• November 14, 2008

Verizon Wireless today announced it will launch the BlackBerry Storm on Nov. 21, just in time for the start of the holiday season. As Verizon's (and Research in Motion's) answer to the iPhone, the touchscreen device carries the same $199 price tag and features including Web browsing and 9GB of storage (including an 8GB card that comes in the box).

The Storm comes pre-loaded with applications such as Facebook and Flickr, but doesn't offer the more extensive selection of programs available through Apple's "App Store." Verizon's 3G network, however, could provide an advantage over AT&T's service for the iPhone when it comes to Web-surfing.

To help promote the Storm's release, Verizon last week kicked off "Storm Hunt," a scavenger-type game developed by Chicago-based mobile marketing agency Vibes Media. The campaign, which runs through Nov. 15 directs consumers to gather keywords from kiosks at 45 locations in Manhattan and then text them in for a chance to win daily BlackBerry Storms and $50 activation gift cards.--Mark Walsh