It seems that more and more smartphone manufacturers are cottoning on to the fact that Windows Mobile is a dog to use. The latest company to join the "sticking a better UI over the top of Windows Mobile" brigade is i-mate, who are now offering a free download on their site to cover up the notoriously frustrating mobile OS. The skin is powered by Vito Winterface, so it's nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking, but it still offers an extra layer for i-mate users.

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The gadget: The i-Mate Ultimate 8502, the company's new entry-level workhorse touchscreen and keyboard smartphone which is making its local debut on Telstra's Next G network.
The price: $999
The verdict: It's a nice enough phone and the network is speedy, but the BlackBerry gang don't need to get too worried just yet.

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i-mate first showed off its Ultimate 8502 and 9502 models at 3GSM in Barcelona last month, but Telstra is claiming the first actual rollout of the device anywhere in the word. Both the candybar 8502 model ($999) and the slide-out keyboard 9502 (effectively the JASJAM's successor at $1,099) will go on sale for use on the ludicrously speedy Next G network on March 25. A post-paid model will follow on April 8 ($100 a month over 24 months).

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