The Impact is a weird messaging phone, featuring a “high-gloss faceplate” with haptic-enabled keys, and a full QWERTY keyboard. The handset also has two displays: a small external one and a larger internal one.

Other features include 3G, GPS, music player, AT&T HTML mobile browser, photo camera, video recording, and easy access to IM and email.

Pantech Impact will be available from AT&T in bright blue and soft pink, for $99.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate.

Via Press release

• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• $39 Pantech C630 launched tomorrow by AT&T
• Samsung Mythic and Flight coming to AT&T on November 8
• AT&T Intros Four Phones with Opera HTML Browser
• Samsung Highlight t749 available from T-Mobile USA

Previously known as Pantech Aladdin, the Reveal is a slider phone that features an alphanumeric keypad, as well as a full QWERTY one. The keypads are simultaneously active, “providing a truly quick messaging experience.”

Coming in two color versions (red and blue), the Pantech Reveal wants to be a “perfect gift for any trendsetting teen or tween”.

The phone’s features include: 2.2 inch QVGA display, 3G connectivity, AT&T Navigator, IM, email, HTML browser, music/video player, 1.3MP camera and MicroSD card support (up to 16GB).

Customers can buy the Pantech Reveal online, or in AT&T’s stores. The phone’s price is of $79.99 (with a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate).

To celebrate the launch of the new phone, Pantech has launched a Facebook contest. You can win a free Reveal phone from AT&T if you make a post about it on the “Fan Page Wall”. More details here.

Via Press release

• QWERTY fiesta from AT&T: Pantech Matrix, Samsung Propel, Pantech Slate and AT&T Quickfire
• Samsung T659 (Scarlet) launched by T-Mobile USA
• AT&T Intros Four Phones with Opera HTML Browser
• AT&T’s Pantech Slate available now – only 9.9mm in thickness
• Affordable LG CF360 launched by AT&T

The Sky DuPont is a full-touch candybar with golden accents, designed to remind users of the DuPont lighters’ look. The phone, which measures 106.8 x 50.8 x 11.15 mm and weighs 90 grams, actually opens up like a DuPont lighter to unveil a 3MP photo camera.

Other features include a 3 inch touchscreen display with 240 x 400 pixels, GPS, DMB TV, Music player, email and MicroSD card support.

The price of Pantech DuPont is of around $830 – it’s the most expensive Pantech phone made until now.

Via iSky (in Korean)

• Pantech announces Sky DuPont IM-U510LE luxury phone
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Pantech Love Actually IM-U460K touchscreen phone announced
• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract

The bottom of Pantech Razzle TXT8030 has two sides and it can be rotated, transforming the handset in either a full QWERTY phone, or in a device that looks more like a Portable Music Player (with stereo speakers and dedicated controls).

The Razzle also features a landscape display (probably QVGA), VZ Navigator, 1.3MP camera and MicroSD card support.

Verizon should release the Pantech Razzle TXT8030 in October, for a price that is not known at the moment.

Via Phone Arena

• Verizon announces HTC Imagio, Nokia 2705 Shade, Motorola Barrage and more
• Verizon to launch the Pantech Escapade WP8990VW world phone
• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• AT&T’s Pantech Matrix PRO now official
• Verizon’s Nokia Intrigue appears in press photos

The manufacturer is Pantech, South Korea’s third largest handset maker, and the new phone is Pantech Sky DuPont IM-U510LE.

The DuPont phone was announced today in Korea. Pantech says that its design is inspired by DuPont’s famous lighters.

The handset has gold-plated edges and it features a 3 inch touchscreen display, 2G-only connectivity, GPS and a 3MP camera. Other specs are not known at the moment.

Several video previews of the new DuPont luxury phone are available:

Pantech Sky DuPont IM-U510LE’s price will be of around $832, making it Pantech’s most expensive phone ever.

Via Telecoms Korea

• Pantech Sky DuPont luxury phone now available
• Pantech IM-R470S with unconverted video playback launched
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Samsung Giorgio Armani W820/W8200 in press photos
• Pantech Love Actually IM-U460K touchscreen phone announced

The C790 Aladdin has been recently approved by the Bluetooth SIG, so it might not be long until AT&T announces it.

Like other Pantech phones released by AT&T (the Matrix Pro, for example), the Pantech C790 has both an alphanumeric and a QWERTY keyboard.

The Bluetooth SIG’s image of the phone is far from being great, so I had to add some brightness to it.

Engadget reported about the Pantech Aladdin back in May, but it looks like the phone has a different design now – the nav-pad is definitely changed. This is what the handset previously looked like:

The features of Pantech C790 Aladdin should include a 2.2 inch QVGA display, quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA connectivity, AGPS, Bluetooth, threaded SMS, 1.3MP camera, and MicroSD card support.

We don’t know when AT&T will launch the Pantech Aladdin, but we’d like to see a Pantech Jasmine and a Pantech Genie showing up. Or, why not, a Pantech Iago & Abu, too.

• AT&T’s Pantech Matrix PRO now official
• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• Samsung S6700 and C5510 sliders coming soon
• Interesting Philips C600 and W186 unveiled
• Philips X806 and C702 touchscreen phones show up

Qualcomm will become a passive investor, holding no more than 15% of Pantech’s common shares, without being part of the company’s management.

According to  Dr. Cha Young Koo, president of Qualcomm Korea, “this conversion will create a stronger platform on which Pantech can continue to build its prior successes in developing unique and innovative products.”

(Pantech doublEye, commercialized in Korea under the Sky brand)

To further increase its market share, Pantech plans to launch new phones in Korea, Japan, and the US (through AT&T and Verizon).

Via NewsWire.co.kr

• Nokia entering Korean market for the third time
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future
• Qualcomm and Fujitsu join the Symbian Foundation board
• SK Telecom to make its own handsets?
• Qualcomm and BlackBerry heading for Korea now that WIPI’s gone

Released under the Sky brand, Pantech doublEye is a slider that has a Picture-in-picture feature and lets you use the photo camera and the video camera at the same time.

The phone also comes with a 2.6-inch QVGA display, animated Flash menu, widgets support, HSPDA (7.2Mbps), DMB-TV tuner, music player, 3MP camera, 130MB of internal memory and MicroSD card support.

The price of Pantech doublEye is of 400,000 South Korean won (about $328). The phone is sold via SK Telecom and it probably won’t be released outside Korea.

Via Mobile-review

• Pantech Sky-branded IM-R300 enters touchscreen smartphone arena
• Pantech Sky DuPont luxury phone now available
• iriver wave, the first mobile phone from iriver, will be launched on March 9 2009
• Pantech IM-S350 gets announced
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider

The Venn is actually a rebranded version of the Pantech Matrix Pro, which is already available in the US, via AT&T.

Coming with Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard on board, O2 Xda Venn features two sliding keypads: an alphanumeric and a full QWERTY one.

The smartphone is a bit bulky, measuring 21mm in thickness, but at least it looks pretty good:

Its main specs include

• GSM and HSDPA connectivity
• 2.4 inch QVGA display
• GPS
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• 2MP camera

The price of Xda Venn is not known, but it looks like you can buy one from O2 UK’s website.

Via Cool Smartphone

• Samsung i740 officially launched
• O2 Xda Guide announced in Germany
• HTC Snap / S522 QWERTY smartphone announced
• Dual-faced Acer DX650 and Acer X960 spotted
• Nokia E71-like LG GW550 WM smartphone shows up

Launched under Pantech’s Sky brand, the IM-R470S seems to be a great multimedia device.

It can play unconverted video files (H.264, MPEG4, DivX, XviD) and display them on the 3.2 inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) Sharp LCD screen, which has a 160 degree viewing angle.

The phone also features the already-mentioned TruEmotion 3D Cube UI, accelerometer, proximity sensor, DMB TV tuner, Back Ground Play, Picture in Picture, GPS, Bluetooth, a 3MP autofocus camera, and 4GB of internal memory.

The IM-R470S is a Korea-only handset, but let’s hope that Pantech will launch similar phones (with the TrueEmotion UI) outside its home country soon.

Via Press release

• Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Pantech Sky IM-S400L with Glide Sensor officially announced
• Pantech Sky-branded IM-R300 enters touchscreen smartphone arena
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future

The handset has a simple, elegant design, and it comes with pretty-colored changeable back plates.

Measuring 104.9 x 54.6 x 12 millimeters, the Pantech Love Actually features a 3 inch WQVGA display, GSM and HSDPA connectivity, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Media player, 3MP camera, video-call camera, 255MB of internal memory, and MicroSDHC card support.

Pantech Love Actually IM-U460K will be available via KTF, in various color versions, for an unknown price.

A video preview with the phone can be watched below:

Via Mobile-review

• LG’s new HB620T DVB-T phone offers free mobile TV to Germany
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Samsung SCH-W760 to offer infrared video calling
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Nokia Nseries – mobile phones/multimedia computers

According to Pantech, the TruEmotion UI is simple, intuitive and dynamic, featuring three-dimensional transition effects.

It seems that now all the Korean cellphone vendors opted for a pretty similar 3D Cube UI concept for their touchphones – LG has it’s S-Class, Samsung’s got Cubic and now Pantech…  I wonder how that turn of things came about?

TruEmotion will debut in South Korea next month, when the new Pantech IM-R470S phone becomes available. The IM-R470S is a full-touch handset with a 3.2 VGA display:

Pantech didn’t say if it will also use the TruEmotion 3D UI on phones manufactured for outside Korea. Let’s hope it will.

• Pantech IM-R470S with unconverted video playback launched
• Four new Pantech phone concepts to feed your geeky dreams
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Samsung S8000 Cubic specs unveiled
• Qualcomm takes equity in South Korea’s Pantech

Being a world phone, the Pantech Escapade will come with a SIM card, so you’ll be abe to use it overseas on GSM networks.

The handset has mid to low-end features, including a QVGA internal display, a 2MP camera and a 2.5mm headset jack.

Apparently, there’s no MicroSD card slot, so let’s hope that the internal memory is generous enough.

When launched, the Escapade will probably the only Pantech phone in Verizon’s mobile offering. Unfortunately, its release date and price are currently not known.

Via Phone Arena

• Verizon launches entry-level Escapade world phone
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Verizon’s Pantech Razzle TXT8030 in official photos
• Pantech Love Actually IM-U460K touchscreen phone announced
• Verizon HTC Ozone’s full specs unveiled

Launched via LG Dacom, one of South Korea’s largest high-speed Internet, voice and data services providers, the WPP-8000 is not a regular phone (like the GSM or CDMA ones).

It uses LG Dacom’s myLG070 service, allowing users to access the Web via a wireless LAN connection (called iHub) and get news, stock and weather information without extra data charges. 

Pantech WPP-8000 also supports features like Caller ID and text messaging. As you can see, its display is not exactly the largest around, but it looks like all these kinds of phones have such small screens.  

If the WPP-8000 is successful, Pantech will release similar devices in the future. 

Via Telecoms Korea (subscription needed to view the article).

• Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future
• Qualcomm takes equity in South Korea’s Pantech
• Pantech announces Sky DuPont IM-U510LE luxury phone

Looking sleeker than the old Duo, the brand new Matrix PRO is 22 mm thick, but that’s obviously because it packs two sliding keyboards: a QWERTY and an alphanumeric one.

Apart from that, Pantech Matrix PRO (not to be mistaken for the Pantech Matrix, which isn’t a smartphone anyway), also features quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA connectivity, built-in GPS to work with AT&T Navigator, a 2MP camera, video share support, Bluetooth and so on.

The resolution of its display is not known for the moment, but it’s probably the same old QVGA one (yup, it’s confirmed – QVGA).

Pantech Matrix PRO will be on sale via AT&T starting February 24, for $179.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement.

Via Engadget

• $39 Pantech C630 launched tomorrow by AT&T
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• QWERTY fiesta from AT&T: Pantech Matrix, Samsung Propel, Pantech Slate and AT&T Quickfire
• AT&T Releases Pantech Matrix, Sony Ericsson W760a
• O2 Xda Venn launched – a British Pantech Matrix Pro

The South Korean manufacturer has recently announced a new phone, Pantech Sky Wind IM-S410K, which can be controlled if you simply blow at it. This can be done thanks to the so-called Emotion Engine (developed by Fantalog Interactive) – a software that allows the handset’s microphone to recognize various kinds of blows.

So you can basically use blows in order to switch wallpapers, adjust brightness, and even take photos, all without touching any of the phone’s buttons. 

The Sky Wind also has some sort of accelerometer, as well as a camera that can detect movement. Other than that, the phone’s specs are unknown.

The price of Pantech IM-S410K was not unveiled. The handset should be available in the second half of February, and it will most probably be a Korea-exclusive product.

Source:  CNET Asia

• Pantech Sky IM-S400L with Glide Sensor officially announced
• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• MSI Wind U120 to be launched next month with built-in 3.5G module
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future

Basically, the Glide Sensor makes the keypad usable as some sort of a trackpad for phone navigation. It is said to be quite similar to touchpads in notebooks, so using it should be a joy (technically). Besides which, the Pantech Sky IM -S400L supports additional features that make it all the more appealing.

Photo from Akihabara News

For example, it’s equipped with a terrestrial DMB TV tuner, as well as a subway map, electronic dictionary, and support for external memory (though it wasn’t specified up to how much and what amount of internal memory it has in the first place).

It’s not clear where this will be available outside of Korea, but it should work on most places in the United States, Japan, China, and Southeast Asia as a fine CDMA phone. Available colors are white, pink, and blue.

• CDMA Pantech Cupid IM-S390 officially announced
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Pantech Duo 2 clears FCC
• Pantech IM-S350 gets announced
• Pantech Sky-branded IM-R300 enters touchscreen smartphone arena

The C630 costs only $39 (with a 2-yr AT&T contract agreement), so it might be a perfect Christmas gift for all those in need of a new candybar.     

Although it’s quite affordable, Pantech C630 comes with some nice stuff that could attract many US mobile users.

For example, the phone has 3G, GPS to work with AT&T Navigator, and “deviated number keys that glow white when depressed”.

Other features include:

• Bluetooth
• A 1.3MP photo camera
• AT&T Mobile Music
• AT&T Video Share
• And Micro SD card support

So what we have here is a pretty good alternative to the Pantech Matrix or Pantech Slate, the other two Pantech-made handset recently released by AT&T. Sure, the C630 doesn’t have a QWERTY keyboard, but at least it’s cheaper.

Via Press release 

• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• QWERTY fiesta from AT&T: Pantech Matrix, Samsung Propel, Pantech Slate and AT&T Quickfire
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Verizon’s Pantech Razzle TXT8030 in official photos

For what appears to be a small handset, the Pantech Duo 2 also carries the same alphanumeric keypad and QWERTY keyboard as the original. And then, it will be equipped with Windows Mobile 6.1.

To be officially called the Pantech Duo 2 C820, this handset features the following:

– Dual-band 850/1900 GSM/EDGE/WCDMA
– 2-megapixel camera with video capture
– Bluetooth connectivity
– microSD card slot

As of this time’s writing, this handset’s official release is still unknown. Though if any Pantech Duo 2 user ever brings his device to the US, he won’t be having any problems.

FCC via Phone Scoop

• Pantech sneaks dual-sliding Pantech Duo through Telcel in Mexico
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• 8 new Samsung phones leaked – S5050, C5212, S3310 and E2210 included
• HTC P5500 Nike becomes HTC Touch Dual
• Samsung B5722 and C6112 dual SIM phones show up

Presented as the world’s thinnest handset to feature a full QWERTY keyboard, Pantech Slate can be bought for $49.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate and the signing of a 2-yr contract agreement. Its no commitment price is of $249.99.    

The Slate measures 4.2 x 2.5 x 0.39 inches (107 x 63.5 x 9.9 millimeters), so it is, indeed, very slim. Unfortunately, apart from its QWERTY keyboard, the handset doesn’t offer too many features, being an entry-level device.       

The full specs of Pantech Slate include:

• Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• 2.2 inch TFT display with 176 x 220 pixels and 260K colors
• Email, IM
• Web browser, MEdia Net
• Stereo Bluetooth, but only the 1.2 version
• 20MB of internal memory and no MicroSD card slot  
• 1.3 MP camera
• USB (a USB cable is not included in the package, though)
• Talk time: up to 3 hours
• Standby time: up to 10 days

You can buy a Pantech Slate C530 either from AT&T’s stores, or online, if you hit the carrier’s official website. 

Via Press

• QWERTY fiesta from AT&T: Pantech Matrix, Samsung Propel, Pantech Slate and AT&T Quickfire
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Motorola MOTOROKR EM35 officially announced: music all the way
• MOTO QA30 leaked: Motorola’s first QWERTY slider
• Nokia 6650 hits AT&T tomorrow, $69.99 on contract

But we’re not going to talk about AT&T’s phones right now, although I’m sure many of its subscribers would wish to have at least one of the devices presented below.

The Pantech Design Community, comprised of 20 college students, has showcased four new concept phones that Pantech might, someday, build.

The first concept is called Coralliform Water. Obviously inspired by the sea and its life, the phone is a slider that somehow looks like a budding flower, when closed. No tech specs were given, but the Coralliform Water seems to have a touchscreen display and a camera.

This phone would especially look good in a lady’s hands and, to be honest, I wouldn’t mind having one. Not at all. Here it is:

Easter Moai, the second new Pantech concept, is designed to express the “multifaceted nature of human beings”. It has a “wave” touchscreen LCD, a touch key, a dome key and lots of other keys on its sides, put there to increase the phone’s functionality.

The Easter Moai can also be attached to some sort of support, of unknown purpose:

Recy_Q is a full-touch phone that also has a sliding QWERTY keyboard. the device features touch keys that are embedded into its metal frame, for an easier control over its User Interface. Recyclable material should be used for the case and the keypad.

I’m not sure about how those tiny “wings” of it would feel in hand, but the phone surely looks good:

Softy Lofty, the fourth new Pantech concept, is the weirdest of them all. I can’t figure out where the display of this phone is. Anyway, the handset is designed “to offer as much visual and emotional comfort as possible” and to emit a vague light when re-charged:

So, apart from this last concept, the other three ones look like they could soon be in stores, probably in South Korea first. But this is all up to Pantech and its manufacturing plans.

Via Telecoms Korea

• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future
• $39 Pantech C630 launched tomorrow by AT&T
• Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Mozilla phone concept – a BlackBerry with OLED keys

All of AT&T’s new phones have full QWERTY keyboards, hence they are meant to offer a quick and easy mobile messaging experience to users.

According to a recent Nielsen study, a part of the US mobile phone owners use their handsets more for text messaging and less for talking. Also, AT&T says that text messaging volumes had tripled since 2007, so it’s obvious why the US carrier has decided to bring four new QWERTY-equipped phones.

The only new handset available right away is Pantech Matrix:

Sold for $79.99, after a mail-in rebate and the signing of a 2-yr contract, Pantech Matrix has three color versions: navy blue, black & green and red. Similar to the old Pantech Duo, the Matrix comes with an alphanumeric keyboard in addition to the QWERTY one.

Its main specs include:

• Quad band GSM connectivity, 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• Dual band UMTS/HSDPA, 850/1900 MHz
• 1.3 MP camera
• AT&T Navigator
• Mobile Email and Instant Messaging
• Bluetooth
• AT&T Mobile Music
• AT&T Video Share
• MicroSD card support, up to 4GB
• 4.66 ounces, 4.02 x 1.97 x 0.78 inches

Samsung Propel, pictured above, is a square slider that might not be seen as beautiful by too many users. Anyway, the phone will be on sale in late October (in red, blue, green and white/red) for the same price as Pantech Matrix: $79.99 . The features of Samsung Propel are not too different from the ones of the Matrix.

Pantech Slate is announced by AT&T as the world’s thinnest full QWERTY handset. It will be available at the same time as Samsung Propel, for only $49.99 with a contract agreement. The phone’s known features are: a 1.3 MP cam, Bluetooth, IM and email.

Here is how the slate looks like:

AT&T Quickfire, pictured below, seems to be a true competitor for T-Mobile’s Sidekick series.

The Quickfire features a touchscreen, 3G connectivity and GPS. It will be available starting November, in three colors: lime, orange and sliver. Its 2-yr contract price will be of $99.99.

Well, that’s about it with the new QWERTY handsets prepared by AT&T. Hope you didn’t get bored

• AT&T’s Pantech Matrix PRO now official
• $39 Pantech C630 launched tomorrow by AT&T
• AT&T’s Pantech Slate available now – only 9.9mm in thickness
• Samsung Propel now available from AT&T for $79.99
• Samsung Propel and Samsung Gravity headed to Canada, via Rogers

Sky IM-S380K comes in a sweet slider form factor and, apparently, its display has a 7:3 aspect ratio. The resolution of the display is not know, but it’s highly probable for it to be a 240 x 400 one, which is not bad.

A complete list of specs for Pantech Sky IM-S380K is out of our reach for the moment, but the slider’s known features include:

• HSDPA connectivity
• Email (there’s a dedicated key for accessing it)
• Front-facing video-call camera 
• Bluetooth
• Music player and FM radio
• Sky Studio (a photo editing application) 
• Expandable memory
• Electronic dictionary
• Subway map

If you’re in South Korea, look for Pantech IM-S380K to show up via KTF in the next few months, in three color versions: white, black and pink. The slider’s retail price will be of 400,000 KRW – approx. $355.

Via Pantech (automatic translation from Korean)

• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Pantech Love Actually IM-U460K touchscreen phone announced
• Pantech Sky DuPont luxury phone now available
• LG Lollipop announced, a phone for youngsters
• Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI

One may wonder why I am recalling it, but it seems important as the there are latest indications about launching of the device somewhere in early 2009 as revealed by the sources from virgin mobile at the latest CTIA event. They also confirmed that work is under progress for Ocean 2, and you may soon see it tagged under the new brand name, Umbrella.

However, Helio subscribers can expect only two changes to their services. One, an increase in included minutes on the $80 talk plan (from 1,500 to unlimited) and the other, addition to Helio download store in the form of Virgin Mobile’s social networking apps and tools.

Not much different from the Helio Ocean, the smartphone is expected to come jam packed with:

• 3 megapixel camera
• Dual slider, just like the original
• micro SDHC support
• 1GB internal storage
• In-browser Flash support
• 30fps video recording
• Touch-sensitive directional pad
• PC sync capability

Also, since Virgin’s host network Sprint is planning to add WiMax, it is also speculated that Virgin may think it worthy and make good of the opportunity by adding WiMax available for its releases.

Via – SlashGear

• Helio Ocean 2 to be launched this quarter
• Pantech OZII for Helio revealed by FCC
• Virgin Mobile will launch the Ocean 2 with Britney Spears
• Helio Ocean2 pops up on FCC site as OZ2
• Virgin Mobile’s Helio Ocean 2 will debut on February 12 for $149

The Pantech Duo features quite an innovative dual-sliding design, with both a slide-out alphanumeric keypad as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. You might think this handset bulky at first, but in pictures it looks quite petite.

The handset itself is almost entirely button-ridden. Wherever you look at it you just might be able to see a key for some unclear action. Maybe this is due to the handset’s small dimensions.

Aside than those somewhat unsightly keys, however, the Pantech Duo is a smartphone to beat. It supports GPRS/EDGE networks other than 3G, runs on Windows Mobile 6.0, does Push e-mail and a host of other PIM functions.

It also comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD card slot and Bluetooth connectivity features.

We couldn’t put a nail on the pricing for this one, though we bet it’s certainly going to be “up there” with other WinMo dual-sliding smartphones.

Via Aving

• Pantech Duo 2 clears FCC
• Ubiquam U520 from Skylink – where CDMA EV-DO and GSM GPRS merge
• T-Mobile Shadow II out on January 29?
• AT&T’s Pantech Matrix PRO now official
• $39 Pantech C630 launched tomorrow by AT&T

The IM-R300 features a 2.6-inch, 400 x 240 pixel resolution, WQVGA LCD screen that will support touch gestures. It also packs a DMB TV Tuner, built-in GPS, 2 megapixel camera, music player and eWallet functions.

The Pantech IM-R300’s 260MB of internal memory can be further expanded with microSD cards. Specs say it will run on HSDPA, WCDMA, and GSM networks.

Sadly, those interested in this new phone will have to fly over to Korea, and sign up for the local network that markets it exclusively.

Via Akihabara News

• Pantech IM-S350 gets announced
• Verizon to launch the Pantech Escapade WP8990VW world phone
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future
• Pantech doublEye IM-U490S slider launched
• Nokia N85 multimedia powerhouse launched

The selling point of the Neon-Sign Phone isn’t that it has the most advanced mobile Operating System, or that it features outstanding battery life, but the fact that it holds a total of 49 glowing LED dots on its front flap.

The LED dots on the Pantech Neon-Sign Phone’s face light up in a synchronized manner depending on different situations to display a corresponding icon. The formation of the LED glow is programmed to change according to 15 different situation such as unread messages, missed calls, and alarms.

This little clamshell phone has a built-in music player and document viewer, as with the most recent phones built nowadays. It also supports video calling.

Though there’s no word yet on pricing, this handset is to launch through Korea’s KTF.

Via Telecoms Korea

• Pantech Sky-branded IM-R300 enters touchscreen smartphone arena
• Pantech Sky IM-U200 phone from the future
• AT&T LG Neon messaging phone shows up
• Verizon to launch the Pantech Escapade WP8990VW world phone
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T

While Pantech says that the Breeze is a “breakthrough in intuitive cell phone design,” I think I’d rather stick to the facts here and tell you that it is a low-end clamshell flip phone with a VGA camera and small color display. Its quadband antenna will enable you to take it almost anywhere around the world and make a call, plus the large keys make it ideal for texting.

The phonebook has room for 500 entries max, it has Bluetooth, email and speakerphone functionality as well. Its EZ One-Touch Quick Call Keys make it a convenient device for quick calls, and the design looks like it is comfortable to hold in one hand.

The Pantech Breeze is like the little brother that your Motorola RAZR2 never had, and you can have one of these now for only $50 USD after 2-year contract and a mail-in rebate.

AT&T Via Phone Arena

• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• Four new Pantech phone concepts to feed your geeky dreams
• Pantech IM-S380K announced – elegant Korean slider
• Pantech C790 Aladdin confirmed for AT&T
• Pantech sneaks dual-sliding Pantech Duo through Telcel in Mexico

The Sky Duke will feature no less than a 2.4-inch QVGA screen, built-in music and video players, a 1.3-megapixel camera and is made from glossy material. So in short, this is a just a low-end handset that offers more of the basic features that can be found on other similarly priced phones.

The difference, however, of the Sky Duke from other low-end/ mid-market handsets is that it offers a Subway Map feature and M-Commerce functionality, although I’m betting that since the handset will only be available in Korea, these features will tailored only for the said country.

The design is at par with a few of Nokia’s or even Sony Ericsson’s latest model handsets but the Duke still carries the distinctive aura of a generic handset. But at least it tries to look good. If you’re in Korea or will be there any time soon, you can have one of these for a measly 400,000 Korean Won or about $403 USD. YOu gotta love the conversion rates.

Read: Press Release

• Nokia 6210s launched in Korea without navigation capabilities
• Sony Ericsson gets into Korea with XPERIA X1
• Samsung to present the world’s first 12MP phone at MWC 2009
• LG is the world’s third largest handset producer, with 100 million phones shipped in 2008
• Motorola to make Korea’s first Android phone

And today comes the announcement of Pantech Sky IM-U200 “Shooting Star” phone:

Pantech IM-U200 has only a very basic specs, such as 1.3 mpx camera, Bluetooth and mp3 player. But it doesn’t matter. It’s all about design, baby! And this phone from the future certainly has the looks.

Unfortunately, it is not clear whether anyone outside of Korea will ever get the “Shooting star”, since Pantech IM-U200 was designed for SK Telecom and will go on sale only in Korea an impressive 500K Won (~550 US$)

Via: Aving

• Qualcomm takes equity in South Korea’s Pantech
• Pantech announces TruEmotion, its own 3D UI
• Pantech announces Sky DuPont IM-U510LE luxury phone
• Pantech launches the WPP-8000 Wi-Fi phone
• Pantech Sky DuPont luxury phone now available

But the most interesting feature for Pantech IM-S230 is it’s thickness – 9.9 mm. Looks like Samsung U600 Ultra Edition 10.9 ain’t the worlds slimmest slider anymore. This spot now goes to Pantech IM-S230.

Expected price for Pantech IM-S230 is $535

via: Mobile Review

• Worlds slimmest Samsung Ultra Edition 5.9 U100 Phone is here
• Samsung Ultra Edition 10.9. The “Worlds Slimmest Slider” Sheds Another 2mm
• Samsung Ultra Edition III to get even thinner
• Samsung D900 slimmest slider
• Samsung Ultra Edition 10.9 U600 Slimmest Slider Gets Official

Today Pantech has made an official announcement about it:

Promoted as a Dual LCD Sliding Phone, the most interesting feature about Pantech IM-R200 is its OLED touchscreen keypad, which replaces normal numerical keypad in this slider.

When you open the phone, a touchscreen slides out and a keypad shows up on it. The keypad can be configured for multiple interfaces, e.g. showing numbers or phonebook contacts to dial a phone, a song list in MP3 player mode or camera functions in camera mode.

Another nice feature in the touch sensitive keypad on Pantech IM-R200 is the implemented haptic controls (most likely via Immersion’s VibeTonz technology). It makes the touchscreen vibrate when a key is pressed, solving the major problem of touchscreen interfaces – the lack of feedback during the operation.

Other features of Pantech Sky IM-R200 Dual LCD Slider include 2 megapixel and VGA camera with face recognition, 2.0″ QVGA 262K Color main display and 1.6″ 262L color OLED LCD.

Looks like touchscreen interfaces are becoming all the rage these days. Let’s see how Pnatech IM-R200 will fare against LG KE850 Prada, Samsung Ultra Smart F700 or an Apple iPhone.

• Pantech Duo 2 clears FCC
• Pantech IM-S230 now the worlds slimmest slider. With DMB TV too
• Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract
• Pantech sneaks dual-sliding Pantech Duo through Telcel in Mexico
• Samsung SGH-730i i-Mode slider headed for Europe