AT&T’s New Pantech Duo Hands On (Gallery)

I got the chance to give the Pantech Duo a spin, or rather a slide, and haven’t been able to put it down. AT&T’s newest Windows Mobile phone has an attractive, glossy grey finish, but it’s the double keyboards that really steal the show.

As fans of the Helio Ocean (the Duo’s genetic sibling) can tell you, the snappy sliding action on the handset is addictive. Though the two-way slider is a bit hefty at about 0.8 inches thick, it feels more compact than the Ocean. Both keyboards on the Duo are roomy, but the flat keys on the QWERTY keypad are a little harder to type on than the comfier Ocean. I also found the directional pad a bit cramped and ended up tapping the wrong way one too many times.

According to AT&T, the Duo is geared for consumers and business types alike, and packs in the carrier’s full entertainment suite and a microSD slot for additional memory. However, some may be disappointed by the average 1.3-megapixel camera.

The Pantech Duo is currently available for $200 with a two-year service contract, but you’ll also have to tack on a data plan which ranges from $30 to $50. [AT&T Wireless]