This past Tuesday, at the start of the Fall CTIA 2009 show in San Diego, Microsoft finally launched their newest mobile operating system, Windows Mobile 6.5, and with it we got to see a crop of new and updated phones running the improved OS. As the new mobile OS launched we got a chance to check out the HTC Imagio on Verizon Wireless, and honestly that phone may be one of the most compelling of the bunch. But we were curious to finally get our hands on Sony Ericsson's newest flagship business smartphone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2, and also to see Toshiba's superphone, the Toshiba TG01, running Qualcomm's 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Finally, we saw plenty of new and updated phones that have been refreshed with Redmond's latest mobile operating system.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X2, a Windows Phone and much more
 Though we learned about the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 only last month, this was our first chance to get our hands on Sony Ericsson's upcoming flagship business device. Microsoft was showing this phone at their Windows Phone booth, so Windows Mobile 6.5 was the focal point, but it didn't take long for us to dive into the new panels interface. The new homescreen of moving grids was very slick and responsive, and we liked the new interface designs quiet a bit. Like many other manufacturers, Sony Ericsson has gone further and further to hide the Windows Mobile underpinnings, and even with this updated new OS, the Xperia X2 looks less like a Windows Phone than even its predecessor, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. Plus, if rumors prove true, the next Xperia device could rely on Android beneath Sony Ericsson's Panels interface concept, so the future of Windows Mobile even on this flagship device is in doubt.
Otherwise, we liked the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 hardware very much. The keyboard was solid and comfortable, and the entire phone felt more tightly constructed than the somewhat wobbly Xperia X1. Sony Ericsson has built some dazzling animation effects into the transitions between menus on the Xperia X2, and we're curious to see how far the Panels interface has come since we last reviewed the Xperia X1 phone. The phone gets its own button to jump into the Panels screen, and though this takes the place of the Start menu button, Microsoft's honeycomb start menu is still present, along with many other obvious signs of Windows Mobile 6.5.
Samsung Omnia II on Verizon Wireless gets a Widget Store
 It was hardly a secret that the Samsung Omnia II would be coming to Verizon Wireless, and we already knew that the entire Omnia family, an umbrella which has been growing steadily, would be getting a Windows Mobile 6.5 update. But what's new is the addition of the new Samsung TouchWiz Widget Store to the Omnia platform, starting with the Omnia II. So, in addition to the Windows Mobile Marketplace, there's also another store that will serve up apps for Samsung TouchWiz interface. Like Sony Ericsson's Panels (and HTC's TouchFLO 3D, and LG's S-Class), Samsung will be fitting TouchWiz atop Windows Mobile 6.5, and like S/E's Panels concept, Samsung has also released their own SDK so that developers can take advantage of Samsung's portfolio of TouchWiz phones. That might be Samsung's biggest advantage in this space, as TouchWiz spans a number of price points and operating systems, from basic feature phones up to Android and Windows Mobile smartphones.
As for the Omnia II, we were never huge fans of the TouchWiz interface design, and we can't say it's getting any better, even though the icons and widgets look fantastic on Samsung's AMOLED screens, now in use on the Omnia II and other Samsung phones. In addition to the normal widgets that crowd the homescreen, the Samsung Omnia II will also use the company's new Cube concept. This onscreen menu, shaped like a cube, was difficult to control in our hands-on time with the phone, and didn't add much except for a snazzy looking menu screen. It was fun for showing off, but not for actual use.
We also tried out the new Widget Store, and Samsung has a nice design with their first over-the-air distribution attempt. It already looks better than Google's Android or Windows Mobile Marketplace stores. There's a clear description of the widgets with ratings and screenshots. We can't say that we found the initial Widget selection to be useful to us, but we're pleased to see that Samsung is off to a running start.
HTC Pure, HTC Tilt 2 and HTC Imagio are variations on a carrier theme
 We've already taken time for a full review of the HTC Imagio and we liked that touchscreen phone, especially for the new features that HTC has added and the carrier-supported options that Verizon Wireless has packaged. With V Cast Mobile TV, it stands out from the rest of the Windows Mobile 6.5 phones that round out the launch list, since most of those are retreads of older models or familiar updates with nothing new to bring to the party. The HTC Imagio is the first V Cast TV smartphone, and it's huge screen was great for TV watching, Web browsing and even just making and handling your phone calls.
  The HTC Pure and the HTC Tilt 2 are AT&T's brand names for the HTC Touch Diamond 2 and the HTC Touch Pro2, respectively. In fact, the AT&T versions of these phones deviate less from the original HTC designs we saw than any other carrier adaptation. Though both phones run Windows Mobile 6.5, you'll hardly notice on either, as the terrific HTC TouchFLO 3D interface runs deep enough that you can get by without digging into Windows Mobile any more than you want to.
It's too bad AT&T didn't launch an HTC Imagio-type device, with support for it's own MediaFLO TV service. Qualcomm's FLO TV has been receiving so little love from the U.S. carrier on their phone lineups that the company recently had to branch out and start selling its own device. Perhaps Verizon Wireless nailed the Imagio specs as an exclusive, but it's too bad AT&T can't take advantage of the form factor with their competing service.
Toshiba TG01 is a superphone visiting from overseas
 We were hoping to catch a glimpse of the similarly spec'ed HTC HD2, but instead the biggest and baddest Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone that Microsoft could show us was the Toshiba TG01, a six-month old, gigantic tablet phone. Like the HTC HD2, the Toshiba TG01 also uses a large touchscreen, here a 4.1-inch display as opposed to the 4.3-inch, capacitive screen on the HD2. Both phones also pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor inside, running at 1 GHz for a buttery smooth Windows Mobile experience. On the Toshiba TG01, we found the interface to be quick and responsive, and we had fun with the wide, yet extra thin form of the tablet device. It was a little large to hold in the hand while dialing or making phone calls, but for movies and Internet surfing, the extra large screen and snappy performance made for a great experience.
LG GM550, LG GM730 and Samsung Intrepid; updates and upgrades
 In addition to the newer Windows Phones, LG also announced a couple of upgrades to some of their recently-released Windows Mobile smartphone lineup. The LG GM550 and the LG GM730 will both ship with Windows Mobile 6.5. The GM550 is a non-touchscreen smartphone. It uses a basic QWERTY slab design with a keyboard beneath a QVGA screen. Running Standard Edition of Windows Mobile 6.5, the GM550 provides improved messaging capabilities and IE Mobile 6 with Adobe Flash support.
 The LG GM730, on the other hand, is a more touch friendly tablet phone, so the appeal of the new Windows Mobile 6.5 look is obvious. The demo unit we saw at Microsoft's Windows Phone booth didn't have any exterior interface running on top of Windows Mobile 6.5, but LG could always turn on their S-Class interface design to run above WinMo if they prefer their own original look.
 In addition to the LG phones, Samsung has a simple little device that takes advantage of the new Windows Mobile OS. The Samsung Intrepid looks like a non-touch smartphone, like the Samsung Jack. In fact, that is a touchscreen above the Samsung Intrepid's keyboard, which also means the phone can use the newer WinMo 6.5 Today screen and Start menu. We tried controlling these menus with the Intrepid's D-pad, as an alternative to touch, and found them to be just as responsive and easy to manage with the cursor as we could hope. Otherwise, the Samsung Intrepid has an average smartphone feature set, and it will join Sprint's lineup as the carrier's only Windows Mobile 6.5 phone that will ship in the first round of Windows Phone products.
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