As we suspected, Verizon Wireless' BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone will be available to order online  beginning June 3 and in Verizon Wireless  Stores beginning June 10.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is considered an update to the BlackBerry Tour and at one point was going to be named the BlackBerry Tour2. The BlackBerry Bold 9650 has a QWERTY keyboard, 512 Flash memory which is double previous model, microSDHC (expandable to 32 Gb, 2 gigabytes included) 3.2 Megapixel camera, 3.5 mm audio jack, 480 x 360 245ppi display, Bluetooth, GPS, voice dialing, and speaker phone. The model has a keyboard similar to the BlackBerry Tour 9630 with the trackball replaced by a trackpad.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is the first global phone from Verizon Wireless to support GlobalAccess Connect, to tether the BlackBerry Bold to a notebook or netbook and use it as a modem for wireless Internet access in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Verizon is also selling the Samsung Intensity a feature phone with advanced messaging capabilities such as Mobile IM; text, picture and voice messaging with threaded messaging feature; Mobile Email; and the Mobile Web browser.

Samsung Intensity Features.

• Available in a Charcoal Grey color in all sales channels and available in Flamingo Red online only at Verizon.
• 2.1-inch display with horizontal slide-out four-row QWERTY keypad with dedicated Messaging key and Favorites key for easily texting and calling friends and family.
• Mobile Web browser for Internet access.
• Music player.

Verizon is now selling the Samsung Rogue is a messaging phone with a  with a horizontal slide-out, four-row QWERTY keyboard. The Samsung Rogue has threaded messaging and one-touch access to popular social networking widgets, including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and Photobucket.

The Samsung Rogue also features speech functions powered by Nuance to launch and control a variety of applications and services with voice commands as well as dictate text messages.

Verizon will be offering a lot of smartphones in the upcoming months, in around six months. Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam revealed plans during a Barclays Capital conference in New York.

He gave a tour of what to expect from Verizon in the upcoming months. Almost every style make and of smartphone is represented RIM, Palm, Motorola and unannounced Android smartphone maker. Apple and the iPhone are of course not mentioned.

"Over the next six months or so, you will see devices like the Palm Pre and the Cousin on our network from Palm. You will see a second-generation Storm. You will see a new device we call the Tour from BlackBerry as well. That is an upscale of any other QWERTY-based devices that we have from BlackBerry today. You'll see Motorola back into our portfolio. We feel very good about the progress that the Motorola team has made. And, yes, you're going to see Android devices as well."

Notice he is more careful in his wording, he said "like" before Palm Pre. Maybe they may not be introducing the Palm Pre exactly just its cousin/sister the the Palm Pixie Eos Castle Mini-Pre or other cute name.

Other interesting information McAdam reported:

• Approximately 41 percent of first-quarter device direct sales were smartphones.
• Verizon is "very encouraged by the kind of uptake" that the carrier's first netbook.
• Verzion is going to move very quickly to deploy LTE with apps ready to go.

MiFi 2200 (Verizon) Rated 4.5 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News Review of Reviews

There seldom comes a device that when we see the description the whole staff says, "I want one!"  The MiFi 2200 from Verizon is one of those devices that is highly coveted by tech fans because you can get Wi-Fi internet access wherever the Verizon 3G cloud exists and you can share the internet connection with up to five devices.

The MiFi 2200 has a rechargeable battery that is rated to last four hours. It is about the size of a credit card case and will fit in a pocket or purse. Speeds have been reported to be as good as or better than other wireless broadband modems.

We started using a MiFi 2200 wireless broadband modem with a router that creates a Wi-Fi cloud, this morning and so far it looks excellent. We noticed more neat features of the MiFi 2200  than found by other reviews. It can used as a USB modem on computers that don't have a Wi-Fi connection. So when our broadband connection went out today, we were able to use the MiFi 2200 as a wireless USB broadband modem. Previously, we had to use dial-up as backup. Our full review will appear after testing.

All in all, reviewers were enthusiastic about the MiFi 2200, calling it "broadband done right"  "remarkable" and "drop-dead awesome."

Reviewers were "wowed" by the MiFi 2200 and praised its speed, ease of use, range, and sleek styling.  The MiFi 2200 offers download speeds on a notebook computer up to 2.6 Mbps and excellent iPhone connections. VoIP and Skype call quality was excellent.  Video and audio files streamed quickly and easily. The only downside to the device is the battery life is not long enough for power users who want always on access to last forever.

The MiFi 2200 will be available online and in stores May 17, for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' Verizon online coupon-link you will get the rebate instantly with an online purchase. Service plans are $39.99 monthly access for 250 MB monthly allowance and 10 cents per megabyte overage or$59.99 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance and 5 cents per megabyte overage.

Customers can get DayPass for $15 for 24-hour access when the MiFi 2200 is purchased at full retail price without a monthly service plan.

We're still arguing over who gets to use the MiFI 2200, which lead our editor to pun, "Me-oh-my, I want my MiFi and I want it now!"

To which I quipped, "Let's all share it with Wi-Fi."

To read summaries of the reviews we reviewed continue reading.

Note: I wrote half of this "Review of Reviews" using the MiFi on a notebook computer via Wi-Fi and on a desktop computer using the MiFi as a USB modem without a glitch, except for a few spelling errors.

Verizon is now offering the Samsung Trance, a music-centric phone with touchpad navigation and enhanced audio quality backed by Bang & Olufsen's ICEpower amp. The slider Samsung Trance has 1GB of internal memory(expandable to 32 GB with microSD), answers to voice commands, has access to the mobile web and V CAST.

The Samsung Trance from Verizon also has A-GPS,  a 1.2 megapixel camera and MMS. It comes in Piano Black and Electric Red.

Verizon Wireless has priced the Samsung Trance at $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement or you can use the Wireless and Mobile News' coupon-link Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase and you don't have to wait for the rebate, the rebate is deducted from your order.

So what would be the best of possible input worlds? A combo touchscreen phone, that's small but when you you want it, you can attach a QWERTY keyboard, which you may or may not take with you. The LG Versa is an LG Dare with an attachable keyboard that goes on sale on March 1 from Verizon and could be the kind of phone that solves the data input dilemma.

 

Depending on text-ability, users can either attach the QWERTY keypad to their phones or leave the keypad at home. The LG Versa screen has an animated 3D interface that customers can customize.

The built-in accelerometer rotates the screen automatically from portrait to landscape, and customers can use rotation movements to steer games.  The HTML web browser includes Flash and RSS feed support, and customers can keep up to three windows open and switch from one window to the other to view pages.  It has a 2 megapixel camera, 3 inch LCD touchscreen, and can be tethered as a modem.

 

Additionally, the LG Versa comes packed with Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music with Rhapsody and V CAST Video services. 

 

V CAST Video allows customers to download or stream video from the best names in news, sports, entertainment and more.

Verizon's Samsung Omnia Rated 3.5 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News Review of Reviews

The Verizon Samsung Omnia  is a full haptic touchscreen Windows Mobile Professional smartphone with lots of features including 3G access, push email, GPS, Microsoft document editing, multimedia player, 5 megapixel camera, video recorder and Wi-Fi.

Reviews were mixed over the addition of the Samsung TouchWiz widget on top of the Windows Mobile interface on the Samsung Omnia. Because it is a touchscreen smartphone, the user has to adapt to the interface. You can use a stylus for functions, but there is no holder to keep the stylus in the Samsung Omnia.

Two reviewers noted the outstanding quality of the camera and concluded that the Samsung Omnia was a tad faster and better choice than the BlackBerry Storm smartphone. While the Samsung Omnia screen is not as brilliant than the BlackBerry Storm screen.

All reviewers thought the call quality was excellent with one commenting it was close to landline-quality.  The Samsung Omnia comes with 8 gigabytes of storage and you can add a 16 gigabyte microSD card. 

This smartphone has been very popular and Samsung announced at Mobile World Congress that they will be making a Samsung Omnia HD which may be why Verizon dropped the price of the Samsung Omnia to $99 when you use the Wireless Mobile News' direct coupon-link Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase. That's a lot of phone for a little money. Wirefly has also lowered its price for the Samsung Omnia which costs $99 for new customers with a contract and free FedEx shipping. Don't forget, Wirefly also offers on all cell phone purchases or upgrades a free Bluetooth headset phone purchase or upgrade. Use coupon WIREFLYBT23 at checkout, offer expires March 31.

Verizon is pushing its push-to-talk services with the new push-to-talk phone the Verizon Wireless clam shell CDM8975. The phone, developed by Personal Communications Devices, provides customers with fast two-way communication and will be available online by March 9.

The Verizon Wireless CDM8975 uses Verizon Wireless' Push to Talk service through the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) network.

The Verizon Wireless CDM8975 also supports VZ Navigato fro audible turn-by-turn maps, directions and millions of data points that can help business customers locate their offsite meeting locations quickly and even share their maps with colleagues.

It also has Bluetooth technology, a 1.3 megapixel digital camera with video recording capabilities, voice commands, voice activated dialing, and a stereo speaker. Customers can stay entertained on a long commute or a business trip with Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music with Rhapsody and V CAST Video services. 

The Verizon Wireless CDM8975 is available for $99.99 after a $50  rebate and a new two-year customer agreement.  Corporate discount pricing is available. Verizon Wireless customers can add Unlimited Push to Talk for $5 per month, per line to any Nationwide voice plan.

Don't forget to use to use Wireless and Mobile News' direct coupon-link Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate to come in the mail.

To honor Black History Month and to celebrate Motown's 50th anniversary, Verizon's V CAST Music will offer exclusive sets of Motown hits each week. The first will be Motown Icons. Motown for Lovers will be available in line with Valentine's Day, followed by Motown Number Ones and then the Ladies of Motown. There is also a contest to win a trip to see the Temptations.

A sampling of the full-track songs coming to V CAST Music during Black History Month are familiar favorites such as "Shop Around," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Please Mr. Postman," "ABC" and "I Second that Emotion."

More full-track songs from artists, including The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Commodores, The Four Tops and The Temptations from Motown's early years to songs from other hitmakers such as Boyz II Men and the Jackson 5, will be available for download and purchase through V CAST Music - either over-the-air or on a desktop computer.

Use V CAST Song ID and be Entered for a Chance to Win a Trip to See The Temptations

Throughout February, customers who use V CAST Song ID to identify any Motown recording will be entered for a chance to win a fly-away trip to see The Temptations in Las Vegas. Participants can also enter for a chance to win via text messaging or for free online. For more information about the sweepstakes and to view all the exclusive content, go to www.verizonwireless.com/blackhistory or www.vzwrules.com/Motown.

Microsoft  Live Search will be preinstalled as the default search engine on Verizon mobile phones..  Verizon Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg  said that the deal will be announced during Steve Ballmer's speech, at the Consumer Electronics Show,  later today.

Users will be able to download a Live Search software package to their mobile phones that gives them the ability to check traffic,  look at  movie times and shop online.

Last fall, the Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft would share ad revenue with Verizon and most likely guarantee payments to the Verizon of $550 million to $650 million over five years, or twice of what Google offered.

It was previously reported that Microsoft was negotiating to put its Windows Mobile operating system on more Verizon devices. The combined deals were estimate to totalt $1 billion for Verizon.

Readers of Global Traveler magazine selected Verizon Wireless as providing the world's best wireless service. This is the second time Verizon has won the honor.

The survey, now in its fifth year, gives Global Traveler readers the chance to voice their opinions on the best in many categories of business and luxury travel.

Verizon was the only wireless carrier to be recognized by the magazine. Verizon offers a number of international solutions for customers whose business or leisure travel takes them to points around the globe. The Global Travel Program works for the occasional or infrequent global traveler who needs to stay connected to home and the office.

Existing Verizon Wireless customers traveling in a GSM country for less than 21 days can receive a global device for short-term use. A nominal shipping fee applies, but there are no daily rental fees or security deposits with this program.

The rumor mill around the BlackBerry Storm, when updates would be available and what update works with what version of the BlackBerry Storm can be quite befuddling. Therefore today, we'd like to review what updates are available for the  BlackBerry Storm, today.

In the U.S,  Verizon BlackBerry Storm owners have quite few options:

Starting on Monday, users who downloaded an update from the RIM BlackBerry Storm update  website, if they checked the right boxes could get version 4.7.0.75. Some BlackBerry Forum members were able to complete  the update successfully while some reloaded the OS they already had and lost data. Previous to the updates launched by BlackBerry, CrackBerry leaked it.

"THE WORD'S FIRST TOUCHSCREEN BLACKBERRY.

WHAT WILL IT FEEL LIKE?

The BlackBerry Storm
Coming Soon.

exclusively from Verizon Wirless

Says the full page ads for the BlackBerry Storm in the local weekly hip newspapers in Los Angeles, making us think that more media is coming soon too, with some surprises including maybe a price shocker such as offering the BlackBerry Storm for FREE...

Last Wednesday, there was big party in Hollywood at the Avalon attended cast members of 90210 and John Mayer with a concert by the Foo Fighters.

Fortune Magazine suggests that the BlackBerry Storm might just be free for Verizon customers, following the lead of Vodaphone that will give the BlackBerry Storm away for FREE with certain contracts.

Many analysts think the BlackBerry Storm will be heavily subsidized and because the iPhone now starts at $199, it should be lower than that. Reviewers who have been able to test the smartphone are amazed at the screen's brilliance but find the tactile clickable touchscreen keyboard takes time to get used to and well if users get it free they may just find it feels better than an iPhone. Then those Google G1 phone fanatics who create controversy in selling phones at Wal-Mart will really be incensed.

Verizon Wireless is now offering  Field Force Manager, an all-in-one mobile resource management solution to help mobile business customers reduce operational costs and increase productivity, for MOTO Q 9c, BlackBerry Curve 8330 and BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphone, with more available later this year.

The Field Force Manager provides complete management control in near real-time by allowing the main office to

• Locate remote employees;
• Schedule and dispatch jobs;
• Receive fleet, job and employee reports.

Remote employees using Field Force Manager on their supported smartphone can

• Submit timecards, customer and job status information to the business office.
• Get turn-by-turn driving directions to new jobs.

Starting at $15.00 per month, Field Force Manager from Verizon Wireless is available with unlimited e-mail on BlackBerryInternet Service or Windows Mobile 6.1. www.verizonwireless.com

ChangeWave Research has good news for Verizon, it does have the lowest dropped calls. According to  ChangeWave's latest cell phone survey of 2,883 U.S. consumers, completed September 18, 2008--- Verizon subscribers report that - on average - just 2.7% of their calls were dropped over the past 90 days, nearly a percentage point better than AT&T (3.6%), their closest competitor.

Sprint/Nextel (4.4%) and T-Mobile (4.5%) were third and fourth.

One-in-five Verizon users (20%) say they didn't experience ANY dropped calls over the past three months, compared to 18% for T-Mobile, 17% for AT&T, and 10% for Sprint/Nextel.

Verizon Wireless sis launching m.vcast.com, a new site that brings  V CAST Video content to the mobile web.  With m.vcast.com, customers can sample what V CAST Video has to offer by watching clips of the latest content added to the site.

Leveraging the streaming video capability of the HTML Web browser on select handsets and the growing popularity of mobile video, m.vcast.com allows customers to browse content by category, channel or show, then watch and share that video with their friends and other wireless users.  Customers can create a username and account, which gives them the ability to access and share other content and Web sites, including the social networking site Twitter. 

The Chicago Sun Times reported that Verizon has reached a deal with the Chicago Transit Authority to offer services in Chicago subway tunnels.

CTA workers will be able to access Verizon's tunnel service by the end of August but not time frame was reported to Verizon customers.

As we promised, early in April we have updated the Review of the Reviews for the LG enV2 enV(2) VX9100 from Verizon. The enV (2) will be released April 30,2008.

 Verizon Wireless E-mail and Web for Smartphone, available today, offers customers a host of features including an unlimited data allowance for e-mail and Internet browsing.

The plan supports up to 10 personal e-mail accounts, including those from popular Internet service providers such as Yahoo!® Mail, AOL®, Windows Live and Verizon.net. Customers will enjoy e-mail provider branded inboxes on select accounts creating a familiar, convenient and easy-to-use e-mail experience.

“Customers using E-mail and Web on their Smartphones can use these tools to stay on top of news from their favorite Internet sites or remotely and seamlessly interact with friends or clients via e-mail,” said Robert Miller, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Customers will enjoy the convenience of using one device for personal e-mail and Internet browsing.”

E-mail and Web for Smartphone is available for $29.99 monthly access with a qualifying voice plan through business sales channels, at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City.

The plan is currently available on the Verizon Wireless SMT5800; the Verizon Wireless XV6800 and the MOTO Q9m. Other devices will be added within the next few months. An E-mail and Web for BlackBerry plan is currently available.