San Diego - Prepaid carrier Cricket launched its first Android smartphone that combines touchscreen and hard QWERTY keyboard in a bar-style phone.

Huawei's Ascend Q is available at $139 with 3G service, 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touch display, Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, 1,500 mAh battery, 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, stereo Bluetooth and 4GB MicroSD card.

The smartphone is compatible with Cricket's Muve Music music-download subscription service.

 The phone can be used with a $55/month rate plan featuring unlimited talk, text and data or $65/month, which adds unlimited Muve Music subscription downloads.

The Ascend Q is also compatible with the new Commercial Mobile Alert System

(CMAS),

which sends emergency alerts to mobile devices via SMS.

The phone also features audio-enhancement technology from DTS.