Hasta La Gadget!

Verizon Wireless and Samsung announced that the Samsung Omnia II smartphone, which we originally previewed in June, is now available in stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a two-year agreement and after rebates.

The Omnia II, in its final form, is a Windows Mobile 6.5-powered slab with a 3.7-inch, 480-by-800-pixel AMOLED touch screen, and a rounded and more attractive than the original Omnia. The Omnia II features an on-screen QWERTY keyboard, and a “3D cube” user interface that I hope is an improvement over the Android-powered Samsung Behold II.

The Omnia II also features the excellent Opera 9.5 browser, support for the usual array of Verizon V CAST music and video services, plus VZ Navigator and Visual Voicemail. The Omnia II also packs a 5-megapixel camera with a flash and auto-focus, along with DivX and Xvid movie file support just like the original Omnia. Stay tuned for a full review.