Entries tagged with “BlackBerry Storm 2” from WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

As we previously suspected, Verizon announced that the BlackBerry Storm2 will go on sale October 28. The BlackBerry Storm2 comes with the latest BlackBerry operating system OS 5.0. The BlackBerry Storm2 features new SurePress "clickable" display technology and built-in Wi-Fi, 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi.

The BlackBerry Storm2 has received good reviews and is an improvement over the first version.  Where it really excells in the email department.  The BlackBerry Browser is improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets.

Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more. First gen BlackBerry Storm owners note OS 5.0 is now also available for BlackBerry Storm first gen users.

We checked the Verizon website today, to see if the Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry Deal is still in effect.  Select BlackBerry smartphones are showing "get a select BlackBerry" for free with a two year contract  It would be great if the new BlackBerry Storm 2 would be included in the deal.

The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone is available beginning Oct. 28 for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Data plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan. There a lot of great apps available for the BlackBerry Storm.

Blogs that publish leaked documents usually don't reveal their sources. The latest rumor which apparently comes from the Verizon employee internal intranet blog shows the "all channel release date" of the BlackBerry Storm 2 to be October 28.

A PDF file that sort-of-looks like a Verizon document hows the price before the Verizon $100 rebate to be $279.99.  That's a twenty dollar drop from the first gen BlackBerry Storm when it was released later than it's original release date in November, last year. Stores are reportedly receiving their launch kits on October 24.

In forums, members are reporting the Verizon managers have gotten email notification of October 28 as the launch date.

Untrue rumors suggested that there would be some kind of Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 announcement today. Unfortunately a release date has not be officially release.  We do now know that the Verizon BlackBerry2 release must be soon because non-working show-models are showing up at Best Buy stores and Verizon stores.

Now, the predictors think the BlackBerry Storm2 will go on sale in early November.  There were reports of it showing up on the Verizon website which we couldn't find.

The BlackBerry Storm2 interactive user guide is now available on the RIM website, it has animated turn pages. It shows how to use the SureType (two letters per key) in portrati mode. MultiTap only works in portrait mode you can hold down the shift key and tap the letter key key to capitalize words. It shows you how to perform the funcitons on the BlackBerry Storm2.

Reviewers liked the improvements over the first gen BlackBerry Storm and the addition of Wi-Fi.  Everything is faster and the touchscreen keyboard is much more responsive.

BlackBerry Storm2 Rated 4 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News' Review of Reviews

The first reviews are showing up for the BlackBerry Storm2 and they are better than first BlackBerry Storm. Reviews range from rave (telling people to get in line) to suggesting that competitors are more full-featured.

The top-notch touchscreen is much more precise and better. The operating system is more responsive and faster than on the first gen BlackBerry Storm.  Most reviewers liked the addition of Wi-Fi and the excellent call quality. The camera was rated from good to dark. The operating system was called snappy. Voice quality was superb.

Most reviewers found the browser faster but some thought it was not as good as iPhone or Webkit browsers.  Note: The BOLT browser is super-fast and loved by BlackBerry Storm users.

Where the BlackBerry Storm excels in in the email department because of BlackBerry's enterprise email heritage.  Multimedia also functions well and you can sync with iTunes. The speakers are solid.

The price has not been set yet for the BlackBerry Storm2 which could make a difference in your buying decision. Here's where you may want to take it for a test drive. It has also been rumored that it will part of the Verizon Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry which may or may not end as scheduled October 21.    

If you look at the specs for the BlackBerry Storm first gen and the BlackBerry Storm2, there’s not a great difference. However, reviewers are starting to say that there is a big difference in style, the new BlackBerry Storm2 is sleeker, fixes touch functions flaws and battery life is decent.

Verizon’s Lowell McAdam showed the BlackBerry Storm2 to students who loved it.  Reports suggest that the BlackBerry Storm2 will go on sale some time around October 20.

The chart of of the different models of the BlackBerry Storm First Gen and BlackBerry Storm2 follows the ad below (continue reading,)

According to the New York Times, Lowell McAdam has been carrying around his very own BlackBerry Storm2.  While in a Verizon Store in New York City, he showed his BlackBerry Storm2 to some NYU students.

""I let them play with the second-generation Storm device," he said. "They came back and said 'Oh, my gosh.' They were very excited. This is what they hoped the original Storm should be."

The BlackBerry Storm2 has been rumored to go on sale at Verizon on October 21, October 25 or October 28. 

The BlackBerry Storm2 is full touchscreen phone and expected to have a new "cool" touch interface with feedback.  The BlackBerry Storm 2 wil have 2 GB of on-device storage, and come bundled with a 16 GB removable memory card.

Berry Rocks received a leaked Verizon flyer that shows that the Verizon Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry offer will include the new BlackBerry Storm2, note that is no space between the name and number.  The same number systems that is used for HTC Touch Pro2.

Also shown on the flyer are the BlackBerry Tour, BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Curve Flip.

The BlackBerry Storm2 is rumored to go on sale at Verizon around October 21. From previous news the Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry Deal is scheduled to end on October 22. Mmmmn maybe the deal will be for one day only.  Verizon seldm lets the press know plans, so use your own best guestimate.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 is expected have 2 GB of on-device storage, and come bundled with a 16 GB removable memory card. Improvements to the BlackBerry Storm include a better more responsive touchscreen, an updated BlackBerry OS 5.0. The BlackBerry Storm 2 will also have GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and be a world phone.

Checking the rumor mill today, it appears the BlackBerry Storm 2 will be available in a few weeks from an unconfirmed source.  The rumored that leaked from Verizon is that the BlackBerry Storm 2 will be available on October 21 on a Wednesday.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 is expected have 2 GB of on-device storage, and come bundled with a 16 GB removable memory card. Improvements to the BlackBerry Storm include a better more responsive touchscreen, an updated BlackBerry OS 5.0. The BlackBerry Storm 2 will also have GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and be a world phone .

From across the pond the BlackBerry Storm 2 is expected at Vodaphone next week.  No matter whom you trust, the BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming out soon and we are sure that it will be a popular smartphone for our readers.

An anonymous videographer, who doesn't show his face, has made video about the BlackBerry Storm 2, which new reports show should be out in October of this year from Veriozn.

The person who posted the video claims he doesn't know who made the video. It is obvious that the person is from the east coast, most likely New York or New Jersey, maybe you accent catcher, out there can figure out exactly where he is from.

He uses yellow sticky notes to illustrate how the BlackBerry Storm 2 works along with a household dish sponge.

Here's what the video shows about the BlackBerry Storm 2.

• The BlackBerry Storm 2 is 100% touchscreen with no extra buttons on the front.
  
• Verizon will offer the BlackBerry Storm 9550 and it will come in CDMA.
• The BlackBerry Storm 2 9520 is a GSM smartphone.
  
• Wi-Fi will be included.
• The biggest improvement is the touchscreen, the screen doesn't move side to side like the first BlackBerry Storm.
• There's no wait for the screen to pop-up after pressing. 
• Piezo technology makes the screen more precise (like pushing on a sponge.)
• It also has multitouch which is like using the keys on keyboard that doesn't exist and very easy to use.
• It feels like an actual keyboard.
• The BlackBerry Storm 2 is much better for texting and typing than the iPhone and very responsive.

Someone on YouTube has shot a video of the new BlackBerry Storm 2. It looks a lot like the previous BlackBerry Storm and reportedly has Wi-Fi.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 in the video has a 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera, backlit buttons and screen-lock when the phone is off. The operating system is much faster with much more memory than the first BlackBerry Storm..  It appears to have a good speaker and music playing ability. The BlackBerry Storm 2 is very responsive.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 will be a world phone and be able to access GSM networks.

Rumors suggest the BlackBerry Storm 2 will run on the BlackBerry 5.--- operating system. The BlackBerry Storm 2 should also have all the features of the BlackBerry Storm such as GPS, microSD, and Bluetooth.

The Sprint Music Store reported its biggest single day ever, with 25 percent of the tracks sold belonging to Michael Jackson on Friday. Sprint Music Store sales have increased 21 percent on average since news of Jackson's death Thursday.

The week before his death, Jackson ranked 80^th in Sprint Music Store sales. Since he died, he's catapulted to No. 1. The most popular downloaded tracks are "Billie Jean" and "Thriller," both from the 1982 blockbuster album "Thriller." In addition, Jackson ringtones constituted 28 percent of total sales on Friday. Top three ringtones are "Thriller," "P.Y.T." and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."

If customers aren't sure which Jackson songs they want, then they can turn to Sprint Radio, which is offering a Michael Jackson bonus stream through the end of July. The "Who's Bad" radio stream is available for any customer with a basic data plan and access to Sprint TV. The stream includes not only Jackson's vast collection of songs, but also tracks from his early years with the Jackson 5. It also includes songs from performers inspired by his legacy, including sister Janet Jackson and Fall Out Boy featuring John Mayer doing a cover of "Beat It."

Taylor Swift Fearless 2009 Tour will offer a number of exclusive interactive activities solely for Verizon Wireless customers. She will perform at Bishop Ireton H.S., there will a context, exclusive songs will be available and fans will perform on the big green screen.
 
One of Swift’s tour stops will be Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va. for a private concert.  Students won the campus concert by participating in the Verizon Wireless Taylor Swift High School contest and having the highest number of qualified entries of the thousands of participating high schools.
 
The exclusive interactive elements of Taylor Swift’s Fearless 2009 Tour include:

•  xt2Win Contest: Verizon Wireless customers who text “TS” to “8607” will be automatically entered for a chance to win two tickets to see Taylor Swift in concert. Winners will receive their tickets in the form of a bar coded mobile ticket sent to their Verizon Wireless handset and good for the entry of two fans.  Mobile ticket winners will have priority access to the show through a VIP Mobile ticketing entrance. To enter for free, visit www.vzwrules.com/ts.
• Exclusive Taylor Swift music:  Swift will create exclusive music straight from the private on-site Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus.  Fans will be able to download these exclusive tunes over the air to their mobile phones using Verizon Wireless V CAST Music with Rhapsody.
  
• Green screen fun: Fans can become virtual video stars at every show.  With the assistance of green screen technology, fans will appear as if they are performing on stage with Swift as she performs her hit songs “Love Story” and “Picture to Burn.” Video clips of the green screen performances  will be sent to participants’ mobile phones to share with friends.

At CTIA WIRELESS 2009, Verizon Wireless announced it is adding more than 5 million MP3s to its online media store.

Verizon claims that they are the first telecommunications company in the United States to bring MP3s to customers in its online media store. The music can be played on their computers or any MP3-capable devices, including sideloading to Verizon Wireless music-capable handsets.

Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless, said, "Being the first wireless company to add MP3s to our online media store gives our customers a one-stop shopping experience for all kinds of music - ringtones and ringback tones and now MP3s. We have long led in mobile music, and together with the new pricing options we will continue to set the standard for the industry."

Verizon Wireless has tiered pricing for MP3s purchased online which is

• $1.29 for new releases and best-selling releases;
• 99 cents for most major contemporary releases;
• 69 cents for most classic catalog releases.

. Prices for ringtones and ringback tones remain unchanged.

Music discovery service,Shazam says that since September 2008, Shazam has grown from 20 million users to 35 million worldwide, with over a million tracks now being tagged every day across the world.

Shazam, already deployed by 75 carriers across 60 countries, was recently voted as the Best App Ever for 2008 on the iPhone (downloadable from the Apple App Store), and was also one of the most popular applications on the day that the Android Market launched.

Andrew Fisher, Shazam's CEO said: "Shazam has become a worldwide phenomenon and we have made significant progress in making music recognition ubiquitous on mobile phones. With consumers tagging an average of ten tracks a month, we're confident that this exponential growth of end-user adoption will continue throughout 2009 with an anticipated 50 million Shazamers before the end of the year."

Cricket and LiveWire launched Mobile Music, allowing Cricket customers to download songs directly to their wireless devices and/or personal computers with a special Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em promotion “Kiss Me Thru the Phone.”

Customers can search music by artist, album, song and genre to purchase tracks and download them directly to their Cricket phone for $1.99 each, or receive three download credits for a $5 monthly charge. Songs are available online at www.mycricket.com for $.99 each and customers can use Cricket’s Music Manager software to sideload the tracks to their mobile phone, or buy two copies of each song, one for their PC and one for their phone for $2.25 per song.

To kick-off the new Mobile Music offering, Cricket has partnered with Grammy-nominated artist and record producer Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em for a multifaceted promotion featuring his new hit single “Kiss Me Thru the Phone.”

Pandora is now be available for free on compatible Sprint mobile phones with at data plan. The service will be supported by audio advertising.

Users enter a song or artist that they like, and within seconds, Pandora delivers a personalized radio station with a continuous stream of songs that fit the same sound and style.

The songs are selected based on the Music Genome Project, Pandora's proprietary system that utilizes highly trained musicians to analyze songs one at a time. These musicians measure hundreds of different musical qualities for each recording, including every detail of

Pandora on Sprint phones is integrated seamlessly with the online version of Pandora. Up to 100 stations can be saved in a user's account, and they can be enjoyed online at http://www.pandora.com and on Sprint phones. Sprint customers can also create new stations directly on their phones through an easy-to-use interface.

Music discovery service Shazam, has increased its music database from six to eight million tracks.  Shazam users are now able to access a broader range of music.

The claim they have the largest collection of the most important long tail undiscovered music gems and hot pre-release future hit records.

Will Mills, Head of Music, Shazam comments: "This increase in our database cements Shazam's position as the leading mobile music discovery service in the world. With our strong music alliances we gain access to the most relevant music well before many other music services, which ensures users can discover popular and niche music all over the globe.

For more information please visit www.shazam.com

Over 10 millionth Song ID applications have been downloaded by Verizon Wireless phones. Song ID is a free application that lets users  identify songs they hear  by holding their wireless phone up to the source of music. Then the application finds the name and artist in a few seconds. The top song IDed contains sex references and the "n" word.

Verizon Wireless customers will be able to download Beyonce content from her new album "I AM... SASHA FIERCE" days before its Nov. 18 release date.

 On Friday, Nov. 14, Verizon Wireless customers will be able to download and purchase select full tracks including: "Halo," "Satellites," "Broken-Hearted Girl," "Ave Maria," "Sweet Dreams," "Video Phone" and the current single, "If I Were A Boy." Today, Verizon Wireless customers can download and purchase as ringtones or ringback tones all those songs plus, "Disappear," "Radio," "Diva" as well as Beyoncé's current single, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," all before the album drops next week.

 Beyoncé said, "I am happy to have my music available to my fans exclusively on V CAST through Verizon. There are songs here that are so special to me and really tell the story of my life and songs that are just about fun, dancing and celebrating."

Verizon will also send a video MMS message with a personalized message from Beyoncé directly to select subscribers, enabling them to be the first to download and purchase ringtones, ringback tones and full songs from her entire album. Fans can also text "BEYONCE" to 8901 to download the exclusive titles directly to their mobile phones.

Thumbplay is offering a full-service digital music store,  where users can wirelessly download-- DRM-free songs directly to select MP3-enabled phones or to PCs.

So far, Thumbplay has the  rights to more than 1.5 million songs from major labels including Universal Music Group and EMI Music, and from independent digital music providers The Orchard and INgrooves. More offering will be announced soon.

Their News release states:

"With access to music through both the Thumbplay web and mobile sites, customers now receive the instant gratification of fast, easy song downloading from any location. "

Thumbplay's MP3 downloads are .99¢ per song through monthly subscriptions. For $9.99 per month, Thumbplay customers are given 10 credits to be used toward any content on the service; MP3s are one credit, or .99¢ each. The value to new customers is even greater, as they automatically receive 10 bonus credits in their first month of service.