Currently MOST WANTED in Electronics, Gadgets

T-Mobile has debuted a new addition to their myTouch smartphone collection. And they’re obviously quite proud of it too, boasting that the myTouch 3G Slide “marries beautiful form with superior function.” Sounds like a bit much, so let’s take a closer look.

The Android 2.1-based handheld has a number of respectable specs, including a 3.4-inch HVGA touchscreen, a 5-megapixel AF camera with flash and a pre-loaded 8GB microSD card. There are also two keyboard options, the first being the obvious slide-out QWERTY keypad, but there’s also a pre-installed Swype keyboard if you prefer to input text on the screen itself.

One of the stand-out features on the myTouch 3G Slide is the Genius Button, an all-in-one type key that allows users to not only control the phone, but also for a number of different voice commands. That includes, making phone calls, composing/sending messages, Internet surfing - all via voice command. And if you’re even too occupied to read, the phone can dictate your text messages aloud for you.

The two other unique features T-Mobile has incorporated on this myTouch edition are the Faves Gallery, which organizes your 20 favorite contacts into one place for easy communication access, and the myModes function, which lets users customize their apps and themes into separate profiles in case you need to separate your work life from your personal one.

While not priced yet, T-Mobile will be releasing the myTouch 3G Slide on an unspecified date in June in three colors: black, white, or red.

LG is all set to release their first Android-powered mobile phone, the LG Ally, this month. The slide-out handheld is also popping up in a number Iron Man 2-related promotions, so you won’t be able to avoid this one.

The LG Ally will sport a slide-out, full QWERTY keyboard plus a touchscreen. While the carrier isn’t specified in the release, it would be surprising if it didn’t become available with Verizon. Either way, it will be out May 20th.

But LG seems to be more concerned with the Iron Man tie-ins, starting with the LG Ally is staring in its own over-the-top, cheesy blockbuster commercial, which you can enjoy on YouTube. LG is also launching promotions on additional products, including an ”Augmented Reality enabled” Iron Man 2 comic book with the purchase of an LG Ally, LG Chocolate Touch or LG enV Touch.

That’s topped off by specials on LED HDTVs and Blu-ray players, plus a sweepstakes to win an LG Ally with a year of free service, two tickets to the domestic premiere of a Marvel movie (Thor?), and a 55-inch class LG “Infinia” LED HDTV and LG Network Blu-ray Home Theater System. LG is certainly pulling out all the stops with this little mobile device, but doesn’t it seem like a bit much? Wonder how many times that LG Ally (or any LG device) will be spotlighted in the movie itself…

Related Posts:

• T-Mobile unveils myTouch 3G Slide; will debut in June with Android 2.1
• T-Mobile drops overage charges on 5GB webConnect data cap
• HP Slate with webOS: The potential iPad rival from HP’s acquisition of Palm
• Garmin-Asus Android-powered A10 ready for almost all transportation needs
• Google Android ecosystem explodes: 11 phones account for 96% of traffic

T-Mobile subscribers can rejoice in the fact that the mobile service provider is dropping overage charges on the 5GB data plan, making it actual unlimited data coverage. Don’t jump for joy too quickly though, as there’s a down side to this.

Prior to this development, T-Mobile subscribers who had an unlimited webConnect data plan were actually limited to 5GB each month, with a surcharge of $0.20 per megabyte for everything over that. Now, with dropping this fee, the plan essentially becomes unlimited. Unfortunately for those with a 200MB monthly data plan, charges won’t be eliminated entirely, but reduced from $0.20 to $0.10 per megabyte.

According to Fierce Wireless, the catch is that T-Mobile will now “throttle” bandwidth speeds for any customer that exceeds that 5GB benchmark. However, T-Mobile hasn’t revealed how much this will slow data service down. Perhaps that won’t be seen until it happens.

But for now, read up on full coverage and additional updates regarding T-Mobile’s data plan developments over on ZDNet’s Mobile Gadgeteer.

We can dream, right?

Just five minutes ago, computing behemoth Hewlett Packard announced that it would be acquiring mobile handset maker Palm for $1.2 billion.

The knee-jerk chatter from the announcement is hey, HP iPaq meets Palm Pre!

But what I’d really like to see: an HP Slate running webOS.

Sure, it’s a pipe dream. After all, HP’s got strong ties with longtime partner Microsoft, who badly wants back into the mobile space, too — in a Windows-powered way.

Furthermore, Palm hasn’t demonstrated webOS on any device but two: the Pre and Pixi smartphones.

But I’d sure like to see it happen.

When Palm’s mobile operating system webOS was launched, I wrote that I thought the operating system would really give Palm a one-up on its competition. Unfortunately, it was slow to market, and has since only developed two phones to run what otherwise is an innovative platform.

Adding HP to the mix allows Palm to scale. For sure, that means more mobile handsets.

But I’m thinking that HP’s bankrolling of Palm could mean development of webOS for a tablet.

And that, my friends, is what gets me excited.

See, the iPad is all alone in the market right now.

Windows 7 simply isn’t optimized for a “slate tablet” style device, thought it suits convertible tablet laptops just fine.

Meanwhile, HP announced its Slate device in January, and Dell is preparing Android-powered Streak & Looking Glass tablets as well.

HP’s acquisition of Palm means the mobile wars extend to slate tablets: iPhone vs. Android vs. Palm, all over again.

Is there any proof of such a possibility? Not at all — the news is less than an hour old.

But if you’re looking for an iPad-like device without ponying up dollars to Apple, well — you might just get your wish.

Related on ZDNet:

• Matthew Miller: HP buys Palm, webOS will live on!
• Matthew Miller: Will HP/Palm be the enterprise challenger to RIM?
• Larry Dignan: HP makes its mobile move; Saves Palm from collapse; Will developers stick?