Not only that, Nokia and AT&T introduced a new flip smartphone, the 6650, Pharos unleashed a pair of navigation-centric models , and innovator HTC announced plans to roll out the first WiMax-enabled smartphone.

Samsung Saga
Although the Windows Mobile 6.1-run Saga (see left) is available from Verizon Wireless, a CDMA carrier, it includes a second quad-band GSM radio so you can make and receive phone calls almost anywhere in the world. It also supports the Verizon's high-speed EV-DO Rev. A 3G network, but uses 2.5G EDGE (not 3g) technology when accessing data internationally.

The thin (4.9 x 2.4 x 0.53 inch) and light (4.6 ounce) smartphone integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 wireless technologies and - like the Samsung Epix, available from AT&T - sports an optical mouse for navigation. The Epix was the first to do so in the U.S.

As with the E63, the Saga's keyboard is located just underneath its 2.6-inch, 320 x 320-pixel resolution touch screen. There's also a 2 megapixel camera and a microSDHC slot to enhance the Saga's 256MB of RAM and 128MB of ROM storage.

Samsung specs out Saga's 1300mAh batter as lasting up to 5 hours of talk or 325 hours of standby time on a single charge.

Available from Verizon now, the Saga can be had for $200 after a $70 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement.

Nokia E63
The Nokia E63, a Symbian/S60-run smartphone, is basically a stripped down version of the higher-end Eseries QWERTY model, the E71.

Incorporating the S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1 user interface, the E63 allows users to choose from thousands of applications from Nokia’s S60 library. In addition, it comes equipped with easy access to Mail for Exchange, QuickOffice for reading and editing Microsoft Office documents, a PDF reader, and dedicated key access to contacts, calendar and e-mail.

It supports Files on Ovi, a service where users can get remote access to their PC files online and offline. The E63 comes with 1GB of online file storage for free.

The Nokia E63 is expected to begin shipping in the coming weeks for an estimated retail price of EUR 199, before taxes and subsidies. That's far cheaper than the E71 cost when it first shipped. No word on whether or not it'll make it stateside. We'll keep you posted.

Some Other New Smartphones

The top of the 6650 sports a 1.4-inch screen to display status info along with some multimedia buttons and there's a 2.2-inch, 320 x 240-pixel (QVGA) resolution screen inside. A numeric keypad is on the bottom-inside of the smartphone.

Its 2 megapixel camera includes a flash and supports geo-tagging though integrated GPS.

Additional features include Bluetooth, a microSDHC slot, and support for both UMTS and HSDPA 3G wireless.

In addition to the applications bundled with the Symbian/S60 (Feature Pack 2) platform, the 6650 supports a number of AT&T services out of the box. These include AT&T Navigator, AT&T Video Share, and AT&T Mobile Music.

You can pick up the 6650 for only $70 with a two-year contract. See detailed tech specs here.

See articles below for more new smartphones announced this week.