T-Mobiles Shadow does a good job of making Windows Mobile more user-friendly, but ultimately, it’s no more capable or stylish than the competition. This silvery, rectangular slider sports a big, bright, 320-by-240-pixel, 2.6-inch screen, and a hybrid two-letter-per-button keyboard, like the Blackberry Pearl’s.

The device runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard, but T-Mobile decided to make the operating system friendlier by laying an animated interface over it. The interface reaches its goal: never to expose users to the clunky Windows Mobile program list.

104MB of storage and 72MB of program memory allow lots of room for add-ons, but like most 200-MHz Windows Mobile devices, the Shadow feels a bit sluggish, especially when you push it into editing Microsoft Office documents or surfing the Web. At least there’s Wi-Fi to complement T-Mobiles relatively slow EDGE network, The handset’s 2-megapixel camera has a 0.9-second shutter delay that requires patience. As a phone it’s just average, too, with a somewhat trebly interface and tinny speakerphone.

The Shadow could be a contender, especially given its nice price. But put it up against the array of exciting smartphones that have hit U.S. shores recently and the Shadow just doesn’t stand out.

T-Mobile Shadow Short Review
Price range: $349.99 direct; $149.99 with contract

Check This Out:

LG Viewty (KU990) Review: Touch screen in Camera Phone

T-Mobile Sidekick LX: Easy on the Eyes-And Fingers

Samsung SCH-i760: Maximize Your Mobile Productivity

Emërtimet: Smartphones 2