Verizon launches Motorola Rival A455 phone

Verizon Wireless has announced the Motorola A455 Rival handset designed for text and instant messaging lovers. It sports a sleek side-sliding backlit QWERTY keyboard with appropriate shortcuts for easy access to text message composition and email. There is also touchscreen dialing to save you from sliding out the keypad in case you only wish to place a phone call. Other features in the purple and silver body include a 2MP camera, EV-DO, VZ Navigator and microSD memory expansion of up to 8GB, all for $100 after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract.