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AT&T’s Samsung Epix could easily be called the BlackJack III: It has a similar design to both the BlackJack and BlackJack II, but adds a few new features, including Wi-Fi, and its Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system takes advantage of the device’s touchscreen, the new built-in optical mouse and faster 624-MHz processor. The Epix is certainly a step up from the BlackJack II but, at $199, it also costs $50 more than the BlackJack II did when it first hit store shelves. (via laptopmag.com )

RIM or Research In Motion Ltd. announced the first BlackBerry that folds up, BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220. It will be available from T-Mobile USA later this year for an undisclosed price. The Pearl Flip coming in three color schemes: black, red and silver (gray). BlackBerry flip phone weighing just 3.6-ounces and boasting a 320 x 240 internal display, Bluetooth 2.0, built-in multimedia player, 802.11b/g WiFi and a SureType keypad. The battery promises four hours of talk time / over a fortnight of standby life.

One of the most successful smartphones of the last year is the Centro from Palm. Sprint was the first carrier to sell the device, so it's no surprise that it's also the first carrier to offer a software update for the phone. The big change is the addition of location services to Google Maps, a quasi-GPS that's actually pretty useful. Other changes include updates to VersaMail for Gmail users, better Exchange support, and Bluetooth enhancements. Website: Palm.com

Samsung announced that starting July 22, OMNIA will launch on the Italian market. This is the first European country to get the all-in-one multimedia-friendly smartphone, but others will follow and it will be available through major carriers as well as in open markets before the end of August. Italians now can already pre-order the OMNIA, taking advantage of a promotion, giving them a free Xbox 360 Arcade. The unsubsidized 8GB variant will cost 499 EUR ($793), which is a pretty good price for a high-end phone, and a bargain for the same phone AND a console. Prices in other countries will vary.

Qisda Corp of Taiwan recently introduce a smartphone that supports IEEE802.16e mobile WiMAX and wireless LAN as well as GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks, and just in case you're hankering for another way to get connected, there's a built-in WiFi module too. The handset uses Windows Mobile 6.1 as an OS. It also supports WiMAX via SIP and VoIP networks as well as voice calls via wireless LAN. Effective WiMAX speed is "about 2Mbps with the current handset, but can be up to 8 to 10Mbps after tuning," a company spokesperson said.