More iPhone-like Windows Mobile Devices Announced

Perhaps timed to coincide with the announcement of the iPhone 3G, a couple more exciting new Windows Mobile phones were recently announced by Samsung and HTC. This week we’ll also note more reviews of the Touch Diamond, as well as new devices from E-TEN.

Apple iPhone 3G

Apple stirred things up again Monday with it’s announcement of the iPhone 3G, and as in the past it will likely affect the direction of the industry.

As the saturation media coverage had predicted, the iPhone now has 3G data speeds, which Apple claims are almost as fast as WiFi. Other features include GPS and support for Microsoft Exchange out of the box.

Many Windows Mobile users still prefer the greater functionality of their devices. And as for Apple’s innovative touch interface — that continues to suffuse the Windows Mobile world, including two hot new devices.

Samsung Omnia (SGH-i900)

Okay, so as a reader recently noted, maybe you aren’t ready to pay top price for a sexy new device. I’m not either. But I love covering these devices, because I know that if I don’t have it in hand this summer, I certainly will in a year or so. That’s because today’s sexy and expensive gizmos are tomorrow’s standard fare.

The Samsung Omnia was announced the day before the iPhone, and its specs are pretty impressive: 3.2-inch WQVGA screen (240 x 400), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and FM radio tuner, TV-out, and a 5-megapixel camera.

And of course it sports a touch interface, a Windows Mobile version of Samsung’s TouchWiz interface.

It has quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 7.2Mbps HSDPA connectivity and is supposed to be available this month.

You can read more and see photos on GSMArena.

HTC Touch Pro

We’ve been giving a lot of coverage to the HTC Touch Diamond and its new 3D touch interface, and now comes the HTC Touch Pro.

Whereas the Diamond is thin and light, this model goes the slideout QWERTY keyboard route, but still sports the new 3D touch interface. It has the same 2.8-inch screen as the Touch Diamond, and comes with GPS capabilities, TV-out, and a 3.2 megpixel camera.

You can find out more, including photos, on Pocket PC Thoughts.

As with many HTC devices, including the Touch Diamond, that are initially launched in Europe and Asia, this model only has tri-band connectivity and isn’t yet suited for the U.S. market. According to a post on Pocket PC Thoughts, this is to help keep the phone slim. But as is usually the case, a model for the U.S. will soon follow.

Touch Diamond Reviews

More reviews of the Touch Diamond are popping up. MobileTechReview has published a first look at the European version of the HTC Touch Diamond.

And Gears at Coolsmartphone spent a week with the Touch Diamond and offers in-depth coverage and a video for each day.

Also, Mobile Magazine has a demo video of HTC’s chief marketing officer showing four “hidden innovations,” including the ability to mute a call by turning the device over.

E-TEN Glofisih devices

Also recently announced were four new devices from E-TEN.