear camera and VGA front-facing camera, 4GB microSD card, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. You'll also find a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, NFC and a 1,700mAh battery under the Viper's hood. Overall the Viper doesn't look like a handset that'll change the minds of anyone that's had their eyes on the Galaxy Nexus, but $100 for an LTE handset with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and Google Wallet isn't a bad deal. Sprint's full press release is ready and waiting for you below.

LG Viper 4G LTE with Eco-Friendly Features from Sprint Launches for Less than $100

Pairing innovative technology with the Sprint 4G LTE network and unlimited data plans, LG Viper 4G LTE helps manage work and personal time for people on the go, like today’s “Power Parents”; Pre-order begins Thursday, April 12, at sprint.com/viper

NEW YORK (BUSINESS WIRE), April 03, 2012 - In an exclusive media event to tip off NBA Green Week presented by Sprint, Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse (NYSE: S) today announced pricing and pre-order availability date for the highly anticipated LG Viper™ 4G LTE, the first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features to be offered by Sprint.

LG Viper 4G LTE from Sprint (Photo: Sprint)

LG Viper will be available later this month in all Sprint sales channels, including www.sprint.com, 1-800-SPRINT1, Best Buy and RadioShack for $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 (excludes taxes and surcharges). New and existing customers can pre-order LG Viper beginning Thursday, April 12 at www.sprint.com/viper.

LG Viper takes advantage of Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, mobile hotspot capabilities and a 4GB card microSD™ slot that supports up to 32GB. It also features a 5MP rear-facing camera with flash and VGA front-facing camera allowing for a fun and easy face-to-face video chat experience.

Enabled with Near Field Communication (NFC), LG Viper allows users to access true value features such as Google Wallet, an app that allows payment using a mobile device at participating retailers, including Bloomingdales, Toys “R” Us, CVS, Gap and Macy’s. The sleek, ultra-thin smartphone also boasts a 4-inch touchscreen that is remarkably bright and clear, even in direct sunlight. It also has a Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen protector for extra display resistance while on the go.

“LG Viper pairs perfectly with our unlimited data plans to bring customers the benefit of new technology, including our upcoming 4G LTE capabilities at a great price,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “This smartphone is packed with the tools our customers need to stay connected. Best of all, customers can feel good about owning LG Viper because of its robust list of eco-friendly features.”

As a Sprint ID smartphone, LG Viper will give owners the ability to cut through the clutter of more than 450,000 additional apps in Google Play by selecting from a variety of mobile ID packs. Sprint ID packs include ringers, wallpapers and widgets. Also, consumers can download Box on the LG Viper and receive 50GB of free cloud storage and sharing directly from LG, an estimated value of $240 per year, so users don’t have to stress about storing all of their favorite music, files, photos and other memories. The 50GB of free storage is exclusive to LG devices until July 22.

“Today’s world is moving extremely fast and the lines between personal time and work continue to blur,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile. “LG understands consumers’ need for better tools that allow them to multitask without sacrificing what’s most important to them, especially when it comes to their families. LG Viper gives parents the tools they need to manage their everyday lives while breaking down the barriers that technology can often create between them and their children – all at a great value.”

LG Viper customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything plans with data. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones2 – a savings of $40 per month vs. Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings vs. Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web.

Leading Wireless in Green

In addition to its technological prowess, LG Viper has many eco-friendly features, including:

The device is ULE Platinum Certified, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint.

It is protected by a casing made of 50 percent recycled plastics.

It is RoHS compliant, meaning it is free from many potentially hazardous materials such as PVC, phthalates, halogens and mercury.

The packaging contains up to 87 percent of post-consumer paper, uses soy ink, made with a glueless construction and is 100 percent recyclable.

The phone also includes a charger that exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency when it comes to no-load consumption. Unlike other chargers, LG Viper 4G LTE’s charger only consumes 0.03 watts of power when plugged into a wall socket without being connected to the phone.

Ranked No. 3 in Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings, Sprint is committed to being a corporate leader in sustainability. LG Viper marks the third device with eco-friendly features launched by Sprint and LG. Sprint and LG launched their first eco-friendly device in 2010 with LG Remarq™ and continued the legacy earlier this year with LG Rumor Reflex™.

Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year 2012. Sprint 4G LTE should enable faster speeds for data applications, and the enhanced 3G service could offer better signal strength, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better in-building performance. The launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a video, check the Web via a mobile hotspot, Sprint 4G LTE will make it easier. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

Bridging Technology and Fairy Tales

To complement the launch of LG Viper 4G LTE, LG is introducing the “Life’s Good Fairytales” app, a customizable storyboard that allows parents and children to bond over the creation and sharing of unique fairytales through their device. Families can become part of the fairytale by allowing them to take, upload and manipulate photos, names and sounds directly into the story, transforming the fairytales into the child’s own personal adventure.

Thanks to the fast speeds of the LG Viper 4G LTE technology and Sprint 4G LTE network, stories can be read instantly and content can be shared with friends and family via Facebook®. The “Life’s Good Fairytales” app will be available Friday, April 27, in Google Play. It will be free for LG Viper owners and available for $0.99 for other Android phone users.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, home appliances, mobile phones, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com or www.lg.com/us/mobile.