Daily Connect

Verizon Wireless announced today an exciting new program to create unique and exclusive music by pairing award-winning, multi-platinum selling producer Timbaland with several of today’s hottest artists. The music created will be available for free to customers using their BlackBerry(R) Storm(TM) smartphones from Research In Motion (RIM).

Rihanna will join Timbaland on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus today in Los Angeles to launch the first of several new songs for BlackBerry Storm smartphone customers with the debut of an exclusive remix of Rihanna’s hit song “Rehab.” Later this evening, Timbaland and Rihanna will perform to celebrate music’s biggest weekend.

The “Rehab” song remix will be available tonight via a free, online download only for Verizon Wireless customers with a BlackBerry Storm smartphone. Using the BlackBerry Storm or any desktop computer, customers can visit www.VerizonTimbalandStorm.com, enter the phone number of their BlackBerry Storm smartphone, then download and listen to the hot, new “Rehab” remix.

“The BlackBerry Storm features impressive multimedia capabilities, including support for V CAST Music, making it easy for our customers to listen to and enjoy music on the smartphone. The BlackBerry Storm continues to be a hit with customers, and we’re excited to bring them exclusive music from Timbaland and other top artists,” said Ed Ruth, director of digital music at Verizon.

“The opportunity to create exclusive music for the BlackBerry Storm with some of the most talented artists in the industry is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Timbaland. “The upcoming events will touch thousands of fans across the country and reach millions more through mobile technology. Bringing people together through my music is what I was born to do.”

Verizon Wireless will work with Timbaland, in collaboration with other top artists, to bring new songs, to BlackBerry Storm smartphone customers in connection with several special events over the next few months. Customers with Blackberry Storm smartphones will be the first to get the new tracks, which will feature different artists and genres and appeal to music lovers of all ages. Each of the full-song tracks created as part of this program will be exclusively available to customers with BlackBerry Storm smartphones before they are available to all V CAST Music users this spring.

In 2005, Rihanna began her meteoric rise to international superstar with the No. 1 smash “Pon De Replay.” Since then, Rihanna has become a multi-award winning, multi-platinum trend setting force. Her most recent collection, the 2x platinum “Good Girl Gone Bad” has sold over 10 million tracks, including three certified multi-platinum tracks “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop The Music” and “Disturbia,” and the platinum tracks “Hate That I Love You,” “Shut Up And Drive” and “Take A Bow.” This year “Good Girl Gone Bad” has earned Rihanna three additional GRAMMY(R) nominations: Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals - “If I Never See Your Face Again” with Maroon 5, Best Dance Recording - “Disturbia” and Best Long Form Music Video - “Good Girl Gone Bad Live.” Last year, Rihanna was nominated for six GRAMMY Awards and took home Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Umbrella.”

In addition to her busy work schedule, Rihanna continues her tireless work with the Believe Foundation. Rihanna created the Believe Foundation in 2006 to assist and inspire children in need all over the world. Believe gives children a chance to not only survive, but a chance to thrive. The foundation provides educational, financial, social and medical support whenever and wherever needed.

The Verizon Mobile Recording Studio is a state-of-the-art studio on wheels that allows Timbaland to create and deliver music from any location at anytime.

Available exclusively in the United States from Verizon Wireless, the BlackBerry Storm is the world’s first “clickable” touch screen smartphone that features powerful communications capabilities, plus advanced multimedia features, including support for V CAST Music with Rhapsody. V CAST Music with Rhapsody is Verizon Wireless’ online music service that includes a library of more than 5 million songs. Customers can download music to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where music can be played. The music can then be side-loaded on select phones.

For more information on mobile music from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com/music. For more information on the BlackBerry Storm smartphone, visit www.verizonwireless.com/storm.