Pharos Traveler, Sprint’s HTC Snap, New Devices from Acer

A steady stream of devices continues to appear — it’s hard to keep up. I try to focus on those that are available from major carriers and those that seem to be game-changers. This week we have some of both, including a new phone from Pharos that’s the first to work on T-Mobile’s 3G network (plus, it also works with AT&T’s 3G network), and new phones from Acer that have a remarkable and unique interface. Plus, we note the arrival of the HTC Snap from Sprint.

Pharos Traveler 137

Pharos has been a maker of standalone GPS devices for years, and in recent years some solid Windows Mobile devices with integrated GPS. Their new offering is the Pharos Traveler 137, which is now available unlocked from many vendors for a price ranging from $550–599. (Expansys, for example, sells it for $559.) However, according to the press release, if you sign up for a new two-year T-Mobile contract through the Pharos website, you’ll get $250 off.

This is the first Windows Mobile phone to run on T-Mobile’s AWS 3G network. It also gives you 3G speeds on AT&T’s network.

This device is loaded. First off, it comes with SPB Mobile Shell, which gives you an iPhone-like experience. It has a 3.5-inch, 480x800 touch screen, a 3-megapixel camera, a front-facing .03-megapixel camera for videoconferencing, aGPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, FM tuner, microSDHC slot, USB 2.0, and a stereo audio jack.

Of course, a main focus is GPS navigation, and included with the device is Pharos’s Smart Navigator software, with maps available on an included microSD card. And when Windows Mobile 6.5 becomes available, this device will be upgradeable.

You can read a review and see a video demo on ZDNet.

HTC Snap Coming to Sprint June 21

According to InformationWeek, the HTC Snap will be coming to Sprint stores June 21 for $149 after rebates and with a new, two-year contract. As we noted last week, this is a Windows Mobile Standard phone (no touch screen) with a 2.4-inch screen, microSD expansion, 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, aGPS, Bluetooth, and a front-facing QWERTY keyboard.

An unsubsidized version is already available on Best Buy’s website for $519.99.

New Acer Devices Have Unique User Interface

Acer is really starting to make its mark in the Windows Mobile arena. The F1, coming in the second half of this year, is stunning: a 1GHz processor, 3.8-inch, 480x800 touch screen, 5-megapixel camera with flash, GPS, FM tuner, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. You can see images and description on this page (which is Google-translated from Chinese).

But like HTC devices, it’s not just the hardware that’s selling them, it’s also an innovative interface. YouTube has a demo of the interface on the Acer F900.

Acer’s current flagship device is the Tempo M900, which may compare to the HTC Touch Pro2, in that it has a slideout keyboard. But unlike the TouchPro2, it has the proper bands for 3G in the U.S. PocketNow has an unboxing video, hardware tour video, and a software tour video, which again gives you a good look at the innovative interface.