We'd totally expected the long-rumored C721 to bow at CTIA last week (come to think of it, those guys had a pretty weak show all told), but alas, we're still waiting for some sort of confirmation that the thing even exists. The 5 megapixel cameraphone -- which gets blessed with Casio's Exilim branding on account of its relatively serious shooting power -- has now popped up over at BuyWirelessNow under the PCD heading, suggesting that the company will be brokering the deal between Casio and Verizon for the new model as it has done in the past. It's a slightly clearer picture of the phone than we've managed to see in the past, but seriously, it's just five megapixels, guys -- let's get this one out before eight becomes the norm, yeah?

[Via Phone Arena]

It's funny that AT&T would leave the low-cost Quickfire hanging out to dry for this long before pulling it from shelves, but then again, the exact same thing happened with the Glyde over on Verizon a few months back, so we're not surprised. It seems the carrier's would-be Sidekick killer "is not meeting AT&T's minimum performance expectations" -- whatever that means -- and sales reps have been asked to pull all three colors from sale immediately. Customers demanding exchanges are to be offered substitutions, so for the short term, it looks like there may not be a good way to get your Quickfire fix from AT&T directly -- only question is, how long will it be out of commission, and will it matter with a sequel already in the works? Follow the break for the full email!

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Remember how we noted an uncanny resemblance between PCD's TXT8010 -- better known as the Verizon Blitz -- and the TXT8020 revealed at CES this year? Turns out there's a great reason for the similarity: they're both made by Pantech. We've been sent this nifty little graphic showing one of those EV-DO-enabled TXT8020s bearing Pantech branding, and while we still don't know what carriers plan on carrying this sucker, Verizon sure does seem like the perfect fit, doesn't it? More on this bad boy soon, hopefully.

[Thanks, Jeremy]

We guess PCD's deal is that they just don't care about the traditional secrecy surrounding product pipelines. The company -- which does nothing more than run interference between carriers and second-tier manufacturers -- chronically leaks its own gear with booth graphics at trade shows, and now they've casually mentioned that there'll be a "couple" new Sidekicks coming to T-Mobile in 2009. It's about time that Danger and Sharp got together to make one of these things with 3G and / or WiFi, so that'd be cool. Also name-dropped is a new version of the Quickfire for AT&T, which seems a bit odd considering the first version just launched and already features 3G, a big touchscreen, and full QWERTY, so it's a bit unclear what they could bring to the table here. Next year, PCD expects to offer some WinMo- and Linux-based stuff (as always) and roll out some of the first devices packing LTE. PCD, we still don't entirely understand your raison d'être, but if you can seriously give us some LTE gear early next year, you've sold us.

[Via Hiptop3]

PCD has this amazing ability at each and every trade show it attends to show off unreleased gear on giant banners attached to its booth. It's always been unclear to us whether this is intentional or whether they're just trying to stretch their hard-earned dollars by buying a single booth design at the beginning of the year that can last them a full twelve months, but either way, who are we to argue? This time around, the PCD oracle has revealed a couple of trick QWERTY dumphones, the TXT8020 and TXT8021. Looks like these'll succeed the TXT8010 -- which Verizon customers know better as the Blitz -- though it's unclear whether Verizon (or anyone else) intends to actually pick 'em up. Not bad looking for what they are. Follow the break for a better-than-real-life video of the banner!

One of the more interesting devices to hit AT&T's lineup in recent memory -- the PCD-sourced Quickfire -- is getting ready to hit in the next few days, making good on a promise to deliver the 3G Sidekick killer in November. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Quickfire really is a Sidekick killer, but we'll all have an opportunity to find out come November 10 when it launches in three colors for $99 on contract. If you're feeling crazy enough to bypass the commitment, you can pick one up without signing your life away for $299, which still isn't that bad considering that you're getting a touchscreen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and HSDPA.

[Thanks, Kal]

If you're into that whole SMS craze and you're on AT&T, you're in luck -- four times over. The carrier's gone ahead and announced not one, not two, but four QWERTY-equipped dumphones today, including a dual slider and a Pantech being billed as "the world's thinnest device with a full QWERTY keypad."

First up, the Pantech Matrix is available now in your choice of blue or green, with red being added on Thursday, October 16. It slides two ways -- a conventional vertical slide to reveal a numeric keypad, and a second side slider for the full QWERTY action. It's got 3G, AT&T Navigation, Video Share support, and a 1.3-megapixel cam, running $79.99 on contract with rebate. Next, the Samsung Propel apes the i620's industrial design -- but make no mistake, there's no Windows Mobile to be found here. It also does 3G and features the full host of AT&T services, packs a 1.3-megapixel cam, and will run the same $79.99 as the Matrix when it hits in late October in blue, green, red, and white with red accents. Next, the Pantech Slate is pretty appropriately named -- if its claim of being the thinnest QWERTY device in the world ends up holding water, anyway. It'll be available in late October alongside the Propel for $49.99 on contract with a 1.3-megapixel camera, but there's no high-speed data to be found in this sucker. Finally, the long-rumored Quickfire -- you may know it better as the Knick -- will come in November bearing AT&T branding and a Sidekick-esque style that'll likely appeal to the young'uns among us. It's got a touchscreen in addition to a slide-out QWERTY deal, a 1.3-megapixel camera (notice a trend here?), and 3G in your choice of orange, lime, and silver for $99.99 after you've inked up the dotted line.

Well, that mystery didn't take very long to solve. Remember that UTStarcom / PCD-sourced Knick that was getting shown around at some Radio Shack shindig not long ago? It's still very real and very much on the launch docket for AT&T -- but it's now the carrier-branded "Quickfire". Of course, PCD has never been a company to slap its own name on a handset being offered by a network, so the move makes a ton of sense. Right now it's tentatively scheduled to hit stores late this month for $99.99 on a two-year deal in silver, orange, and green, and it looks like it'll support AGPS for those rare instances when you're, say, driving instead of texting.

[Thanks, Kal]

As 3G sliders go, the Shuttle won't rank terribly high on anyone's hot list, but as Virgin Mobile handsets go, specifically -- well, the Shuttle is pure gold. We toyed with it a bit at CTIA, and yeah, okay, it's not going to blow any minds. But if we put on our prepaid hats for just a moment, we can see how this is exactly what the doctor ordered: it's definitely the best-looking and feeling handset in Virgin's lineup, and at the same time, it doesn't come close to encroaching on Helio's higher-end territory. Granted, the 3G support doesn't mean terribly much considering the small screen (and we dare not mention "Virgin" and "tether" in the same sentence), so the Shuttle's gonna have to push units on the strength of its strapping good looks and support for Buddy Beacon. We think it'll manage.

Apparently looking to concentrate its efforts on its network infrastructure businesses, UTStarcom has sold off its Personal Communications Division -- the guys pushing the corporate wares to Virgin Mobile, Verizon, and others in North America -- for $240-plus million to a group of private investors. The new company, creatively named Personal Communications Devices, LLC, will keep on doing the same thing with the very same team in place as before, so this looks to be little more than an exchange of some cash and it's back to business as usual. Phones will still be sourced from the UTStarcom mothership, and if that means we can expect some of the more creative stuff we've been seeing lately like the TXT8010, then it's all good by us.