Verizon

A new high-speed USB modem, USB760, will be joining the Verizon Wireless lineup this December.  The USB760 is a 3G-capable modem which is compatible with Verizon’s high-speed EVDO network and features an internal antenna for a sleek style.  Beyond styling what really separates the USB760 from other USB modems is a microSD memory card slot for memory expansion.

At the moment the USB760 modem is only available to Verizon’s business customers, but on December 1st we will see a nationwide roll out.  The USB760 is priced at $99.99 on a 2-year commitment after Mail-In Rebate.

Laura Magnuson of South Dakota is the Verizon Wireless customer who downloaded the 10 millionth Song ID application to her Verizon Wireless phone. Song ID is a free application that lets consumers quickly identify songs they hear simply by holding their wireless phones up to the source of music, then letting the application find the name and artist – generally in fewer than 10 seconds.

“I’m a big music fan, and I use Song ID a lot, especially when I hear a new song and want to know what it is right away. Song ID automatically sends me an e-mail so I have a reminder of the song and can decide if I want to buy it,” said Magnuson. “I’ve used Song ID for a while, and it’s one of the first things I download when I get a new phone,” she added.

Since the application launched in May 2007, Verizon Wireless customers have requested more than 100 million titles using Song ID. Ed Ruth, director of Digital Music at Verizon, announced the milestones at the Billboard Touring Conference and Awards, taking place this week in New York City.

“Music is all around us, and Song ID is a simple, quick and fun way to help our customers find and identify the music they love or the new music they just heard,” Ruth said. “On average, more than 18,000 of Verizon Wireless’ more than 70 million customers have downloaded Song ID to their handsets every day. That’s a whole lot of music.”

Once a song is identified, Song ID determines whether the song is available as a ringtone or ringback tone on VZW Tones or as a full track on V CAST Music; then customers can immediately purchase that song in any available format. Over the past few months, the top 10 identified songs that have been downloaded as ringtones are:

• Whatever You Like (T.I.)
• Lollipop (Lil Wayne)
• Paper Planes (M.I.A.)
• Addicted (Saving Abel)
• Paralyzer (Finger Eleven)
• Independent (Webbie)
• I Luv Your Girl (The-Dream)
• Crank That and Tell’Em (Soulja Boy)
• Sexy Can I (Ray J featuring Yung Berg)
• Fall For You (Secondhand Serenade)

The top 10 songs identified, downloaded and purchased as ringback tones are:

• Whatever You Like (T.I.)
• Addicted (Saving Abel)
• Paper Planes (M.I.A.)
• I Luv Your Girl (The-Dream)
• Fall for You (Secondhand Serenade)
• Lollipop (Lil Wayne)
• Apologize (Timbaland)
• I’m Yours (Jason Mraz)
• Suffocate (J. Holiday)
• Independent (Webbie)

V CAST Song ID can identify millions of songs from genres ranging from the latest chart toppers to ‘80s rock classics. When the phone is placed near a music source like a stereo speaker or car radio, V CAST Song ID names the artist, song and album title. After successful recognition, the application will determine if the song is available as a full-track song, ringtone or ringback tone and, when prompted by the user, directly launch either Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music store, where the user has the option to purchase and download the full track or the VZW Tones store, where the user can purchase the track as a ringtone, ringback tone or both.

Via

The official answer will be clear as day Friday, but until the nationwide launch of the Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Storm the question still begs to be answered: what is the full retail price (sans-contract) for the Storm?  A quick look at Best Buy where the Storm is currently available for pre-order tells us that we will pay $599.99 and availability is limited to in-store only.  A visit to the BlackBerry Storm Hunt where Grand Prize winners will receiver their own Storm along with a $50 Gift Card says the Approximate Retail Value is $549.  When taking into account the value of the Gift Card it seems logical that the Storm should retail for $499.

To help build the case for the $499 retail pricing, a user over at HoFo posted a photo late last night showing what appears to be an official BlackBerry Storm 9530 document.  The document clearly shows that the retail price is $499.99 to coincide with what we saw on the Verizon Storm Hunt website.  Now something to keep in mind is that Best Buy typically places a much higher retail price on their devices so if you put down your $50 deposit, you might want to take the refund and head to your local VZW store this Friday.  In any event, $499 is a bargain for a high-end smartphone from Verizon, the only question left is whether or not the Storm delivers on it’s promise of redefining the touchscreen.

Via Howard Forums

Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced the addition of two new phones to Verizon Wireless’ robust portfolio of global phones – the Samsung Renown™ and the Samsung Saga™. Both the Saga and the Renown will be available this month and boast advanced multimedia and messaging capabilities that allow customers to enjoy the nation’s most reliable network at home and wireless services in more than 200 destinations worldwide for voice and 150 global destinations for data, including new South American locations. The Saga is available today in business sales channels, online at www.verizonwireless.com and by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN. The Saga will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Dec. 1. The Renown will be available in business sales channels, online and telesales on Nov. 19 and in stores on Dec. 1.

Samsung Saga Specifications

Samsung Renown Specifications

Via Samsung

If global roaming business mogul inside of you is looking for GSM support for your Verizon Wireless handset, a new option will be coming to the carrier November 19th, the Samsung Renown.  This quadband GSM and CDMA equipped flip phone lacks the style and smartphone features of the Storm or Saga, but if a basic flip is on the agenda we have a winner.  The bronze Renown supports VZ Navigator, packs a QVGA (320 x 240) resolution primary display, microSD expansion slot (up to 8GB), a 2-megapixel camera and will be available for $179.99 on 2-year service agreements (after rebates).

The Samsung Renown will first be available online and via telesales on November 19th, followed by a full-scale release nationwide starting on December 1st.

Via EngadgetMobile

Earlier this week we heard the BlackBerry Storm would be coming to Verizon Wireless late November for $219 on a 2-year contract, but it now time to lay the rumors to rest.  Verizon has made the official announcement and the Storm (BlackBerry 9530) will be released November 21st for $199 after a 50 Mail-In Rebate.  Now go out and start saving boys and girls, you have your release date and your price point, the fun begins in 9 days.

Full Press Release

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The BlackBerry® Storm™ (model 9530) from Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) – the first touch screen BlackBerry smartphone with the world’s first “clickable” touch screen – will be available beginning Nov. 21 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. For additional details and specifications about the BlackBerry Storm, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/storm.

Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Storm Specifications:

The suspense is over as Verizon Wireless will become the 3rd US Carrier to launch the highly coveted HTC Touch Pro on November 24th via telesales.  The big kicker here is that the 2-year price will be $419.99 before a $70 Mail-In Rebate which brings the final price tag to $350.  Nationwide availability for the VX6850 will kick off December 1st, but with a Storm coming sometime in November it will be interesting to see how Big Red’s customers feel about buying into one of the highest priced devices on their network.

Verizon Wireless HTC Touch Pro (VX6850) Specifications

*Note: we are still putting together the specs for the VX6850 so bear with us and we will update the information accordingly.

Via EngadgetMobile

Last month Verizon Wireless introduced the Motorola Krave ZN4 as its newest touchscreen device.  The ZN4 resembles the MING series with its form-factor, semi-transparent cover and a large touchscreen below.  The device supports EV-DO and Bluetooth, features a 2-megapixel camera, Mobile TV and full HTML browser.  Support for Verizon’s full list of services is included for the Krave ZN4 whether it’s driving directions from VZ Navigator, streaming V Cast Mobile TV or listening to your favorite songs with V Cast Music with Rhapsody.

While we continue to test the ZN4 and put it to the test against some of the latest and greatest phones on the market we put together an unboxing gallery.  Our first impressions of the ZN4 is that call quality is excellent with the transparent cover and embedded ear bud.  The size is a nice change from carrying around an iPhone all day and the screen responds accurately with the cover on or off.

Full Motorola Krave ZN4 Unboxing Photo Gallery

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The wait is over my friends, a leak within the Verizon Wireless testman website has just dropped the 2 year, 1 year and retail pricing for the highly anticipated BlackBerry Storm.  We have all the details for Vodafone’s Storm dropping November 14th, but our only clue to the full retail pricing for Verizon’s Storm was found on the NYC Storm Hunt fine print which placed an approximate retail value of $549.  The good news is that information was not far off as the official retail price (sans-contract) is now confirmed to be $519 which is not bad when you compare that to the BlackBerry Bold $699.99 price tag.

For those of you hoping to re-up your contract with Verizon, the 2-year price point is $219 and for 1-year renewals expect to pay $289.  Unfortunately the testman website page does not reveal and official release date, but all educated guesses still point to late November around the 24th.  We’ll continue to update the BlackBerry Storm spec sheet found below as additional details (mainly release date information) surface.

BlackBerry Storm (9500 series) Specifications:

Via Howard Forums