The Rock features a mil-spec rugged bodyshell that can withstand water, shock, dust, vibration, humidity, salt fog, solar radiation, altitude, high/low temperature storage and six different outdoors- oriented applications which include Earth Compass, Walking Counter, Thermometer, Astro Calendar (astrology/biorhythm readings), Sunrise/Sunset (sun cycle readings) and Tide (tide cycle readings).

The complete feature set of the Rock includes a 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, stereo Bluetooth, touch-sensitive media player controls on the outer display, microSDHC expansion slot and a button that opens the phone. The Rock also offers push-to-talk inline with previous G’zOne models.

Pricing is set at $199.99 after new 2 year agreement and availability is set for Friday.

The clamshell with the name Gz’One Rock C731 according to the label diagram is intended to be the successor to the venerable Gz’One Boulder with dual-band EVDO radio, Bluetooth, camera with unknown resolution, flash, and other unknown features at this time.

As previously reported, the Casio Exilim C721 is a variant of the W51CA found on Japanese carrier KDDI AU and features a 5.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus, video recorder, and xenon flash along with a swiveling bezel for the 2.4 inch QVGA display, microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, and speakerphone along with VCAST support and GPS via VZNavigator.

The Motorola A455 Rival is a horizontal slider that features a QWERTY keyboard, touch display for the standard dialing pad activated with the dedicated key when the keyboard is closed, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, VCAST support, GPS support via VZNavigator, 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, Bluetooth, and speakerphone.

The C721 is available for $449.99 Month-to-Month, $399.99 after a new 1 year agreement or $329.99 after a new 2 year agreement before an additional $50 mail-in rebate, bringing the total to $349.99 and $279.99 respectively.

The Rival is available for $269.99 Month-to-Month, $219.99 on Verizon Prepaid and a new 1 year agreement, or $149.99 after a new 2 year agreement before a $50 mail-in rebate, bringing the totals to $169.99 and $99.99 respectively.

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As previously reported, the Casio Exilim C721 is a variant of the W51CA found on Japanese carrier KDDI AU and features a 5.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus, video recorder, and xenon flash along with a swiveling bezel for the 2.4 inch QVGA display, microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, and speakerphone along with VCAST support and GPS via VZNavigator.

The phone is expected to launch on June 10th for $449.99 Month-to-Month, $399.99 after a new 1 year agreement or $329.99 after a new 2 year agreement before an additional $50 mail-in rebate, bringing the total to $349.99 and $279.99 respectively.

The Casio Exilim C721 is a variant of the W51CA found on Japanese carrier KDDI AU and features a 5.1 megapixel camera with auto-focus, video recorder, and xenon flash along with a swiveling bezel for the 2.4 inch QVGA display, microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, and speakerphone along with VCAST support and GPS via VZNavigator.

The Motorola A455 Rival is a horizontal slider that features a QWERTY keyboard, touch display for the standard dialing pad activated with the dedicated key when the keyboard is closed, microSDHC expansion slot, media player, VCAST support, GPS support via VZNavigator, 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder, Bluetooth, and speakerphone.

The C721 will be available for $449.99 Month-to-Month, $399.99 after a new 1 year agreement or $329.99 after a new 2 year agreement before an additional $50 mail-in rebate, bringing the total to $349.99 and $279.99. The Rival will be available for $269.99 Month-to-Month, $219.99 on Verizon Prepaid and a new 1 year agreement, or $149.99 after a new 2 year agreement before a $50 mail-in rebate, bringing the totals to $169.99 and $99.99 respectively.

Images courtesy of Mobile indeed it is Mobile

The model slated for release on Verizon will be a variant of the series found on Japanese carrier KDDI AU with slight adjustments made for the American market such as a CMOS+DSP combo for the 5.1 megapixel camera with optical zoom, xenon flash, locking battery cover in a nod to the GzOne series, and a WVGA widescreen display while still retaining the swiveling bezel found on the W63CA and Samsung Flipshot in order to aid photography and video capture.

The phone also features a microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, media player, speakerphone, and EVDO.  There is no information on pricing or availability at this time.

Like the Motorola Adventure, the Boulder features a MilSpec bodyshell that is shock, dust, and water resistant and features EVDO Rev. A access, QVGA internal display, GPS access with workforce management application support, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, digital compass, microSDHC slot with 256MB of internal memory, V CAST Music and Video support, speakerphone and a 1.3 megapixel camera with flash and video recorder.

In keeping with the devices being marketed to businesses and individuals that work in sensitive enviroments, there is also a version available with no camera built-in.  Both versions are now available online from Verizon for $179.99 after new 2 year agreement before an additional $50 online discount bringing the total to $129.99 with the retail launch set for August 4th.

Image courtesy of PhoneArena

The Casio c711 clamshell we previously covered is now known as the Casio Boulder and will feature a Mil-Spec bodyshell along with EVDO Rev. A access for its forthcoming push to talk service, 256 MB of internal memory, 1.3 megapixel camera with flash and video capture, GPS support with workforce management applications, media player, Bluetooth, and speakerphone.

Verizon has set a third quarter launch window for the Boulder and its new PTT service with no specific date or pricing information available at this time.

The slides also detail Windows Mobile 6.1 updates for two current devices and the pending completion of their EVDO Rev. A upgrade across the entire network.  Also, two new devices will be launched that will make Verizon the first domestic CDMA carrier to offer triband W-CDMA data access in tandem with EVDO Rev. A

Images courtesy of Engadget Mobile

Verizon Wireless has big plans for users of EVDO high speed data this year as the company has designated July 31st as the completion date for their network upgrade to EVDO Rev. A promising an increase in upload speed to a variable rate of 300-500kbps, up from the current 50kbps speeds offered on Rel. 0.

The Palm Treo 800w, which we’ve discussed previously for Sprint is now slated for a release on Verizon as well sometime in the third quarter and will feature 256MB of flash memory with 128 MB of ROM, Windows Mobile 6.1, Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth 2.0 with stereo audio support, microSDHC expansion slot, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder, internal GPS transceiver alongside A-GPS access, and tethering through Bluetooth and USB.

The Samsung i760 will be one of the first Windows Mobile devices on Verizon to be updated to 6.1 sometime this month in an update.  The device will otherwise remain unchanged from its current specifications.

The next device to be updated with Rev. A access, VZ Navigator support and Windows Mobile 6.1 will be the XV6800.  Strangely, the slide lists the update releasing in May even though multiple sources have pointed the update to be available sometime later this month.

The first official images of the Adventure were previously leaked, but this slide marks the first official image of the Casio Hitachi c711 clamshell which is almost identical to the current Type-S if a bit larger.

Both phones will feature PTT over Rev. A, full access to VCAST Video and Music services, M810F certification, Bluetooth 2.0 on the c711 and 1.2 on the Adventure, speakerphone, GPS with fleet tracking support, with a 1.3 megapixel camera on the c711 and a 2 megapixel camera on the Advantage.  No release dates are available but are expected sometime this quarter.

This is the first official appearance of the Samsung i770 dual-mode smart device, intended to replace the i760.

The device will launch with 256 MB of flash memory and 128MB of ROM, Windows Mobile 6.1, Wi-Fi radio, dual-band GSM/GPRS access for international roaming, microSDHC expansion slot, Bluetooth 2.0 with stereo audio support, GPS support with VZ Navigator, and a 2.0 megapixel camera with video recorder.

The device is expected to launch sometime in the third quarter

The last devices of note are the first tri-mode CDMA/GSM/W-CDMA devices designed for international high-speed data access from the carrier.

The Qualcomm GOBI is an internal miniPCI Express card designed for OEM integration into laptops which features dual-band CDMA 1xEVDO Rev. A access, quadband GSM/EDGE access, and triband HSPA access with availability beginning sometime this year.  The Novatel Global USB modem features identical specifications to the GOBI internal card in terms of air interface and frequency support, and is expected to launch sometime in the third quarter.

Update: We have posted a new article clarifying the current situation regarding QChat.

The Palm Centro has become a surprise hit for the venerable but struggling smart device developer, with versions on AT&T and Sprint quickly becoming some of the most popular devices in terms of sales, due to its complete feature set and surprisingly low entry price for a smart device.

Image courtesy of Engadget Mobile

The above image shows Verizon branding on the device, which correlates speculation that the device is expected at the end month of May and is expected to be identical to the version available on Sprint with EVDO, 1.3 megapixel camera, speakerphone, media player, Bluetooth, and microSD expansion slot. The new blue color was launched at the beginning of the month on Mexican GSM carriers Telefonica Movistar and Telcel, and Palm currently has not confirmed any information in regards to the pending release.

Verizon is also solidifying plans to offer a competing QChat based push to talk service to answer Sprint’s current dominance and leadership of the push to talk market.

The first two devices from Verizon featuring Qualcomm’s QChat push to talk solution are expected to launch sometime next month. QChat relies on the EVDO Rev. A data service in order to deliver sub one sceond connection times.

There has been some confusion on whether Verizon could even deploy QChat, with the platform having roots in joint Nextel/Qualcomm development in 2003, owing to the former carrier’s preliminary decision to overlay CDMA EVDO access on top of iDEN in order to transition to CDMA. Nextel was eventually purchased by Sprint resulting in finalized development of the platform.

While Sprint does have exclusivity rights regarding interoperability between Sprint CDMA and iDEN devices, the platform itself is owned by Qualcomm and any CDMA carrier interested is allowed to purchase and license QChat for use on their network as an alternative to PoC based solutions provided by Kodiak, Winphoria, and others.

Verizon had previously deployed push to talk services using the Winhoria push to talk platform which relied on the slower 1xRTT NationalAccess network, and was panned for slow connection times, despite having national ad campaigns touting instant access, forcing them to reevaluate the marketability of such services.

Verizon still continues to offer push to talk services on the old platform, even relaunching phones with the capability, but the Motorola W750 and the Casio c711 signal a shift away from the old platform onto QChat.

Both phones are expected to feature EVDO Rev. A access, large amounts of user accessible memory (128 MB for the c711, 256 MB for the W750), tethering capability, GPS access with workforce management solutions, media players (a first for a Casio phone on Verizon), digital cameras of an as yet unknown resolution, Bluetooth, and speakerphone.