It’s no mystery that Palm hasn’t been on the top of most mobile phone shoppers even though they have consistently produced some decent handsets in recent years. The fact that their phones were a bit boring in appearance was reason enough that there was never much buzz about their newest phones, until now. At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, Palm introduced their entry into the touchscreen handset market with quite some fanfare. But will it be enough to change this company’s future as a player in mobile phones?

To look at the Pre’s specs you’ll see that it comes with some pretty impressive features. It doesn’t have the largest screen when it comes to mobile phones, but at 3.1 inches it’s adequately large as well as bright and clear. For those that are heavily into texting, you’ll like the fact that it does have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, so you can be all thumbs without being ‘all-thumbs’. Yes, this is a 3G phone that also has Wi-Fi capabilities as well as TeleNav GPS, and to make this phone a contender in this ever-expanding phone category, it was needed.

Currently the Pre is reported to only come in a one size model, 8GB which is not bad, but other phones on the market already offer more storage. As well, it can not accommodate expandable memory either, which seems to be a bit of a non-starter for some people. On the upside the Pre does have a 3MP camera as well as stereo Bluetooth connectivity. We can pretty much expect that it does have a music player, but there’s no word on an FM tuner or satellite radio support. If it’s entertainment features are as good as we hope, then this will be a popular phone to have.

Overall the Palm Pre is a really sleek-looking phone with plenty of features to like, but we’ll have to see what the customers will have to say about when it comes to market sometime in the first half of this year. The Palm Pre will be available through Sprint with a contract of course, but with Sprint’s flat-rate monthly fee you won’t get any unsuspectingly large bills. So, for now Palm is grooving on the buzz that this phone is producing, and we hope that this is just the beginning.

BlackBerry Storm 9530 smartphone (Verizon)

We loved how Apple just completely changed the game in mobile phones due to the introduction of the iPhone with its amazing touch screen, and many other phones have followed suit. The benefit of a large touchscreen is that you can have a larger screen on a small device with interface functionality as well. However, there was always the inherent benefit of having a phone with actual buttons in that they provided you with a physical response from those buttons, but touchscreens could not reproduce that feeling until now. RIM has raised the bar with its introduction of a mobile phone that had the big bright touchscreen, and went further by making sure you got a tactile response from pressing the buttons on the screen. This is more than just amazing, and we think that BlackBerry has now changed the future of handsets when it comes to touchscreen mobile phones.

For the die-hard BlackBerry user, you’ll be happy to know that you will get all of the same functionality out of the Storm that you’ve become accustomed to with previous BlackBerries. The Storm is no slouch when it comes to providing both the business user as well as the casual user a solid phone with work and leisure functions. Having 8GB of microSD storage, you’ll have no reason not to snap tons of photos with the 3.2 megapixel camera as well as listening to MP3s and watching videos on the big bright screen. You’ll also be able to make great use of its multi-connectivity through Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for data downloads and file transferring. Along with the GPS location function, this phone has some very impressive features other than the cool touchscreen. If you think that you might like the idea of a touchscreen mobile phone, but prefer the tactile response of physical buttons then compromise and buy the BlackBerry Storm for it’s physically responsive touchscreen as well as its great features.

HTC FUZE

The competition in touchscreen mobile phones seems to be heating up, with more features being packed into every new model. If you’re looking for a phone that offers a large touchscreen, but you can’t live without a full QWERTY keyboard then you might like what can be found in the FUZE. You’ll find that this is a mobile phone with a world-class design that is reminiscent of a PDA, but is much more feature-rich with a fair-sized 2.8 touchscreen. This is an easy-to-use phone where you’ll have no problem navigating menus thanks in part to TouchFLO which is an intuitive 3D graphical user interface that can be manipulated with the included stylus. Although this phone may be a little thicker than other touchscreen phones in it’s class, it provides solid voice communication even in areas with poor coverage, and it has Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi capabilities to boot. Along with being able to stay connected, you can stay entertained with this HTC phone because it can stream XM satellite radio and subscription music services like Napster and AT&T Mobile Music. You’ll love how easy it is to surf the web with the Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser, and it’s perfect instant messaging and email as well as for more serious work using Microsoft Office mobile edition. If snapping some photos and videos is important, then you’ll appreciate the 3.2 megapixel camera that can capture crisp images and you can expand the storage capacity up to 32GB with microSD cards. This quad band world phone has everything you could possibly need to keep you connected and entertained. When a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard are part of your must have list in a new mobile phone, then you may consider buying the HTC FUZE with its robust features and sleek design.

LG Decoy

Make no mistakes about this offer; if you’re a new customer to Verizon Wireless and choose the LG Decoy with a contract, then you’ll get this phone free after an instant rebate. LG has produced some very stunning phones in the recent past, but the Decoy is in a class on its own. Not only is this a stylish and compact slider phone but it has a feature that no other phone currently offers, a detachable Bluetooth headset. You’ll get the benefit of a wireless Bluetooth headset that attaches to the handset to conveniently carry and charge as well as the capability of using this same Bluetooth wireless connectivity to communicate with other Bluetooth devices. This 3G mobile phone does more than just dazzle with its functionality and looks; it also dazzles with features like a 2 megapixel camera for snapping great photos and capturing video, has an MP3 music player with streaming audio capabilities from the V-Cast service, gets super-fast EV-DO data downloads and has an expandable memory slot for extra storage. All of these features combined with the big and bright color display make for one impressive mobile handset. So when you want a mobile phone that offers advanced features with a great design and unique capabilities, then buy the LG Decoy and get it free after an instant rebate with a new contract at Verizon Wireless.

Pantech Matrix – Navy Blue

Even with the economy slowing down, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great looking mobile phone that has all of the right features at an affordable price. With a 2 year contract from AT&T Wireless you’ll be able to afford a feature-rich Pantech mobile phone with a sleek design. The Pantech Matrix looks like an unassuming dual slider, but this 3G quad-band phone is equipped to keep you connected around the world while allowing for simultaneous voice and data transfer. You’ll also have Bluetooth connectivity to make device-to-device communication especially easy. Along with the constant communication capabilities, you’ll get great entertainment value from the Matrix with its 1.3 megapixel camera, MP3 player, XM Satellite radio streaming capability as well as the subscription music service options available from eMusic Mobile and Napster Mobile. You won’t be constrained by storage with this slider phone, because it has an expandable memory of up to 32GB allowing you take take tons of media wherever you go. Similar phones with features like these might make this mobile phone appear to be too expensive, but thanks to the mail-in rebate offered by AT&T you’ll be able walk away with the Pantech Matrix for a song.

LG Voyager Verizon

Although the mobile phones that integrate the latest in touchscreen technology are currently the most desirable, you might find yourself needing or wanting input features that are more conventional. With the Voyager from LG you’ll get the sleek and sophisticated styling in a slim touchscreen handset that appeals to the style conscious as well as the productivity feature of a full QWERTY keyboard that the business user will really appreciate. Verizon has taken a bold step by introducing the Voyager as their flagship touchscreen handset that should have broad appeal in both form and function. This phone allows you to take advantage of the large screen with Verizon’s V Cast Mobile TV for downloading video as well as audio through V Cast Music. Along with being a great phone for V Cast video and audio, you’ll also like the 2.0 megapixel camera that captures sharp photos and video with microSD memory, so you can easily add more storage capacity. You’ll get great connectivity as well because this LG is Wi-Fi capable and has Bluetooth connectivity for quick and easy communication with other Bluetooth-enabled devices. As you can see that this phone offers more than just a touchscreen and should meet the mobile needs of just about everyone. So if you’re looking for a phone that offers more than just a flashy touchscreen, then you might just want to buy the LG Voyager, and as this phone is unlocked you won’t be required to sign up for an extended contract.

Palm® Centro – Obsidian Black

If you’re the type of person that spends hours typing away messages on your mobile phone, then you’ll appreciate having a mobile phone with a QWERTY keyboard in a compact and unique design. This Palm handset isn’t just small mobile phone with the convenience of a full keyboard, because it also offers features that will keep you productive and entertained. When you have the new Centro in your hands you’ll be able to easily keep up with your work and friends using the push-to-talk feature as well as having email and an instant messenger at your fingertips. You’ll also be able to quickly connect and transfer files wirelessly with other Bluetooth enabled devices or through its USB connection, and as this phone is available from AT&T Wireless, you’ll have rapid data transfers on their class 10 EDGE network. Although this mobile handset comes with all the features that you expect in a business phone, the Palm Centro will also handle your entertainment needs as well thanks to its built-in 1.3 megapixel camera so you can snap pictures anywhere as well as listen to music from XM Radio or AT&T Music. If you’re in need of storing lots of documents, music or images, then you’ll like that this smartphone has an expendible memory slot that accomodates 4GB microSD cards, so you’ll always have access to more space whenever you need it. If a full keyboard is an important feature that you need in a new smartphone, then buy the Palm Centro from AT&T Wireless and you’ll get the QWERTY keyboard and even more great features.

Samsung A737 – Blue

If you’ve been looking for a mobile phone that has all of the features you need in a compact and cool design that’s comfortable, then take a look at th Samsung A737. This phone not only looks fast with its sleek design, that’s available in various colors, but also offers you high speed 3G data access capabilities allowing you to stay connected to the wireless web. You’ll even be able to stay productive using the A737 thanks to its email and instant messaging features as well as conference calling. Since this phone isn’t all about business, you can be sure to get in some leisure time by making use of the built-in MP3 player for listening to music and snapping photos and video with the 1.3 megapixel camera. This phone from Samsung, also features stereo Bluetooth connectivity and has speakerphone capability, and this GSM phone can be used globally. If you want a mobile phone that will keep you looking cool no matter whether if it’s for business or pleasure, then get the Samsung A737 from AT&T Wireless and look cool all the time.

Apple iPhone – 16 GB

When Apple introduced the iPhone, it revolutionized the mobile phone industry with ground breaking features and functionality that no other phone could provide along with Apple’s signature style. You can get all the features you loved in the original iPhone and more in the latest model that has 16GB of storage capacity, which is twice as much as the first model. This newer iPhone offers the same large touch screen that provides you with widescreen viewing for TV shows, movies and videos annd makes for easy web browsing using the Safari browser. You’ll also be able synch this mobile phone with your existing iTunes collection which essentially makes this an iPod, too. A 2 megapixel camera will allow you to capture amazingly clear images that you can even upload directly to the internet. This GSM phone is truly the device for the multitasker because you can download your email through Wi-Fi or EDGE networks while your browsing the web without skipping a beat. Take care of business, talk to your friends and get access to all of your favorite media on the internet with the 16GB Apple iPhone.

Sanyo Katana DLX 8500 Champagne Phone (Sprint)

If you’re always on the lookout for a unique phone, then you’ll be interested in checking out this Sanyo phone with its sleek look and rare champagne finish. This is the latest generation of the the Katana line of phones, and it will please the style conscious as well as the feature fans. With features like a 1.3 megapixel camera for still images and video, Bluetooth connectivity, speakerphone and audio player the DLX 8500 has everything you need with a price so low that it may be hard to pass up. With EV-DO mobile broadband compatibility, you’ll be able to download and stream high-quality video of news, sports, and entertainment straight to the Katana DLX 8500 and your favorite songs from the Sprint Music Store. If you’re looking for a feature loaded mobile phone in an ultra-thin design with an extremely low price, then buy the Sanyo Katana DLX 8500 and do more than talk on your phone.