T-Mobile USA has announced plans to introduce later this week the Shadow, a Windows Mobile 6 smartphone with a sliding numberpad that will debut at $150.

This model won't include a full QWERTY keyboard, but neither will have a simple numberpad. Instead, it will use a system that includes 20 keys, most of which will handle two letters and a number. This is somewhat similar to the input system used by the BlackBerry Pearl.

Not surprisingly, the Shadow will support T-Mobile's myFaves service. This has been enhanced to allow users to to call, send an email, text, or instant message, and share a picture, video or voice note from the myFaves home screen.

An Overview of the Shadow

This model will run Windows Mobile 6 Standard, and therefore its 2.6-inch, QVGA display will not function as a touchscreen.

It will include software for push email, synchronizing personal information with Outlook or Exchange, and web access.

This will be a quad-band world phone with support for EDGE, and it will include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The Shadow will have a 2.0 megapixel camera with video support, and a microSDHC card slot.

It will measure 4.1 inches tall, 2.1 inches wide, and 0.6 inches thick, and weigh 5.3 ounces

The First of Many

This smartphone the first phone in a series branded under the Shadow name that will offer, according to T-Mobile, "a fun, playful, more simple and richer communications experience available only from T-Mobile."

It will go on sale October 31 in two colors: copper and sage. It will be available at both T-Mobile retail stores and its web site.

More information on the Shadow is available at www.t-mobile.com/shadow.