Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 Officially Announced [Available This Wednesday at $180]

Just one minute before we officially started to party for the weekend, our late night writer Chris Smith has managed to break it that the BlackBerry Storm2 pricing and release date on Big Red have leaked ahead of an official announcement. Things, however, have confirmed today, when Verizon came straight forward saying that the BlackBerry Storm2 is going to be available this coming Wednesday, October 28th, for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate — if you hop on a new two year contract, that is.

For those who don’t know already, the new Storm2 is will come with a <3.25-inch 480 x 360 capacitive touchscreen, will feature RIM’s latest SurePress technology and will run on the up and coming OS 5.0. Other specs include a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera with image stabilization and flash, both EVDO Rev.A and UMTS/HSPA 2100, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and WiFi connectivity (b/g). There’s also 2GB of built-in memory and a microSD slot for an additional 16GB.

Concerning battery life, the Storm2 will feature an upgraded 1,400mAh replaceable battery that will give the handset juice for up to 5.5hrs when talking or 11.2 days when in standby.

Check out the full press release below:

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and WATERLOO, ONTARIO — Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that the BlackBerry® Storm2™ smartphone will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications stores, online at www.verizonwireless.com, and through business sales channels beginning Oct. 28. The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry® OS 5.0 evolves the BlackBerry® touchscreen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements – including new SurePress™ “clickable” display technology and built-in Wi-Fi® – delivering the exceptional multimedia experience and communications capabilities customers have come to expect from their BlackBerry smartphones.

Key Features:

* Smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate
* Large (3.25”), dazzling high-resolution 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi
* Capacitive touchscreen with integrated functions (Send, End, Menu, Escape) and new SurePress technology that makes clicking the display practically effortless
* 3G and global connectivity support for making phone calls in more than 220 countries and accessing data in more than 185 countries (with more than 80 destinations in 3G)
* Network Connectivity: EV-DO Revision A; UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz); and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks
* Supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
* 256 MB of Flash memory
* 2 GB of onboard media storage and a microSD™/SDHD memory card slot with a 16 GB card included

Software Updates on BlackBerry Storm2:

* Features BlackBerry OS 5.0, which includes typing accuracy and selection improvements, as well as usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons, and more use of animation
* 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

Additional Features and Specifications:

* 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, Image Stabilization (IS), flash and video recording capabilities
* Premium and easy-to-access phone features, background noise suppression technology, loud distortion-free speakerphone and face detection (proximity sensor) that prevents accidental clicks and blanks the screen while the customer is on the phone
* Media player for videos, pictures and music, plus support for BlackBerry Desktop Manager for both PCs and Macs, and BlackBerry® Media Sync, for easily syncing Windows Media® Player music with the smartphone*
* 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and dedicated volume controls
* Bluetooth® (v2.1) capable with support for Secure Simple Pairing, hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals
* Built-in GPS for maps and other location-based applications, as well as photo geotagging; and Verizon Wireless’ VZ NavigatorSM service is pre-loaded
* V CAST Music with Rhapsody
* Access to BlackBerry App World™, featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones, with categories including games, entertainment, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more
* Support for Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband Connect tethering service
* Removable, rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides up to 5.5 hours of talk time or up to 11.2 days of standby time

Pricing and Availability:

* 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. Data plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan.
* New Operating System for Existing BlackBerry Storm Customers
* Existing BlackBerry Storm customers will be able to update their handsets to the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 software via Web software load (www.blackberry.com/update), BlackBerry Desktop Manager, or from Verizon Wireless’ download site (www.verizonwireless.com/storm). The software is available today.
* For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers can contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

* Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.