• RIM BlackBerry Curve 2, before Black Friday
• RIM BlackBerry Storm 2, before Black Friday
• HTC Imagio, on October 20
• Samsung Saga 2, early November
• Samsung Omnia 2, early November
• Pantech TXT8030 Razzle, early October
• Casio C731 Rock, mid-November
• Casio C741 Brigade, late October
• Motorola V860 Barrage, "soon" (it's already available online in Verizon)
• LG VX8575 Chocolate Touch, first or second week of November

On the Android front:
• HTC Desire, which will be available before Black Friday. Note: This may be the Verizon Android phone sighted today, though Boy Genius says that might be called the Hero.

• Motorola Tao or Droid (possibly the phone currently codenamed Sholes?) will also be available before Black Friday.

Both phones use an enhanced TouchFLO 3D interface on top of WinMo 6.5, and here's how each breaks down:

The Tilt 2 is a QWERTY slider with "tilting" 3.6-inch WVGA touchscreen, dual speakers/microphones (with noise cancellation), and 3.2-megapixel camera. AT&T says it will be available in the coming weeks for $300 (after $50 rebate, with 2 year contract).

The Pure updates the Diamond2's look, and has a 3.2-inch WVGA touch screen, 5-megapixel autofocus camera, expandable memory, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor. It's available now for $150 (after $50 rebate, with 2 year contract).

Four New Opera-Powered Browser Phones

Samsung Mythic: A 3.3-inch touchscreen-only handset with Samsung's TouchWiz interface and access to AT&T Mobile TV, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Social Net, and att.net. Available in black come November for $200 (after $50 rebate; with 2 year contract). Pictured far-left.

Samsung Flight: A Vertical QWERTY slider with touchscreen geared for one-handed instant messaging. Available in red or silver in November: $100 (after $50 rebate; with 2 year contract). Pictured center.

Pantech Reveal: Arrives on October 18, and has a candy-bar style slide-down QWERTY keypad underneath a dedicated number pad. The Reveal is also 3G and GPS-equipped (with AT&T Navigator). No pricing/availability yet. Pictured far-right.

Pantech Impact: OLED touchscreen with haptic controls (you'll feel a soft, tactile buzz). Flipping the phone sideways reveals a QWERTY keyboard and second display. Will have tri-band 3G and be available in pink or blue. Again, stay tuned for pricing/availability. (Not pictured).

And no, we don't mean wind-microphone attenuation. We mean, can it recognize how hard you are blowing into the phone? Because the IM-S410 features "Wind Recognition" that allows you navigate photos, videos and games by blowing into the phone.

For instance, in a bundled game, you can blow on a flower to watch its pedals float away. During a call, you can blow into the mic to send your companion an emoticon (what were you thinking?). Or, if we're reading the translation correctly, you can even blow into the phone to take pictures—which might actually cause less shaking than pushing a button.

There are, of course, other features to the IM-S410/S410K. But we're just concerned with the ones that blow. [Pantech via Akihabara News]

PANTECH AND AT&T DEBUT “WORLD’S THINNEST QWERTY KEYBOARD” HANDSET

New Pantech Slate Makes Texting and Emailing Effortless;
Part of AT&T’s New Line of Quick Messaging Phones

ATLANTA – Oct. 29, 2008 – Pantech Wireless, Inc., – the U.S.-based subsidiary of Pantech Group, one of Korea’s largest mobile phone manufacturers – today announced the availability of the “World’s Thinnest QWERTY Keyboard” handset, the Pantech Slate. Supporting AT&T’s new line of quick messaging devices,Slate, measuring less than one centimeter deep and sporting a premium build, is custom-made for sending texts and pictures, and easily accessing instant messaging and email services at an attractive price.

Targeting text fanatics and trend conscious consumers, Slate offers one of the simplest messaging experiences on the market. Now customers of any level can enjoy the convenience of a full QWERTY keyboard without having to sacrifice cost or size. By incorporating raised and tactile buttons, a colorful and easy-to-read screen, and a rubberized back panel for comfort gripping, sending pictures and messages on-the-go has never been easier. A contemporary style phone, Slate is designed to disappear easily into a pocket or purse, yet impress friends when it’s out.

Featured in black and royal blue to compliment its sophisticated form-factor,
Slate offers:

* Immediate and simple access to a range of messaging services, including text messaging, multimedia messaging, instant messaging, and email
* Multimedia functionality including support of AT&T’s MEdia Net™ and custom content
* Bluetooth®
* Video recording and picture taking with a 1.3 megapixel camera

“We are proud to bring yet another design first to Pantech customers,” said Patrick Beattie, vice president of sales and marketing for Pantech Wireless, Inc. “Experience shows that users want increasingly unique devices that are easy to use. The Slate, debuting as the world’s thinnest phone with a full QWERTY keypad, ushers in a new level of style and convenience for customers who need to text and email.”

Slate joins a long line of Pantech handsets which showcase the company’s dedication to creating leading-edge products. This new messaging master follows numerous benchmark devices, including the C3b, “the world’s smallest camera flip phone;” the Pantech duo and Matrix, both unique dual-sliding, double-keyboard handsets; and the Pantech Breeze, a mobile phone specifically designed for users needing an uncomplicated way to stay in touch with the important people in their lives.

The Pantech Slate is currently available at AT&T company-owned stores and online at www.wireless.att.com. Slate is $49.99 after a two-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate.

[AT&T]

The Price: $80 (after two year contract)

The Verdict: For an $80 phone, the Pantech Matrix is really good deal. Pantech could have skimped on the build quality and pushed out a cheap, flimsy phone, but instead created a product that feels solid and slides smoothly in any direction. Despite being about an inch thick, the Matrix doesn't feel oversized—they made it as narrow and short as possible so that it doesn't feel too cumbersome. As a result, the Matrix sits nicely in the hand, and when the backlit keyboard is exposed, it almost feels sleek. I really like the 0-9 keypad, as its flat design and glowing numbers gives it a clean look. And though buttons aren't physically separated, each one has a bit of a bubble on it that gives a nice click when you press down.

Call quality is crystal clear and signal strength is never a problem wherever I'm at in San Francisco. The microSD port allows for memory expansion for files like photos or mp3s. The non-smartphone OS is responsive and well organized, suiting a phone like this well.

Some features aren't as powerful or developed as they could be, but given the price, it's understandable. It only has a 1.3 MP camera, and doesn't have much in the way of an internet browser or media player. But that's not what Pantech is focused on with the Matrix. This is a phone for texters and emailers, and as a result, it has most major IM clients preinstalled, and preconfigured access for Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail (No preconfigured Gmail?! Hello, 1997!). GPS features are also limited to AT&T's TeleNav subscription service.

But there are also features which are inexcusably lacking. My biggest complaint lies with the keyboard. It's not that it's too small as much as it's that the buttons are too mushy and flush with the surface. Sometimes you push a button down and there's no tactile response; and each button seems to feel a little different which doesn't help the familiarity factor. If buttons were just a tad more distinguishable and clicky, they keyboard would be perfect. The soft keys and call/end buttons feel a little small and understated on the front of the phone, undermined by the (admittedly cool-looking) circular layout.

The bottom line is this: the Pantech Matrix is an inexpensive, multi-functional phone that does more good than bad. If you can work with the flawed keyboard and accept that its not a multimedia powerhouse, you might be impressed with what it does well—call and message.

AT&T AND PANTECH MAKE USING A MOBILE PHONE A BREEZE FOR CUSTOMERS New Phone Focused on Ultimate Ease-of-Use Now Available Nationwide SAN ANTONIO, May 27, 2008 — If you are an experienced mobile phone user, the ins and outs of wireless devices are second nature. For first-time phone owners, simplicity and ease-of-use are more important than ever. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Pantech Wireless Inc. today announced the Pantech Breeze™ from AT&T. Available in all company-owned stores and online beginning May 27, the Pantech Breeze is an ideal device for a wide range of users, from novice or first- time mobile phone owners to customers looking to simplify the overall user experience. At its core, the Pantech Breeze is an uncomplicated mobile phone, specifically designed for people needing an easy way to stay in touch with friends, caregivers and loved ones. From its clean and uncluttered design to its simplified menus, oversized display with large keypad and quick-call keys, the Pantech Breeze includes a host of convenient features in a comfortable, modern design. The Pantech Breeze is the direct result of AT&T and Pantech's collaboration to build a device on the principles of Universal Design — the practice of designing products and applications that are usable by the most customers possible. AT&T recently published the company's approach to Universal Design to encourage application developers and handset manufacturers to consider the needs of seniors or customers who have disabilities when creating products and services. "Universal Design helps define important design criteria to meet the wants and needs of as many of our customers as possible," said Carlton Hill, vice president of Product Management, Voice Products and Affiliate Marketing for AT&T's wireless operations. "The Pantech Breeze is a result of our efforts to meet these criteria and offer a great-looking phone that's a breeze to use for everyone — from tweens to great-grandparents." The Pantech Breeze takes into account many of the design principles set forth in AT&T's approach to Universal Design: • 1-2-3 Quick-Call Keys — Three pre-programmable quick-call buttons are located below the screen — users can easily select one of the three quick-call contacts and press the send button to start a call. • Simplified Menu — Navigating the phone's features is trouble-free with the simplified "breeze menu," which prioritizes the features that customers want to access most. • Large Font — Menu screens on the Pantech Breeze use a highly visible large font. Additionally, the font of SMS messages is enlarged and the date and time of messages sent is at the beginning rather than at the end of a message. • Easy-to-Use Buttons — The oversized buttons on the device respond with a tactile click when pressed, and the amount of time the keys remain illuminated after use is extended. • Clear and Loud Speakerphone — A large, dedicated button starts and stops speakerphone use. • Camera — A dedicated hard key for the camera brings up camera options "take a picture" and "photo album" to give users easy access to useable camera functions. • Audible Keys — An option to have audio accompany numeric keystrokes makes it easy to know which buttons have been pressed, resulting in mistake-free dialing for those with limited sight. In addition to these key design features, the Pantech Breeze is a powerful phone. The product is a GSM quad-band world device, able to make voice calls in more than 200 countries and access data and send messages in more than 145. The Pantech Breeze features a talk time of up to three hours and up to 10 hours of standby time. Full messaging, camera and video capabilities, Bluetooth® compatibility and tools such as an alarm clock, notepad, calendar and calculator are included. "The Pantech Breeze is a unique and important target product for us, one that underscores our commitment to all levels of customers," said Patrick Beattie, vice president of Marketing and Sales at Pantech Wireless Inc. "By incorporating AT&T's socially responsible Universal Design model, this product speaks directly to people needing a down-to-earth handset that provides easy access to core features." The Pantech Breeze will be available May 27 at select AT&T company-owned stores and online at www.wireless.att.com. The Pantech Breeze is $39.99 after a two-year service agreement and a $30 mail-in rebate or $124.99 after a $30 mail-in rebate for customers who prefer to use AT&T's Pick Your Plan or Pay As You Go GoPhone® prepaid plans.

As fans of the Helio Ocean (the Duo's genetic sibling) can tell you, the snappy sliding action on the handset is addictive. Though the two-way slider is a bit hefty at about 0.8 inches thick, it feels more compact than the Ocean. Both keyboards on the Duo are roomy, but the flat keys on the QWERTY keypad are a little harder to type on than the comfier Ocean. I also found the directional pad a bit cramped and ended up tapping the wrong way one too many times.

According to AT&T, the Duo is geared for consumers and business types alike, and packs in the carrier's full entertainment suite and a microSD slot for additional memory. However, some may be disappointed by the average 1.3-megapixel camera.

The Pantech Duo is currently available for $200 with a two-year service contract, but you'll also have to tack on a data plan which ranges from $30 to $50. [AT&T Wireless]

Thanks tipster!

This Pantech C180 accepts microSD cards, and is said to be running 3G, but it wasn't clear whether that was UMTS or UMTS/HSDPA. With a little luck we might be seeing the C180 on sale through AT&T by the end of September, but if not then, certainly by the fourth quarter of this year. We're hearing pricing will be $249.99 with a two-year agreement. [Boy Genius Report]

We're hoping there's more than just keypad styles on the touchscreen—maybe some kinda QWERTY or something—but we do see that it looks different when a call is in effect. Head over to check out more pics.

Bonus shot after the jump.

– Jason Chen

Sky announces 'IM-R200' adopting OLED touch keypad [AVING]

It's a slider that features two LCD screens, one that slides out from beneath the other. While one might argue that this has the downsides of both the Ocean and the iPhone (bulky slider and a touchscreen), this touchscreen features tactile feedback in the form of a vibration feature. How well does it work? Great question. It'll probably be a while before we get a chance to find out, as this phone is headed to Korea with no word on a Stateside release. –Adam Frucci

New dual-screen slider from Pantech [Slashgearl]

As for the phones themselves, they're all pretty out there. Each one uses unique manufacturing techniques, textures, form factors and designs that won't make it to market in its current shape. It's more like the automotive industry, where designs are tested out and integrated into the somewhat mundane products that actually make it to market. – Jason Chen