DING! The school bell rings. Time for recess at Mobile Industry Elementary.

Tension is high. During the last break, Verizon took a swing at that little Apple boy by pointing out all the things his toys could do that Apple’s toys couldn’t. The hallways erupted with a deafening “Ooooooooh!”; all of the kids began to form a circle around the two. “Fight, fight, fight, fight!” they clamored.

We’re not sure how wide spread it is, but I’m seeing a whole lot of reports that Verizon’s 3G data network is down in various parts of the country. The majority of the reports seem to be coming out of the SF Bay Area and South Bay. While the handsets are reporting full 3G signal, no data seems to be piping in our out. Might the success of the Droid in the Silicon Valley have tipped things over, a la AT&T’s iPhone woes?

If you are a tech lover, there is nothing quite like the launch day of a much hyped new gadget. Expectations run high. And since those expectations are rarely satisfied once you have the special little device in hand, it’s a moment to savor. In the hours before you own it, that device is perfect in every way. It will make you happier, a better person. There are no bugs, there are only features. It is whatever you want it to be.

Launch day of a new cool gadget is the closest thing to being a kid again on Christmas day (or whatever your winter solstice holiday of choice). You’ve anticipated the day. You’ve called in sick to work. And you are standing out in the freezing cold at 7 in the morning, hoping your place in line assures you a device before the carefully-planned sell out occurs. You’ve worked yourself into…a Fever Pitch.

I’ve always been let down with the real world gadget after that high of anticipation. But that’s ok. It’s part of the cycle of tech.

Today is Droid day. In just a few hours Verizon stores will open and the first customers will get their hands on their very own Droid.

And I promise you, if you are one of the people waiting in line, you will have a much lower than average amount of letdown. That’s because, in my humble opinion, the Droid is the coolest mobile phone to exist to date. It is as close as we’ve come to the Platonic ideal of a smartphone. It’s very existence ensures that the next iPhone will be even better than it otherwise would have been. Competition is good.

Yes, this is an unabashed love letter to the Droid. If you want the dispassionate reviews, we’ve got em. And then some. That isn’t what this post is about.

Oh pretty netbook lady, you go about your daily life with your face buried in the goings-on of your hectic corporate lifestyle, unwilling to avert your gaze from the tiny 10.1-inch screen that dictates your graceful movements for even a mere moment in time.

Don’t expect to scam Verizon on BOGO deals anymore, folks. The carrier is raising early termination fees on Novermber 15 to $350 for “advance devices” only. Clearly VZW is targeting users who were abusing the buy one get one free BlackBerry deals and those that figured out that it was cheaper cancel their current contract and pay the $175 ETF than to pay full retail for the hot new handsets like the Droid.

This is still a rumor at this point, but Phone Arena is reporting that Verizon may soon be offering Sony’s 8-inch “not-a-netbook” VAIO P for $300 with a two-year data contract.

Alright, Verizon, you’re doing it wrong. Stop pushing apps onto my BlackBerry Storm. Within the last few months, YouTube, a Verizon-linked verizon of Slacker Radio, VZW Tones, and a V Cast Video app have been pushed to my phone. I thought that’s what App World is for; you know, apps. But now a terrible mobile version of Bing was pushed onto my Storm. Seriously, stop it.

Verizon released the BlackBerry OS 5.0 update alongside the Storm2 launch date this morning. I just had to try it out as I had ranked the BlackBerry Storm as the worst phone ever made. I’ve only had the update loaded for about an hour so far, but everything seems slightly better including the reception, responsiveness, and the iPhone-like effects. I still don’t like the phone but at least it seems usable now.

Retail stores are finally getting in their Storm 2 dummy phones but those won’t do you any good if you actually wanna use the phone’s software. VZW has you covered though with a just-posted BlackBerry Storm 2 emulator that lets you click your way through the OS.

We just got word that Verizon Stores are now receiving their BlackBerry Storm 2 dummy units and training is finally available for retail associates. All that should mean that the Storm 2’s launch date is quickly approaching. November has been the target date for a while now, but with stores already prepping for the launch, availability will probably be early in the month.

Besides the CEO touting the BlackBerry Storm 2 around for some impromptu demos, Verizon hasn’t exactly acknowledged the phone’s existence. There have been rumors that it’s because the Storm 2 still doesn’t live up to Verizon’s standards or it could simply be that Verizon doesn’t want to take the attention off of the Motorola Droid. Whatever the case maybe, the BlackBerry Storm 2 will probably be made official sometime real soon.

The BlackBerry 9520 Storm 2 has probably the best pre-release coverage of any cell phone in history. We’ve seen previews and videos and pictures and more videos of the upcoming cell phone for months. RIM and Verizon haven’t released a thing about the phone yet though so some key details hadn’t been revealed. That is, of course, until Walt Mossberg posted his Storm 2 review last night alongside the Motorola CLIQ review and Vodafone went live with its Storm 2 launch details this morning that happened to include all the phone’s specs for good measure. God bless the Internet.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 is no secret. We’ve known that a second generation touchscreen BlackBerry has been in the works for months. Actually it was probably RIM that “leaked” all the info in an effort to save face from the flop that is the original Storm. A NYT article quotes Verizon’s CEO saying that he’s been carrying the phone for weeks and been giving impromptu demos at Verizon Wireless retail outlets. Spoiler: employees like it.

We’ve seen a few different Android devices that seem to be VZW-bound over the last few weeks, but Verizon hasn’t said anything about the handsets or platform until now. The company has a webcast scheduled for later today but released a preemptive press release that outlines the basics.

Verizon and Google have formed a strategic partnership that will “leverage the Verizon Wireless network and the best of the Android open platform to deliver leading-edge mobile applications, services and devices.” Apparently the new dream team has plans that involve co-developing several Android-based devices that will come pre-loaded with innovative applications from not only Verizon, but also 3rd-party developers.

First came the rumors. Then came the leaked images. And now, 3 all-knowing (conveniently unnamed) analysts have predicted that Verizon’s long awaited foray into Android will happen some time next with the announcement of Motorola’s Sholes/Tao smartphone. The timing seems feasible, especially considering that Motorola is holding a MOTODEV Android-related press event next Tuesday, October 6 (WinMo 6.5 who?).

In an effort or “re-engage customers as a serious bookseller,” Borders is offering free Wi-Fi powered by Verizon in over 500 stores. Fair enough. Might be a nice little treat for those dudes who sit in the anime aisle reading book after book or the weird guy who is totally angry at the latest of Atlantic Monthly and willing to tell everyone about it near the cafe. It will, in short, make the Borders experience just that more varied and magical.

Oh, the Verizon Hub. You came to the market just a few years too late. There was a time when a VoIP device with instant messaging capabilities would have been welcomed into the kitchens everywhere but that time was 2006 and not 2009. Now, that market has primarily moved onto full featured smartphones and somewhat killing the need for a home base type device. And so the Hub is no more. Verizon has official canceled the product.

Ever since the DirecTV’s CEO stepped down back in July, there has been talk about someone buying up the satellite TV provider. The latest analysis chatter states Verizon might pick up DirecTV to dramatically increase its marketshare overnight. The purchase would make Verizon second only to Comcast in subs when the DirecTV customer base is added to Verizon’s current FiOS subscribers and supercharge Verizon’s influence on the market.

Starting next Sunday, October 4th, you’ll be able to pick up the Gateway LT2016U through Verizon for $150 after a $100 mail-in rebate and with a two-year data plan. The machine will come preinstalled with a 3G Gobi chipset from Qualcomm, which will work here in the US and abroad as well.