The Motorola Droid, on Verizon Wireless, is, by all accounts, pretty OK. That’s fair to say, no? Yes, I believe it is. What’s lame, though totally to be expected, is that it’ll cost you $30 for a car kit. And you’d want said car kit in order to make that Google navigation application really fly.

The car kit places your Droid on your car’s dashboard; the Droid then enters a special car mode, which presents a simplified user interface. From here, you’d be able to slap on your Droid and let the it take you to the “varrazanne Bridge” in New York.

There’s also a second such dock, one that’s meant for your bedside. It turns your Droid into a grossly overpowered alarm clock. Well, it’s also for viewing movies and whatnot, but I’d rather eat glass than watch a movie on a phone.

And sorry the photo is rubbish, but I couldn’t find a higher-res one.

Well, the rumors are true, Verizon Wireless will begin offering the HP Mini 1151NR on May 17 for $199.99 after a $50 MIR with a 2-year mobile broadband contract. Verizon also announced new mobile broadband pricing that’s still going to hit your checkbook pretty hard. For $40 a month you get 250MB of data per month, but if you go over you’ll end up paying 10 cents per MB over your 250MB allotment. So, you’re obviously going to get the $60 plan that allots 5GB a month of data and if you end up going over that you’ll only be paying 5 cents per MB.

You can even take your HP Mini overseas thanks to the embedded Gobi chipset. For a whopping $130, the GlobalAccess Monthly Plan offers 100MB of data, but it also gets you 5GB of data in the US and Canada. If you go over while overseas you’ll have to fork over $0.005 cents per KB and 25 cents per MB in the US/Canada. The Global Access Pay Per Use plan s $60/month and the following rates apply for Canada, Mexico and over 175 other countries: $0.002/KB, $0.005/KB and $0.02/KB.

The following are specs and pre-installed programs for the HP Mini 1151NR.

Key Specifications

· Mobile Broadband – EV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) Embedded

· GlobalAccess – Qualcomm Gobi chipset (quad-band GPRS/EDGE/GSM and tri-band HSPA/UMTS)

· 802.11b/g WLAN and Bluetooth®

· Wired Ethernet RJ-45

· Display – 10.1” Flush Glass (1024 x 576) diagonal LED BrightView Infinity display

· Weight – 2.4 Pounds

· Dimensions – 1” x 10.3” x 6.6”

· Power – three-cell battery, 30W AC Adapter

· Processor – Intel Atom N270

· Processor Speed – 1.6 GHz

· System Memory – 1 GB RAM

· Storage Hard Drive – 80 GB hard disk drive

· Operating System – Windows XP Home Edition; Service Pack 3

· USB Ports – Two USB 2.0 ports

· Video – VGA out (requires optional accessory); built-in Webcam 640 x 480, 30 fps

· Audio – Stereo speakers, integrated microphone, combo headphone/microphone jack

· Removable memory – combo SD/MMC card slot

· Limited Warranty – one-year

Key Pre-Installed Applications

More than 30 applications come pre-installed on the HP Mini 1151NR Netbook including:

· VZ Access Manager

· Internet Explorer 7®

· Adobe® Reader® and Flash® Player

· Microsoft® Works (share and edit Works Word Processor and Spreadsheet files with Microsoft® Office Word and

· Windows Media Player 11™

· HP Wireless Assistant

· Symantec® Norton Internet Security 2009 (including 60-days of complimentary live updates)

· AOL® AIM®

· Microsoft® Office Excel and vice versa)

A fascinating bit of Apple gossip for your Tuesday morning, gossip that piggybacks on the never-going-to-die “iPhone on Verizon Wireless?” rumor. Does an “iPhone lite” interest you? Or perhaps a “media pad that would let users listen to music, view photos, and watch high-definition videos” that makes calls using Wi-Fi?

They interest Verzion Wireless. So says BusinesWeek, at least, citing two people “familiar with the matter.”

It could be that these two devices will wind up on Verizon Wireless sometime in the future, one perhaps as early as this summer. (Let the WWDC rumors commence!) Good ol’ VZW wants some of that iPhone juice; Apple wants AT&T to upgrade its network so iPhone users don’t have to suffer as much as they do now. What better for Apple to put pressure on AT&T than to tell it, “Look, either you do something about your network, or we’ll release the iPhone on Verizon Wireless.” Considering AT&T owes its recent good fortune to the iPhone, you can bet that it will want to prevent any sort of iPhone-Verizon Wireless shenanigans.

Whether or not Apple actually comes to an agreement with fussy, control freak Verizon Wireless, who knows? All I know is that I sure as hell wouldn’t buy an iPhone on AT&T. See, I still use my phones to make calls, and nothing is better than Verizon Wireless in the greater New York area. Sad but true.

Speculation, go!

Photo: Flickr

Of the 4.3 million iPhone subscribers that AT&T added to its books in 2008, about 40 percent of them were new customers. It’s that type of growth that has AT&T scrambling to retain its exclusivity arrangement with Apple, which is expected to expire next year. If that agreement were to expire, Apple would be free to take the iPhone to other wireless carriers, like T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless (though Apple would have to develop a CDMA version of the phone first to bring it to VZW).

Yeah, apparently it’s all part of AT&T’s grand scheme to remain relevant. With POTS drying up—AT&T has 77 million wireless customers to 30 million landline customers—the company is trying to expand into new and exciting ventures. It’s hard to call the iPhone anything but a success for AT&T, but it needs to look beyond the phone that Jobs built in order to fend off the likes of Verizon Wireless, what with its FIOS Internet and TV service that every teenager in America wants (in order to leave uTorrent running 24/7).

A small suggestion: improve call quality in New York City. Not to keep harping on this, but the call quality of even the cheapest VZW phone is much better than the iPhone in New York, not even counting the dropped calls and severed Internet connection. See this comedian’s book for more on the subject of why the iPhone can be pretty annoying in New York.

Photo: Flickr

Sierra Wireless just broke the mold with the USB 598. The wireless broadband access USB modem is meant for Verizon Wireless, but thanks to the carrier’s open network policies, the modem can be purchased from retailers other than VZW. This means, our contract hating or poor credit friends, you can buy this modem for a decent price of $199 directly from Sierra Wireless instead of dealing with rebates and blood oaths directly from the carrier.

Once purchased, just dial up Verizon to activate the modem with one of their wireless broadband plans. All this is done without locking into a long term contract that is stronger than many marriage oaths. What more can you want? $199, EV-DO, and no contract. Nice.

Sierra Wireless USB 598 now available for use on the Verizon Wireless network

Compact, eye-catching USB stick provides fast, reliable Internet access on the Verizon Wireless network after going through Verizon Wireless’ open development program

April 1, 2009
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR – TSX: SW) today announced that the Sierra Wireless USB 598 is compatible with the Verizon Wireless network after going through the wireless leader’s open development program.  The Sierra Wireless USB 598 is now available for purchase through Brightpoint, Brightstar, and www.sierrawireless.com/estore.

The Sierra Wireless USB 598 incorporates a compact, eye-catching lighted design and serves as a practical alternative to hotspots for digital nomads who need quick Internet access to download a presentation from the backseat of a taxi or to send photos from a park. Using the Verizon Wireless network, customers can download a 1 MB file in approximately eight seconds, or upload it in less than 13 seconds. The Sierra Wireless USB 598 supports EV-DO Rev. A technology, providing average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps. With an expandable microSD™ memory slot, the Sierra Wireless USB 598 can also serve as a backup storage device for important files, and a convenient tool to transfer and share photos.

“Verizon Wireless is committed to encouraging innovation and expanding the choices for mobile broadband customers,” said Tony Lewis, vice president of open development at Verizon Wireless. “Adding the Sierra Wireless USB 598 to the wide range of devices that are compatible with the Verizon Wireless network provides a new option for accessing the most reliable wireless 3G data network in the country.”

“We are pleased that the Sierra Wireless USB 598 is compatible with the Verizon Wireless network after going through the Verizon Wireless open development program,” said Dan Schieler, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales for Sierra Wireless. “The Sierra Wireless USB 598 offers fast, reliable wireless connectivity from a notebook computer to simplify life on-the-go for mobile professionals and digital nomads.”

Verizon Wireless’ open development program is designed to offer businesses and consumers the ability to use wireless devices, software, and applications not offered by the company on its nationwide wireless network. It is driven by the company’s desire to encourage innovation, give customers new wireless choices, and quickly address opportunities to expand the wireless market.

Sierra Wireless USB 598

• Potential data speeds of 3.1 Mbps on the downlink and 1.8 Mbps on the uplink.
• TRU-Install™ software installation technology steps first-time users through quick installation of the drivers and full software client directly from the modem, with no CD required.
• microSD™ slot allows for convenient storage and transfer of photos and other information between your laptop and your phone or another computer.
• Convenient, flexible usage options, including a laptop clip and an extension cable to allow the modem to be clipped to the notebook display.
• TRU-Diversity™ – Sierra Wireless’s patent-pending design that maximizes data performance for the fastest speed, strongest signal and most stable connection possible.
• Sierra Wireless Watcher™ connection manager installs directly from the device and offers an intuitive dashboard that provides status, performance, and network information.

Where to Purchase
Brightpoint and Brightstar are the official distribution partners for the Sierra Wireless USB 598 modem. For more information on the Sierra Wireless USB 598 modem, contact:

• Brightpoint at 800-952-2355 or visit online at www.brightpoint.com
• Brightstar at 877-7BRIGHT or visit online at www.brightstarcorp.com

Enterprise customers interested in purchasing the Sierra Wireless USB 598 modem, please contact your Sierra Wireless sales representative, visit www.sierrawireless.com, or contact the Sierra Wireless Sales Desk by phone at (604) 232-1488 or by email at sales@sierrawireless.com.  Individual purchases can also be processed through the Sierra Wireless eStore atwww.sierrawireless.com/estore.

A demonstration of the Sierra Wireless USB 598 modem will be available this week at CTIA Wireless 2009, held April 1 to 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To learn more about the availability of the Sierra Wireless USB 598 and the Verizon Wireless Open Development Program, please drop by to visit at #6015 or stop by the Sierra Wireless booth at #6538 in Central Hall 4.

I can’t tell you how many iPhones I’ve seen in the past 24 hours here at SXSW Interactive. The best, though, is when you see these people cursing AT&T, saying things like, “Why would AT&T beef up its network in Austin when it knows 8 zillion iPhone users will be swarming the city for the next week?” This phenomenon—people being unhappy with the cellphone service, despite the flashy ads promising “amazing speed” and “more bars all over the damn place”—was picked up by the Times. The important thing to take away is that while companies are trying their best to improve cellphone service, there’s several technological hurdles that they have to overcome in order to deliver a truly worry-free phone.

The biggest culprit is AT&T, because of the iPhone. While 3G is supposed to be the Best Thing Ever, spotty network coverage continues to annoy people. Coverage may be just fine in San Francisco, but when the phone cuts out on the West Side of Manhattan, as comedian Jim Norton outlined in his latest book, you begin to wonder why, exactly, you’re paying all that money. You might as well be talking into a tin can!

There’s a few reasons why your cellphone still stinks. The transition from 2G networks to 3G networks (and the upcoming transition to the various 4G technologies) is a lot harder than simply flipping a switch. And since not every phone uses the more advanced 3G network, the likes of AT&T must keep the older cellphone towers up and running. They’re essentially forced to support an inferior technology when better alternatives (3G) are already available.

When it comes to the iPhone, it looks like people are willing to put up with spotty coverage in order to use the Apple device. Guess people can’t live without mobile Facebook and scrolling to unlock!

Now would be a good time to remind people that, while cellphones aren’t exactly great, they’re as great as they are. It is what it is, in other words.

A study is about to be released that says consumers are paying a hell of a lot more than they need to for cellphone access. The average person in San Diego—let’s assume the data can be extrapolated to the rest of the country—pays $3.02 per minute for cellphone service; removing outliers from the equation—people who pay for a ton of minutes but only use a few of them—and the figure drops to between $0.50-$1.00 per minute.

Nobody wants to pay $0.50 per minute, let alone $3.00, just to be able to talk to their dumb friends. “No, dumb friend of mine, I can’t believe Jack got married to Sawyer last night.” But it’s not like the cellphone companies are being evil or anything: AT&T says it “encourage[s] people to look at their bill, question their bill, and call us if they see anything that’s not right” Verizon Wireless says that if you’re not happy with your plan they’ll “work with you to get you on the right plan.”

In other words, make sure you buy the appropriate plan. For me, theoretically, that’d be the 450-minutes-per-month AT&T plan, seeing as though I don’t talk on the phone all that much.

The people who put together the report, Utility Consumers’ Action Network, which I probably should have mentioned several paragraphs ago, have suggested that the Feds mandate a little box on everyone’s cellphone bill that says, plainly, “You pay X-Amount per minute.” That would go a long way toward clearing up all that cellphone confusion, right?

The CDM8975 will be available beginning March 9th, online and in good ol’ fashion meatspace, for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement.

Can’t you just feel the excitement building?! Specs after the jump…

The Verizon Wireless CDM8975 features include:

· Dedicated Push to Talk and speakerphone button

· Internal antenna “intenna”

· Bluetooth technology – headset, hands free (car kits), dial-up networking, stereo, phonebook access, basic printing, basic imaging, object push for vCard, and file transfer

· Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more

· V CAST Music with Rhapsody-capable – download music directly to the phone from a library of more than 5 million songs and get the master copy of the song on a PC free of digital rights management software that restricts how and where music can be played. Customers can also sync favorite tracks, albums and playlists from a PC.

· V CAST Video – download or stream video from the best names in news, sports, entertainment and more

· Text messaging

· Enhanced Message Service

· Multimedia Message Service

· T9 Predictive Text

· Phonebook with up to 500 entries with multiple contacts

· Push to Talk phonebook with up to 500 individual contacts and up to 100 group contacts with up to 50 members per group

· Expandable memory on an optional microSD™ memory card up to 8 GB (card not included)

· Web browser: WAP

· Customizable wallpaper

· TTY/TDD-capable

· Bilingual interface for English and Spanish

· Dimensions: 3.7″ (h) x 1.9″ (w) x 0.8″ (d)

· Weight: 3.2 ounces

Bonnie Cha over at CNet has the scoop on the Storm OS update we’ve all been waiting patiently for over the last two weeks. If you actually bought this girnormous piece of poo then you can update using the Desktop Software Manager or wait for the OTA that’s said to be going out at 12:30 AM EDT. Regardless of what this update can do, I won’t be changing my review of the Storm. It really is the worst device RIM has put out on the market and I love BlackBerrys.

Update

First off, someone at Verizon Wireless must have been drunk or asleep at the wheel when they gave the Omnia the green light because it has Wi-Fi. Isn’t Verizon notorious for stripping that feature from every single phone in its lineup? Something tells me the other manufacturers are going to throw a fit over this bit of news.

Quick Version: The Omnia boasts just about every feature you’d want from a smartphone and Verizon, surprisingly, left it exactly the way it leaves the Samsung factory. Sure, they added their VZ Navigator app and the VZAppZone but we’re okay with that because they left the Omnia untouched. For a Windows Mobile device with a decent skin Samsung calls the TouchWiz, the Omnia is the clear choice for Verizon Wireless customers.

Features

• Access to VZAppZone – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers and more

• Playback of MP3 files

• VZ NavigatorSM capability – get visual and audible directions to thousands of destinations, locate businesses and other points of interest, get maps of a location and share directions with others

• Text, picture and video messaging

• Mobile IM using AIM®, MSN®, Yahoo!®

• Bluetooth® profiles supported: headset – mono and stereo, hands-free (car kits), object push for vCard, basic imaging, and phonebook access profiles

• 5.0 megapixel camera and camcorder with flash and zoom

o Face Detection – centers on your face when taking a picture

o Panorama, split shot and anti-shake camera settings

o SmileShot – enables the camera to detect when a person is smiling and automatically take a picture when in the “SmileShot” mode

• Wi-Fi technology (802.11 b/g)

• Support for Divx and Xvid movie files

• Personal organizer with calculator, calendar, alarm clock, world clock, stop watch and notepad

• Dimensions: 4.41” (l) x 2.24” (w) x 0.52” (d) with standard battery

• Weight: approximately 4.34 ounces

• Display: 3.2” display

• Usage time: up to 346 minutes with standard battery or

Standby time: up to 464 hours with standard battery (subject to environmental and other factors)

Hardware

Samsung devices are inherently lightweight and rather stylish, but the thin plastic screens will always irritate me to no end. I simply cannot stand them and after seeing the damage inflicted on John’s Instinct some time ago I feel weary about sticking this in my pocket. Because of its weight I wonder whether or not the Omnia will hold up to the rigors of daily use.

The 5-megapixel AF camera is on par with that of Nokia devices and comes with a bevy of editing apps, various scene modes and a wonky panorama mode that works fairly well. Like any other mobile phone camera, you won’t be capturing any action shots, but it works well for still subjects.

Have I mentioned that the Omnia for Verizon Wireless has Wi-Fi? That’s out of left field and one of the best things about this device.

The optical mouse on the Omnia is superb and doesn’t hinder your flow when navigating the device. You can choose between a traditional 4-way D-pad-like setup or use it as if it were a computer mouse. A stylus is included but you’ll have to attach it as a charm on the left hand side of the Omnia. I think Samsung’s market research hasn’t shown that we, Americans, aren’t very big on cell phone charms.

The 3.2-inch touch-screen is relatively bright and crisp but the 240×400 resolution leaves much to be desired. Again, I can’t help but harp on Samsung about these retched plastic screens. Please, please switch to glass screens or a harder plastic and bump up the resolution. A main menu hard button is located on the side of the top right corner saving you from having to tap the lower right corner of the screen.

I’ve never been a fan of the Windows Mobile touch-screen keyboards and the same goes for Samsung’s TouchWiz keyboards. You’re either going to sit and peck or use the stylus. Both are annoyances.

Software

Snazzy features aside, the Omnia is still just a Windows Mobile device so that in and of itself is major red flag for a number of folks, myself included. The TouchWiz UI immediately draws comparisons to HTC’s TouchFLO 3D UI, which has, in the past, made me forget that I’m fumbling with a WinMo device.

So how doth the Samsung’s TouchWiz compare to HTC’s TouchFLO 3D?

Well, it’s not as pretty and flashy, but it gets the job done. I’d say Samsung and HTC make the best Windows Mobile devices with the latter making the best ‘skin’. However, Samsung has a few tricks up its sleeve to make up for the not so flashy façade.

The reorientation of the screen from portrait to landscape is silky smooth and the sidebar of widgets is super convenient. You can drag widgets from the sidebar to the main screen for a quicker launch. The widgets include a world clock, games, media player, etc.

You can bring up the task manager by swiping up from the bottom, which lowers the aggravation of having to dig down into the Windows Mobile menu system.

The Omnia’s web browser is Opera 9.5 and is much better than the browser the Instinct has, but it’s still a so-so browser compared to the iPhone’s Safari.

If I had to choose between HTC’s TouchFLO 3D interface and Samsung’s TouchWiz, I’d have to go with HTC’s Windows Mobile variant.

Application Store

Verizon’s app store doesn’t contain anything worth noting, but I did come across the IM+ client and it’s ridiculously priced at $40. The overall interface of the app store is pretty archaic.

Overall

If you’re in the market for a Windows Mobile device on Verizon then I’d highly suggest the Omnia from Verizon because of the Wi-Fi feature. The HTC Touch Pro is also a superb device on the network, but it lacks Wi-Fi and given the option it’s sort of a no-brainer. The Omnia will be available online starting tomorrow for $250 after a $70 MIR (debit card rebate) and in stores on December 8th.

I don’t know what the deal is with Verizon lately, but their lineup of phones now rivals that of AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon’s HTC Touch Pro doesn’t appear to be any different than Sprint’s Touch Pro or AT&T’s Fuze. The HTC Touch Pro has landed on Verizon for $350 with a 2-year contract.

Product Page

I might not be a fan of the Storm but that doesn’t mean it won’t be flying off the shelves come tomorrow. You see, it’s not meant to be a gadget lover’s device. Just hear me out then flame away if you feel the need to. RIM felt the urgency to fill the gap between they’re entry level Pearl phones and their higher-end Bold. They obviously felt threatened by Apple and rightfully so. Hell, everyone else did and they began pumping out all sorts of touch-screen devices to combat Apple and everyone has failed. As I said in my review, the Storm is at the top of that pile but that means nothing at this point.

But I give RIM some credit for taking the touch-screen in a different direction. It is in no way, shape or form useful or efficient, but they certainly thought outside the box. For better or worse is not up for judgment here. They didn’t try to imitate, which I applaud them for. You simply cannot beat the iPhone’s overall UI and ease of use. Sure, I have my issues with the iPhone but it’s very user friendly.

The general consumer wants the iPhone or a device very similar to it. By general consumer I’m talking about your Average Joe. I’m not referring to readers of CrunchGear or other tech blogs. We’re a little more savvy than that and pick our devices based on minute details and don’t fall for the hype (for the most part). For example, look at how well the Samsung Instinct is selling for Sprint. People see a touch-screen device and think it’s the hottest thing since sliced bread. It doesn’t have to be an iPhone anymore. It was just the catalyst.

Getting back to the original question, what does the Storm mean for RIM and Verizon?

Well, RIM finally realizes that their lineup of devices appeal to a broader audience and that’s evident with the Curve and Pearl series (more so with the flip Pearl). And the Storm is the ultimate culmination of this even though it falls flat on its face from a tech lover’s perspective. It seems forced because RIM generally puts out very good hardware. On the flip side, this is their first foray into the touch-screen realm and I have no doubt that they will improve upon the Storm should they choose to release another touch-screen device.

What RIM really needs to focus on is the OS. They cannot rest on their laurels because Android and Apple are catching up and will soon overtake them. Think about the Application Stores, for example. The closest parity I can see is with the ringtone market. The ability to customize your own phone to give it a personality was uncanny at the time and the same goes for the ability to add applications. The BlackBerry is, however, a messaging device first and foremost. It’s meant for e-mail and the enterprise side of things, but Apple and Android have pushed them into the mainstream whether they like it or not. They must get up to speed in this area or they will lose even more market share as time goes by.

Verizon has always had a stable of less than stellar devices but they’ve picked up the pace since they lost the iPhone. They can tout the largest network in America, but that means nothing when you have a sub-par selection of devices. Verizon did a good job of not messing with the Storm as they generally do on other devices. Of course, there is no Wi-Fi and the GPS is locked into VZ Navigator. That was to be expected so it comes as no shock to me, but Verizon chose not to include their music app, which comes as a shock. How much time and money have they spent in the last year to build their music store? I hope it’s coming to the Application Center very soon.

At $200 most consumers will see that it’s the same price as an 8GB iPhone 3G and assume it does the same thing because it has a touch-screen. Those who are strapped to Verizon will surely upgrade and be done with it. The Storm will sell and it’s going to sell very well.

Novatel’s latest USB modem, Ovation MC760 Micro, has arrived at the CrunchGear office and it sure is tiny. It will be available from Verizon Wireless starting December 1st. It’s been redubbed the USB760 Modem for VZW and promises an average of 600 kbps to 1.4 mbps down and 500-800kbps up. The price for this dandy is $100 after a MIR and two-year contract. Not sure if this has been done before, but the rebate will come in the form of a debit card.

You can choose between one- and two-year VZW BroadbandAccess plans: 50 MB data usage for $39.99/month or 5 GB data usage for $59.99/month.