One, the official official (meaning residing on AT&T's servers) will be upon us soon. Two, you're probably safe installing this on your phone, since it's going to be (most likely) the same ROM as the one being released soon. Happy upgrading. [XDA-Developers]

It's the shortest of the bunch (the PPC-6700 is actually taller when you count the antenna), and definitely the thinnest. It's still relatively bulky if you're not used to carrying around an HTC slide-out smartphone, but it's definitely thinner than anything that's come before.

Larger image after the jump.

– Jason Chen

Thanks to Sizeasy!

Update: We've got three more galleries for you now, the most exciting of which is the Ocean vs. LG Prada and iPhone (papercraft). Even though it's not quite in the same category, you guys (in the poll held yesterday) decided that you were looking forward to the Ocean even more than the iPhone. Here they are, head to head.

Make the jump for the Ocean vs. QWERTY phones like the SideKick 3, the Moto Q, Palm 755p, and various other Helio phones.

– Jason Chen

Oh, and now you can even choose between minimizing or closing an app when you hit the X button on the top right. At least you get that feature now without having to wait till WM6. – Jason Chen

Download Page [HTC America via Mobile Burn - Thanks Keebles]

If you're brave and really want WM6 on your phone, give it a shot. Just don't be a afraid to get your phone a little bricked. – Jason Chen

WM XDA Live [XDA Dev via Engadget Mobile]

Product Page [Brando]

However, as a Gizmodo reader, you've probably already got a mobile that can browse the internet, send email, chat on IM or act as a PDA. The choice isn't quite so simple. That's why we're here.

Like we said, if you're currently using a regular phone like the RAZR or the Chocolate, and you're at all interested in smartphones, you should definitely upgrade to the 8525. The combination of Windows Mobile, WiFi, 3G (if you're on Cingular), slide-out keyboard, sexy finish (for a smartphone), and various multimedia capabilities make it like a miniature laptop you can pull out at any time.

But if you're the current owner of a...

T-Mobile Sidekick: Upgrade. Although you lose some advanced IM-functionality and the Sidekick-specific functions, you gain much more in terms of apps and features like WiFi and 3G. However, you do gain apps such as Skype, Windows Live Search, Google Maps, pPod (fake iPod), and even an NES game emulator. Plus, as a 31-year-old businessman, you do look a little silly using that Sidekick.

Palm 650/680/700: Upgrade if you're not tied to Palm-only apps. You do lose threaded SMS, Versamail (mail app), and blazer (browsing app), but you get better syncing with Windows and Macs (with Missing Sync). You give up years of Palm OS apps, but you pick up WiFi, a nicer keyboard, and 3G. It's a tradeoff, but we think it's worth it for most people that aren't totally Palm fans.

Motorola Q, or WM Smartphone Edition: Upgrade if you don't mind the size. You definitely get more in terms of functionality when you switch up to a phone that runs the PPC version of Windows Mobile. Not only do you have more processing power, touch-screen, and access to Mobile Office apps, you have a larger, more easy to use keyboard. Add to that a bunch of apps that don't run on Smartphone edition, you're set to be more productive than ever. That is, if you can stand the bulge in your pants.

T-Mobile MDA, Verizon/Sprint 6700, Cingular 8125: Upgrade if you can afford it. This is where it gets both tricky and interesting. The 8525 runs the same OS as its predecessors—also known as the HTC Wizard—and thus, have all the same apps and can do pretty much the same things. They all have WiFi, a slide-out keyboard, and touch-screen capabilities. So why would you upgrade? Because it's what the old version should have been.

The 8525 looks better than any of its predecessors. Compared to my old MDA, it's thinner, sleeker, sexier, and has a beautiful texture to its finish. There are extra buttons on the front for "OK" and "Windows" button, and the added "OK" buttons on the side definitely helps. But the major exterior improvement is the scroller. This makes it easy for you to scroll through menu options, something that was tedious with the clickpad before. It also serves as a great volume control—much better than the volume buttons before.

On the interior, there's the faster processor which makes everything, including Skype and web browsing, much smoother. The 2-megapixel camera is nice, but it's missing the front camera for video calling. However, the 3G is still intact, and if you spring for Cingular's HSDPA net, you get pretty speedy mobile access. Everything's just better, faster, and cleaner about this phone compared to the one you've been using. If you want to put it off because you want to save up some cash for say, a PlayStation 3, that's perfectly valid. But if you can spare the coin and really enjoy having the best WM device of this form factor, we definitely recommend the 8525. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Cingular]

Aside from Windows Mobile 5, push email and WiFi, the 8525 is the first UMTS/HSDPA smartphone in the US. Think of it as a double-decker, hi-speed data sandwich with the potential to clock 14.4Mbps downloading, while allowing you to transfer voice and data simultaneously from around the world. (EV-DO RevA might be faster, but will not allow dual pipelines). Is that a Cingular 8525 in your pocket, or are you...let's just go with the Cingular.

Check out our stunning 3DD graph, and hit the jump for a trans fat-laden edition of the Frankenreview. We eat the veggies so you can just suck out the jelly and call it a day.

Frankenreviewer Says:

Design
"...the device is on the heavier side at 6.2 ounces, so you may grow tired of holding it up to your ear after a while..."
"Closed, it is almost exactly the same size as a Palm Treo 700p, but it opens to reveal a large, comfortable QWERTY keyboard, while allowing for a large 2.8-inch screen..."
"The slide-out QWERTY keyboard has large flat keys that are easy to hit with your thumbs, even if they don't provide the best tactile feedback."
"All too often, keystrokes didn't register as we typed, requiring multiple strokes and making for numerous typos."
"More notable is the BlackBerry-style trackwheel, located on the left-hand side..."
"The wheel also doubles as a volume controller while you're on a phone call."
- Why would you get so much right, only to screw up the keyboard?

High-Speed Network
"The 8525 is the first global, high-speed smart phone, able to tap into mid-speed UMTS or high-speed HSDPA networks in more than 50 countries, including most of Western Europe."
"While UMTS enables streaming video and broadband Internet access with transfer speeds around 2mbps, HSDPA improves upon that performance with the potential to hit up to 14.4mbps."
"Over a couple weeks of testing, the 8525 averaged very good throughput of 872 Kbps using the HSDPA connection..."
"...in fact, HSDPA performance was even better than 802.11g."
"As for voice features, the Cingular 8525 is a quad-band world phone, so you can use it almost anywhere in the world."
"EV-DO phones make you choose between voice and data: HSDPA gives you both, simultaneously."
- This dual pipeline is just screaming for some killer apps.

Productivity
"...designed to be a workhorse for the power user and is equipped with all the features to do so..."
"...allows push mail from POP3/IMAP accounts, and the Clearvue PDF reader to top off the office suite..."
"...the e-mail experience was excellent..."
"As with reading e-mail, the generous screen real estate makes editing Word docs more pleasant than on smaller phones..."
"While the 8525 did a great job preserving the formatting of our documents, we found zooming in and out to be a hassle, requiring numerous taps on the menus..."
- Zoom or not, Excel will always scare the hell out of me on a smartphone...and off.

Multimedia
"...2-megapixel camera isn't great, but at least it's higher-res than previous models..."
"...more impressed with the photo quality as the images boasted sharp lines and bright colors..."
"Sharing shots is simple; just click or tap on the envelope icon and you can send images via e-mail or MMS."
"We were able to stream video without a hitch, though the quality wasn't the greatest. Music playback was decent via the phone's speaker..."
- Wear headphones, for your sake and ours. – Mark Wilson

OS: Windows Mobile 5 PocketPC
Network: GSM/GPRS
Bands: 850/900/1800/1900
Data: UMTS/HSDPA
Processor: 400-MHz Samsung
Memory: 64MB RAM/128MB ROM
Expansion: MicroSD
Display: 2.8 inches (240 x 320, 64,000 colors)
Camera: 2MP
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 2.0
Talk Time/Standby Time: 5 hours/220 hours
Size: 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches
Weight: 6.2 ounces

CNET
PCMag
Infosync
LaptopMag

Cingular 8525
October 29th (tomorrow??)
$559.99 w/o contract
$484.99 one year
$409.99 two year
Unlimited data plans take $50 off the price (rebate).

Anyone out there who works at Cingular feel like confirming/denying? – Mark Wilson

Powerpoint Presentation [via mobilitytoday]

Cody writes:

I dropped by a Cingular store this evening and inquired about when the Cingular 8525 was going to be released. They smiled and said they didn't know but pointed to an empty display and told me they already had an area set aside for it. He said he expected it to come out within the next 30 days.

When I asked if he knew more or less how much it will cost, he went to his computer and pulled up the official price list. It listed it as $474.95 with a two year contract or $424.95 if you factor in the $50 mail-in rebate.

Well there you have it. Kinda pricey compared to the Cingular 8125 (HTC Wizard), but being on the bleeding edge costs ya. – Jason Chen

Thanks Cody!

Cingular 8525 [Via CrunchGear, Engadget]