June 10th, 2009

Motorola Rival messaging phone offers QWERTY, touch, visual voicemail

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 5:30 am

Categories: Mobile, Cell Phones and Smartphones, Motorola, Verizon Wireless

Tags: Phone, Voicemail, Messaging, Motorola Inc., Keyboards, E-mail, Smart Phones, Instant Messaging, Telecom & Utilities, Telecommunications

Motorola introduced the new Motorola Rival messaging phone today for Verizon Wireless, offering a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, “touch key” interface and visual voicemail.

The candybar phone, which is available today in a silver-and-red or purple-and-black finish, is intended for the multimedia-minded who aren’t ready to pony up the cost and data plan commitment of a true smartphone.

[ZDNet Image Gallery: Motorola Rival phone]

It’s e-mail and IM-ready, and offers smartphone-like features such as touchscreen dialing, IM-style threaded text messaging, a 2 megapixel cameraphone, emoticon support, GPS navigation, visual voicemail and, of course, a sideways-sliding, backlit full QWERTY keyboard.

(The phone has Motorola’s usual good attention to fit and finish and feels solid. I’ll post my full review of it later today on this blog, so keep your eyes peeled.)

Full specs:

• Backlit QWERTY keyboard for faster messaging; keyboard lights up either characters, numbers or symbols based on entry mode
• Holds up to 500 text messages in inbox and outbox
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• 3.5 mm headset jack and up to 8 GB optional removable memory (microSD)
• AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger with Mobile IM
• Mobile Email allows access to popular e-mail services such as Yahoo!, Hotmail, AOL and Windows Live
• Supports Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music with Rhapsody service for DRM-free music ($14.99/mo.)
• Supports VZ Navigator for audible turn-by-turn directions ($2.99/mo.)
• Visual Voice Mail allows users to view, delete, reply, listen to and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions ($2.99/mo.)

The Rival is available today in Verizon stores or on Verizon’s website for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year contract. (You’ll receive the rebate in the form of a debit card.)