BlackBerry OS? iPhone OS? Symbian OS? These are all perfectly viable mobile platforms, but they still don’t offer the same kind of utility that you’d be able to extract from a true desktop operating system. That’s why ITG has decided to create a new smartphone that is powered by a full build of Windows XP. That’s right. It’s ditching that whole Windows Mobile nonsense.

The appropriately named xpPhone comes from In Technology Group (ITG) of China and it really does run a complete version of Windows XP. This phone was on display at Computex a few months ago, but it seems that ITG is now ready to take preorders on the potentially groundbreaking device.

As you may or may not recall, the ITG xpPhone comes with a 4.8-inch touchscreen, slide-out QWERTY keyboard (strangely complete with a numeric keypad), integrated GPS, an AMD Super Mobile processor, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G connectivity, 1.3MP camera, and VGA output. Looking at the pre-order page, you can take your choice of 3G, including a version that is happy with AT&T’s HSDPA/HSUPA.

Given the massive display and the bulky slide-out keyboard, the ITG xpPhone is anything but small. You can probably expect it to be about the same size as something like the Nokia Internet tablets, so I’m not sure how much “phone” use you’ll be getting out of it.

ITG hasn’t come forward with an official release date or pricing yet, but you can place a pre-order and hope for the best. I guess they’re taking a “wait and see” approach.

Source: Gizmodo