No, T-Mobile has not gone ninja with the Shadow phone, but has released it in the open without the cover of stealth. This is a mid-range handset that will keep most average phone users happy, although power users who are too used to the vast amount of functionalities that their previous smartphone offered will give this a miss. The T-Mobile Shadow comes in a more rounded and compact design alongside a couple of new color options to keep the indecisive masses happy, and you will also benefit from T-Mobile Unlimited HotSpot Calling and increased processing power.

The Shadow won’t be available anywhere else as it will be a T-Mobile exclusive, and it was specially designed to significantly reduce the complexity often associated with many feature-rich devices, but we doubt that grandpa will be able to dive at it in an instant while figuring everything out within a couple of minutes. Apart from the usual calling, messaging and picture-sharing capabilities, you will also find Windows Mobile 6.1 running in the background, making this the first Windows-based smartphone in the market that supports T-Mobile’s Unlimited HotSpot Calling service for superior mobile coverage at home and unlimited nationwide calling from Wi-Fi networks (you know, times are hard, so it makes perfect sense to try to save money wherever possible).

Features include a navigation wheel, a slide-out 20-key QWERTY keypad with predictive text input, a generous and vibrant display with QVGA resolution, a 2 megapixel camera and a Wi-Fi browser that lets you stay connected in areas blanketed by Wi-Fi hotspots. The T-Mobile Shadow is the handiwork of HTC and will feature a beefed up processor that offers faster access to information you require, alongside a larger battery for superior talk time. You can choose from white mint and black burgundy colors, and it comes with copy/paste functionality – something that is still missing from Apple’s iPhone 3G until today. Image courtesy of CBS Interactive.

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