T-Mobile Shadow

There's no reason not to like T-Mobile's Shadow. But stick it into the currently strong T-Mobile lineup or put it up against the exciting array of smart phones that have hit U.S. shores in recent months, and the Shadow just doesn't stand out. Despite its brand new Windows Mobile interface, ultimately it's no more capable or stylish than the competition.

The device is simply another stab at a consumer smart phone a silvery, rectangular slider with a big, bright 320 by 240 pixel, 2.6 inch screen and a hybrid two letter per button keyboard like the BlackBerry Pearl's.

The Shadow runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard (without a touch screen), but T-Mobile decided to make the operating system friendlier by laying an animated interface over it.

The new interface uses the Shadow's hybrid scroll wheel or cursor pad to whirl through eight main icons, each on the left hand side of the screen : Home, Alerts, Message Center, Calendar, Internet, Music, Photos, and Settings.

Once you get to the selection you want, you click the right hand side of the wheel to get to your exact option.

For instance, Message Center offers Text Messages, Picture Messages, Voice Notes, and E-mail. The goal is never to expose users to the Windows Mobile program list, and it works.

You can even quit programs to free up memory without digging into the Windows Mobile start screens. Since the menu isn't user configurable, though, you'll have to hit the Start button to jump to add on programs like Sling Player Mobile.