Basking Ridge, N.J. – Verizon
Wireless is expanding its sub-$100 smartphone selection with the $79.99 LG-made
Vortex, which will join the carrier’s
.
Both are Android-based smartphones.
Verizon also launched its
second-generation LG-made Cosmos, a multimedia phone with touchscreen and
slide-out QWERTY keyboard at $49.99.
The Vortex smartphone, available
Nov. 18 through the carrier’s stores and website, is targeted to first-time
smartphone users and features Android 2.2 OS, 3.2-inch touchscreen with virtual
QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi hot spot capability, Bluetooth 2.1 with stereo, Bing
Search and Bing Maps, Google’s Mobile Services, preinstalled LG apps such as
Twitter and Facebook access, five to seven customizable home screens, and Skype
mobile capability. Other features include visual voice mail, Verizon’s
cloud-based VZ Navigator navigation service, and 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera/camcorder
with flash.
The Vortex’s $79.99 price through Verizon’s
direct channels is after $100 mail-in rebate, which takes the form of a debit
card. Vortex users must subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan starting
at $39.99/month and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan starting at $15/month
for 150MB of data usage.
The LG Cosmos multimedia phone, due Nov. 18 in
Verizon’s stores, features a 2.8-inch WQVGA touchscreen, four-line slide-out
QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth 2.1 with stereo, MicroSD slot for up to 16GB of
memory, three home screens, a Flash user
interface for clear images and animations, voice command, Verizon’s VZ
Navigator service and 1.3-megapixel camera. Its price of $49.99 is after a $50
mail-in rebate.
