Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving? Hope you have a wonderful time with your friends and families. As you gather for parties, make sure to have some conversations about smartphones. Before you know it, you'll have a bunch of tech-lovers pulling out their gadgets and showing off their cases, accessories, favorite apps, etc. I'm very thankful for my family and for the support they provide.

Cheap Verizon Smartphones

As Verizon Wireless gets ready to liquidate some old smartphones and promote new smartphones, you can find some pretty amazing deals. For instance, the Samsung Omnia (not the Omnia II but the original Omnia) is selling for $15. The Omnia II is coming very soon. The HTC Touch Diamond is $50. Don't want a Windows Phone? Then try the HTC Droid Eris for $100 (running Google's Android OS). You can even get the original BlackBerry Storm for $50 since the new BlackBerry Storm 2 is selling for $180.

Remember that Verizon now requires you to subscribe to a data plan if you purchase a smartphone. If you try to drop the data plan, you can expect to pay a hefty premium for your smartphone. Also, they charge extra for tethering, so make sure to ask those questions when you shop at Verizon.

Verizon Smartphone Resource Center

Verizon now has a large selection of smartphones. Confused about your options? Don't know where to begin?

To learn more about the different types of smartphones offered by Verizon Wireless, visit the Smartphone Resource Center found here: https://smartphones.verizonwireless.com/

What do you think about the Verizon ads?

Verizon has these ads ("there's a map for that") that have stirred a significant amount of controversy. AT&T sued Verizon for these ads, but a judge didn't think that Verizon needed to remove these ads. There's another hearing scheduled for December 16. Let's wait to see what ends up happening.

Loving my HTC Touch Pro2

In many ways, I can't seem to remember what life was like before I was using my HTC Touch Pro2. I briefly tried the HTC Touch Pro, the HTC Touch, and even the BlackBerry Storm. I had been a long user of the XV6800 (HTC Titan), so I was accustomed to Windows Mobile.

• I use my Touch Pro2 as my in-car navigation system.
• I use it for my e-mail.
• I use it to browse the web.
• Oh, and I use it as my phone.

It's a great smartphone. Thanks to HTC!

New URL: www.vzwsmartphones.com

I've secured a new URL for this blog: www.vzwsmartphones.com

Tethering on Windows Mobile

Have you been using your Windows Mobile smartphone to tether? If you have a custom ROM or if you install a particular patch, then you can tether very easily by using the features built into the "Internet Sharing" app. However, some may also try PdaNet or some other 3rd party apps to tether. The official way to tether if you're on Verizon Wireless is to use their desktop app for Mobile Broadband Connect. Get ready to pay some extra tethering fees if you plan to tether.

When is Windows Mobile 6.5 coming for the HTC Touch Pro2?

We know that Windows Mobile 6.5 is coming to the HTC Touch Pro2. When? Some rumors indicate that we should be seeing it later this month. I think that's a reasonable rumor. After all, it's available overseas (GSM model), so now it's just a matter of time before Verizon gives the OK. Maybe we'll see Sprint beat Verizon on this one.

The Droids have arrived

The Motorola Droid and the HTC Droid Eris (Hero) are now available on Verizon Wireless. Be advised that tethering fees will be higher on these devices (I really don't understand that), so you may be tempted to use things like PdaNet or flash a custom ROM.

HTC Droid Eris (Hero) for $99 on Verizon Wireless

The HTC Droid Eris (Hero) may be the most affordable Google Android-powered smartphone on the Verizon Network. You'll get this new smartphone for $99.

Why am I calling the Eris a Hero? Well, according to several rumors, the Eris will be the CDMA version of the Hero, which is a GSM smartphone. When HTC makes the same phone for CDMA and GSM networks, they often rename them even though most of the hardware specs are virtually the same. You may find some subtle nuances, such as the location of a headphone jack, the location of the memory card slot, some internal RAM, etc.