T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide Offers Android 2.1

T-Mobile and HTC announced their latest joint handset with the myTouch branding. The Slide combines a QWERTY keyboard, touch screen and custom software in one not-so-sexy package. But hey, Android 2.1, right?The myTouch 3G Slide is an interesting device. Form factor aside, it clearly demonstrates how envious some people are of HTC's Sense UI. It comes with a lot of software that T-Mobile is calling "exclusive" to this device. Hogwash. Let's do some translating, shall we?

The myTouch 3G comes with software called "Faves Gallery." This software marries T-Mobile's MyFaves contact concept with HTC's Friend Stream software. It lets users get a quick glance of what their favorite 20 peeps are up to, including things such as status updates, recent messages and so on. In reality, Faves Gallery is an amalgamation of MyFaves and Friend Stream (which is part of HTC's Sense UI).

Another piece of software is called myModes. MyModes offers a way for users to create up to 10 different user profiles. Each profile can prioritize different programs and uses. For example, it lets users create separate profiles for work, play, outdoor, etc. Sound familiar? Yes, this is another borrowed feature from Sense UI.

The last piece of software is tied to the Genius Button. Pressing this button activates voice commands, voice searches, and other voice-controlled actions. This software is really Nuance's Dragon Dictation and other software bundled into a neat app. Nuance's software is free to a number of the smartphone platforms.

Software aside, the myTouch 3G boasts some decent specs. It has 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and support for voice-guided directions. It has a 3.4-inch HVGA touch display, full slide-out QWERTY keyboard for messaging, micro SD support, and a 5-megapixel camera with video capture.

Basically, the myTouch 3G is a myTouch 3G on steroids. T-Mobile says it will go on sale in June, though it didn't mention pricing.