Overview of All WM 6.5 Devices, AT&T iPAQ Glisten, Verizon Omnia II, HD2

With all the new Windows Mobile 6.5 devices out, you might be feeling a bit confused by all the options. This week I’ll point you to a wonderful resource on PocketNow that gives an overview of all the Windows Phones available. Plus, I’ll note the announcement of the iPAQ Glisten, and will point you to more info and reviews of the Omnia II and HTC HD2.

Windows Phones from U.S. Carriers

PocketNow has put together a great review that gives you an overview of the Windows Mobile devices from the four largest U.S. carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.

The review is divided into four sections, one for each carrier. And for each device that carrier offers the review gives you the pros and cons, an overall assessment, an image of the device, and links for more information. At the end of each section, the review gives an at-a-glance table of the specs for all the devices from that carrier.

There are 22 devices in all. The review concludes by naming the HTC Touch Pro2, available from all four largest carriers, as the best of the best.

AT&T iPAQ Glisten

The venerable iPAQ from AT&T was one of the first Pocket PCs available 10 years ago, and was among the most popular. The brand still lingers.

AT&T and HP announced the iPAQ Glisten last week, which is expected to be shipping December 8. It has a Treo-Blackberry form factor, with a front-facing QWERTY keyboard. Given the rise of finger friendly touch devices, this form factor seems to be on the decline. But it’s still the favorite of many, so it’s good to see that this model is coming.

The Glisten has a 2.5-inch QVGA touchscreen, Windows Mobile 6.5, Bluetooth, WiFi, and a microSD expansion slot. It will only be available via the AT&T website.

Read more on the AT&T website. It will be $299 with no contract, or around $180 with a two-year contract.

Verizon Omnia II December 2

Verizon issued a press release last week announcing the imminent arrival of the Omnia II. If you think you might be interested in the Omnia II, you can see a video walkthrough on WMExperts. The device in the video is from a different carrier but should be similar to Verizon’s Omnia II.

One interesting feature of the Omnia II is the onscreen keyboard, which uses Swype: you drag your finger cross the letters rather than pecking at the keys. MobileTechWorld has posted a video demo of Swype, comparing the speed side-by-side with the keyboard of an iPhone.

Reviews of Forthcoming HD2

This device still seems to be getting all the buzz, with its iPhone-like form factor and 4.3-inch screen. Windows Phone Thoughts has posted a roundup of links to reviews of this device, most of them including video demos. There’s also a good review on MobileTechReview.

The device has a 5-megapixel camera. PocketNow has posted a video demo of the camcorder feature.

And ZDNet’s Matt Miller has a great article about how the new interface on this device, called Sense, has overcome the limitations of Windows Mobile 6.5.