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July 14, 2008

Riding on the coattails of yesterday’s long-awaited launch of Apple’s new iPhone 3G handset, Verizon Wireless and Sprint started introducing their high-end phone introductions that hit store shelves Saturday and Sunday.

In a marketing coup that could have been borrowed from a Hollywood script, the new devices share a strong similarity to the iPhone 3G in the way those respective phones were named: Verizon’s Chocolate 3 and Sprint’s Treo Phone.

The LG Chocolate 3 sports a built-in FM transmitter so customers can play music through a car or other stereo system, dual speakers and Bluetooth headset for wireless stereo sound. The device also includes a 2-megapixel camera and camcorder and supports V-CAST Video and ESPN MVP.

The LG Chocolate 3 is the first Verizon Wireless phone to feature Dashboard, a graphically rich portal powered by Adobe Flash Cast technology. Dashboard delivers personalized multimedia information and entertainment services directly to the phone.

It features 13 channels – Mobile Web, VZW Showcase, Get Channels and Search, as well nine more to customize the wireless experience.

Verizon Wireless customers can select from News, Community, Comedy Central, MTV News, IGN.COM, FOX Sport, Tones & Extras, Sports, ESPN, Music, Entertainment, Weather, Business, and Games channels to appear on their phones.

The new flip-style device supports all of the latest features in mobile music technology, including V CAST Music with Rhapsody subscription music service. The device will be available in black or light blue and will allow customers access more than 5 million songs, create playlists and load songs on their phones.

For its part, yesterday Sprint launched its latest Treo smartphone, the 800w. The new wireless device features EV-DO Rev. A data speeds, Wi-Fi with a one-touch dedicated key, GPS navigation, a 1.3-megapixel camera, Windows Mobile 6.1 and Live Search for Windows Mobile.

Matt Thornton, telecommunications equipment analyst at Avian Securities, said the new Treo 800w is likely to face tough competition at Sprint stores from Samsung’s Instinct and RIM BlackBerry’s Curve and Pearl.

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    This article was featured on Business 5.0.

Source: Verizon Wireless and Sprint.