Verizon Wireless is offering the Samsung Omnia smartphone with a touchscreen and Windows Mobile 6.1. The Omnia includes Samsung's TouchWiz to personalize the device. The Samsung Omnia includes a QWERTY keyboard, a camera, Wi-Fi and an FM radio. An analyst said the Omnia shows the diversity possible with Windows Mobile.

On Wednesday, Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America brought the Samsung Omnia to market for the holiday shopping season. The newest Samsung device offers a touchscreen, a customizable user interface, and Windows Mobile 6.1 capabilities.

"The Omnia is an interesting device that further demonstrates the tremendous set of choices for consumers looking for high-end or high-feature phones for the holiday season," said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia. "It also demonstrates the diversity of the Windows Mobile device ecosystem."

An All-In-One Smartphone

Verizon is billing the Omnia as an all-in-one smartphone with state-of-the-art features, including Samsung's TouchWiz user interface. TouchWiz offers widgets that let users customize and personalize the way they use the phone by using icons to offer one-touch access to customers' favorite and most commonly used applications and features.

The Omnia also has a full on-screen QWERTY keyboard for text messaging, mobile IM, and e-mail messages. The haptic feedback on the touchscreen provides subtle vibrations to confirm selections. And an optical mouse provides easy navigation with finger swipes. It supports the Opera 9.5 Mobile browser.

A true multimedia phone, the Omnia has a 5.0-megapixel camera with digital zoom and power LED flash, a camcorder, stereo Bluetooth wireless , and Wi-Fi. An FM radio is built into the device.

While the BlackBerry Storm, the T-Mobile G1 Android-based phone, and Apple's iPhone 3G may be the ultimate winners this holiday shopping season, analysts said there is room for Windows Mobile-based devices like the Omnia.

Differentiated Windows

With Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, Omnia users can tap into Microsoft Outlook Mobile to stay connected to e-mail, schedules and contacts that can be synchronized over the air. Office Mobile enhances productivity with the ability to manage Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the smartphone.

Windows Mobile 6.1 also enables access to Verizon's VZAppZone, where consumers can download games, ringtones, wallpapers and other digital media like the VZ Navigator, which gives users visual and audible directions. While Windows Mobile is found on many of today's smartphones, Gartenberg said vendors are proving its diversity.

Spinning Windows Mobile

"With Windows Mobile you are dealing with a standard operating system, so handset manufacturers want some degree of diversity in order to stand out from their competitors," Gartenberg said.

Gartenberg pointed to HTC and Sony Ericsson, which have each put their spin on Windows Mobile. Samsung's approach is highlighted with the TouchWiz widgets. While Google's Android mobile platform promises the ability for similar diversity, Windows Mobile is offering that diversity now.

"The Omnia underscores the power of the Windows Mobile platform," Gartenberg said. "We continue to see handset manufacturers leveraging the strength of the platform and putting their own spin on things."

Verizon Wireless has priced the Samsung Omnia at $249.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.