T-Mobile Shadow II Is Now Official

The device that will be the replacement for the T-Mobile Shadow has been officially announced. It will have much in common with its predecessor, but add support for T-Mobile's VoIP service, HotSpot @ Home.

The Shadow II will have the same general design as its predecessor -- a tablet shape with with a portrait-oriented sliding, 20-key keypad -- but its edges will be more curved.

It will run Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, which means its 2.6-inch QVGA display won't function as a touchscreen. It will come with an alternate user interface, which T-Mobile thinks is more consumer friendly than the standard one created by Microsoft.

This smartphone will have quad-band GSM/EDGE, but will not be able to access T-Mobile's nascent 3G network. It will, however, have Wi-Fi and offer support unlimited calls via this carrier's VoIP service.

Other features will include Bluetooth 2.0, a microSD card slot, and a 2.0 MPx camera.

The T-Mobile Shadow II will be available in the next few weeks. The price has not yet been announced.