Click to View

Microsoft brought a number of improvements to the Second Edition of its Windows Mobile 2003 platform last year.

While adding VGA (480 x 640 pixel) support to Pocket PC PDAs and Phones, Second Edition also ups the resolution for Windows Mobile Smartphones to QVGA (240 x 320) from 176 x 220 pixels. QVGA should improve the quality of screens for these handsets, making them easier to read.

Unfortunately for consumers no Windows Smartphones have appeared with displays at the higher resolution. That may change soon.

Here's the story:

iDNES.cz reports Taiwan's NewGen would like to release a tri-band (900/1800/1900 MHz) GSM/GPRS handset called the D2000W with QVGA support soon.

The new smartphone looks like a regular tablet-style handheld, except—like a number of other new phones—uses a slider to reveal its keypad. As with all other Windows Mobile Smartphones the D2000W won't feature a touchscreen.

Although the D2000W delivers Wi-Fi for connecting to WLANs and hotspots, it won't offer Bluetooth—a far more common wireless standard for phones—for connecting to wireless headphones and other peripherals. Other features include 128 MB of RAM, a miniSD slot for up to another gigabyte worth of storage, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and interestingly a FM radio.

The phone measures 0.7 x 1.9 x 0.94 inches (93 x 48 x 24 millimeters) when closed and weighs a mere 3.25 ounces (92 grams). It should offer 4 hours talk or 100 hours standby time on a single charge.

NewGen hasn't released availability and price information for the D2000W yet. We'll keep you posted.