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Verizon gets official with Motorola VU204, Rapture, and Samsung Sway
As expected, Motorola's VU204 and VU30 flips have teamed up with Samsung's Sway slider for announcement on Verizon today, bringing an interesting range of new hardware from the low to the upper midrange. Unfortunately, this is a case where "interesting" isn't necessarily a good thing; for example, we find it "interesting" that the Sway (pictured right) runs a cool 70 bucks on contract after rebate yet doesn't feature EV-DO, a feature we'd assume was now standard in a handset of this price. At any rate, it's got a 2-megapixel cam and a media player with microSD expansion, so we'll cut it some slack. On the Moto side, the VU204's an ultra-basic piece that "meets everyday, on-the-go needs" (that's code for "ultra-basic," by the way) with a VGA cam and Bluetooth; it runs just $29.99 on activation. The Rapture VU30 (pictured left) does a 2-megapixel camera, touch-sensitive external display, and EV-DO, running a stiffer $129.99 on contract. The Sway and VU30 are available now, while the VU204 follows on come October 14.Read - Samsung SwayRead - Motorola Rapture VU30
Samsung Sway, Motorola Rapture get dates and prices on Verizon
A reasonably attractive pair of phones that have been in the wings for a while now on Verizon are finally hitting next week -- October 6, to be exact. The Motorola VU30 Rapture is the first of the pair, a glossy flip set to do battle with Sprint's VE20 featuring a 2-megapixel camera, touch-sensitive external display (Verizon calls it "vanishing"), GPS, and EV-DO for $179.99 on a two-year contract or $299.99 with no Hancock required. Next, we have the Samsung u650 Sway, a silvery slider coming in at 0.47 inches thick and a feature list eerily reminiscent of the VU30's, right down to the 2-megapixel cam -- though EV-DO is strangely missing, as far as we can tell. Where they got the name "Sway" for a slider, though, is beyond us. Look for this one to run $119.99 on a two-year, $239.99 contract-free.%Gallery-33132%
Verizon's Motorola VU30 scores FCC approval
Last we'd heard, Verizon had wanted to get this puppy out the door before the month was over, and one corner that you just can't cut no matter how hard you try is FCC approval. Fortunately, little formality's been cleared up for the Moto VU30 -- and while there could very well be other hardware / software / production issues holding up its release for all we know, we can at least say with confidence that they can't toss the blame over to the feds. It's got a 2-megapixel cam, EV-DO, stereo Bluetooth, and one of those trick external touchscreens Motorola's really been into as of late, so it'll be a decent midrange option once it drops.[Via Phone Scoop]
Verizon pushes Motorola ZN4 to October, Nokia 7205 to next year?
Jeebus, Nokia, what's going on with your stupid flip phone over there? Not to harsh on you too much -- we love you, really we do -- but we're not exactly talking about an N96-caliber device here. If an updated view of Verizon's Mobile Email launches is accurate, it seems that the launch of Nokia's CDMA-equipped 7205 will now come no earlier than January of 2009, which would put it a full year after the first spy shots leaked. We also see here that LG's VX5500 and VX8360 are both tracking for late October, while the mysterious VX9600 should be hitting in November if all goes well. From Motorola, the VU30 has been pushed out to the end of this month and the MING-esque ZN4 is looking like it's trying to break out in time for Halloween. Samsung is offering the u810 global phone later on this month, while the u650 "Sway" sneaks in somewhere in October. Altogether a promising autumn for Big Red's dumbphone line -- but we've seen enough date slips at this point to be fooled into believing there won't be a few more.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Motorola's Blaze ZN4 and Rapture VU30 in the wild
Hey, Verizon customers, you're feeling a little warm to the touch over there. Could it be that you have -- be still our hearts! -- Motorola fever? As Motos go, Verizon's currently signed up to get two of the hotter upcoming models in the next few weeks, the ZN4 Blaze and the VU30 Rapture, both of which have been spied in the wild once more (looking basically ready for retail launch this time around, may we add). The VU30 is a fashion flip that takes some cues from its GSM-based U9 cousin featuring a glossy translucent shell, fat external display, and according to the latest rumors, a September 9 release date. The Blaze meanwhile looks more or less the same as the last time we saw it, leaving us to wonder what possessed Motorola to keep rolling with that eyesore of a giant, red-ringed medallion on the hinged lid. It's also rumored for a September date with destiny, though the exact day is unclear at this point -- and honestly, Motorola, if you want to push that back a month or two to make the badge less obnoxious, be our guest.[Via phoneArena]
Fun facts about Motorola's VU30 for Verizon emerge
Far be it from Verizon to get left out of Motorola's RAZR-ish evolution recently observed in Sprint's VE20, the VU30 Rapture (no relation to the LG Vu -- trust us) should be hitting Big Red next month according to the latest data we've got on hand. The wait's always excruciating, we know, but phoneArena's picked up a few juicy bits of the user's manual for us all to chew on in the meanwhile. Looking over the documentation, it really is striking to see just how much the VU30 shares in common with its Sprint contemporary: a touch-sensitive external display for music controls, 2-megapixel camera, EV-DO, and a curvy shape that somehow manages to evoke the RAZRs of old without prompting us to gouge our eyes out, for example.
Verizon gets Motorola VU30 next month, Nokia 7205 not until December?
So we don't think Verizon really intended to leak any handset release dates via a slide about Mobile Email launches on various devices -- but alas, they did. At present, the Moto VU30 is scheduled for a September 9 date with destiny, and it seems that its name has changed from "Utopia" to "Rapture" somewhere along the way. Further out, the LG VX8360 (which we're guessing will be an update for the forgettable VX8350) gets real in October -- and unfortunately, that shiny, hot mess of CDMA technology from Nokia, the 7205, appears to be shelved all the way back to December. There's also a u440 "Cleo" from Samsung in there somewhere, too, though no launch window is listed. Anyway, sorry for the interruption, Verizon; please, continue fascinating us with your stories about mobile email.
BlackBerry Thunder, touchscreen Motorola on board for Verizon's visual voicemail
Details are still trickling in on this whole visual voicemail sitch on Big Red, but we're starting to wrap our noodle around it. In addition to the four devices we've already mentioned -- the Voyager refresh, Chocolate 3, Blaze, and Utopia -- it turns out that none other than the mighty BlackBerry Thunder will be among the first devices to benefit from sooper dooper 22nd century high-tech voicemail management.We've also learned that it's actually the Vu30 (little close to the LG Vu, eh, guys?) that's being called the Motorola Utopia, while the Blaze will be some heretofore unknown touchscreen device -- pretty uncommon by Moto standards, particularly in the States where we don't get to benefit from the MING series' awesomeness. As always, we'll roll out more info as we get it.
Motorola "VU30" breaks cover for Verizon
Alright, so maybe we harshed on Motorola for rehashing the original RAZR (or RZR, as the case may be) yet again just a little bit too soon. phoneArena has scored shots of a phone claimed to be a "VU30" destined for Verizon, and while the phone's name probably rings just a little too familiar for LG's comfort, the design language seems distinctly un-Motorola and unlike anything we've really seen with other major manufacturers. It's not a groundbreaking design we're looking at here by any stretch of the imagination, but if Moto's looking at cremating and spreading the ashes of the RAZR look and feel once and for all, we think that's a pretty wise move on the long road to profitability. Not much else is known about the VU30 at the moment, so we'll keep a close eye on the situation.
