AT&T launches HTC smartphones, handful of feature phones

AT&T Mobility appears to be in high gear for the holiday handset season. The carrier launched its first phones running Windows Mobile 6.5 as well as an array of messaging phones, actions that come just a few days after rival Verizon Wireless launched its own bevy of new devices.

[1]AT&T's new Windows Mobile 6.5 phones are both from HTC, and the carrier trumpeted both the hardware and the new software features included in the latest version of Microsoft's smartphone platform. "Windows Mobile 6.5 received several upgrades that enhance ease-of-use, such as a touch-friendly user interface and improved browser with Flash support," AT&T said, adding that purchases from Microsoft's new Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store can be added to customers' monthly service bills. "Content and applications are just a fingertip away on the redesigned Start Menu and Internet Explorer Mobile will support the rich experiences that many Web pages offer for desktop computers," AT&T said.

The HTC Tilt 2--similar to the HTC Touch Pro 2--has a 3.6-inch touchscreen display that can be tilted, a large Qwerty keyboard, 3.2-megapixel camera and HTC's Straight Talk conference calling feature. The Tilt 2 will be available in the coming weeks for $299.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate.

The other new Windows Mobile phone is the HTC Pure, which has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display and a 5-megapixel camera. The Pure is currently available for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate.

Additionally, AT&T unveiled several new messaging phones, which will be the first to sport AT&T's new Web browser [2].

• The Pantech Reveal will be available Oct. 18 and features both a numeric keypad and a full keyboard.
• The Pantech Impact sports an OLED screen that has haptic feedback controls, allowing users to send text messages and make calls without opening the phone.
• The Samsung Mythic will be available in November and features a 3.3-inch touchscreen that scrolls from left to right to reveal applications.
• And the Samsung Flight is a vertical slider that has a full keyboard.

AT&T did not announce pricing or specific availability information for any of the messaging phones. 

For more:
- see these photos [1]
- see this HTC release [3]
- see this messaging phones release [4]

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