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As expected, Verizion Wireless has launched a new black version of the Motorola's Q smartphone. While Verizon has been offering the silver version of the Q for months now, Sprint customers continue to wait for their first crack at the slim Windows Smartphone.

The modifications to the black Q go below the surface; although it does offer a soft touch rubberized coating to give users a better grip than the sliver edition. The new Q features an updated software package that fixes a data stall problem with Good's Goodlink messaging software, improves battery life, and enables users to control the unit's jog dial wirelessly through a Bluetooth headset.

Verizon is selling the black Q for $199, which is the same amount the silver version goes for. You end up paying a premium for black, however, as there's a $100 rebate on the sliver edition and only a $50 rebate for the update.

The black Q is available online right now, but reportedly won't hit store shelves until January 12th. The software upgrade should be available to current silver Q owners in the near future. Other than an enhanced software, a different color and the improved grip, Verizon's silver and black Qs are essentially the same smartphone.

Like we said last week, keep in mind that the Q we're talking about is a CDMA/EV-DO version, not the GSM/UMTS/HSDPA Q Pro (codenamed Norman) that appears to be headed to carriers like Vodafone in Europe and possibly GSM operators like T-Mobile and Cingular Wireless in the U.S.

More on Q
The Motorola Q measures a compact 4.6 x 2.5 x 0.45 inches. Additional features include a 320 x 240-pixel screen - not touch because it is a Windows Smartphone and not a Pocket PC Phone - dual stereo speakers, Bluetooth 1.2 for personal area networking (connecting to headsets, printers) and a 1.3 megapixel camera with photo lighting for picture and video. There's a miniSD slot for storage expansion, 64 MB of RAM, 128 MB of Flash ROM, as well as a 5-way navigation button and thumb wheel.

Not many details are known about the Q Pro, other than it may include an updated user interface, SlingPlayer integration, a USB connector, and a 2-megapixel camera - up from the Q's 1.3-megapixel shooter.

Motorola may also bundle the MOTOPRO Mobility Suite - a mobile application, security and device management platform for the enterprise - with the Q Pro.

For more on the Motorola Q, see our review.