Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion have officially announced today the launch of the second touchscreen handset from the Canadian phone maker on Verizon's airwaves. Starting with October 28, mobile phone users in the United States will be able to purchase the new BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone from the wireless operator, either online from the company's website, or from its stores and business sales channels.

The new smartphone, as many of you might already know, comes to the market with the BlackBerry OS 5.0, which is set to deliver a new level of experience to those interested in the touchscreen device from RIM. In addition to the new SurePress “clickable” display technology, the smartphone also features built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, for a new multimedia experience and improved communications capabilities.

Some of the capabilities of the new device include an attractive design, a 3.25-inch display that boasts a 480 x 360 pixel resolution, a 3.2-megapixel photo snapper, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, Bluetooth 2.1, 3G and global connectivity support, built-in GPS, EV-DO Revision A; UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz); and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks connectivity, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) capabilities, 256 MB of Flash memory, 2GB of on-board storage, and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot for additional storage space, with a 16GB card included.

In addition, the BlackBerry OS 5.0 comes with a series of improvements over previous software versions, including visual enhancements like inertial scrolling and spin boxes, a better BlackBerry Browser, support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets, typing accuracy and selection improvements, and more. Support for V CAST Music with Rhapsody or VZ Navigator service also comes in the package.

Verizon Wireless' users will be able to enjoy the new BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone on the carrier's airwaves starting with October 28. The handset is priced at $179.99 upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement with the carrier and after a $100 mail-in rebate. An Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan are required, the operator states. Moreover, the company also announces that its existing BlackBerry Storm users can now upgrade to the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 software from its website.