While Windows Mobile 6.5 is far from the most attractive smartphone OS on the block, the Samsung Exec brings enough sleek features to make it an interesting business handset. Carrying an affordable price tag, it brings a a good mix of productivity and a few multimedia capabilities in an easy-to-use package.

Physically, the design may be familiar. Both the Samsung Code and the Samsung Blackjack had a similar QWERTY candybar form factor and general design aesthetics. Looks are decent for a business smartphone, while build feels strong, despite the all-plastic construction. The 2.4-inch screen manages very clear text and graphics, although it can feel too small for those used to today's larger displays. Keyboard is a little cramped, but had good response.

As a phone, the Samsung Exec managed mixed calls - it was mostly good, but made muffled voices on occasion. Quality seemed better on the other end, with callers reporting excellent sound. Speakerphone was pretty good, with clear audio and lots of volume. Battery is rated at up to eight hours of time, which makes for around two to three days (maybe more) of regular use.

Windows Mobile is notorious for speed problems, but it wasn't apparent here, with the handset managing quick operation almost the whole time. In fact, the only instances delays occurred were when we had multiple apps open and were trying to launch another, which are perfectly acceptable. Samsung skinned the OS with their WizPro UI, but navigation remains a little iffy.

Being a Windows Mobile phone, it gets the platform's usual strengths, including a robust messaging system (SMS, MMS and POP3 and IMAP emails, Direct Push, Exchange synchronization) and a great collection of apps (such as Microsoft Office Mobile Suite, MSN Money, an RSS reader and more). It gets Samsung's Communities tool too, which allows easy access to multiple social sites, including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube. The phone supports IM, although none of the apps come preloaded - you'll have to get them from the Windows Marketplace.

There's no WiFi, but it supports 3G, making for speedy download speeds and quick browsing.  The  2.0 megapixel camera takes surprisingly impressive photos. Other features include aGPS, stereo Bluetooth and microSD expansion.

Overall, the Samsung Exec is one of the most solid pairings of Windows Mobile 6.5 and a QWERTY slate we've seen, especially at the $99.99 price point (with a two-year contract). If you need a Windows Mobile handset for business use, this could prove a good choice.

In a perfect world, the HTC HD Mini will be a tremendous success. The pint-sized cousin of the HTC HD2, it packs in a rich set of smartphone features, all while coming in at a pocketable touchscreen frame.

What's holding it back? One primary thing: it's running Windows Mobile 6.5, an operating system Microsoft has all but given up on with the announcement of Windows Phone 7. To HTC's credit, they turned one of the most maligned mobile platforms into an excellent smartphone - one that operates along the same level as the HD2, arguably the best Windows Mobile phone around.

Physically, the HD Mini looks like a shrunken HD2. While it carries a "mini" in its name, it's actually more normal-sized - a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen on a 103.8 x 57.7 x 11.7 mm body. It's gorgeous, with a sturdy construction, a very trim design and some amount of durability with the backplate wrapping over to the edges. The display is actually just as responsive as I remember the HD2 to be, making it a joy to use despite the smaller real estate.

As a phone, it makes for excellent calls, with crisp tone, loud sound and very clear voices. Folks on the other end reported the same thing. Speakerphone was good on the HD2 and it sounded even better here, with just a hint of echo creeping into the conversations. Battery life is rated at around seven hours of talk time, which should make it usable for at least two days of regular use.

Like its bigger predecessor, it doesn't skimp on the features. For one, Windows Mobile is almost gone here - with HTC putting Sense UI on nearly every element of the interface. However, the original screens do occasionally pop up on some features, looking absolutely out of place. It does run slow on occasion, which is probably due more to Windows Mobile rather than the actual hardware.

While it still won't rival the iPhone or some of the better Android phones in terms of usability, there's plenty to like here. It gets all the basics covered, of course, including messaging, throwing in seamless Exchange support, a finger-friendly onscreen keyboard and impressive built-in apps for IM and email. A good amount of apps are bundled as well, which makes for one robust business phone out of the box.

HTC crammed multi-touch into the handset, allowing you to pinch-zoom across a variety of applications, including both bundled browsers (Opera and IE) and Maps. It supports both 3G and WiFi, allowing for quick-loading web pages and broadband services. Flash is only supported on IE, though. Like HD2, you can set it up as a Wi-Fi hotspot for tethering the 3G connection to your laptop. The 5.0 megapixel camera module takes decent photos, but it's nothing special.

Overall, the HTC HD Mini (around $500, depending on retailers) ably lives up to the HD2's excellent track record. If only Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't about to get less attention in favor of Microsoft's new platform, this would be a killer smartphone. As it is, though, you're buying something great that is bound to be looked over in just a few months.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 is only the second Windows Mobile phone from the manufacturer.  Like its predecessor, it comes with upmarket hardware, quality build and plenty of promise.  Whether it lives up to that promise, though, remains to be seen.

Physically, the side-slider sports angled corners and sharp lines, which makes it easily identifiable among today's army of curvy devices.  The front panel is gorgeous (with the navigation array really blending well with the bezel) and the whole device feels compact.

It sports a 3.2 inch resistive touchscreen (800x480 resolution) that looks remarkable even under sunlight.  The touch interface could use a little more sensitivity, though.  A full QWERTY keyboard slides out in portrait mode and it's a delight to use - very roomy, excellent travel and exceptional response.

As a phone, the Xperia X2 manages good calls.  Voices are clear and loud, although there is some noticeable sharpness on both ends (not too much to be a problem, though).    Speakerphone performed in the same manner, albeit with the sharpness being slightly more pronounced.   The battery should be enough to see you through one day of heavy use and, possibly, a day and a half for more moderate users.

The most disappointing thing for me is the fact that Sony Ericsson decided to leave the operating hardware the same as the X1.  That means it's running on a 528MHz processor, 256MB RAM and 512MB ROM - not the most high-end specs for a 2010 smartphone.  While it did manage Windows Mobile 6.5 decently (for the most part), you do get problems every now and again  (sluggishness and apps closing).  Like the X1, it also uses the company's Panel concept for the UI.  While it's definitely good, the resulting customizations lack the depth of what HTC and Samsung have done for their interfaces.

All of the usual smartphone fare is here: a revamped contacts application, excellent messaging support, standard PIM tools, advanced syncing capabilities and a slew of useful software - typical Windows Mobile fare.  It comes with both Wi-Fi and 3G, managing fast internet connections,although it uses IE as the default (you'll have to download Opera Mobile yourself).

The inclusion of an 8.0 megapixel camera makes this a serious phone for taking photos.  In fact, it's the only WM phone we know of with this advanced a camera module.  While there are plenty of editing settings, it is a bit on the slow side.  The resulting images are topnotch, though, so it redeems itself on quality.

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Promising high-end media playback, the device comes with native DivX/XviD support and 720p processing (which it can output to a TV).   While regular video and music are fantastic on the phone, getting it to process 1,280 x 800 files is a pain in the ass I'd rather not deal with.   This is an excellent media phone, just don't expect it to process HD comfortably.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2  (priced between $750 to $850 unlocked) feels like a slightly improved version of the X1 - great multimedia, excellent keyboard and a well-rounded set of features.  Is that good enough in the current market, though, especially with the HTC HD2 selling at roughly the same price point?   We'll see.

With a 1GHz processor at the helm, the LG Expo is one of the most powerful smartphones currently in the market.  It also differentiates itself further by allowing for an add-on pico projector that slides snugly into the back of the device.

Physically, the phone is a brilliant piece of hardware, fitting in a comfy 3.2-inch display and a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard into a pocketable frame.  Compared to competing handsets with the same features, it's noticeably compact.  Construction is solid and it feels very good in the hand.

The resistive display (800 x 480 pixels) is gorgeous, especially with its matte finish, although the smaller screen real estate makes using a stylus an absolute necessity.  Worse, there's no slot for the stylus right on the phone's body.  The keypad's slide mechanism is smooth, with excellent response and a comfortable layout.

As a phone, the LG Expo made for excellent calls, with very clear audio coming through on both sides of the conversation.  Same with the speakerphone quality, which showed none of the echo that usually mars loudspeakers on most similar handsets.  Battery life is rated for only 3 hours, so expect to charge every night or so.

LG's S-Class interface runs on top of Windows Mobile 6.5 here.  Paired with the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the phone runs with the smoothness befitting a high-end machine.  It's not neckbreaking fast, but the speed is definitely way better than most other Windows Mobile handsets we've tried.  Even with multiple apps running (which you can manage through LG's multi-tasking window), it performs admirably.

Being a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone, it comes with topnotch messaging capabilities (IM, POP3, IMAP4, Direct Push Technology, Exchange), a slew of useful productivity apps (Microsoft Office Mobile Suite and more) and Windows Marketplace support.  It also brings the gamut of wireless options, from quad-band world roaming to speedy 3G to Wi-Fi.   Make sure to bring out that stylus for web browsing, though - you're gonna need it.

A 5.0 megapixel camera is onboard, with the usual set of editing options and average photo quality.  As a media phone, it's quite capable, although it lacks DivX and Xvid support and (gasp) doesn't have a 3.5mm jack.  Sadly, we weren't able to try the add-on projector.

Overall, the LG Expo counts as one of the best (if not the best) Windows Mobile smartphones in the market today.  There are niggling issues (the lack of a 3.5mm jack and the need to use a stylus often, for instance), but it does everything expected of it and a few more.  It certainly tries to give you enough value for your $199.99 (with a two-year contract on AT&T).

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Samsung's naming conventions tend to get very confusing and the new Samsung OmniaPRO B7610 (formerly rumored as the Samsung Louvre) suffers from the same.  Like its namesake (the OmniaPRO B7320), the latest business-ready handset also comes with a QWERTY keyboard.  Unlike the former's candybar form-factor, however, this one's a side-slider with a full touchscreen in the front panel.

Physically, the B7610 looks like a standard Samsung touchscreen phone, with the side-popping QWERTY actually proving to be a surprise.  Oddly enough, the back panel (not seen in the photo) is more visually unique, decked with red, light-reflecting elements.  It's largely built of plastic and feels like it, although the construction does feel sturdy with a good sliding mechanism.

It sports a 3.5-inch AMOLED screen, which delivers gorgeous displays.  The QWERTY keyboard offers ample size and decent travel, but the sensitivity needs some getting used to.  Early in our use, many of our keypresses just weren't registering.

As a phone, the Omnia PRO B7610 makes for decent call quality.  You can have conversations clearly, but not without the occasional interference and muffled sound.  The speakerphone, however, is barely usable with very low volume.  Battery is rated for over six hours of talk time and it lasted us a good 1.5 days of very heavy use.

The phone runs Windows Mobile 6.5 and brings an 800MHz processor to make sure it handles the OS capably.  Unfortunately, TouchWiz 2.0 (which covers the entire phone) remains sluggish at times.  It's not terrible, but the lags are tough to swallow when you see guys like HTC doing Windows Mobile with acceptable speeds.

It comes with all the usual Windows Mobile features, from solid messaging support to a bevy of onboard apps.  Samsung's updates to the default WinMo PIM tools are very much welcome (large buttons, bigger menus), along with the inclusion of an onscreen keyboard.  As a business phone, it gets the job done handily.

For web access, the handset comes with both Wi-Fi and 3G, along with Opera Mobile 9.5.  It's as good an experience as you can expect from a Windows Mobile device, although the aforementioned sluggishness does rear its ugly head occasionally.   Media playback (both audio and video) is excellent, with native support for DivX, Xvid and H.264.  Other notables include a fast GPS and an average-performing 5.0 megapixel camera.

Overall, the Samsung OmniaPRO B7610 is a solid contender if you're in the market for a business phone with both a touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard,  If Windows Mobile is indispensable to your daily work, then your high-end choice will likely have to be either this phone or the HTC Touch Pro2.  I tend to fall in favor of the latter, although this is a quality performer all the same.

HP has never been relevant in the smartphone arena, even before the iPhone ruined the fun for every manufacturer in the world.  That's why there hasn't been much of a buzz about their new phone on AT&T, the HP iPaq Glisten.  Should we be paying more attention to it?

Physically, the device communicates a decidedly business tone.  The front panel looks a bit too busy and too wide for my liking, but it does fit in a comfortable keypad (large, domed keys, great layout), a gorgeous 2.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen (320 x  240 resolution) and sturdy construction.  It's a mixed bag that you're likely to either love or hate.

As a phone, it manages above average quality calls.  There's plenty of volume and sound comes through clear, although it feels a little too wide to put up to your ear.  Speakerphone, on the other hand, is just terrible, with garbled-sounding audio proving all too common.   Battery life is rated for up to five hours of talk time.

It's powered by a 528MHz CPU, which should be ample fast for most phones.  Unfortunately, it still gets sluggish at times with Windows Mobile 6.5.  Broadband speeds on AT&T's network were quite commendable, although browsing is made difficult by the small screen.  Actually the display is really a big problem, making the touch facility difficult to use, despite marked improvements on the updated OS.

The Glisten comes with all the usual Windows Mobile 6.5 fare, including a bevy of essential business tools, full-featured messaging suite and a good amount of pre-installed apps (as well as access to the Windows Mobile Marketplace).   You get a range of connectivity options too, including 3G, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth and GPS.

It comes with a 3.1 megapixel camera that posts a pretty bad shutter lag, making for largely blurry photos.  The multimedia capabilities are also quite bare-bones, but it should be good enough for casual users.  It only comes with 512MB of onboard memory, expandable via microSD up to 32GB.

On paper, the $179.99 (on contract) HP iPaq Glisten sounds like an interesting messaging smartphone.  During actual use, however, it proves a tad underwhelming.  Still, there are few phones like it - full QWERTY keypad on a candybar form factor, AMOLED touchscreen and Windows Mobile 6.5.  It could be a good choice, if the specs fit what you're looking for.

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The Samsung Omnia II i8000 has been one of the most hotly-anticipated releases of the year.  Fortunately, the wait isn't in vain - this is a terrific smartphone that's easily one of the best Windows Mobile devices in the market.

Physically, it sits on the bulkier side of the spectrum (0.52-inch thick).  The extra size is understandable, though, with a gorgeous 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen (800x480 pixels) highlighting the front panel.  Like all resistive panels, the touchscreen isn't as tap-friendly as capacitive displays.  With that said, Samsung has really gone a long way, allowing for the Omnia II to be easily used even without the precision of a stylus pen.  It sports a familiar candybar factor, with admirable build quality and a good (if slightly hefty) feel in hand.

It runs Samsung's TouchWiz 2.0, which is much-improved from previous iterations.  The new landscape QWERTY keyboard, which comes with the new Swype predictive technology (which guesses words based on how you move through the keyboard), works beautifully.  While there is a learning curve, I can see it being very helpful in the long run.  Suffice to say, the UI and controls are so well done you can barely tell it's a Windows handset - and that's a good thing.

As a phone, the Omnia II managed excellent calls, with clear and natural-sounding voices.  The speakerphone was also up to the task, adding minimal distortion during conversations.  It runs relatively fast (considering it's Windows Mobile 6.5 at the helm), with little delay, save for the most processor-intensive applications. The 3G connection is especially fast, making for extremely satisfying browsing, streaming and downloading speeds.  Battery life is rated at a 10-hour talk time.  Given that this is a full-on entertainment handset though (designed for heavy use), you will likely plow through that in two days or so.

The phone's biggest strength lies in its rich multimedia capabilities, including possibly the best movie viewing experience on a smartphone (seriously), wide media support (including DivX),  robust media players (with CoverFlow-style UI), an FM radio, excellent playback of streaming content (both over 3G and Wi-Fi) and a TV out.  If you want the best media player you can find in a phone, this should arguably be at the top of your list.

Like all Windows Mobile phones, the Omnia II comes with excellent business features, including MS Office Mobile, PIM tools, a business card scanner and a host of other bundled apps (e.g. Communities for social networking, Digital Frame, etc).  Messaging, of course, remains a strength, as with the original Omnia (and other WinMo devices).   Suffice to say that for both business and personal messaging needs, you aren't likely to be left wanting.

The onboard 5.0 megapixel camera comes with plenty of editing options, along with slightly above average photo quality and highly-impressive videos.  There's even a photo editor onboard, so you can throw a bunch of enhancements to your shots.  Other features include aGPS, 8GB of onboard storage and microSD expansion.

While we're no big fans of Windows Mobile smartphones, it's tough not to like this handset, especially at the $199.99 price (on contract).  It's easily one of the most complete multimedia devices around, apart from being a solid overall performer.

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Priced slightly higher than the bottom-of-the-barrel E101, the Acer beTouch E200 still falls in the budget category for full-featured smartphones.  This time, though, it comes with a few interesting capabilities, along with relatively admirable performance.

Physically, it's an unusually styled phone.  Ever saw a slider Windows Mobile handset that revealed a standard T9 keypad?  I don't remember if I ever saw one either, but that's what the E200's form factor is.  Suffice to say, it is a strange design idea. Overall build appears solid, with a sturdy sliding mechanism and great feel in the hand.  It's also quite a looker in its own right.

The E200 sports a 3-inch touchscreen with a 320 x 240 resolution.  Colors are rich and lines are sharp, but the resistive touch capability once again leaves a lot to ask for.  It also doesn't help that it's running Windows Mobile 6.5, which still retains much of the same hard-to-finger touch elements beneath the revamped surface.

As a phone, it manages above average call quality, with voices sounding crisp and clear on both ends of the conversation.  Speakerphone performance is also decent.  The device itself feels speedy, removing much of the lag we've come to expect from Windows Mobile handsets.  Battery life should be good for around two days or more of regular use.

The range of features is about what you'd expect from a typical smartphone.  There's 3G support, onboard GPS and stereo Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi.  HSDPA performance is decent, but we've seen speedier connections from similarly-rated handsets.  It comes Windows Mobile's wide range of messaging support, so you should be taken care of on that end.  The 3.2 megapixel camera takes surprisingly good photos, although it lacks a good amount of editing options.

Overall, the Acer beTouch E200 is a decent Windows Mobile phone.  That is, if a sliding T9-style keypad makes sense to you.  The design decision is a bit far out for me, but this one comes in at a decent price, so it might be worth looking into.

The Acer beTouch E101 is the cheapest model in the company's newest line-up of Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones.  If you're in the market for a sub-$300 device with Microsoft's latest handiwork, this is probably the way to go.  The ride after won't be such a smooth one, though.

Physically, this batch of releases from Acer is a huge step up from their previous Tempo line.  While not being particularly attention-grabbing, the beTouch E101 looks like a proper smartphone.  Despite the plastic build, it handles very well and appears to have sturdy construction.  The navigation array, particularly the clickable scroll wheel, is admirably designed.

Display is a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen (with 240 x 400 resolution), which manages to show very clear and vibrant images.  Unfortunately, touch response is among the worst we've seen on a Windows Mobile handset.  If you're planning to use this without a stylus, be prepared for a world of frustration.

As a phone, the E101 manages very good call quality on both ends of the conversation, with clear, natural-sounding voices.  Speakerphone works similarly well, albeit with a lot more echo.  Windows Mobile 6.5 works as 6.1 has always done - a little too lacking to be relevant at the current market.  There are some noticeable lags, but it's not too bad - a credit to Acer's hardware.  Battery life is rated at up to five hours of talk time, enough for a couple or more days of regular use.

Forget about connecting to the web.  The phone has neither 3G nor Wi-Fi, so you're stuck with GPRS or EDGE for data connections.  Kind of makes it odd that  the handset comes with a YouTube app on board.

It has all the usual Windows Mobile features, including a robust messaging suite, stereo Bluetooth, GPS and some pre-installed apps.  The 2.0 megapixel camera manages decent-looking snaps, although it comes with neither flash nor a good amount of settings.

Overall, the Acer beTouch E101 is a tough phone to recommend, unless it's the "only" Windows Mobile 6.5 handset you can afford at your budget.  Core hardware is actually pretty powerful (528MHz processor, 256MB of RAM), but the touch implementation begs a lot of improvement.

The Samsung Intrepid ships with Windows Mobile 6.5 and comes with a Blackberry-like full QWERTY keyboard on the front panel.  Designed for business users, it's a world phone too, a capability which tops off the wide range of features Samsung threw into the travel-friendly device.

Physically, it's not as striking as many current phones.  In fact, the design is more industrial and utilitarian than anything else.  It sports boxy corners, slim 0.51-inch lines and a width that's just enough to fit into your pants' front pocket.

A 2.5-inch 320 x 240 pixel touchscreen sits in the front, which is a bit bigger than what other phones with similar form factors usually bring.  Windows Mobile 6.5 looks good on the display and is a great fit for the touchscreen panel.  The keyboard and navigation array offers a very positive user experience.

As a phone, the Intrepid manages very good call quality, with rich and clear voices, along with very little background noise.  Speakerphone wasn't as consistent, though, but it was decent.  Overall device performance is good, with minimal sluggishness - an excellent change of pace for a Windows Mobile smartphone.  Battery life is rated at a talk time of up to six hours, an excellent number for a phone that you'll likely be traveling with.

The handset comes with 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, making for rather fast data speeds.  Large websites load in mobile IE along the same pace as most modern smartphones on Sprint's network, along with smooth streaming video playback.  As a world phone, it automatically switches between CDMA and GSM networks, depending on which country you land.

Wide range of features include GPS, stereo Bluetooth, microSDHC expansion (up to 32GB), an AV remote, personal area networking and plenty more.  There's also the usual stretch of goodies that come with Windows Mobile handsets, including Office Mobile and extensive messaging support.  A tight, little addition is Microsoft's impressive Tellme service, which lets you perform a whole lot of tasks using just your voice.

If you buy it from the US, you get built-in compatibility with Sprint's wide range of entertainment services, along with a dedicated YouTube app and support for a large variety of media formats.  The 3.2 megapixel camera module offers a hefty set of editing options, with above average picture quality.

Overall, the Samsung Intrepid is one of the most feature-rich smartphones available for business travelers today.  It's also not locked to Sprint, allowing you to switch up to a foreign SIM card during your trips to avoid expensive roaming rates.  While much has been made of the Blackberry Tour, I think Samsung brought a capable competitor here - one that I actually find to be a better purchase.