Verizon Blitz
When I first heard about this device, I thought it to be one of the more quirky looking mobile devices. The device labeled “Blitz” is made by UT Starcom, model TXT8010. Typically a phone is shaped like a rectangular candy bar, but this looked more like a thin, blue Klondike bar. The device initially looks like a “low end device” geared for the teenage crowd. But after you open the slider and see all the features you realize that this it quite a capable device. It can be configured to access email and surf the web, play music, games and much more. The compact size and large screen size make it a viable competitor to the Blackberry Pearl. With a microSD slot with support up to 4GB, stereo Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel cam, and VZ Navigator, it certainly is not skimpy on features.
What’s interesting is that this devices is available as a PrePay device. Why?!? It would seem subscribers would burn through their minutes in no time. And data bits per kilobyte are not cheap in a prepaid model. My guess would be that they could sell these devices for under $100 USD with a 2 year contract and really start to push people to look at smartphones!
The shiny blue color really stands out, but borders on looking like a kid toy! It seems that Verizon has been really pushing lots of keyboard smartphones with LG and Samsung, now with their own labeled device. More are on the way and getting more people to use data services is the way for Verizon and others the grow ARPU.
