Smartphones are fast becoming an important tool for both businesspeople and the common Joe. We can thank the iPhone for much of the improved sales of smartphones as other makers rushed out tons of devices to compete with Apple’s gem.

At CTIA 2008 Motorola announced the Moto Q 9c smartphone and Verizon Wireless announced today that the phone is now available for purchase. The device runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard and has access to POP3 and IMAP4 email accounts.

The 9c also features a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch color screen with adaptive brightness technology, and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Memory for the device is 128MB on-board with optional removable memory of up to 32GB. Voice activated dialing and stereo Bluetooth are also featured. The Moto Q 9c will retail for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and 2-year agreement.

Verizon Wireless