The LG Mach and Sprint's version of the Optimus G were announced today at a very quiet MobileCon (formerly CTIA) show. The Mach continues the somewhat sad tradition of relegating full QWERTY slider phones to the mid-range, though "mid-range" isn't quite the pejorative term it used to be. It's launching with Android 4.0 running on a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and 1GB of RAM. The 4-inch screen dials back the resolution to 800x480, and the device is 0.48 inches thick thanks to the sliding keyboard. The keyboard is nicer than what Motorola has been offering on the Droid series, but even so the overall build quality here doesn't really inspire.

We'd seen the Optimus G before, but Sprint's version is interesting at least insofar as it will be the only US carrier to take on the full 13-megapixel camera. Beyond that it looks very much like the impressive global model we'd already seen. It also features what could be a signature LG design touch of adding a a patterned look underneath a slick back cover.

Both phones have an LG skin on top, but they will also ship with the "Sprint ID" customization pack. That should mean that it will be relatively easy to get them looking and feeling fairly close to stock. Sprint has said they'll be available in the fall, but hasn't announced a more specific date or — more pointedly — pricing.