What do you do with a bulky QWERTY messaging phone that makes everyone yawn? You give it a snazzy name and add some twisting action to the form factor in order to garner the people’s attention. Such is the case with the Pantech Razzle, the successor to the rather ho-hum Pantech Blitz. The prominent feature of the new Razzle is a spinning keyboard that will twist from a QWERTY pad on one side to music controls on the other. Our previous scoop pegs the arrival of the Razzle sometime in late October with a very attainable entry-level price. Hit the jump for some swiveling action.

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It might not have a spot for microSD cards or even an EV-DO radio, but Pantech’s Verizon-bound Escapade is a special phone nonetheless. You see, the Escapade, which is all set to launch on August 21st, will be one of the few non-smartphones offered by Big Red that is capable of operating overseas on GSM networks. Without it, you’d pretty much have no choice but to get a loaner phone or pony up the big bugs for a smartphone. Spec wise, as we already alluded to, the Escapade is more like a blast from the past than anything new, but it does have a 2 megapixel shooter as well as GPS. So not only can you take some grainy snap shots while on vacation in Rome, but you can also navigate your way down its maze of winding roads and passages.

As you might have imagined, the unending leakfest continues today with information about two more handsets headed AT&T’s way. First up is the Pantech Aladdin, a QWERTY slider with HSDPA connectivity, 2.2-inch QVGA display, 1.3 megapixel camera, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, microSD expansion, threaded SMS, and support for Napster, eMusic and other forms of Windows DRM. This entry-level handset will fall in line with the Pantech Matrix / Matrix Pro and is expected later this year. Also expected to drop at AT&T is the LG Monaco, a high-end Windows Mobile side slider. The Monaco will feature a 3.2-inch WVGA touchscreen display, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera, QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, microSDHC support and a sweet-sounding Pico projector accessory. The Monaco will reportedly run Windows Mobile 7 which likely pushes the launch date of this phone well into 2010. Hit the jump for the associated slides.

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Read (LG Monaco)

It looks like Bell isn’t going to be the only Canadian carrier to offer both the Palm Treo Pro and Samsung OMNIA as TELUS is getting ready to launch both devices for $149.99 each. Well, based upon some advertisements that have appeared in several newspapers across Canada at least. Despite the good news of their impending arrival, both handsets are more expensive on TELUS with the OMNIA and Treo Pro commanding an extra $20 and $50 respectively over the prices offered by Bell. It might not seem like the biggest deal, but considering that these prices are based upon 3-year contracts being signed we have to say that the extra dollars are likely to rub more than a few people the wrong way. Now, we don’t have any specific release dates as of yet, but we will be sure to keep you all updated with the latest news as it happens.

UPDATE: Surprise, surprise, TELUS announced the OMNIA shortly after this was published and dropped the price to $129.99.

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We knew this one was coming

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AT&T and Pantech have officially announced the Matrix Pro this morning and while it won’t knock you out of your seat per se, it definitely fairs well as far as bang for your buck is concerned. As the smartphone successor to the dual-sliding Pantech Matrix, the Pro model maintains the same form factor while adding Windows Mobile 6.1 to the mix for a much more capable result. The design of the handset has also been refined to an extent and the specs have be freshened up a bit. Highlights include an upgrade from dual-band to tri-band 3G for the travelers among us, a 2 megapixel camera, aGPS, threaded SMS, Video Share, stereo Bluetooth, microSDHC support and last but certainly not least, a snazzy mirror finish. In terms of pricing and availability, the Matrix Pro will be available beginning next Tuesday, February 24th, for a respectable $179.99 after $50 mail-in rebate. As an aside, if we see “nation’s fastest 3G network” in one more AT&T press release before the company addresses the 3G network speed and dropped call issues plaguing various regions across the country, we might just lose our cool.

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At long last, the Helio Ocean 2 is now available online. Many will just chuckle and give this bubbly handset a pass (especially for those who gave up after waiting for so long), but for those few die-hard Helio fans left it’s better late than never. If you have been lusting after this device and were waiting for its official release, head on over to Helio’s website where you can grab one for $149 with a two-year contract. If you click on the little “lawyers note” where the phone is available for online ordering, it also mentions that this is a limited time offer only. We’re not sure exactly what they mean by that, but it’s a pretty good cue to get one soon. Is there anyone out there getting ready to pick one one of these “3G social networking powerhouses”?

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After one long year of waiting in agony, excitement, disappointment, despair and lastly hope, it looks like the Helio Ocean 2 has finally materialized and it appears to be a sure thing now. The packaging looks very similar to the first Ocean, though it is now just called Ocean 2 given the Virgin Mobile acquisition of Helio. There’s no mistaking this for anything else as it looks very much like the original and exactly like all the leaked images from a few months back. Word seems to be pretty solid that this is coming on February 12, so we’re just days away from salvation. The second generation Ocean has an upgraded version of the Ultimate Inbox which now threads SMS messages and has Google Talk included. The browser now supports full HTML and with 2GB of internal storage, you won’t be aching for memory as often as you did with the first Ocean. Hit the read link for a full unboxing treatment.

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• Windows Mobile 6.1
• 2 megapixel camera
• Video recording
• Bluetooth
• MicroSD expansion slot
• Dual-band 850/1900 GSM/EDGE/WCDMA

No word on release, pricing, or carrier availability yet. From the looks of the draft manual, and the fact that the first version appeared on AT&T, we’re thinking it’s going with the boys in blue again. The device looks pretty sweet and if it’s solid as Pantech’s Ocean and slim and light as the first Duo, the Korean company will have another winner on their hands.

[Via FCC]

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Hated the Pantech Duo but loved the form-factor? Well, AT&Tizzle is looking to grab you as a potential customer with the Pantech Matrix. It uses the same dual-slide mechanism as the Duo, but sadly runs Pantech’s run-of-the-mill OS. There are at least some decent features here. Things like dual-band UMTS/HSDPA, a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Video Share, a QWERTY keyboard and numeric keypad. You even get to choose your own color; red, blue, or black. That seals the deal for us. We’ll be first in line. If you’re ferocious enough, hit the jump for the full product sheet!

Earlier this year, around March, news of the Helio Ocean 2 was flooding the ‘net with diagrams “leaked” by the FCC. Well, the rumors and possibilities were quickly trashed when news of a Virgin Mobile acquisition of Helio came out. ‘Twas a sad day for hardcore Helio fans and mixed emotions were abound in the VM camp. However, it seems that Helio is still maintaining its unique branding of software and equipment even after the VM absorption, which makes the news of this new device all the more legit. The image speaks for itself: It distinctly resembles the original OZ1 and is even branded with the Helio name. It also appears to have touch-sensitive surfaces where the physical buttons used to be, which likely means haptic feedback, too. There’s even an optical joystick for navigation. Seems like it would also feature a QVGA display, Ev-DO, 2 megapixel cam with video, full HTML browser, and A2DP support. The phone should “wow” all the Helions who are still clinging onto their first-generation Oceans, but…

When is this sweet little gadget coming out? According to the folks over at Heliocity, they received an e-mail from a higher-up at Virgin telling them it’s not slated until early 2009! Are they kidding? They’ll have a lot of catching up to do because it’s likely this device might be outdated at that point (since it’s close to being ‘dated before its release). Come on, VM! Helio waited an eternity to update this and look where it got them. For the few die-hards that didn’t leave Helio and refuse to budge, cross those fingers and hope this comes out sooner than later.

Thanks, Dorian!

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Bear with us folks. We’ve just got ahold of an AT&T product sheet dated September 17th. Also known as “the most up to date doc you’ve seen”. Before we get into the BlackBerry Bold nonsense, here’s a break down on what the sheet says:

• HTC Fuze will launch on October 23nd
• Motorola V9x (new V9 with GPS) launches on October 2nd
• Samsung Mirage i907 (basically our version of the Omnia) launches on October 21st
• Pantech C740 in red, navy, and green launches on October 14th
• Nokia 6650 launches in red and silver on October 23rd
• BlackBerry 8320 in that totally cool color launches on October 21st
• BlackBerry Pearl in pink launches on October 2nd
• The BlackBerry Curve in “burnt orange” is pushed to “2009″.
• The regular BlackBerry Curve is discontinued
• The Palm Treo 680s are discontinued

Now for the weird stuff… this sheet lists the BlackBerry Bold with a November ETA. We’re not so sure what’s going on, but we’re sticking very firm to our October 2nd launch date on AT&T. There you have it, guys! Larger image after the jump.

Looking for your AT&T fix for the remainder of 2008? We’ve got you covered. The carrier has a number of exciting new handsets planned for the coming months, which should be good news for both the carrier and consumers. Everyone loves selection, right? Right. First up, AT&T is planning to release the BlackBerry Curve 8320 (yeah, we’re scratching our heads too), and the BlackBerry Bold by the end of Q3. On the Windows Mobile side of things, AT&T is planning to drop the Samsung BlackJack III, which should see Windows Mobile 6.1, a 528 MHz processor, 3MP camera, aGPS, and more. Look for a new Pantech Duo sporting Windows Mobile 6.1, GPS, HSDPA, and a 528MHz processor. They also alluded to an HTC Tilt replacement, tentatively dubbed the Tilt II, which should feature a Qualcomm 528 MHz processor, aGPS, HSDPA, 256MB ROM/ 128MB, and more. Touch Pro anyone? Expect to see all three of those by Q4 of this year. Excited yet? Yeah, we thought so, but why stop here. AT&T is also planning a slew of Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades for existing handsets. The current Pantech Duo should see 6.1 by October, while the BlackJack II, Moto Q9h, and AT&T Tilt will get the royal treatment by July.

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Took you guys long enough, eh? Months after we got our first look at Windows Mobile 6.1, the company has finally made the update official. Announced this morning at CTIA, the Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrade will now be available to all manufacturers and carriers that wish to implement it. Available by "sometime in Q2" of this year, the new software will be offered by hardware manufacturers including HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and Pantech. Additionally, we could see updates to existing models directly from carriers, though this process is often fraught with delays and empty promises. Nonetheless, the new WM 6.1 takes Windows Mobile a step closer to that "user friendly" experience we’ve all been looking for.

UPDATE: It looks like HTC might be one of the first to the party on this one. In addition to the newly announced WM 6.1-equipped Touch Dual, the company has revealed that they will be working with carriers to provide 6.1 updates for the Sprint Touch and Mogul, AT&T Tilt, Alltel Touch and PPC6800, and the OEM HTC TyTN II. Who’s next?

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Pantech has certainly been willing to push the envelope when it comes to standard phone design, as evident by it’s tiny PN-218, Helio Ocean, and AT&T Pantech Duo. Looking to continue this trend, the company has just released a series of forward-thinking concept designs. The Korean-based company has revealed 5 new designs, each with a specific emotional presence. All 5 have been designed by Korean university students who responded to a recent Pantech design contest. These are all pretty bizarre looking devices, and as such it’s a bit hard to imagine them ever hitting the production lines, but a little creative inspiration is never a bad idea. Hit the link for the remaining 4 handsets, and let us know which one you prefer.

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One of our Helio peeps hit us the other day and briefly said, "We’re sending you the coolest application for the Helio Ocean everz!" No details, nothing! Well, a day later we got a download link for the app, and what did it turn out to be? Their new YouTube application! As you might know from our previous reviews, the Ocean is a fantastic device, but it is plagued by random lagging and freezes. We had no idea how the YouTube app would perform based on our past use of the phone. The fact is, it works incredibly well! It’s lightning fast, has an amazing UI, and the features are by the boat load — geo-tag videos, post video responses, comment on videos, rate videos, upload videos. We’re really impressed! Hit the jump for a plethora of pics!

• Browse: view tens of millions of videos
• Rate: let everyone know which videos you like best
• Comment: add your own two cents by posting text comments for everyone to read
• Share: send favorite videos to friends using address book integration
• Save: save favorite videos to My Favorites and My Playlists
• Subscribe: subscribe to a channel to check out more from that user
• Record and Upload: capture a video on Ocean and instantly upload it to a personal channel

Oh yeah, it’s available now for all Ocean users!

Apparently the Best New Phone Honour at CES 2008 is nothing but a beauty pageant. And SKY’s IM-U200 is the beauty queen. But looks are shallow, because IM-U200 is a gorgeous phone, but it’s nothing but a gorgeous phone. Everything else is average at best. It has a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a MP3-player. So rocking a 2 inch 320×240 pixel TFT screen is about the sharpest feature. Odd since SKY is Pantech, and we expect unusual things like bone conduction or a teleporter, when something is associated with Pantech. Then we don’t care, if we can’t have it, we just really like that it’s out there. We can’t have the IM-U200 either, since it’s Korean only, but would we really spend $550 on something that has nothing to offer besides looking good next to us in a high priced restaurant? Here a no would be in order, and that’s without the profanity.

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We just got the scoop on basically AT&T’s biggest sale of the year, and we have to say, it’s not too shabby! How does, I don’t know, 50% off phones sound? It’s not every phone, just select phones, and the wonderful prices are after mail-in-rebates and 2-year agreements. Here they are:

• Samsung a737 for $24.99
• Sony Ericsson w580i for $24.99
• BlackBerry Curve (8310, not 8300!) for $99.99
• Pantech Duo for $99.99
• Motorola RAZR 2 V9 for $149.99

The promotion is set to start on Black Friday (duh!), but it ends on the following Sunday. You’ve got the whole weekend to take advantage!

Not that it was any surprise to us, but the Pantech Duo has made its way to the AT&T network in all its dual-sliding glory. We were fortunate enough to grab a unit a couple days early, and found ourselves loving the concept of the device. We never thought we’d say this, but the handset is almost too small for real power-usage. At least for us. The QWERTY keyboard is nice, but lays completely flat unlike the Helio Ocean. The actual number pad is great with awesome tactile feedback, and we found the Duo very zippy in almost everything from web browsing, to MMS sending, and email. Throw in BlackBerry Connect, AT&T, and you got a consumer and prosumer hit on your hands. It’s available starting today for $199.99 with a 2-year agreement.

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We waited, and waited, and waited — no announcement from AT&T yet — but we secured a Pantech Duo, live and in the flesh! First off, the device is really small. The keyboard is worlds better than the Helio Ocean, and while it might not be fair to compare it to the Ocean, it is more or less the same concept. 3G on here is such a pleasure, and while we’re not talking about Windows Mobile 6 Professional, Standard works just fine for this little handset. Battery life is a concern, especially with a 3G radio, but since we just got it we don’t have a real gage on battery performance. Voice quality and sound quality sounded crisp and clear as well. Final note: if you saw the Pantech Duo dummy display unit, you’ll notice the device slide out both ways simultaneously. Not the case on the real unit because of the spring mechanism. Not too bad for a device we called out a year ago, right?

UPDATE: There’s an "IPM Power Mode" entry in Settings, with "normal", and "turbo" values. On turbo the device seems much faster, could this be a power-saving mode that also scales the CPU?

Click on over to our Pantech Duo gallery!

We’ll admit it — we are AIM fanatics over here. Yeah, we mingle with Yahoo, Google Talk, and MSN a bit, but we live and breathe AOL Instant Messenger. As technology evolves and networks get faster, the old black & white text IM just won’t do anymore, so we thought it would be nice to compare the instant messaging clients on some of the more popular mobile devices available today. We’ve put together a head-to-head comparison of Helio’s Ocean client, the Sidekick, BlackBerry, iPhone, and also Windows Mobile devices. Hit the jump to see what we found out!

Sidekick series: You can’t really talk about instant messaging on a mobile device without including the Sidekick. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what you think of them, they set the bar way high! Even all the way back in October of 2002, the original black and white Sidekick had a better AIM client than many phones still do today. Their ingenious approach to synchronizing with a central server made AIM a breeze. Forget limiting the device to 30 buddies (we’ll get into this later), you had your whole buddy list on, and when you wanted it. So, you’re in the middle of a conversation and a large UFO in the sky makes you lose cell service…no problem, because as soon as you regain network connectivity, any messages you haven’t received, and those that didn’t send, will all make their way nicely through the ‘net back to your device. The Sidekick has since matured with more and more features being added. And don’t get us wrong, the AIM (and now Yahoo and Live Messenger) client/s are still the best hands down, but we would have liked to see a little more development for the latest two devices, the Sidekick LX, and Sidekick Slide. You can now see Buddy Icons, set your own Buddy Icon, view away messages, and more, all in a neat usable interface, but file sending would have been a great addition, and we’d have loved to see all the IM clients merged into a single piece of software (or at least the option to integrate them into one client).

Image courtesy of SlashGear

Helio Ocean: The Ocean does IM incredibly well, although there are some server hiccups here and there. For the most part, it’s definitely functional, but you might start pulling your hair out when the IMs will freeze, and your Buddy List doesn’t really update automatically. To give Helio credit, they were the first ones to implement file sending over AIM, and while it is limited to 100k for sending, it’s all seamlessly integrated with their OS. Start a conversation with a buddy, hit a few menus, snap a flick with the camera, and before you know it, a Direct Connection started with your friend on their computer, and they’ve just seen a picture you took of someone eating a hot dog off the streets of Manhattan. Other file types do work, but with a 100k limit, don’t get too excited. If Helio ironed out these bugs with the freezing and updated the client a little bit, we’d be more than happy to use it daily.

BlackBerry: We’re not going to beat on BlackBerry too hard, as their bread and butter has always been the Corporate and Government world, and they’re late to the consumer game, but come on, guys! If you want to really appeal to the audience you are trying to get, you will need to step up the IM side of things…On a positive note, as far as we can remember, BlackBerry devices are still the only ones with a native GTalk client (as limited as it is, it works quite wonderfully), and they also have offered Yahoo! IM, but let carriers get in the way of them rolling it out across the board. We’re looking at you, AT&T. For the longest time, well, since the BlackBerry 7100 launched on T-Mobile, they’ve been using an OZ Instant Messaging client for IM communications. And again, to be fair, we can’t bash them, as this most likely was a carrier request because it uses SMS messages and provides another revenue stream to T-Mobile. But that doesn’t negate the fact that that was one of the worst IM clients to ever appear on a device. Talk about slow and unreliable! Anyone in the BlackBerry community knows RIM has been working on native IM clients for AIM, ICQ, and Live Messenger for a very long time. If we’re not mistaken, these were supposed to even appear on the Cingular 8700g back when it was released. Well, those clients have finally come to light, and surprise surprise; they are indeed not available on AT&T, but T-Mobile. T-Mobile ditched the horrendous OZ client in favor of these native apps, and we love you for it T-Mobile. There’s only one problem; AIM is limited to 30 buddies (Mobile Device buddy group)! Who only has 30 buddies, be real! In addition to that, it is almost like the AIM client was just stuffed on the device without real testing. You can’t use the trackball to select a buddy to talk to and launch a conversation, because it asks you to open the "Full Menu". Ugh. There’s a good chance if I click on a screen name, I want to talk to that person…there are no real features to mess around with, you can not view away messages, you can set an away message but can’t customize it, and there is no file sending obviously. Additionally, unlike Google Talk and Live Messenger, the AIM program does not integrate into your Messages application. At this point, the only real IM solution, in our opinion is JiveTalk. They have been on the forefront of development in regards to Instant Messaging, and not just on the BlackBerry platform either. With their client you can send files back and forth to other BlackBerrys or computers, no matter the file size or type. All popular Instant messaging clients integrate in one list, and they even use a middle server as well, just like the Sidekick, to deliver messages you might not have received due to signal loss. JiveTalk also has integrated Buddy Icons coming soon. Very cool. Right now, if you are a quick IM person just signing on to shoot off the occasion one or two IMs, the native BlackBerry clients should be fine. If you’re a heavy user though, we recommend JiveTalk.

iPhone: There is not much to say about this one…especially with 3rd party applications going out the window with the latest update; we’re stuck with using Safari for web-based communications. There are plenty of IM apps to use in this manner, and while they do work fine most of the time, the lack of audible alerts make this a novelty and not functional for an on-the-road type of person. Apollo IM, and MobileChat burst onto the 3rd party app scene and work well, but they still have a long way to go with stability and auto-reconnects.

Windows Mobile: The only IM clients natively available for Windows Mobile devices would be Live Messenger (really?), and Microsoft’s Live Communications Server Instant Messaging. The old version of MSN was definitely lacking, but the new version introduced us to Live Messenger complete with buddy icons, voice note sending, and more. Reconnects aren’t existent, and the server won’t deliver messages if you lose service, but if anyone can do Live Messenger, it would be Microsoft themselves.

Conclusion: When we get asked, "BGR, master of all things tech, what phone should I get?" We always ask the individual what they need in a mobile device, and the same applies here. If you’re going on AIM alone, we’d say a Sidekick LX or Sidekick Slide, 100%. If you need access to a corporate environment, then a BlackBerry with its mediocre IM clients, or fabulous JiveTalk application would obviously be the way to go. If you laugh at all of us, and call us pathetic idiots who stay constantly connected to AIM, and you only wish to check in once a while, an iPhone with the web-based applications should be sufficient. Finally, if you like a high-speed data connection and a unique device that offers file sending built right in, the Helio Ocean, or Fin for that matter, might fit you. Have we missed anything? Completely disagree with our impressions? Sound off in the comments. You know you wanna’.

If you’ve been pondering the switch from your current carrier to the Big Blue, but weren’t sure on the prices for some of the latest devices, there’s a good chance we got you covered! The below pricing should be completely solid, but let us know your own personal experiences, too.

• HTC 8925 Tilt: $349.99 with 2-year agreement and $50 MIR, $549.99 to purchase outright.
• Pantech C810 Duo: $249.99 with 2-year agreement and $50 MIR, $449.99 to purchase outright.
• Motorola Q9 Global: $299.99 with 2-year agreement and $50 MIR, $499.99 to purchase outright.
• UTStarcom 5700: $69.99 with 2-year agreement and $50 MIR, $269.99 to purchase outright.
• Sierra AC881U (HSUPA data card): $49.99 with 2-year agreement and $100 MIR, $299.99 to purchase outright.
• Option GT Ultra (HSUPA data card): FREE with 2-year agreement and $100 MIR, $249.99 to purchase outright.
• Option Ultra Express (HSUPA data card):  $49.99 with 2-year agreement and $100 MIR, $299.99 to purchase outright.

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Motorola’s Q9 Global has gone through more name changes than Perez Hilton’s haircolor, yet that’s not stopping it from making its grand entrance at an AT&T store near you on September 25th. We know the specs by now, quad-band GSM/EDGE, with UMTS/HSDPA (American bands only), Windows Mobile 6 Standard, and more. But what if you want something with a little more visual flair? Something clean and hip? Well fellow friends, do you remember the Pantech Duo? Yeah, the one we broke the story on, not twice, but three times. It’s dropping on October 9th. AT&T, we have a question? Why are you making is so hard right now on the other carriers? You got to let them come up for air sometime!

Thanks to those oh-so-revealing-yet-sometimes-not-completely-spot-on AT&T rebate forms, we have more confirmation on some upcoming devices. This rebate form is good for phones purchased between September 16th, through November 3rd. First off, is the BlackBerry Curve 8310. Yes, the one with GPS. We’ve got a feeling AT&T is going to pull a BlackBerry 8820 with that one and put the current BlackBerry Curve on EOL as soon as the BlackBerry 8310 launches. In addition, we’ve got another confirmation of the AT&T Tilt, along with an AT&T Tilt with no camera for you business folks. The SMT5700 is rumored to launch at a super low price point and that will also be available in a no camera flavor. Everything else is mostly gravy, including the Motorola Q9 Global, Pantech Duo, and BlackBerry 8820. Thank you AT&T, for giving us something to look forward to. Feel free to send some of that Christmas love our ways, OK? Full rebate after the jump!

Thanks, themobilerabbi!

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There are a couple things not confirmed ever since we broke the Pantech C810 Duo story. For starters, we knew it would have 3G but what kind of 3G? Well friends, it turned out to be HSDPA. Yeah! AT&T has nabbed the Pantech Duo as a "lifetime exclusive", and it will sport a 1.3 megapixel camera. The rest of the usual specs we were aware of —  Windows Mobile 6 Standard — unique dual sliding form-factor, and a $249.99 price point with 2 year agreement. The launch date for the Duo is supposed to be "late September", so you better hurry on down to your AT&T store when the time comes. We got’s a feeling these won’t stay stocked for long…Full product shot after the jump!

Thanks, Jay L!

Isn’t it strange that a phone would show up for sale on a third party site before being officially announced by the carrier itself? Then again, Amazon isn’t exactly known for its ability to keep a secret. Whatever the case, they are now offering the Pantech C810 dual slider for sale. Yeah, the one we uncovered twice. It is currently available for $179.99 with a two year contract, which isn’t half bad considering its feature set and still-innovative dual slider form factor. 3G is standard, running atop Windows Mobile 6. Despite the fact that AT&T has yet to officially acknowledge the handset’s existence, the ordering process appears to be legit. Although currently it’s not possible to add on a data plan for some reason, we don’t see why this couldn’t be tacked on later. Anyone trying to take the plunge?

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Whoa, whoa! A Pantech C810 in the wild again? Not exactly, but it has showed up on WireFly’s website, and we have to say that we’re really feelin’ the specs. The device does really sport a "dual-slider design" and it doesn’t actually feature a 1.3 megapixel camera, it is listed as a 2 megapixel, and the Pantech C810 should actually feature AT&T’s Video Share which is great. In addition, we found out that the C810 will sport HSDPA instead of just UMTS — nice, guys! We’ll be following this closely as it looks like a real competitor in the smartphone market. Let us all pray in unity that the keyboard is usable, though. Full specs listed after the jump!

Thanks, Colleen!

"The unique Pantech C810 is the first AT&T phone that slides out vertically like a slider phone, and also horizontally like a PDA/Smartphone. With 3G cellular data, AT&T Video, AT&T Music and Web surfing all happen at amazing speeds. Plus, the 2.0 Megapixel camera/camcorder, MP3 player and Video Sharing give you tons of entertainment. But when you slide out the full QWERTY keyboard, and the Pantech C810 transforms to one of the best messaging devices available!

• Dual-slider Design Is First Ever For AT&T
• Access AT&T Video, AT&T Music and The Internet All At Near-broadband Speed
• Smart Design Tucks The QWERTY Keyboard Safely Away When Not In Use
• A 2 Megapixel Camera/Camcorder To Capture The Moment
• Stream Stereo Music Over Bluetooth With Built-in MP3 Player
• Intergrated Inbox Collects Your Emails, Instant Messages and Text Messages
• Huge Color Display
• GPS Receiver Built-in With Location Services Like Google Maps
• AT&T Video Share-capable! Send or Receive Video While Talking On The Phone!
• Video Share-capable! Send or Receive Video During Your Voice Calls!

Pantech C810 – What’s In The Box With The Cell Phone

• Additional Items Included – Battery, Wall Charger, USB Cable, CD-ROM w/ Software, User Guide

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Advanced Features

• Digital Camera – Yes, 2 Megapixels (1600 x 1200 Pixel Resolution Max), 4x Digital Zoom, Flash, Video Share-capable
• Streaming Multimedia Support – Yes, Built-in Media Player Lets You Experience Streaming AT&T Music and AT&T Video, And More
• MP3 Player – Yes, MP3, WMA, AAC Formats Supported, Playlists, Album Art, USB Mass Storage
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology – Yes, v1.2 Handsfree, Headset and DUN, OPP, HID Profiles Supported
• Two-handed Gaming Experience – Yes
• Video Capture / Camcorder – Yes, H.263 and MPEG4 Formats, Video Sharing (1-way Video Send/Receive During Calls)
• QWERTY Keyboard – Yes, Slideout Style, Backlit
• Infrared Port – Yes
• Voice-driven Menus – Yes, Train The Phone To Pull Up Over A Dozen Applications With Your Voice
• Data Capable / Use This Phone As A Modem – Yes, Software and USB Cable Included, Broadband Speeds
• Bluetooth Stereo Headset (A2DP) – Yes, A2DP and AVRC Profiles Supported So You Can Stream Stereo Music To Compatible Bluetooth Devices
• PC Synchronization – Yes, Software and USB Cable Included, Or Sync Over-the-air With Microsoft ActiveSync

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Messaging Features

• Mobile Web Browsing – Yes, Full HTML Browser Built-in, Near Broadband Data Surfing
• Multimedia Messaging – Yes, Take and Receive Picture and Video Messages, Integrated Inbox
• Text Messaging (SMS) – Yes, Send To Groups Or Individuals, Integrated Inbox
• Instant Messenger Built-in – Yes, AOL, Yahoo! and MSN Live Messenger Built-in, Integrated Inbox
• Email Client – Yes, Supports AOL, Yahoo!, Hotmail and POP/IMAP Protocols, Integrated Inbox

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Personalization and Fun Features

• Polyphonic Ringtones – Yes, Plus Downloadable
• Custom Ringtones – Yes
• MP3 Ringtones – Yes
• Ringer Profiles – Yes
• Picture Caller ID – Yes
• Multiple Languages – Yes
• Games – Yes, Downloadable
• Customizable Graphics – Yes, Downloadable

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Core Features

• Color Main Display – 320 x 240 Pixels, Over 65,000 Colors, Rotates To Landscape When Keyboard Is Exposed, Flip-up Tilt
• Voice-activated Dialing – Yes, Record Voice Tags For Phone Book Entries
• TTY Compatible – Yes
• To-Do List – Yes
• Voice Memo – Yes
• Style – PDA
• Standard 2.5mm Headset Jack – Yes, Stereo Headset Included
• Alarm – Yes
• Calculator – Yes
• Calendar – MS Outlook Calendar, Sync Over-the-air or via Bluetooth or USB Cable, Supports Meeting Requests
• Mini-USB Port – Yes, With USB Cable Included
• Vibrate – Yes
• Phonebook Capacity – Shared Memory
• Multiple Numbers Per Name – Yes, Including Email, Instant Messenger and Web Addresses

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Battery Life

• Battery Type – Li Ion

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Technical Specifications

• Application Platform – Java
• Network Compatibility – GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900
• Data Download Speed – HSDPA (Avg 700 Kbps), EDGE (Up to 144 Kbps)
• Ringtone Types Supported – MIDI, MP3, AMR, AAC, WAV, WMA
• Built-In Memory – 128 MB
• Expandable Memory Capacity – Yes, nicroSD/TransFlash Card Format Compatible
• Dimensions – 4.3 in x 2.3 in x 0.9 in

Pantech C810 – Cell Phone Compatibility Features

• Device Supports Voice Plans – Yes
• Device Supports Data Plans – Yes
• Available For Purchase Without Service Plan – Yes
• Device Supports AT&T PDA Connect – Yes
• Device Supports AT&T Messaging – Yes
• Device Supports AT&T Video Share – Yes"

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We know the RAZR 2 launched today, but what’s more comforting than knowing that the Motorola Q9, UTStarcom 5700, BlackBerry 8820, and Pantech C810 (it says C180 in the price sheet, though) should be launching this month! Well, theorectically next month. What gadget lover wouldn’t be super stoked? It seems as if the Pantech C810 could indeed make it way to stores in late September, but this price sheet is only valid through September 15, so they better get to crankin’ these out!! Pricing should be as follows:

UTStarcom 5700: $269 with no contract, and only $69 with 2 year agreement!

Motorola Q9: $549 with no contract, $299 with 2 year agreement

Pantech C810: $499 with no contract, $299 with 2 year agreement

$299 seems to be the magic number with AT&T, and you can expect the BlackBerry 8820 to launch with that 2 year pricing as well. Whether you’ll be able to GPS ’till your hearts content, well, that’s a whole ‘nother story.

UPDATE: Sorry, we forgot to add this in…We’ve been told the HTC TyTN II, or AT&T 8925 should be launching October 1st on AT&T. Hopefully that will stick.

You really have to be a ride or die BGR reader to remember this, but we told you about it all the way back in October. Finally the device has come to light, and you can think of it as a smaller Helio Ocean, if you will. It features the same dual-sliding mechanism as far as we can tell, but there is one very big difference…this runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard with 3G! We’re not positive if that’s just straight UMTS or UMTS/HSDPA. About as long as the Ocean, yet thinner, the Pantech C180 C810 will accept memory card expansion by way of a microSD card, and features a 65k color screen. Pricing? It hasn’t been set in stone, but we’re hearing it should be $249.99 or less with a 2 year agreement. Release date is looking like Q4, but might come as early as late September. Hit the jump for one more picture of the Pantech C180 C810 – QWERTY style!

UPDATE: They might be calling this the "Mustang", or "Duo", but those could very well be internal codenames.

UPDATE 2: Yeah, it’s the Pantech C810 as far as we know. Sorry!

UPDATE 3: It has a 1.3 megapixel camera. Definitely a downgrade from the Ocean…

Thanks, Mursin!

As of now (12:00 AM PDT), you can all get your Microsoft Exchange fix on your Helio Oceans! In addition to the countless email and communication options present on the Helio Ocean already, Exchange will finally grace the device. Look forward to full contact, calendar and email sync with the new software. What should happen is, in your messages list, a "Microsoft Exchange" email box will appear and you would just click on that, and download the software enhancement. That’s it! Currently available as a 60 day beta trial, the full version will go for $9.99/month after this time period. Additionally, get set for Helio File Viewer which works hand in hand with your new Microsoft Exchange mailbox. It will allow the viewing of popular document types like .doc, .ppt, .xls, and .pdf attachments. Finally happy, Just Blaze? More info after the jump.