Vodafone will unveil the BlackBerry Storm2 9520 in a couple of days. The phone is expected to debut in the UK on October 16, 2009.

To come equipped with an enhanced SurePress typing system that would employ Piezo technology, the phone would boast of four sensors to enable multi-touch typing.

Besides the expected Wi-Fi, BlackBerry OS 5.0, threaded texting, more durable rubber keys, the BlackBerry Storm2 9520will have a highly responsive screen and capabilities to display orientation in no time. Vodafone is likely to lure customers with an offer of 9520 for free with a monthly service plan of at least 30 Pounds or close to US$48. This could mean that the Storm2 would cost a tad less than the 34.26 Pounds per month plan that O2 would most probably quote for the Palm Pre, which also releases on October 16.

Vodafone, as we all know, had goofed up with its last year’s Storm 9500. We hope it has learnt from the mistakes, and going by the looks of it, the new BlackBerry Storm2 9520 has incorporated improvements in hardware and software. If it has done really so, Vodafone can rest assured that the Storm 2 would be picked up fast by the BlackBerry shopper. Meanwhile, we also hear that Verizon’s BlackBerry Storm2 9550, which was tipped to debut on October 21, will look at only a mid-November launch.

Currently, if you buy any BlackBerry smartphone from Verizon (except for the Tour), you can get another one for free, thanks to Verizon’s Buy One Get One (BOGO) promotion.

According to BlackBerry Rocks (the website is down right now), the unannounced BlackBerry Storm2 will be included in the promotion as well.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing official about this at the moment, and we only have this leaked flyer as proof:




As previously reported, the BlackBerry Storm2 should be announced by Verizon in late November. If the BOGO promotion turns out to be real, there will probably be many, many Storm 2 smartphones sold before the year’s end, regardless of the price of one unit (which cant’ possibly be higher than $300 on contract).

Here it is Storm2 chasers... the press release we have all been waiting for! And it looks like you won't have to wait long now to pick up a BlackBerry Storm2, with availability scheduled for October 28th - this Wednesday. As previously posted, Verizon Blackberry Storm2 pricing comes in at $179 on a 2yr contract after a mail-in rebate, but there's no mention of a BOGO promotion or upgrade incentive for Storm1 users... at least in the press release (if any of these promotions do exist, could be they'll roll into action in the near future). If you haven't done it yet, be sure to check out our BlackBerry Storm2 Review.

As for why the Verizon press release was delayed beyond RIM/Vodafone's announcement of the BlackBerry Storm2, no official reason was stated, but judging by the looks of the press release the official argument might be that they were waiting for the release of OS 5.0 for the Storm 9530, so original Storm owners were taken care of prior to the Storm2's launch.

A Powerful New Storm Rolls Onto Verizon Wireless' Network on Oct. 28

New Operating System for Existing BlackBerry Storm Customers

BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY and WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 26, 2009) - Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that the BlackBerry(R) Storm2(TM) smartphone will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications stores, online at www.verizonwireless.com, and through business sales channels beginning Oct. 28. The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry(R) OS 5.0 evolves the BlackBerry(R) touchscreen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements - including new SurePress(TM) "clickable" display technology and built-in Wi-Fi(R) - delivering the exceptional multimedia experience and communications capabilities customers have come to expect from their BlackBerry smartphones.

Key Features:

* Smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate
* Large (3.25"), dazzling high-resolution 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi
* Capacitive touchscreen with integrated functions (Send, End, Menu,
* Escape) and new SurePress technology that makes clicking the display practically effortless
* 3G and global connectivity support for making phone calls in more than 220 countries and accessing data in more than 185 countries (with more than 80 destinations in 3G)
* Network Connectivity: EV-DO Revision A; UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz); and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks
* Supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
* 256 MB of Flash memory
* 2 GB of onboard media storage and a microSD(TM)/SDHD memory card slot with a 16 GB card included

Software Updates on BlackBerry Storm2:

* Features BlackBerry OS 5.0, which includes typing accuracy and selection improvements, as well as usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons, and more use of animation
* BlackBerry Browser is improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets
* Customers running BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more

Additional Features and Specifications:

* 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, Image Stabilization (IS), flash and video recording capabilities
* Premium and easy-to-access phone features, background noise suppression technology, loud distortion-free speakerphone and face detection (proximity sensor) that prevents accidental clicks and blanks the screen while the customer is on the phone
* Media player for videos, pictures and music, plus support for BlackBerry Desktop Manager for both PCs and Macs, and BlackBerry(R) Media Sync, for easily syncing Windows Media(R) Player music with the smartphone(i)
* 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and dedicated volume controls
* Bluetooth(R) (v2.1) capable with support for Secure Simple Pairing, hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals
* Built-in GPS for maps and other location-based applications, as well as photo geotagging; and Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator(SM) service is pre-loaded
* V CAST Music with Rhapsody
* Access to BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones, with categories including games, entertainment, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more Support for Verizon Wireless' Mobile Broadband Connect tethering service
* Removable, rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides up to 5.5 hours of talk time or up to 11.2 days of standby time

Pricing and Availability:

* The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone is available beginning Oct. 28 for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Data plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan.

New Operating System for Existing BlackBerry Storm Customers

* Existing BlackBerry Storm customers will be able to update their handsets to the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 software via Web software load (www.blackberry.com/update), BlackBerry Desktop Manager, or from Verizon Wireless' download site (www.verizonwireless.com/storm). The software is available today.
* For additional information on 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 can contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 has arrived to try and save the BlackBerry touch screen reputation after a pretty disastrous Storm 1 entrance last year. I used a Storm 1 and can safely say that while I'm a huge fan of Research In Motion 's (RIM) BlackBerry products (I've been a user since 2000), I was excited to see how RIM would jump into the touch screen Smartphone ring, and then immediately disappointed at the product I was holding in my hands.

It was laggy, buggy, kludgy, and the whole having to click the screen paradigm combined to make me feel like hurling it at the wall many times.

The BlackBerry Storm 2 is much better in many ways. It doesn't lag, it has fewer bugs, and typing doesn't feel as kludgly as before. You still have to click the screen, but even that has improved drastically.

So the question is, can this new improved touch screen BlackBerry survive in the corporate world? Can it handle the day-to-day work use and even enhance your existing BlackBerry experience? Finally, does it look professional enough to carry into the boardroom or courtroom?

While the Storm 2 has many consumer features, I won't go into those in great detail because there are other reviews that do this. I'll be concentrating on the enterprise usage, which of course does include some consumer use.