Both coming in at 82.2 MB they’re available for deep analysis and use for your own ROMs. Only missing some HTC proprietary code, the 2 kernels are available for download now.

Check them out at the HTC Developer Center

It’s been revealed that the fine folks over at XDA have managed to port over the myTouch 3G Froyo (Android 2.2) ROM over to the G1, and so far the whole thing looks to be working quite nicely. Of course, if you haven’t already tried this, then head on through the source link below, and check it out. You’ll need to be rooted, obviously, but if you’ve still got a G1, you’re probably already on top of that, right?

[via XDA]

The process will be staggered, as usual, and updates will roll out over the next couple weeks until October 24th when all devices should have been pushed the update. Many users have probably moved on to a more recent device, but for those of you who waited, your patience is now being rewarded.

*Note: This is only for the original myTouch 3G, Users of the myTouch 3G 3.5mm jack, myTouch Fender Limited Edition, and myTouch 3G slide will have to wait a bit longer.

Update features include:
• New Fully Integrated Exchange Client
◦ Improved security: Numeric pin and alpha-numeric password options have been added to unlock the device. Exchange administrators can enforce password policy across devices.
◦ Remote wipe: In the event a device is lost or stolen, Exchange administrators can remotely reset the device to factory defaults to secure data.
◦ Exchange calendars: Exchange calendars are now supported in the Calendar application.
◦ Auto-discovery: With just a user name and password users can easily set up and/or sync an Exchange account (available for Exchange 2007 and higher).
◦ Global Address Lists look-up: This functionality is now available in the E-mail application, enabling users to auto-complete recipient names from an entire directory.
• Faves ◦ Faves Gallery gives customers quick access to the 20 people who matter most.
◦ Customers can scroll through their Faves Gallery and instantly see the most recent communication from their top 20 Faves – calls, texts, emails, instant messaging, and social networking updates – and respond in a flash.
• New Home Screen Features
◦ Home screen Tips widget provides tips on how to configure the home screen with shortcuts and widgets and how to make use of multiple home screens.
◦ Market widget lets you keep on top what’s hot on Android Market, showing featured apps right on the home screen.
◦ Live wallpapers are available on Android Market, such as Aquarium, Google Maps and many others.
◦ Phone, All Apps and Browser now have dedicated shortcuts on the home screen, making it easy to access them from any of the five home screen
panels.
• Improved Communication Features
◦ Gmail app enhancements:
◦ ◦ ◦ ◦
Include quoted text from the body of an e-mail message Navigate quickly using on-screen previous/next buttons Identify e-mails using colored labels See inline images in messages
◦ Calendar app now supports multiple Google and Exchange accounts
◦ Google Talk app lets users search for buddies from the Search key
◦ Google Voice app now uses Inbox Synchronization so new messages are received in a matter of seconds
◦ Quickcontact is now available in Gmail, Google Talk, and Google Voice, right from your device. Users tap on a contact image to access various ways to reach that person, such as call, SMS, e-mail, etc.
• Other: Improvements to the camera and camcorder, ability to add multiple languages to the keyboard, enhancements to Google Maps, YouTube app, Facebook app, and Twitter app.

[Via TmoNews]

How-TO Root the Slide

First things First… Power Off the Slide

Download This Package > Slide Root.zip

Step 1.
Place the Contents of the File’s into the SDK Directory

Step 2.
Open Command Prompt and CD to the SDK/Tools Directory.

Step 3.
Type Loop in Command Prompt

Step 4.
Power on the Slide By Holding Down ( Volume Down + Power Button )

Step 5.
Select Recovery From the Menu Chose once Loaded

Step 6.
Once Recovery Loads, You should Have an Offline Device ( ctrl+c ) to See.
If Not, Power Off and Try again..

Step 7.
Un-plug USB & Plug back in for it to Detect ADB Correctly!!! Important..

Step 8.
Select Update.zip ( This will fail, but we already know that! ).

Step 9.
adb push ota.zip /sdcard/update.zip

Step 10.
Very important!! Have this Command Ready in Command Prompt before hitting Update again!!
adb push update.zip /sdcard

step 11.
Hit Update, Once you see a Little Bar appear push Enter on prompt you push the above File ( adb push update.zip /sdcard )

Step 12.
You should Now be Looking at ClockworkMod Recovery!!

Step 13.
Go to Partitions menu and Mount system

step 14.
Hit back & select update.zip in the New Recovery ( This now Finishes Root ).

Step 15.
Reboot

Step 16.
adb install Superuser.apk

That’s it, you now Have Root… I’ll clean this up a bit, But it’s the same Root method as the HTC Incredible… I Just added Su & fix the Script, Plus figuring out how-to get it to write to system to Paul O’Brien:
Koushik K. Dutta: already made Recovery Update..

Special Thanks to:

Paul O’Brien:
Koushik K. Dutta:
&
The Guys using the Incredible OTA Spoofing Method.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=702973

The first thing that comes to mind for most Slide owners is, how far can we over clock it? The Slide is exceptionally fast to be only rated at 600MHZ, it’s possible that the CPU has been under clocked for battery performance like we have seen in the past. Or, maybe it can post some Droid like clocking up to a stable 1GHZ. Over clocked kernels and ROM’s and everything else you would expect out of the Developer community is sure to follow, stay tuned.

[thanks William]

Tmonews has received a leaked script of an upcoming T-Mobile commercial. This script explicitly says that all phones will be free if you switch your plan to a family plan. I would assume that if you already have a family plan, you can get this offer by adding an additional line. This has not been confirmed but it looks like pretty solid information.

So if you’re an Android fan you will be able to pick up a Garminfone, myTouch 3G Slide, Cliq or any other Android based phone for free. This will save families 100’s of dollars, hopefully another great Android device is released on that day as well.

Judging from the picture above I would say that every version of the myTouch 3G is getting some Froyo love. So whether you have a version 1.2, Fender or the original, you can expect to get the update to 2.2 soon. This update not only includes all the goodies that Froyo has to offer, there will be a few extra incentives. The genius button will make its way to every myTouch as well as full exchange support and the new Faves gallery. These features are already included in the new myTouch Slide. I guess the anticipation can now begin. Congratulations my Touch owners you’re now the third phone to officially have 2.2 on the way.

[via tmonews]

Sprint did not give specific numbers but they did say it sold twice as many both the previous record holders combined. New shipments are said to be arriving daily, if this does sell out everywhere the wait for more handsets could be as long as 30 days.

HTC has been known recently for not being able to keep up with demand. The HD2 sold out fast, the Gender myTouch 3G was unavailable for awhile. There are still a lot of customers waiting on their Incredibles. Hopefully this device isn’t stricken with the same fate of it predecessors and it remains readily available.

[via slashgear]

The Body

The first time you pull the myTouch 3G Slide out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice (with the battery installed), the phone is heavy. And, given the plastic aesthetic to the device, it can be quite deceiving. However, past that initial shock, the phone actually feels quite nice in the hand. The added bulk (due primarily because of the hardware keyboard) and weight go a long way to make the phone feel more reliable and sturdy. As for the general look of the device, it’s almost identical to the original myTouch: the curves, lines, and even the general feel of the device feels reminiscent in a very good way. The main differences would be the hardware keys just below the screen, and the inclusion of an optical trackpad (we’ll cover these a little later). Truth be told, the device is very pocketable.

Taking the device in your hand, you’ll notice that the Slide fits right in with other touchscreen devices: the 3.4-inch display takes up the majority of room, leaving just enough space for the earpiece and “myTouch” logo at the top, and the standard Android-based physical buttons. The screen’s resolution is 320×480, but don’t let that fool you: the colors (especially when the screen’s brightness is all the way up) are fantastic. We know that has a lot to do with the customized User Interface, and its closeness to HTC’s Sense UI, but we can’t sit here and tell you that the screen’s size or resolution are a bad thing. In fact, we enjoyed both of them a great deal, and felt that the 0.2-inch difference between the original myTouch 3G and the Slide is a great (and much needed) improvement.

Unfortunately, its these physical keys that put a big damper on the general good feeling of the Slide. They’re shoved between the screen and curved bottom edge of the device, but they’re actually flush and not raised at all, making it somewhat difficult to press them if you’re not actively paying attention. Furthermore, they have very poor feedback and travel, and they’re lack of separation from one another makes it easy to hit the wrong button in your efforts. It should also be noted that there’s actually not a Search key. Instead, T-Mobile and HTC decided to focus on the “genius” button, which we’ll cover a little later. But we will say that we found ourselves wanting the Search key back, as we didn’t use the genius key nearly as much.

As has happened with every other major handset release from HTC, the company has decided to drop their trackballs, and adopt the optical trackpad. The Slide features one of the best we’ve ever used, as its responsive, and big enough that using it isn’t a pain. However, we will say that HTC’s decision to also make it flush with the handset, and therefore make it feel just like one of the hardware buttons was a mistake. It’s very easy to hit the trackpad instead of Back or Menu, or vice versa, which causes undue stress and frustration.

Looking at all sides of the device, you’ll find the microUSB port on the bottom. Along the left side, only the volume rocker is present. Much like the European HTC Hero, the rocker is pretty much flush with the side of the handset, making it initially hard to find. However, just like the Hero before it, we very much enjoyed this design decision, as we’re not fans of buttons sticking out of the sides of our devices. Once you learn where they are and muscle memory kicks in, it’s not a problem finding the rocker at all. Along the top-left, HTC installed the power/lock key. It is barely raised from the device, and therefore very difficult to find right off the bat. The travel and feedback are also poor, so activating it is quite the nuisance. On the top-right is the 3.5mm audio jack. And on the right side you’ll find the hardware camera button.

There is a slot for a microSD card, but it’s under the battery cover. Thankfully though, it’s not actually under the battery, so you don’t have to pull it to access the card. We would have preferred had HTC installed it on the side, but we’ll take what we can get.

Now for the main event: the slider. When we first tried it, it opened up fine. There’s a noticeable spring-assist, so there’s no problem with the slider actually opening. However, the more we used the handset, the more we realized that there’s some plastic-on-plastic grinding happening, and it just felt a little bit too plasticky, making it seem like engineering in this department wasn’t the focus. Unfortunately, in just a short amount of time, it’s not all that smooth.

However, once you do get the device open, you’ll be greeted with an expansive, nice looking keyboard. It’s a four-row keyboard, but that doesn’t mean there’s a dedicated row for numbers. While we would have preferred this, we don’t always get what we want. However, what’s more frustrating, are the alternate keys, and how they are represented on the keyboard. Unlike every keyboard before it, where the numbers and symbols may be a different color, or smaller than the main letters on the keyboard, that’s not the case with the Slide. Instead, you’ll see keys like: R4, E3, O9. It’s not really an issue with the symbols, mostly because they’re different enough that it’d be hard to misinterpret them for a letter, but if you’re in a hurry, the keyboard can be more frustrating than anything else.

On the contrary, and maybe even the bright side, the keyboard is comfortable, well spaced, and the travel and feedback of the keys is nice. There are dedicated keys for Back and Home as well, so you don’t have to press the physical keys below the screen if the phone is open. There’s also dedicated keys for the period and comma, which we’re thankful for. We will admit that the keyboard is definitely one of the more defining features of the device, and that’s a very good thing, all things considered.

On the back of the device you’ll find the 5MP camera and LED flash. The set up is right at the top-center, so it may not be the best placement for a phone camera, as we would occasionally find that our finger would slip into the frame. However, just like anything else, once you get accustomed to its location, you won’t think twice about it. Right next to the camera and LED flash, there’s the speaker. It’s loud enough, and using calls on speakerphone went without a hitch. Near the bottom of the device you’ll find another myTouch logo, but this one’s a bit like brushed metal and slightly protruding off the cover.

When it comes to the hardware of the Slide, it’s one of the better features. While we do wish those physical keys were a bit easier to press, especially considering their integral part of the Android platform as a whole, we’ll ignore them for the rest of the device. The keyboard could have been the feature that made or broke the Slide, and we can thankfully say that if you’re in the market for a physical keyboard-based device, the Slide can easily fill that need for you.

The Software

When you turn on the Slide, you’ll find yourself wondering if HTC have indeed put HTC’s Sense User Interface (UI) onto it. Well, we can confirm with you right here and now that it isn’t. T-Mobile and HTC worked together to create an amalgamation between Sense and stock Android, and the result is something that’s different enough to be its own UI, but also familiar enough that navigating through isn’t a hassle. As for the software itself, HTC and T-Mobile thankfully made sure the Slide was updated to the latest version of Android 2.1, and we imagine that that has a lot to do with the performance of the device.

The Slide has, initially, five customizable homescreens in the standard fashion of Android. You’ll have access to live, dynamic, and static widgets, as well as the standard application icons. This is where you’ll notice the first major difference between stock Android, and even HTC’s Sense UI application icons. The ones on the Slide are actually “on” opaque squares, and not free-floating as was traditionally customary. It doesn’t actually do anything to improve touch accuracy, nor does it make the icons any easier to see. Just an aesthetic approach that we imagine HTC and T-Mobile decided on to make their handset just that much more different from the pack.

We were curious as to why there were only 5 homescreens, so we began digging. Sure enough, there is a way to change this. You’ve got two options: 5 or 7. We will warn you, though. While adding 7 screens might sound great, because you get more room to add stuff, you probably won’t want to change your mind and want to go back to 5 after you make the switch. Transitioning from 5 to 7 homescreens is fine, and will only kick you out to the myTouch logo for a moment, before you’re brought back to your homescreens with the two new additions. However, if you want to change from 7 to 5, you’ll need to do a factory reset. Yeah, a real pain, and we honestly can’t tell you why this is the case. But, you do have the option, so keep that in mind.

At the bottom of the screen, and will follow you from one homescreen to the next, is the application drawer. You can press this to access the full list of applications, both proprietary and third party, installed on your device. From here you can put those same application icons on your homescreen, or activate an application. On either side of the application drawer are two permanent icons. The one on the left is for the phone, while the one on the right is for the “Faves” application. While we were fine with the phone icon, we wished we could have switched the Faves one, as we would have preferred something like “Messaging” or “GTalk” to fit right there. But, we know this is just a personal thing, and there will be many of you out there that will like the Faves access point so handy.

Probably the most notable difference, other than the application icons, is the fact that T-Mobile and HTC have altered the Notifications Shade. It will still show you icons for your notifications, just like any other Android-based handset, and you can still pull it down to access more information on the go. However, now installed at the top of the Shade, once you pull it down, is a list of your most recently used applications. So if you used Messaging, Peep, and Weather most recently, the appropriate icons will be listed above the notifications. We weren’t necessarily big fans of this feature, especially not when the device had its keyboard showing, and the screen was transitioned into landscape mode. Due to the “recent applications” icon list, the notifications shade is practically unusable in landscape mode.

As we said, T-Mobile and HTC worked together to create a new breed of Android, but they chose things that worked well for each application. For example, you’ll find HTC Sense widgets installed. The Messaging application has the same widget you’ll find in HTC Sense, which means it’s an active and dynamic widget. You’ll be able to scroll up and down, or “flick,” if you like, to read the last text message you received from a contact. From there you’ll be able to delete a single message, reply, or start a new text message. Other widgets include Weather, as well as the integrated Twitter client, Peep. (Which, for the record, has a blue bird instead of green. Very strange. Until you realize that most of the software has been altered to reflect “blue,” more than “green.” Even highlighted text comes up as blue.)

Another addition to the marriage between T-Mobile and HTC is the genius button we mentioned up above. While it may just seem like any other button, if you hold it down, you’ll notice that it actually serves a purpose. Powered by Dragon Dictation (which is a pretty popular app in Apple’s App Store), you are able to use your voice to do quite a few things. For instance, call a person. Or, dictate to your phone your next text message or email. While speech-to-text may not necessarily be new, we were pretty happy to see that it’s such an integral part of the device. However, we will say it again: we want our Search key back.

As for social networking, which is becoming a paramount feature with many handsets (and especially Android), you’re covered. You’ll have access to the FriendStream application and dynamic widget, which you can place on your homescreen for easy viewing. FriendStream is a quick and easy way to aggregate your feeds from Twitter and Facebook into one location, but if you’ve got a lot of updates from any one site, more so than the other, it can become quite troublesome to keep track. You’ll also find dedicated applications for Twitter (called Peep), but you won’t find a pre-installed application for Facebook. You’ll have to go and download it from the Marketplace if you’re interested in that kind of thing.

As for alterations to the system past what we’ve discussed above, there are a few minor tweaks, like to the music player, but nothing major or noteworthy. One of the coolest features from HTC’s Sense makes an appearance on the Slide, though. If you’re listening to the integrated music player, you can hit the lock screen button (which is also the power button, at the top-left of the device, as we mentioned earlier) and have access to music controls right from the lock screen. This is a huge feature that’s missing from stock Android, and so that’s one up that the Slide gets, amongst the others.

The software isn’t anything groundbreaking, especially when compared to Sense UI, but it is different enough that it will attract some eyes, and it does look very, very nice. It’s remarkably responsive, which we will cover here in a moment. We will mention right here though, that the Slide doesn’t show off either HTC’s Sense keyboard, nor Android’s stock keyboard right out of the box. Nor is it a variation of either of the two. It’s actually the Swype keyboard. Meaning, you can draw lines from one letter to another to write your words, instead of typing them out individually. A nice addition if you ask us, but one that can seem quite confusing right off the bat if you’re not paying attention. However, you are able to change to the Sense keyboard, through Settings. So while Swype is automatic, you have options.

Under the Hood

So, what’s powering the Slide? A 600MHz ARM 11 processor. We can see some of you out there squinting, debating with yourself if picking up this device will just mean you get a laggy monstrosity. Well, we can assure you of one thing: the Slide is ridiculously responsive. So responsive, actually, that it constantly surprised us, day to day. Switching from one homescreen to the other is quick, easy, and painless. Opening applications is quick enough, but don’t think that the moment you touch the icon, it’ll pop right up. And going from an application, to Home, and then into another application does have the ability to slow the device down, but it’s quick to get back on its feet.

The application drawer isn’t of the 3D variety, so it didn’t slow down at all, no matter how many times we opened it, closed it, and repeated the process. And, as we said above, while we give a lot of credit to the processor under the hood, we believe that the system’s performance has to be mostly chalked up to Android 2.1. In the end though, it doesn’t matter why it’s responsive, just the fact that it is responsive is all that matters. Truth be told, the Slide won’t disappoint you in this area.

The Camera

It’s a 5MP and has an LED flash. With that in mind, don’t think that this is going to be the cameraphone that replaces your current point-and-shoot. While the camera is good enough for its market, we weren’t all that impressed with it. Shots did come out with some good definition, but only if there was optimal lighting. And the LED flash did well enough for image optimization, but trying to snap a shot in the dark didn’t pan out so well. There is autofocus, and you can manually zoom. This may not be the one deciding factor when choosing the Slide as your next device, but we can’t say that it will prevent you from buying it, either.

The Battery

Whether it’s a good or bad thing, that’s up to you. But the Slide’s battery is pretty much standard for an Android device. Before we installed a lot of third party applications, and had the standard email being pulled from the cloud, Google Talk on in the background, and doing some marginal web browsing, text messaging, and voice calling, the battery would last a full day. However, once we started doing more data sessions, answering more Instant Messages from a third party application, and watching videos, the battery took a severe dive.

The battery is something that will vary from person to person, based on usage. As we mentioned, the battery did quite well for itself when it wasn’t put any long-term pressure. So, as long as you’re not going crazy with long data sessions, or running a lot of third party applications in the background, you should be fine.

In the End

Right from the start, as soon as we pulled the Slide out of its well-crafted box, we knew that there was something interesting about this device. If not downright special. And the more we used it, all of that came true. From the physical body, to the software that powers it, and even the processor that keeps the device chugging along, the myTouch 3G Slide is a very, very strong addition to the myTouch family. If you’re in the market for an Android-based handset with a physical keyboard, we can honestly say that the Slide is one that you should give some serious thought to. As it stands, it’s one of four favorite Android handsets altogether. We’ll have to wait until about mid-June before the Slide hits retail availability, and if it remains at that $149.99 price point, then it can be a real contender in the market.

You can have this device for $199 with a new 2 year contract. The off contract price will be $599, there have been rumors that T-Mobile will eat some of the off contract price and lower it to $450. This would put it right on par as far as pricing with other recently released smart phones.

The Garmiphone has a 3.5-inch touch screen, a 3-megapixel camera and Android 1.6. The strong point of this handset is its deep navigation software. But there strong point may also be its biggest weakness. This software brings with it a new custom UI, we all know that upgrading custom UI’s is a daunting task. There is no word on when or if this phone will be upgraded to Android 2.1 or higher. Unless you travel a lot, the myTouch slide may be a better choice.

[via engadget]

This phone can be yours for only $149 on an Even More plan, this choice will give you the lowest upfront price but you have to sign a new 2 year contract. If being bound by contracts isn’t your thing, you can buy it outright for $399 on the Even More Plus plan. Or you can have your Even More Plus plan broken down to $23 a month if you qualify.

Those are some pretty good pricing option for this handset, it features a new take on HTC’s Sense UI dubbed Expresso. From all the leaked videos of this handset the 600MHZ doesn’t slow this device down at all. June 2nd was the initial rumored release date of this device4. The new rumored release date is 16th. We’ll keep an eye out for more solid information on a release date.

This won’t be an update to plain ole vanilla Android, it will include Sense UI. The original myTouch will receive the same version of Sense that is on the upcoming myTouch Slide. The “genius” feature will also be included in the update. This is great news for all myTouch users, you are not forgotten. There is still no official word on when or if the G1 will be updated.

[via tmonews]

The guys over at androidcentral found this video hanging around YouTube. Even though this video isn’t really a demonstration of the device, one thing we can take from it is its really quick. It doesn’t seem to be bogged down by the 600MHZ CPU at all. When the guy was scrolling through the apps it looks like there was at least 80 apps installed and it still performed pretty well. You are the judge, how you think it performs?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUgOy1MCwWU&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

If you don’t want to be bothered with bidding, you can buy it now for the low price of $1200. Granted when this does come out it should retail off contract for between $300 and $450 but hey, this is for bragging rights. If you’re a little thrifty like me, you’ll wait the rumored 3 weeks or so to pick this up. But, if anyone in the community grabs this first I want to see a ton of screenshots. Are you headed to eBay now to get this?

[via tmonews]

This phone is housed in an awesome box, it doesn’t look cheap at all. In fact, it resembles a briefcase or a safe deposit box. It appears to be protected on every corner with rubber bumpers. Of course, the usual included accessories make an appearance also. Anybody excited about this device? Judging from the latest releases by HTC if you want one you better get to your local store early because it’s a good chance this will sell out.

Personally, I love Sense UI, nothing comes close to its beauty. The widgets are top notch and often imitated. Flash integration is a nice feature as well. Expresso, which is the custom Sense UI for the MT3G Slide, is a new take on Sense UI. HTC has taken a queue from the developer community and slapped a nice theme on this version. It is really visually appealing and I think this phone will be one of the top sellers for T-Mobile.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YvCVAd_Y64&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[via tmonews]

“Many smartphones are increasingly powerful in their features and specifications without continuing to improve the main reason that so many people have mobile phones — the ability to communicate with each other,” said Andrew Sherrard, vice president of product development, T-Mobile USA. “The new myTouch 3G Slide is a smart and sleek phone that fits into your pocket, your budget and your family life with exclusive T-Mobile features that put communication with your closest family and friends front and center.”

The myTouch 3G Slide features a 3.4-inch HVGA touch-screen, Swype is the default virtual keyboard and this device is less than 15mm thick. It also has a 5-megapixel camera, an 8GB microSD card, and enhanced video capabilities to make it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos, whether via e-mail, MMS or one-click upload to sites such as YouTube™ and Picasa™. The myTouch 3G Slide will come in black, white or red.

Faves Gallery™: Life is hectic, so it’s easy to miss opportunities to connect with loved ones. Faves Gallery presents up to 20 of your favorite people and the different ways to communicate with them — calls, texts, e-mail, instant messaging, social networking updates — in a dedicated application accessible through a soft button and an easy-to-use widget complete with photos, contact information and one-touch ability to respond. All of your Faves® get special status on your myTouch 3G Slide™; anytime they communicate with you or update their social network you get a notification in the notification pane. Even if you’re not using your phone, a custom green light lets you know you’ve got a communication waiting from one of your Faves. And you can respond directly from the Faves Gallery, without launching e-mail or other applications, so you connect more quickly and more often with the important people in your life.

myModes: myModes helps you draw the line between work and home by creating different themes with home screen apps, widgets and wallpapers to empower people in the different roles they play each day. You can set myModes to switch at a designated time, by location, or manually with the option to create and store up to 10 customized modes. myModes removes clutter and makes you more efficient both at work and at home. Want to forget about work on the weekend? No need to hide your work phone or switch to another device; just put away your work tools, like e-mail and your calendar by switching modes, and bring forward all the things you love to do on Saturday.

Genius Button™: With the Genius Button, you press one button, talk, and it delivers. The Genius Button, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance Communications (Nasdaq: NUAN), is an easy-to-access button on the front of the new T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide allowing the use of voice commands to control the phone and it’s features including making calls, composing and sending texts and e-mails, searching the Web or your surroundings. It will even read text messages aloud, and lets you dictate responses naturally as if you were speaking directly to a person.

Full Press Release:

New T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide Improves Communication through T-Mobile Exclusive Software

The latest Android-powered smartphone marries beautiful form with superior function on a faster 3G network.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — May 4, 2010 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced a new addition to its exclusive line of AndroidTM-powered T-Mobile myTouch® 3G smartphones — the T-Mobile® myTouch 3G SlideTM. Anticipated to be available in June, the new myTouch 3G Slide combines a roomy slide-out QWERTY keyboard with an incredibly crisp, high-performance touch screen powered by the latest Android software. The T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide is purpose-built for communication, with unique new features that help customers connect more easily, more quickly and more often to their closest family and friends.

“Many smartphones are increasingly powerful in their features and specifications without continuing to improve the main reason that so many people have mobile phones — the ability to communicate with each other,” said Andrew Sherrard, vice president of product development, T-Mobile USA. “The new myTouch 3G Slide is a smart and sleek phone that fits into your pocket, your budget and your family life with exclusive T-Mobile features that put communication with your closest family and friends front and center.”

New features only available on the T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide include the following:

Faves GalleryTM: Life is hectic, so it’s easy to miss opportunities to connect with loved ones. Faves Gallery presents up to 20 of your favorite people and the different ways to communicate with them — calls, texts, e-mail, instant messaging, social networking updates — in a dedicated application accessible through a soft button and an easy-to-use widget complete with photos, contact information and one-touch ability to respond. All of your Faves® get special status on your myTouch 3G SlideTM; anytime they communicate with you or update their social network you get a notification in the notification pane. Even if you’re not using your phone, a custom green light lets you know you’ve got a communication waiting from one of your Faves. And you can respond directly from the Faves Gallery, without launching e-mail or other applications, so you connect more quickly and more often with the important people in your life.

myModes: myModes helps you draw the line between work and home by creating different themes with home screen apps, widgets and wallpapers to empower people in the different roles they play each day. You can set myModes to switch at a designated time, by location, or manually with the option to create and store up to 10 customized modes. myModes removes clutter and makes you more efficient both at work and at home. Want to forget about work on the weekend? No need to hide your work phone or switch to another device; just put away your work tools, like e-mail and your calendar by switching modes, and bring forward all the things you love to do on Saturday.

Genius ButtonTM: With the Genius Button, you press one button, talk, and it delivers. The Genius Button, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance Communications (Nasdaq: NUAN), is an easy-to- access button on the front of the new T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide allowing the use of voice commands to control the phone and it’s features including making calls, composing and sending texts and e-mails, searching the Web or your surroundings. It will even read text messages aloud, and lets you dictate responses naturally as if you were speaking directly to a person.

Powered by the Android 2.1 software, the myTouch 3G Slide offers a rich mobile Web experience and access to thousands of applications on Android Market from games to location-based social networks to on-the-go shopping and more. Similar to the original, the new myTouch 3G Slide was designed to facilitate personalization inside and out. A five-pane home screen, with the option to increase to seven panes, offers plenty of real estate for your favorite widgets, applications and themes.

Designed by HTC exclusively for T-Mobile, the myTouch 3G Slide features a 3.4-inch HVGA touch- screen display with virtual keyboard as well as a roomy, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Less than 15mm thick, the elegant design slides easily into your pocket proving that Android brains don’t have to come in a sci-fi box. The myTouch 3G Slide also features a 5-megapixel camera, a music player with a pre-installed 8GB microSD memory card, and enhanced video capabilities to make it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos, whether via e-mail, MMS or one-click upload to sites such as YouTubeTM and PicasaTM.

The device’s powerful mobile data experience is supported by fast data speeds via Wi-Fi and T-Mobile’s nationwide 3G network, which is getting even faster this year as T-Mobile upgrades its network with the latest wireless technology.

The myTouch 3G Slide is expected to be available in June, exclusively from T-Mobile USA in three colors — black, white or red. Customers can visit http://mytouch.t-mobile.com for more information.

According to Tmonews, T-Mobile is expected to receive the second shipment tomorrow. Also, this will be the last shipment of these devices so you may want to get in line now. This second batch will surely sell just as fast as the first, maybe even faster. And to further sway your decision, T-Mobile has pretty much confirmed that all myTouch 3G’s will get Android 2.1 this spring.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxmSAKkxKJo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The charging pad will likely look similar to the one in the picture above. When you buy this pad, it will come with a special back plate that allows the phone to be charged by simply laying the phone on top of it. There a charging pad similar to this on the market now and if you have one you will feel right at home using this one. The pad will become available via T-Mobile retail stores in the coming weeks and a price has not been set.

[via tmonews]

A few of the upgrades are:

* doubleTwist Podcasts – the world’s largest podcast search engine! Search, subscribe and sync podcasts to any device.
* Improved the speed of the sync planning phase and transfer of media items to device.
* Support for network drives that are mounted as a drive letter.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNunWgYI57c&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Head over to their site an check it out.

Vodafone’s Android lineup has taken a huge hit with this news. The X10 and the Nexus One are not far off but for some they cant come soon enough. Maybe HTC will decide to make a refreshed version of the Magic for Vodafone also.