Hands-on with the I-Mate Ultimate 9502

With its slide-up screen and roomy QWERTY keypad, the 9502 smartphone bears a striking resemblance to the upcoming Sidekick Slide; under the hood, however, it's running Windows Mobile 6 and boasts 3G data support, plus GPS and Wi-Fi. Here's a quick hands-on look from the CTIA show floor.

Set to arrive in the U.S. by the end of the year. the I-Mate Ultimate 9502 will come unlocked, meaning no contracts and the freedom to use it with T-Mobile or AT&T SIM cards; however, expect a jaw-dropping price tag in the $600 to $800 range. Ouch.

That said, if you've credit card can handle it, the 9502 comes with an enviable set of features. First, let's get a few basics out of the way: the phone will support AT&T's HSDPA data network, good for speedy 3.5G data access, and it runs on the latest version of Mirosoft's mobile OS. Integrated GPS is also part of the package, as well as Wi-Fi, a generous 2.8-inch display, and PAL/NTSC video output for, say, showing mobile PowerPoint presentations on an LCD projector.

What really sets the 9502 apart, of course, is the roomy QWERT keypad that lies beneath the slide-out display. I gave the keypad a quick try and it was certainly easy on my fingertips, and I liked the solid, spring-loaded action of the sliding display. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a feel for performance; the sole 9502 unit on the show floor had a dead battery, so all I could do was tap the keypad while staring at a blank screen. Bummer.

Rounding out the 9502's features are stereo Bluetooth support, I-Mate's I-Q Services (which lets your IT guys remotely update the device or lock it down in case you lose it), a three-megapixel camera in back, and a VGA snapper in front for video calling.

Related:
Product page [I-Mate]