Hasta La Gadget!

The BlackBerry Storm 9530, RIM’s first touchscreen smartphone and an obvious nod to the iPhone 3G, carries a combined materials and manufacturing cost of about $203, according to iSuppli‘s Teardown Analysis Service—$30 more than what it costs Apple to build each iPhone 3G.

The report said that the Storm’s total per-unit cost includes all parts and manufacturing, but excludes intellectual property (IP), royalties, licensing fees, software, shipping, logistics marketing, and other channel costs. The Storm’s exact $202.89 total consists of $186 for components and other materials, and $16.07 for manufacturing. The total is $27 more expensive than what it costs RIM to manufacture each BlackBerry Bold, for purposes of comparison, according to iSuppli.

That compares with Verizon Wireless’s up-front charge of $249.99 with a $50 rebate, bringing the total to $199.99—the same price that AT&T charges for the iPhone. The report notes that wireless carriers tend to subsidize cell phones, so determining profit margins is tough.

While the rest of the mobile world is prepping itself for a trip to Barcelona’s GSMA conference next month, Nokia today announced a trio of new devices, the 6700 classic, 6303 classic, and the Nokia 2700.

The 6700 is the company’s successor to the popular 6300. The handset features a metal keymat, 5-megapixel camera, assisted GPS navigation, and high-speed data access. It’ll run European customers EUR 235.

On the other end of the spectrum is the EUR 65 Nokia 2700, which offers expandable memory, an integrated music player, and a 2.0-megapixel camera. The 6303 classic splits the difference at EUR 135. The handset features a 2.2-inch screen, a 3.2MP camera, and comes preloaded with Nokia Maps.

No word on availability in the States yet.

This question came in from reader Dick:

I seem to remember an article somewhere that said some part of the spectrum being vacated due to the digital TV switchover was to be made available to a new communications service, which would allow people to buy a phone from anyone and use the new spectrum like a wireless internet service open to anyone with the right phone. I seem to recall the Google name was associated with the idea. I haven’t anything more about it. Is something like this coming?

See Sascha Segan’s answer after the jump.

T-Mobile has launched two new phones this morning: the Nokia 7510 and the revised T-Mobile Shadow (pictured). The Nokia 7510 is a flip phone with a hidden external display that can show different designs when backlit. The handset is available with three face plates: expresso brown, fatal red, and emerald green. It features a 2-megapixel camera, a music and video player, and a microSD slot. The 7510 also works with T-Mobile’s Unlimited Hotspot Calling service. It’s available now for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

The 2009 version of the Shadow, meanwhile, is a mildly refreshed version of the mediocre T-Mobile Shadow. The HTC-manufactured handset runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and features a quad-band GSM radio (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), Wi-Fi, and UMA support for T-Mobile’s Unlimited Hotspot Calling service. There’s a navigation wheel and a pseudo-QWERTY, 20-key keyboard that slides out. The Shadow also includes a 2.2-inch QVGA (320-by-240-pixel) touchscreen LCD, a 2-megapixel camera, and a microSD slot. It’s available now in black burgundy or white mint for $149.99 with a two-year contract and appropriate data plan.

Verizon Communications posted a 15 percent increase in fourth-quarter profit, mainly on the strength of its growing wireless business, according to MediaPost. The report said that the carrier saw 44 percent growth in data services—including text messaging, email and Internet access—compared with the same period last year, an indication of their increasing popularity.

In addition, Verizon picked up another 1.2 million customers, bringing its total in the U.S. to 72 million; that number doesn’t count the subscribers gained in the Alltel acquisition.

Following RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie’s rather obnoxious comment the other day about how buggy smartphones should be accepted as a “new reality,” Verizon President and Chief Operating Officer Denny Strigl said in the article that the controversial BlackBerry Storm smartphone has now sold over 1 million units. Strigl added that the carrier could have sold another 200,000 if it wasn’t for limited inventory.