On first blush, Chocolate 3 looks like a solid - if not revolutionary - music device.  I like the long-overdue inclusion of a normal headphone jack, and the external menu system is pretty nice.  Rhapsody support is cool, too, though I personally haven't yet jumped on the subscription music bandwagon.  The device is just a bit on the large size for a "slim flip" but it looks great in glossy grey with silver accents.  We don't have any pricing info yet, and the July 14 release date is still just an unconfirmed rumor at this point, but I'm guessing VZW will price this one attractively to slot in below Dare as a mid-range VCAST device. 

I'll have a video unboxing/hands-on online real soon, so come on back ...

You can, of course, check out our Instinct videos along with images and specs over on the PhoneDog Instinct page.  And in just a few short weeks you should be able to go get one for yourself, should you be so inclined.  But in the meantime if you just have to know what the box will look like, click that link above and head on over to Sprintusers.

Essentially the same device as the Touch that launched on Sprint last year, the XV900 is a slim touchscreen smartphone running Windows Mobile 6 professional topped off by HTC's handy TouchFlo interface.  Aside from the white finish, Verizon badge, and a few software-based differences, if you've seen and used the Sprint version, you know what you're getting here.

The white looks nice, though I miss the soft-touch finish on the back panel of the original - the XV6900 is a little slicker in hand than the Touch.  I could see this catching on with Verizon users who want the power of a smartphone (or are just tired of VZW's lame menus) but want something a little slimmer, snazzier, or fun-ner than the rest of their lineup.

Check out the galleries to see Verizon's newest smartphone unboxed and in action.  I threw in some side-by-sides with Sprint's Touch so you can see the minor differences for yourself: Sprint adds Sprint TV and Music Store access, and Handmark's excellent On Demand application to the mix.  And Verizon prefers red accents in their icons, thank you very much.

Clad in an 9.9mm thin metal body, the W890i actually does a few nifty things beyond mere voice calling.  SE packed a 3.2mp camera, Walkman player with stereo Bluetooth and 2GB memory card, and HTML Web browser into this tiny little package.  But honestly, I almost don't care.  The metal body, rounded edges, and impossibly slim profile are all that matter here - it's that tiny, that cool, and it makes phone calls.  Sold.

Ask me again after I've played with it enough to bemoan the lack of auto-focus or flash on the camera, relatively small screen size, and lack of US-compatible 3G or WiFi data.  But even then I think I'll be happy to take this handset for what it is - a super slim, super sexy little number that makes calls, plays music, and tucks away nicely in a jacket pocket.  If only I had a jacket luxe enough to compliment it.

First thoughts after snapping some unboxing photos and firing the Z9 up?  It's a nice-looking handset, it's big, it's fast, and it's got tiny buttons.  The glossy burgundy finish looks really nice, and the wee little pin-head buttons aren't as hard to use as I feared they might be upon first glance.  3G connection speeds here at the Berkeley, CA office seem to be pretty good, as I was able to both hop on the Web and start watching some ESPN video clips with nary any delay at all. 

But this phone is big!  Not thick, but big as in large footprint-big.  I was kind of surprised at how large it feels in hand, especially as compared to the RIZR Z6 slider that's been available on Verizon for awhile now.  The Z9 is actually about the same length and width as the RAZR2 V8, so it's not huge  or anything, but the added thickness and heft as compared to the V8 just make it feel larger.  There's an upside to that size, though, as the front is graced by a nice, big, 2.4" QVGA display.

Anyway, check out the photos and stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks.  Or just go buy your own now - the Z9 is available as you read this from AT&T.

Beyond that the new Curve has a 2MP camera with Flash and 3.5mm headphone jack going for it.  T-Mobile and RIM have packaged the handset with a stereo headset, data cable, travel charger, and carrying case, which is a nice little array of pack-ins in this day and age of "buy your own headphones, buddy" consumer treatment.  Pearl's grey and silver color scheme is nice in an understated sort of way, and I promise I'll spend some time trying to acclimate myself to the SureType keyboard before once again proclaiming, "My thumbs are too big!  I hate SureType!"

Check out the photos of the newest Pearl by itself, with pack-ins, and alongside it's big brother Curve.  And stay tuned for a full review in the coming weeks.