I must make it clear that the reasons for choosing TomTom, Navigon and TeleNav for the first roundup was based on prior experience and reputation. Costs are higher on those apps, but it's because you mostly know what to expect.

With this second round, things start out on shakier ground: My only experience with Networks In Motion, creators of GoKivo, was their dreadful VZNavigator app. ALK, publisher of CoPilot, has been around, but mainly in the Windows CE space. And Sygic I had honestly never heard of. The good news is, they all beat my expectations, and one of them comes out a real champion, especially when price is a major consideration.

CoPilot Live North America by ALK

The strongest of the lot, made stronger by the $35 price tag. You get a full 1.23GB map database on the phone, which I prefer because it means your device will function even in the Reallybadlands. Still, it's not the best designed app in this category, not by a long shot.

The POI search may actually be the best one out there, because it works like a Garmin: You type in a name, and it continues to spiral outward until it finds the place you're thinking of, even if it's 100 miles away.

There's a trip planner, like Navigon's, that lets you add and delete stops, and even optimize them for maximum geographical efficiency.

The system is built to be connected, with weather and a social function "free" with purchase; live traffic and fuel prices will cost you $20 extra per year—which is still cheap compared to anything else.

ALK is promising a presumably free update with text-to-speech for street names read aloud, and monthly map "improvements," direct to the phone.

The site has a design that would make Jon Ive spin in his grave (were he dead). Not only is it crowded and noisy, but there is too much ambiguity (not one but two get-started pop-up menus) and lack of feedback: After planning a trip you select a gas station from the quick-stop menu—does it cancel the original trip? Or just add the gas station? It sure as hell isn't going to tell you. Some of this becomes apparent with use, but it's still a design flaw.

The software itself was a little shaky. When I first started, it froze on a (mandatory) registration page, saying I didn't have internet access when I did. Occasionally, it still hangs on the opening splash screen, making me force quit.

No iPhone status bar when app is running—no service indicator or clock, and a proprietary battery-life indicator that's on the main screen but not subsidiary ones. (Navigon, TomTom, TeleNav and GoKivo all show the true iPhone status bar.)

Keyboard isn't QWERTY, so I spent what felt like 14 whole minutes looking for the letter "z."

Because the thing is so damn cheap—whiners, stop right here, because full-map apps can't get any cheaper—I can forgive many of its flaws. If all you have is $35 to spend, buy this. [iTunes link]

GoKivo GPS Navigator by Networks In Motion

Like I said, my experience with previous Networks In Motion products has not been pleasant. Compared to TeleNav's Sprint Navigator and AT&T Navigator, NIM's VZNavigator was atrocious. So imagine my surprise when I actually enjoyed GoKivo.

There's a "keep it simple stupid" mentality that seems to work for this interface, especially for areas you basically already know. You find your area on the map, and do a keyword search to find POIs in that particular vicinity (a la Google Maps).

The navigation screen is much improved over earlier VZNavigator screens, with clear maps.

Slide-out music transport is very cool—all apps let you pop up "now playing" to skip or adjust volume, but this lets you browse music, start songs, set shuffle and repeat, all within the navi app.

Connected data means fresh maps and traffic info—I was surprised how well it worked even on a mountain, though spotty coverage does mean unreliable response time, and possible blackout.

Vertical orientation only, no landscape view (which I prefer).

There's no way to drop a pin on the map and navigate to it, even though the interface all but begs for that kind of interaction.

Despite using Yahoo Local database, POI search doesn't always show you places you know are there—this seems to be affected by how zoomed-in your are on the search map, but it's confusing.

If you don't really know where to search for something, you're screwed.

Subscription of $10 up front, plus $10 each month thereafter, is fiscally unsound when compared to standalone apps, even $100 TomTom. GoKivo is, in effect, $120—per year.

I would be happy to give GoKivo a "Most Improved" award, based on how far it's come since earlier VZNavigator days. But in light of the cost structure, there's no way to recommend it. [iTunes link]

Sygic Mobile Maps America

Sygic is, in some ways, the app I liked best of these three, but its proximity in cost and feature set to Navigon renders it more of a discounted impersonator.

There's a powerful routing tool at the heart of Sygic, that lets you not only program a circuit of addresses, but lets you modify that circuit in many ways, simulate the run, and pull up a list of turns. It's also very easy to add destinations straight from the map, a feature not seen on all navi apps.

Like Navigon, Sygic can read street names aloud with text-to-speech functionality.

Fairly clean navigation screen, if you can get past the Euro stylings.

There's no woman's voice for English turn-by-turn instructions, and the US English voice is named Lucien—no offense to dudes named Lucien, but that's proof of what you see throughout the app: Sygic is just too country-agnostic for a great US experience.

Not only does the app block the all-important iPhone status bar at top, it doesn't even match some take-for-granted iPhone interface behaviors. For instance, instead of scrolling down a list by flicking up, you have to tap gingerly on up and down buttons on the side.

POI search doesn't work at significant distances: only searches your surrounding 10 or 20 miles, unless you specify another town. (Navigon has a similar problem.) POI categories are also a little jumbled.

Sygic is, at this point, $30 cheaper than Navigon, and $40 cheaper than TomTom. The thing is, it's noticeably "cheaper" in the way it's designed too. Despite its functionality, it's not a good way to save money. [iTunes link]

In The End

You probably gathered by now that the good way to save money is to buy ALK's CoPilot. If you have the $60 to spend on Sygic, get CoPilot plus a year of CoPilot connected services. You'll still have money left over for an ice-cream cone—or a down payment on the $10-$30 car mount. GoKivo, like TeleNav's AT&T Navigator, is out because the $10/month model doesn't offer enough for its added cost.

If you want something more aesthetically sound than CoPilot—and there's no shame in that—Navigon is still the best bet. And though it's up to $90, that's not a terrible price compared to standalone products, and it does continue to gain features like text-to-speech for free. Whether you want to pay $25 extra for Navigon's live traffic is, for the moment, your call.

Click here for iPhone Navigation App Battlemodo, Part I, with introductory discussion about GPS iPhone apps in general.

VERIZON WIRELESS UNVEILS TRAFFIC AVOIDANCE AND OTHER NEW FEATURES ON POPULAR VZ NAVIGATOR SERVICE

LAS VEGAS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - From CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Networks In Motion (NIM), the award-winning wireless navigation and hyper-local search company, announced today that the newest version of VZ NavigatorSM will be available in April on select consumer phones and Windows Mobile devices. With the new VZ Navigator (Version 4), customers in 75 cities from coast to coast will be able to access traffic incidents, traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents; more cities are expected to be added in the coming year. In addition, VZ Navigator will offer 3D perspective view, a movie and events finder, weather reports and forecasts, and gas prices at nearby gas stations.

Powered by Networks In Motion, Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator service is a location-based service (LBS) application that utilizes GPS technology and real-time information feeds. When the new version launches in April, customers in 75 cities will be able to access the new traffic integration feature. In these markets, routes will be calculated using both historical and real-time reported traffic information - the historical information will allow customers to see on average whether the traffic is impacted by traffic lights, heavy traffic or school zones. VZ Navigator's historical data covers over 750,000 miles of roads in 48 states across the nation, making travel time estimates more accurate. The incident and flow information will tell customers how traffic is flowing, and will include details about reported accidents, disabled vehicles and congestion. NIM's Traffic Tracking Center continually monitors conditions along the customers' routes, sending proactive alerts to drivers about conditions ahead of them on their chosen routes. Detour options allow for comparison of ETA and conditions, before selecting a new route. Traffic information is powered by NAVTEQ Traffic.

Lee Daniels, vice president of consumer product development for Verizon Wireless, said, "Real-time reported traffic information and more allows our customers to truly transform their wireless phones into powerful navigation systems, at a fraction of the cost of other GPS devices. When Networks In Motion adds additional functionality to our VZ Navigator service, it enhances our customers' overall wireless experiences."

Other new features customers can expect to see on VZ Navigator (Version 4) include:

* Local Movies and Events - Customers can now search for show times, critics' ratings and other details for movies, concerts, plays, sporting events and other social events based on the physical location of their phones.
* 3D Perspective View - Enhances navigation by displaying maps from angles customers would see through car windshields, making it easier to visualize turn-by-turn directions.
* Gas Finder - Provides customers with information on the location of gas stations close to their physical location and even provides gas prices at many gas stations in the area. Once a customer selects a station, VZ Navigator can also provide turn-by-turn directions to the selected gas station.
* Weather - Provides current weather conditions and forecasts based on the physical location of their phones without manually inputting an address.

Pricing

The newest version of VZ Navigator (Version 4) will be available next month for $9.99 for unlimited monthly access or $2.99 for one-day use on select Get It Now®-enabled phones in the Get Going section under Travel & Guides or Featured Apps. In addition, VZ Navigator (Version 4) will also be available on select Windows Mobile devices. Airtime or megabyte charges and specific terms of use apply when browsing, downloading and using the application. Traffic integration is only available in certain areas. Verizon Wireless customers who currently have a subscription to VZ Navigator can get a free upgrade by simply selecting Options from the main screen of VZ Navigator then selecting Check for Updates. For more information on VZ Navigator, visit www.verizonwireless.com/vznavigator.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

VZ Navigator's traffic capabilities will be available on most major highways in the following markets at launch:

Alabama

* Birmingham
* Mobile

Arizona

* Phoenix
* Tucson

Arkansas

* Little Rock

California

* Fresno
* Los Angeles
* Sacramento
* San Diego
* San Francisco
* San Jose

Colorado

* Colorado Springs
* Denver

Connecticut

* Hartford

Florida

* Jacksonville
* Miami
* Naples
* Orlando
* Sarasota
* Tampa
* West Palm Beach

Georgia

* Atlanta

Illinois

* Chicago

Indiana

* Indianapolis

Kentucky

* Louisville

Louisiana

* New Orleans

Maine

* Portsmouth

Maryland

* Baltimore

Massachusetts

* Boston

Michigan

* Detroit
* Grand Rapids

Minnesota

* Minneapolis

Missouri

* Kansas City
* St. Louis

Nebraska

* Lincoln
* Omaha

Nevada

* Las Vegas

New Mexico

* Albuquerque

New York

* Albany
* Buffalo
* New York
* Rochester
* Syracuse

North Carolina

* Charlotte
* Greensboro
* Raleigh

Ohio

* Cincinnati
* Cleveland
* Columbus
* Dayton
* Toledo

Oklahoma

* Oklahoma City
* Tulsa

Oregon

* Portland

Pennsylvania

* Allentown
* Harrisburg
* Lancaster
* Philadelphia
* Pittsburgh
* Wilkes-Barre
* Wilmington

Rhode Island

* Providence

South Carolina

* Greenville

Tennessee

* Memphis
* Nashville

Texas

* Austin
* Dallas
* Houston
* San Antonio

Utah

* Salt Lake City

Virginia

* Norfolk
* Richmond

Washington

* Seattle
* Spokane

Washington, D.C.

Wisconsin

* Milwaukee

• enV2 by LG - The most legitimately new phone of the line is a sequel to the original enV, a bulky but fun text-messaging phone with QWERTY keyboard. This one is slimmer, with bigger keys, SDHC support for 8GB MicroSD cards, and better Bluetooth connectivity. Comes in "sophisticated" black or maroon - $130 after a $50 (mail-in?) rebate

• BlackBerry Curve 8330 - I love a good Curve as much as the next guy, especially one with EV-DO and SDHC support for MicroSDs up to 8GB. But it's going to be a hard one to squeeze in between the $200 Pearl and the $300 8830 World Edition - $270 after a $50 mail-in rebate

• Motorola Q9c - A less-colorful business-minded version of the supposedly media-friendly Q9m, this Windows Mobile 6 smartphone makes use of its aGPS chip by bundling in VZNavigator - $250 after a $50 mail-in rebate

• Windows Mobile XV6900 aka HTC Touch - Yes, the newest of at least 10 Windows Mobile devices in Verizon's lineup, is the one Sprint calls HTC Touch, which brings a marginal amount of touchy-feely finger navigation to the so-over-that WinMo interface - $350 after a $50 mail-in rebate

• Alias by Samsung - A silver version of the existing dual-flip-action SCH-u740, this one has an "updated easy-to-read full" QWERTY keyboard although the original one had some kind of QWERTY action, too - $130 after a $50 mail-in rebate

Don't tell me this is all you got, VZW!! If it is, well, at least you're soon gonna let us port phones from Sprint and Helio.

More info for the genuinely interested:

VERIZON WIRELESS AND LG INTRODUCE THE SLIM enV2™ BY LG

Successor to the Popular enV by LG, the Slim, Stylish enV2 Comes in Two Hot New Colors Along with Larger External Keys and Internal Display

LAS VEGAS, BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and SAN DIEGO - Ahead of CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) today announced the enV2™ by LG will be available in April, online at www.verizonwireless.com and at more than 2,400 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the nation, including those at Circuit City. The successor to the popular enV by LG, the new enV2 gets a makeover with a new slim redesign and sophisticated black or maroon finish.

The enV2 supports a number of features and services that customers have come to expect in wireless phones from LG and Verizon Wireless, including V CAST Music and Video, VZ NavigatorSM, Bluetooth® capabilities, dual speakers and a 2.0 megapixel camera. The phone's spacious QWERTY keypad with large sized external keys makes messaging easy, while its 2.4-inch internal screen offers crisp, crystal-clear videos and images.

The enV2 is the ideal multimedia device for music and video lovers. Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music store gives customers access to more than 2.8 million songs from both well-known and independent artists to download and blast on the phone's dual speakers. Music aficionados can enjoy the rich, full sound of their favorite tunes anywhere, anytime by simply pairing the enV2 with a Bluetooth Stereo headset or accessory. Customers can also record and save a variety of video clips that can easily be shared with family and friends by using the video recording capabilities on the enV2. A separately purchased external memory microSD™ card allows customers to store their own music or video clips on their phones and move them from their PCs to their phones.

"We are addressing the burgeoning texting trend by spending time asking what consumers want and expect from their mobile devices," said Mr. Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy and marketing for LG Mobile Phones. "We know the texting audience wants a mobile device that is compact enough to slide easily into pant pockets and handbags without compromising the integrity of the phone's features. The slimmed-down enV2 offers everything consumers loved about the enV with the added benefit of a larger, more spacious internal screen with large easy-to-text keys."

Equipped with access to VZ NavigatorSM, enV2 is also a great companion when on-the-road.

VZ Navigator uses location-based services (LBS) to provide audible turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to find more than 14 million points of interest, from ATMs and gas stations to restaurants and tourist destinations. The enV2 by LG also offers the following features and capabilities:

* Mobile Web 2.0SM-capable - customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
* Get It Now®-capable - download games, ringtones, wallpapers and more
* Wireless Sync E-mail (BREW® e-mail Client) capability
* Instant Messaging using AIM®, WL Messenger®, and Yahoo!®
* 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder:
o Self-Portrait capabilities and external LCD for self-portraits
o Camera Resolutions: 1600 x 1200 (default), 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 pixels
o Image Editor - rotate, zoom, crop
o Digital Zoom: up to 10x (zoom varies by image size; camera setting of 1600 x 1200 pixels does not support zoom function)
o Video Resolutions: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 (default) pixels
o Video Player for WMV, MP4, 3GP, 3G2 formats
* Music Player for .mp3, .wma, and unprotected .aac and .aac + files
* microSD memory port with up to 8 GB support - store music, customer generated pictures and video (not all downloaded content may be moved to the microSD card)
* Supported Bluetooth Profiles - compatible with devices that support headset, hands-free,* dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), phone book access, basic printing, basic imaging, object push for vCard and vCalendar and file transfer
* Auto view and Text to Speech, so text messages can be heard aloud
* 1,000 address book contacts with five numbers, two e-mail addresses and a Picture ID for each entry (Picture ID is dependent on photos stored in My Pictures)
* Function Key - customizable for 10 shortcuts
* Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA (Digital Dual-Band)
* Dimensions: 4.00" (h) x 2.13" (w) x 0.65" (d)
* Weight: 4.23 ounces
* Standard Battery: 950 mAh Li-Polymer
* Up to 320 minutes of usage time or up to 520 hours of standby time
* TTY/TDD support
* Hearing aid compatible (M3/T3-Rating)

The enV2 by LG will be available for $129.99 after a $50 rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES THE BLACKBERRY CURVE SMARTPHONE

Sophisticated Full-QWERTY BlackBerry Curve 8330 Delivers Uncompromising Communications, Rich Multimedia Features, VZ Navigator and Broadband Speeds

LAS VEGAS, BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and WATERLOO, Ontario - Ahead of CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, today announced the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330 smartphone will be available in May. Packaged in a liquid silver-colored finish with chrome highlights, smooth edges and soft curves, the BlackBerry Curve 8330 is backed by Verizon Wireless' high-speed Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network. This small and light smartphone has rich multimedia capabilities and is VZ NavigatorSM-capable. VZ Navigator is Verizon Wireless' location-based service that offers customers mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and access to information on more than 14 million points of interest.

The BlackBerry Curve 8330, RIM's smallest and lightest full-QWERTY smartphone, combines stylish looks with the tools people need to manage their professional responsibilities, maintain personal communications and entertain their senses.

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 offers the following capabilities and key features:

* Small and light design that is easy to handle and use; measures 4.2" x 2.4" x 0.6"and weighs only 4 ounces
* Large, vibrant 320 x 240 display, with light sensing technology that automatically adjusts brightness for optimal viewing in outdoor, indoor, and dark environments
* Responsive, highly-tactile full-QWERTY keyboard and RIM's intuitive trackball navigation system
* Premium phone features including: noise cancellation technology to offset background noise, Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), dedicated "send," "end," and "mute" keys, low-distortion speakerphone, and Bluetooth® 2.0, with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets (Bluetooth stereo audio profile A2DP/AVRCP), car kits and other Bluetooth accessories
* 2.0 megapixel camera with support for video recording*, self-portrait mirror, enhanced flash and 5X zoom
* Easy access to the popular Facebook® for BlackBerry® Smartphones application
* 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack and dedicated volume controls
* Advanced media player and enhanced desktop media manager software that makes it easy to move media files between a PC and the BlackBerry Curve 8330 - USB Data Cable comes in-box
* MicroSD™/SDHC memory card slot, providing plenty of additional storage (up to 8 GB)
* HTML web browser delivers a fast, rich browsing experience and supports streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com (3GPP RTSP streaming protocol over EV-DO)
* A removable, rechargeable battery, rated for up to 260 minutes of talk time and up to 11 days of standby time
* In-box accessories include: a stereo headset, travel charger and premium tote sleeve

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone is supported by BlackBerry® Internet Service that gives customers access to up to 10 supported POP3 and IMAP personal and corporate e-mail accounts, including most popular ISP e-mail accounts. It is also supported by BlackBerry® Professional Software for small businesses and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server for enterprise deployments, enabling advanced security and IT administration within IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange and Novell® GroupWise® environments.

The BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, for $269.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. An additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the handset is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of purchase. Customers who purchase a Verizon Wireless Nationwide voice plan can also subscribe to the E-Mail and Web for BlackBerry plan for an additional $29.99 per month while those opting for a data-only plan can pay $34.99 per month for unlimited e-mail and access to the Internet.

For more information about 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 should contact a Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative directly at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

* Video recording requires a microSD memory card, sold separately.

VERIZON WIRELESS EXPANDS ITS MOTO Q LINE-UP WITH THE ADDITION OF THE MOTO Q 9C

Sleek MOTO Q 9c Smartphone Keeps Busy Professionals on Track with GPS Navigation

LAS VEGAS, BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. - Ahead of CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced today the April availability of the MOTO™ Q 9c, the newest addition to Verizon Wireless' MOTO Q family, that comes equipped with Verizon Wireless' popular VZ NavigatorSM service. Customers may purchase MOTO Q 9c in April through Verizon Wireless business sales channels, at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, and online at www.verizonwireless.com.

Similar to its predecessors - the exclusive MOTO Q 9m and the original MOTO Q - the MOTO Q 9c from Verizon Wireless offers professionals an indispensable productivity tool wrapped in a sleek and fashionable design. The MOTO Q 9c is the ideal smartphone for business professionals who are on-the-road and offers powerful capabilities, including access to more than 14 million points of interest with Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator service. Customers can receive visual and audible turn-by-turn directions to a destination, locate business meeting destinations, ATMs, restaurants, and other places in an area, get a map of a location, bookmark favorites and recent searches, and even share locations with others - all from their MOTO Q 9c smartphones.

MOTO Q 9c operates on Verizon Wireless' wireless broadband network and features Windows Mobile® 6 Standard software, which offers customers a robust and familiar experience to help manage their lives by staying connected to their contacts, calendar and entertainment. With Windows Mobile 6.0, customers are able to easily configure virtually any POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail accounts, and they can read, edit, and create Microsoft® Word®, Excel® and PowerPoint® documents via the Documents To Go® application.

"Verizon Wireless has embraced the MOTO Q family, recognizing that not all smartphone users have the same priorities. Verizon Wireless customers can find the MOTO Q that meets their multi-tasking needs, while on-the-go," said Juergen Stark, corporate vice president of Productivity, Mobile Devices, Motorola, Inc.

MOTO Q 9c offers all of these features wrapped in a sturdy design. The optimized QWERTY keyboard on MOTO Q 9c has been engineered for fast and accurate typing, with dedicated "hot keys" for shortcuts to popular applications, including e-mail, multimedia and Internet. The handset's large 2.4-inch color display boasts innovative adaptive technology to automatically adjust for optimized brightness in indoor or outdoor lighting conditions to maximize battery life. MOTO Q 9c also offers a 1.3 megapixel camera with flash and fixed focus as well as video capture and playback. With MOTO Q 9c phone's 128 MB of on-board memory and optional removable memory future-proofed up to 32 GB, sold separately, customers have plenty of room to store their photos and other multimedia.

MOTO Q 9c also combines advanced phone capabilities, such as voice-activated dialing, smart contacts dialing, speakerphone, and Stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology supporting both Bluetooth A2DP and AVRCP profiles.*

Pricing

MOTO Q 9c will be available online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement. An additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the handset is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of purchase. Verizon Wireless Nationwide E-mail plans for MOTO Q 9c begin at $79.99 for 450 anytime voice minutes and unlimited e-mail. VZ Navigator is available for $9.99 for monthly access.

VERIZON WIRELESS UNVEILS STYLISH, INTUITIVE XV6900 FOR MOBILE PROFESSIONALS

The XV6900 Features an Easy-to-Use Touch-Screen, Simple User Interface, and Quick Access to Games, E-Mail and More

LAS VEGAS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Ahead of CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, today announced the XV6900 will be available in April through Verizon Wireless business sales channels, at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. The Verizon Wireless XV6900 is a stylish, compact and versatile touch-screen phone, optimized for easy navigation with the swipe of a finger and runs on Verizon Wireless' network, which gives the pure white XV6900 fast Internet and e-mail connectivity.

The XV6900 from Verizon Wireless takes touch to the next level with smooth navigation. Whether customers are accessing local weather reports, navigating to the Internet, flipping through photos, or one-touch dialing of loved ones, they can interact with a myriad of the XV6900's features with just a flick of their fingers.

The Verizon Wireless XV6900 leverages the broad functionality and communication capabilities of Windows Mobile® 6 Professional with access to Outlook Mobile® for smooth e-mail integration, Office Mobile and the ability to run a bevy of third-party applications. Verizon Wireless customers will also have the ability to surf the Web through Internet Explorer® Mobile, send and receive e-mails or chat on popular Messenger services including AIM®, MSN®, Yahoo!®. Designed with the sophisticated customer in mind, the Verizon Wireless XV6900 allows customers to view and edit Microsoft Word® and Excel® files, as well as view Microsoft PowerPoint®, Adobe® Reader® LE PDF Viewer and view, extract and create new ZIP files and attachments. The intuitive home screen on the XV6900 provides one-touch access to e-mail, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world.

Additional features of the XV6900 include:

* Built-in speakerphone
* Bluetooth® v. 2.0 with support for stereo, hands-free, and headset profiles
* microSD™ memory card slot with support up to 8 GB
* 2.0 megapixel camera with video capture
* 256 MB ROM / 128 MB RAM
* 2.8" TFT-LCD touch-screen with LED backlight
* 3.98" (l) x 2.35" (w) x 0.56" (d)
* Support for Office Outlook Mobile and Microsoft Exchange® with Direct Push

The XV6900 will be available online and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, for $349.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. An additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the handset is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of purchase.

VERIZON WIRELESS INTRODUCES THE ALIAS™ BY SAMSUNG

Slim, Dual-Hinge Flip Phone Gets Updated Full-QWERTY Keyboard and Stylish Silver Finish

LAS VEGAS, BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS - Ahead of CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung) announced the Alias™ by Samsung will be available in mid-April. The successor to the popular Samsung SCH-u740, the Alias will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com or in any of the 2,400 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City.

The Alias sports the familiar dual-hinge design of the SCH-u740 but is packaged in a cool silver finish and features an updated easy-to-read full-QWERTY keyboard, making the phone ideal for sending text messages and e-mails. When customers open the Alias vertically, the phone is a sleek and stylish clamshell phone.

When the Alias is opened horizontally, the QWERTY keyboard is revealed to show its new color-defined numbers and letters. In addition to sending text messages, customers can use Wireless Sync, Verizon Wireless' proprietary personal information management solution, to synchronize their phones with their home or office PCs for easy access to e-mail, calendar, contacts and task information. The horizontal view is ideal for using the Alias' multimedia features, including Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music and Video services. With V CAST Music, customers can choose from more than 2.8 million songs from well-known and independent artists to download over-the-air directly to their phones or transfer their own music collection from their PCs to their phones. With V CAST Video, customers can download or stream video clips from the best names in news, sports and entertainment.

Additional features of the Alias include:

* 1.3 megapixel digital camera with flash
* Camcorder
* Get It Now® - downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more
* Mobile Web 2.0SM - customizable, enhanced wireless Internet access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more
* Instant Messaging using AIM®, MSN®, Yahoo!®
* Text, picture and video messaging
* Bluetooth wireless technology - Object Push Profile for vCard, headset, car kits, serial port and certain dial-up networking profiles
* Expandable memory with external microSD™ card slot
* Dimensions: 3.8" x 2.04" x .58"; 3.65 ounces with standard battery
* Bilingual user interface: English and Spanish
* TTY/TTD Capable
* Personal organizer with Calendar, Calculator, Notepad, Currency Converter, Alarm Clock, World Time and Stop Watch

The Alias will be available in mid-April for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com.

You won't get charged for data use if you are downloading songs from V Cast Music Store, or sending and receiving picture or video messages, though they still cost 25 cents a piece. Ditto for 15-cent text messages. Subscribers to V Cast video service (starting at $15 per month) will get unlimited data use for Mobile Web, as you would hope.

New add-ons to Nationwide include $20 for unlimited text messages and $40 for the full meal deal: monthly subscriptions and unlimited megabyte usage for Mobile Web, Get It Now, V CAST Video, VZ Navigator and Mobile E-mail. That is one "I HEART Verizon" plan.

Word is, some of this will also apply to the new BlackBerry plans, but I don't have details on that just yet, so stay tuned.

It's not a whoo-hoo, thrilling plan revision meant to save you loads of money, but it does show that Verizon is no longer clinging to this antiquated concept of airtime in a data-based world. I have confirmed that if you do want to ditch your old America's Choice plan and swap into a Nationwide one, you will be able do to so without renewing your contract, just like we told you. [Verizon Wireless]

The VZ Navigator service gives you directions, like a regular GPS, and lets you search 14 million locations. Unfortunately this is only available on the LG VX9800, the RAZR and the Motorola V325. Avalable for $2.99 a day or $9.99 a month.

The MG FuelFinder that lets you know where the cheapest gas stations are near your location. $1.99 a month or $5 for the Wireless Mobile Web version.

Vindigo City Guide is a guide for restaurants and other fun things to do in the city. $2.99 a month for this one.

Roadside Assistance from GE Motor Club gets you towing, unlocking, jump-starts and flat tire replacement. This is $3 a month.

Not quite GPS, but not too shabby either. Definitely useful if you're on the road and need help getting to where you're going, or if you're visiting a new city and want to see the sights. – Jason Chen

New GPS Like Services By Verizon [Mobile Whack]

Verizon has finally decided to do something with the GPS feature in some of its phones. Cashing in on a service Sprint has already been providing, it's launched the VZ Navigator, a subscriber service that will let you get directions and the location of nearby businesses including every Starbucks in the whole world (ok, maybe not the whole world, but a lot of places) using those GPS-enabled phones. Right now, the service is being offered on the Motorola V325 and costs $10 a month for unlimited use or $3 for 24 hours (perfect for singled-out road trips and any Frappuccino carving you may have).

Verizon Launches Navigator Service [Phonescoop]