Verizon Powered LG Enlighten Surfaces as Optimus Zip for Straight Talk at Walmart

Following up on a previous report regarding the forthcoming release of the LG Enlighten for StraightTalk, new images have appeared courtesy of HowardForums users confirming its availability ahead of its online launch.

The newly rebranded LG Optimus Zip is now available at select Walmart locations across the country for $179.99. Like the Enlighten launched by Verizon Wireless last year it features the following specifications:

As launched on Verizon last year features Android Gingerbread, a 3.2 inch display and a sliding hardware QWERTY keyboard underpinned by an 800MHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor based off of the higher-end Snapdragon core with full support for Flash 10 despite Adobe abandoning further development for mobile devices along with a microSD slot and 3.2 megapixel camera.

With the availability of the Optimus Zip in select Walmart locations, it’s only a matter of time before the phone pops up on StraightTalk’s own online shop in order to draw in customers looking for an Android smartphone powered by Verizon, as the more popular than expected Proclaim is still sold out online, with many stores being slowly restocked on a regional basis.

With the previously launched LG Enlighten being highly praised by critics despite its mid-range hardware at its initial launch last year, the Optimus Zip continues Straight Talk’s current trend of going after mid-range devices for customers while pushing the BYOD SIM program for those enthusiasts that want to purchase and use high-end devices.