A lot of attention is being given to touch-screen phones these days. Ever since the iPhone was launched, all other manufacturers have got their own variation of large, touch-friendly models. Even BlackBerry, the QWERTY phone specialist, have got their first fully touch-operated phone (BlackBerry Storm) lined up for release soon. Thus, the good ol' hardware QWERTY ones have moved out of the limelight.

While touch-screen phones may be more charming and better at multi-media, they can never replace the accuracy and ease of a buttoned keyboard. Thus when it comes to punching out long e-mails or instant messages to friends on the move, a hardware QWERTY phone can be of benefit to you.

Previously, QWERTY phones would only be seen in the hands of business professionals as the devices had a "more work and less play" functionality. But all that is changing now, we're seeing the new wave of QWERTYs that can work and play equally well. It's almost the end of the year, and if you plan to save and buy a QWERTY phone early next year, here's a list of models for the year 2009 that you should watch out for.

BlackBerry Curve 8900

After BlackBerry's "Bold" appearance (the BlackBerry Bold 9000) this year, the company realized that their "Curve" line of mid-end smart-phones need a major overhaul. And thus, we see the appearance of the Curve 8900. It seems like a cousin of the Bold model, since it borrows many of its design and feature aspects. It does maintain its Curvy profile though. Initial impressions seem to compliment its "awesome" size.

Image courtesy of BoyGeniusReport.com

The Jet-black color, along with the metallic sidings, makes the phone look both professional and classy. The keys seem to be bigger and better positioned than the earlier Curve's small yet workable ones. The screen is packed with 480x320 pixels that deliver a crisp output.

This is an upgrade to the earlier Curve's QVGA (320x240 pixels) resolution displays. Other improvements include a faster processor and more on-board RAM - these are appreciated since the earlier Curve would get a bit laggy at times. Also, BlackBerry had to make sure that their new OS has enough power to run smoothly. That's right, the Curve 8900 will be loaded with the latest v.4.6 OS, which includes visual upgrade and overall tweaks. For instance, the new media player supports DivX, XviD and WMV video files. Also, this could possibly be the first BlackBerry Curve series model to feature both GPS and Wi-Fi.

A surprising upgrade to the Curve 8900 is the 3.2 mega-pixel Auto-Focus camera; even the Bold has a 2MP but a non-AF one. Also, the main thing that differentiates the Curve 8900 from the Bold is its lack of 3G support. The Curve 8900 will be approximately priced between Rs. 25 and 27K, since the higher-segment Bold currently retails for around Rs. 33,000. Given BlackBerry's overpricing in India, we'll probably get this model a lot cheaper in the grey market. It does seem like the Curve 8900 has improved on many counts and will be closely watched by many.