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AT&T announced that the Hewlett-Packard iPaq Glisten 3G world phone will arrive on its network in the coming weeks. Geared toward balancing enterprise and home life, the Glisten runs Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.
The announcement came Nov. 24, the same day Verizon Wireless introduced an enterprise phone of its own, the Samsung Omnia II, which will arrive Dec. 2 and also run Windows Mobile 6.5.
Also like the Omnia II, the Glisten will feature an AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) screen-making it AT&T’s first smartphone to boast the attractive display.
“The iPaq Glisten adds to our innovative Windows Phone portfolio,” said Michael Woodward, vice president of AT&T’s mobile phone portfolio for mobility and consumer markets, in a statement. “It meets the demands of our business customers while boasting a beautiful AMOLED touch screen and a full package of multimedia features.”
The Glisten’s 2.5-inch touch screen is positioned over a five-way directional pad for navigation and a full QWERTY keyboard. It has quad-band GSM/EDGE and tri-band 850/1900/2100 UMTS/HSDPA radios, and connectivity via Bluetooth and 802.11b/g is also included-Wi-Fi has a dedicated button-as is GPS.
The Microsoft Start menu has been redesigned to offer one-touch access to favorite contacts and applications, and the improved browser now has Flash support. The newest iPaq includes Microsoft Office Mobile and Office Outlook Mobile and offers views of PowerPoint documents and Adobe PDFs. There’s also a speaker phone with Voice Commander, which can be used to begin calls and messages via voice prompts or to read aloud text messages, e-mails and calendar details; in addition, an integrated in-box feature will summarize recent e-mails, calls and texts.
The 3.1-megapixel camera includes five-times digital zoom and fixed focus, and users can edit images with the included HP Photosmart Mobile software before uploading them directly to Facebook, via the preloaded application.
Also included are a 3.5mm headset jack, 256MB of SDRAM and a microSD slot that supports up to 32GB of additional memory.
“The iPaq Glisten packs a powerful punch with its multiple input methods, variety of connectivity options, and a familiar, consistent e-mail experience that allows mobile professionals to connect with the people and information that matter most to them,” said Susan Macke, a marketing vice president with HP, in a statement.
The sleek and black Glisten will be priced at $229.99, after a $50 rebate and with a two-year service agreement.