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Several carriers in Europe, including T-Mobile and Vodafone, either have or plan to release an inventive new Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phone called the XDA III (VPA III for Vodafone, MDA III for T-Mobile)—originally developed by Taiwanese OEM High Tech Computer.

Unlike smaller smartphones with thumb-keyboards, this handset's keyboard is unique because it is retractable. That's a good thing, because no one will ever confuse the 4.92 x 2.83 x 0.75 inch and 7.23 ounce XDA III with one of its more compact Windows Mobile brethren, such as Motorola's MPx220.

We already know that three carriers, Cingular Wireless, AT&T Wireless, and Verizon Wireless, plan to offer variations on the XDA III in the United States later this year: The Federal Communication's Commission approved the mobile handset for release in the U.S. in August.

It looks like Sprint has beat these other American carriers to the punch, however.

Just a day after announcing it would offer palmOne's highly anticipated Treo 650 smartphone first (see palmOne Finally Takes Wraps Off Treo 650), the mobile operator unveiled at the CTIA fall conference in San Francisco that it would sell a version of the XDA III, the Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device PPC-6601 (marketed by Audiovox) shortly.

The PPC-6601 should be available from Sprint next month for about $630 without a service plan, $529 with a one-year contract, and $479 with a two-year contract. Although this smartphone doesn't integrate a camera, an edition (PPC-6600) with a VGA camera with flash and video capability will ship a little while after initial launch.

"Sprint is pleased to launch a product that extends our collection of Smart Devices and underscores our commitment to being a leader in solutions for the mobile workforce," said Harry Campbell, President - Emerging and Mid Markets, Sprint Business Solutions. "The PPC-6601 and PPC-6600 combine empowering software, compelling wireless voice and data capabilities, and an easy-to-handle form factor to create a device powerful enough to truly unleash business professionals from their desk without sacrificing productivity."

As with the Verizon Wireless edition of the XDA III, Sprint's version features Bluetooth to connect to wireless headsets and printers, for example. The AT&T Wireless and, presumably, the Cingular Wireless model should be the same Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PC Phone available in Europe (see DoJ: Cingular Free to Buy AT&T).

The PPC-6601 and PPC-6600 also has a 400MHz Intel XScaleCPU, 128MB of RAM, and an SDIO Secure Digital slot. The smartphone's display measures 3.5 inches diagonally and supports the Pocket PC standard 240 x 320 pixel resolution at 65,536 colors. The removable lithium ion battery should provide up to 3.6 hours of continuous digital talk time or up to six days of standby time.

As a Pocket PC Phone, the new mobile handset delivers the full suite of standard Windows Mobile-based applications, including Microsoft Pocket Excel, Outlook, Word, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Microsoft ActiveSync and MSN Messenger. Other applications include Handmark Express and AudibleListener.

Sprint PCS Business Connection provides business and personal wireless e-mail. Interfacing with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino data, the PPC-6601 also supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync for over-the-air synchronization of e-mail and calendar information with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.