Part of the "Lifestyle" range of phones HTC is cooking up, the Legend will contain a Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, which was revealed earlier this year for budget (sub-$150) smartphones. It'll be fast, but it's no Snapdragon, with the CPU clocking in at 600MHz. Internal memory is listed at 512MB with 256MB RAM, and the battery is a 1300 mAh floozy—again, nothing special, with the Hero having a 1500 mAh battery.

A 3.2-inch HVGA AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash (a one-up on the Hero, there), microSD slot, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, G-sensor, digital compass, 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB port round the Legend off nicely, but it's only the addition of an optical trackpad and LED flash which are the main differences between this and the Hero. Supposedly it'll launch in March according to Ai.rs, and the leaked roadmap of launches. I've still got one more question for HTC—will the bottom of the chin actually be red or green? [Ai.rs]

The EXIF data on the sample photos pulled from Picasa all say that they were taken with a Nexus One, manufactured by HTC. Though sizes vary, the resolution max appears to be 2592×1944. The ones we were emailed obviously show the phone in action, though supposedly they were also taken by the Nexus One.

Oh, BTW, does anybody think that a "secret phone" that a thousand people (or so) are walking around with is like, dumb?

• The Wall Street Journal says it's made by HTC and called the Nexus One. It'll be sold online, directly by Google. You'll have to get your own cell service (which suggests it's an unlocked device). Curiously, the WSJ says, "unlike the more than half-dozen Android phones made by phone manufacturers today, Google designed virtually the entire software experience behind the phone." Sounds weird, since they designed the look and feel of the software on the Droid and G1 too, except that our source had told us before that the current Android we know isn't the "real" Android. Also odd sounding: that name, Nexus One. But maybe not that odd.

• Google confirmed they handed out "a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe."

• A bunch of Google employees tweeted stuff like the phone is "like an iPhone on beautifying steroids."

• It probably looks like this:

• It's supposedly an unlocked GSM phone running Android 2.1, powered by the crazyfast Snapdragon processor, with an OLED touchscreen (no keyboard), dual mics (for killing background noise), and enhanced voice-to-text powers. It's gonna be alllll Google branding. And it's probably coming out in January. Which jives with what our source saw a couple weeks ago, a huge screen running a brand new version of Android unlike anything out there.

• We heard it was referred to, at least in some capacity in the staff meeting where they were handed out, as the "Passion."

If Google really is going to push this as The Google Phone (and it's not just a dev phone), it's hard to overstate just how radically this changes the landscape not just for Android, but what it means for Google and their relationship to the cellphone industry. The Google Phone would be a radically different model, a shift from the Microsoft one—make the software, let somebody else deal with the hardware—to the Apple and BlackBerry one—make the software and the hardware, tightly integrated. And Google's even taking a step further, by selling it directly, bypassing the carriers, at least initially. (Google would not be the first to sell a high-powered unlocked phone—see Sony Ericsson and Nokia—but neither them are, um, Google, and their well-known failures with that approach makes it even ballsier.)

It's a powerful message: to the companies making phones running Android, to the carriers, to developers, to consumers. Google is in this, to win. Everything has changed. You know, unless it hasn't.

Update 2: Google speaks!

Update: We're hearing from our sources that it's the HTC Passion. We're not sure if it's the same Passion we saw a few weeks ago, but we're on the lookout for pics.

Assuming this isn't some sort of coordinated Twitter joke (trust me, it happens), here are the details we can extract:

• It's running Android 2.1 on HTC hardware (the Passion, see above)
• It should be coming out in January
• Employees were given unlocked versions
• "It's beautiful," "a sexy beast."

No one grabbed any concrete hardware details, but hopefully those are the next to come around. Great White Snark elaborated on his original tweet in the comments over at TechCrunch:

Yeah, it's a hot, sexy mess. And I mean that in a good way. Similar form-factor to the iPhone, but with a smooth-brushed-metal-looking shell instead of a glossy one. And perhaps a smidgen lighter.

Super fast, speech-to-text in EVERY app, awesome "live wallpapers" in the background that respond to touch in really beautiful ways. Like water ripples that emanate out from a touch.

Confirmation, or mass hysteria? It's confirmed, see above. Whatever it is, we'll be on the lookout for more details. [TechCrunch]

Notice the language. Not next month, not even first quarter 2010, but first half. Meaning it could take as long as June. Really guys? [Twitter]

If you want them all on one page, click here.

If we've missed anything or you've got a superior alternative, let us know in the comments, since you vastly outnumber us. By 'us' I mean me.

The xPhone is the future of humanity.

And I know what you're thinking—you're thinking this is nuts. This is a joke. This can't be real! No one makes touchscreen tech like Apple or RIM, and we haven't even seen the OS. So toast or not, this sucker is too good to be true!

Maybe it is. But after watching this clip, I know one thing. If I don't get my xPhone, I'm definitely learning German. [electrobeans via technabob]

Despite the difference in appearance, the Bravo/Passion sounds hot to trot, running on lovely, lovely Android 2.0, and a Snapdragon QDS 1GHz CPU.

Ai.rs has got the exclusive pics-and-info prize, claiming the screen is a 3.7-inch capacitive AMOLED (in contrast to the 3.5-incher previous pics had it at), the camera is a 5.0-megapixel AF job which can handle 720p video recording, and there's a 1400mAh battery—which is the only real downside to this otherwise terrific-sounding Passion/Bravo. Bravssion? Passvo?

Whatever it is, the US launch has been delayed until January, with the European launch slated for April. [Digitimes and Ai.rs]

It must be pretty embarrassing for HTC, with Motorola beating them to the Android 2.0 finish line with its Droid already on sale and performing admirably well. The Passion will be the first Android 2.0 device HTC releases, but by the time it goes on sale it's fair to expect it could be running on 2.1 by then. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz chip, the OLED screen has been sized to 3.5-inches and as you can see from the leaked pics, it comes in a nice graphite shade. It's purdy, in other words.

It's not the only leaked HTC handset we've been privy to, thanks to the leaked roadmap of 2010 launches hitting the net yesterday, and up to 20 new models hidden in the leaked Android 2.1 ROM last week. Even with the Passion's disappointing delay, it looks like HTC is still owning the Android space—game on, Moto. [Digitimes, pic via Unlockr]

In design/Lifestyle there's the Legend and the Salsa, due out in March and June 2010, respectively.

Then there's the Performance line, populated by the Bravo and its 3.7-in. OLED capacitive touchscreen.

The Social scene is comprised of the Tide and the Buzz, due out in April and May 2010.

I think they're social because they come with Twitter and Facebook onboard, which is what passes for being social with a cell phone these days. I kid. The Buzz is the first image up top.

Lastly, in the Productivity category there's the Photon, Trophy and Tera, each due out in April and May (no date for the Tera, however). All three phones are Windows Mobile 6.5.

In the spirit of giving and respect for a scoop, hit up Android and Me for the full specs for each phone detailed here. [Android and Me]

Boy Genius Report hears that the deal will last only three days, from December 4th (tomorrow!) to the 7th. There's one caveat: The deal doesn't allow for a free Droid. If you buy either a Droid or a Droid Eris, you can get a Droid Eris for free (after rebate). A little lame, but if you split the cost with somebody else, it's still a pretty solid deal for two of the top Android phones on the market. You'll just have to figure out who gets the Terminator Phone and who gets the prettier Last Year's Model.

The deal also includes the enV Touch and enV 3, if you're into that kind of thing. Still unconfirmed, but we've got no reason to doubt it. [Boy Genius Report]

Based on Flash, it looks like a simplified OS that almost makes us think of the Zune interface. A bit slow and buggy in places, we think it's got potential fo' sho', but what do you think? [MobiFrance]

Is it running Windows Mobile 6.5, Android, or another platform? Engadget is pointing at the lack of buttons as being a telltale sign it's running a "homegrown" OS, but we're rather interested in the addition of the ExtUSB port, considering HTC was meant to be pursuing the microUSB connection.

HTC, if this leaked Touch.B is running Android, we'll be very interested. WinMo 6.5? We'll give it a chance, sure. But we're slightly worried about these proprietary-platform stories we've been hearing. [MobiFrance via Engadget]

UPDATE: Word reaches us that it's running Qualcomm's BrewMP platform, and has a 2-megapixel camera (lame), 3G and Bluetooth, but no Wi-Fi.

You'll notice that one of the shots is in landscape mode. Be Geek, who scored the images, suggests that Sense with Android 2.1 will either support accelerometer-controlled landscape rotation, or HTC might have another landscape-slider planned. Time will tell. [Be Geek via SlashGear]

If you hate the gallery format, click here.

All pricing shown is with a new 2-year contract, and some deals may be temporary.

AT&T

iPhone 3GS
The iPhone 3GS is the best overall smartphone you can buy. It's really that simple. Best user interface, best internet, best apps, best media support—the list goes on. Okay, not the best network, but nothing's perfect. $199

BlackBerry Bold 9700
I miss the original BlackBerry Bold's king-sized keyboard, but the Bold 9700 squeezes the best of the BlackBerry for CEOs into an impressively tight form factor—faux leather back included—making it very possibly the best BlackBerry you can buy. $10

Bonus: Nokia e71x
It's free, and an actually good smartphone—my favorite Nokia phone on the planet. Free

Verizon

Droid
It's a terminator. A huge, disgustingly high-res screen, Batman-worthy industrial design, and the full power of Android 2.0 make it the best phone on Verizon—and the fact that it's running on arguably the best network in the US make it the second best smartphone you can buy, period. $150

BlackBerry Tour
Sure, it's notorious for trackball problems and it's missing Wi-Fi, but this is the BlackBerry of choice for email warriors if they're not on AT&T or T-Mobile—and it sure as hell beats anything running Windows Mobile. $50

Bonus: Droid Eris
If you're desperate to save $100 over the Droid, the Droid Eris will run Android 2.0 soon enough, and is smoother, smaller, and friendlier, if a little blander. $100

Sprint

Palm Pre
The Pre offers one of the best user experiences of any smartphone with Palm's webOS, and it's probably the best phone on Sprint, hardware build issues and comparatively dinky App Catalog aside. $80

HTC Hero
The best Android phone not running Android 2.0, HTC's Sense UI makes the sometimes confusing Android interface more digestible and has a few nifty tricks of its own, like integrated social networking. $100

Bonus: There is none. The Pixi's close ($25), but the fact that you can get the Pre for nearly as cheap undercuts a lot of the value, as much as we like the design and form factor.

T-Mobile

Motorola Cliq
Motorola's other Android phone is gussied up with Blur, a custom interface that's bright and friendly, with widgets for keeping track of everything happening on your social network. It's our favorite Android phone on T-Mobile. $100

Unlocked iPhone
No, I'm not kidding. A jailbroken and unlocked iPhone, even without 3G powers, is the second best smartphone you can use on T-Mobile.

Bonus: BlackBerry Bold 9700
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is the first BlackBerry with 3G on T-Mobile, which is reason enough, really, but it's good the reasons listed above, too. $130

We've heard rumors like this before, but this time there are a few distinct elements that seem credible, maybe even enough to make us rethink our previous position. We're basing this all on Michael Arrington's sources—his article is a bit vague, but points to an outsider-made but Google-dictated device, sort of like how Microsoft's first Zune was actually made by Toshiba—and in the case of the Google Phone, there are a couple options for the possible manufacturer. The obvious choice is HTC, who's been the major hardware manufacturer of Android devices, but TechCrunch hears that the source of the hardware will be Korean, not Taiwanese, which likely points to either Samsung or LG.

Samsung has a long-standing relationship with Apple, supplying tons of parts for the iPhone, so maybe LG would step up to the plate and develop this phantom device. LG's no stranger to Android, but has been a minor player up to this point—maybe they've been working on this mysterious Google Phone in the meantime, which is supposedly aiming for an early 2010 release.

Right now, we don't know much of anything, so we're reaching out to you guys—if you've heard anything about a possible Google Phone, please shoot us an email. [TechCrunch]

Eris is Verizon's other Droid phone. It really is a remodeled Hero, running Android 1.5 and HTC's vaunted Sense candy coating—documented CSI style here—a $200 phone stuffed inside a thinner $100 body, like a Corvette engine shoved inside a Saturn. It's admittedly less exciting than the titular Droid, an industrial beast running Android 2.0. But I have the feeling Verizon is gonna sell a lot more of these things, because, again, it's $100.

Designing for the Middle of the Road

The Eris is rubbery blob, a narrow oval that's as subdued as a phone could possibly be, but there is admittedly something comforting about the Eris's utter lack of personality—it's completely non-threatening, like a middle manager. It's so generic it's almost artful, actually, a design that is nearly perfect for a cheap phone.

The four main Android buttons are touch sensitive, bleeding into the black bezel, hovering over the dead-center trackball and hard chrome buttons for phone and end. I'd like a dedicated camera button, but a volume rocker is all we get. The camera lens stares out the back, disturbingly more reminiscent of an eye than most cameras sticking out the backs of phones, probably because of how stark the rest of the phone is.

Hardware and Camera

The actual guts and screen are the same as past Hero phones—which is to say, nearly the same as all of HTC's other Android phones so far. The 480x320 screen's still nice, even if it feels dated now that the Droid's massive screen, beckoning the next generation, looms large over it. Oh yeah, HTC? Can you get rid of your stupid, pointlessly different version of the mini USB port? Let's go to micro USB now, yeah?

The still camera's better than the Droid though, and about the same as the Sprint version of the Hero, performing pretty decently in low-light situations. Video, not so much:

Software and the Endgame

I've already covered HTC's Sense UI in depth, and it is the exact same on the Eris. It runs just as fast as the Sprint Hero, if not a teeny bit quicker. I will say that after using Android 2.0, it does feel like a step backward in some ways, mostly because of the single Google account limitation. But HTC's confirmed Android 2.0 is coming, so it won't be an issue for every long.

And really, the fact that Android 2.0—half the reason the Droid is excellent—is coming to the Droid Eris is why, in the end, it's such a steal. It's running on Verizon, it's going to have Android 2.0, and it's $100. It's a great phone now, and will be better still soon, making it kind of a perfect storm for people on Verizon looking to ditch their dumbphones—but not Verizon—for something more capable, but who are put off by the Droid, whether it's the steroids or the higher sticker price.

It's last month's darling. But it'll run this month's software. For cheap. And that's pretty spiffy, actually.

You're getting last month's killer Android phone for half price

We'll say it again: This is the best Android deal around

Android 1.5 feels a little dated

Video recording's not exactly amazing

From the outset, the HD2 is a tragic creature, built from the finest pieces imaginable and burdened with a categorically disappointing OS. HTC has done their best to hide the HD2's shame, but it's not quite enough.

Meeting the HD2: Hardware

HTC's got a funny way of designing hardware, where they settle on a basic set of components then pump out virtually every iteration of this basic spec set they possibly can. (See also: HTC as Taco Bell) It's a rare occasion, then, that we get something like the Touch HD2, a followup to the similarly impressive, never Americanized Touch HD.

Top to bottom, corner to corner—and it's a long trip—the HD2 is a perfect specimen of glass, plastic and aluminum. The massive screen-to-bezel ratio means the HD2 is essentially just a 4.3-inch piece of glass, its 800x480 multitouch display bordered by just a few millimeters of ink-black trim and a subtle row of satisfyingly pressable little buttons. The handset's minimalist hindside, interrupted only by a slightly protruding lens for the HD2's 5-megapixel camera and a ever-so-slightly grained aluminum battery door, is elegantly tapered, emphasizing just how thin this thing is—thinner than the iPhone, which is pretty good for a phone that I have to remind myself not to call a tablet.

It's got the same space-warping powers as a supermodel; it looks like a beautiful phone in pictures, but when you finally see it in person, it's twice as tall as you thought it would be and far too thin for its expanded proportions. It's almost not fair to other phones. And it will give them body image issues.

Behind this spectacularly huge screen is a 1GHz Snapdragon processor assisted by 448MB of RAM—specs that would have put a top-line desktop to shame less than ten years ago—and 512MB of ROM, aided by expandable microSD storage. The whole battery of expected high-end smartphone amenities are here, from GPS to a facial proximity sensor to an internal compass to Bluetooth 2.1. There's a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and charging comes by way of Micro USB, through to an adequate 1230 mAh battery (it'll get you through the workday, which is par for the course nowadays). Unless you absolutely need to have a hardware keyboard, there is nothing—nothing—the HD2 leaves you wanting for.

Moving In With the HD2

One of the benefits of Windows Mobile not having changed much in the last few years is that it's easy to compare new hardware to old, and let's be clear about the HD2: It's unbelievably fast. Applications open almost instantly and close without the slightest hesitation, and over Wi-Fi, web pages render in Opera Mobile as if you're browsing on a laptop, not a cellphone. (And hell, if you put your face close enough to this ridiculous screen, it's easy to forget you're not.)

This near-magical experience is spread throughout the HD2: Calls answer and end without the expected delay, the camera—a decent 5-megapixel number with a blinding flash and VGA video capabilities—wakes up as fast as you can point its lens, and tapping the home button, no matter how many apps you've got toiling in the background, always results in a satisfyingly clean and snappy return to HTC's ostentatious homescreen. Speaking of which!

This is one of the first Windows Mobile phones to have HTC Sense, which combines bits and pieces of their overhauled Android interface and kneads them together with years of TouchFLO 3D development. Practically, this means that using the HD2 is just like using any other HTC Windows phone from the last three years—a tabbed slider at the bottom of the screen moves you from homescreen panel to homescreen panel, where HTC has condensed a lot of the information you look to your phone for. It's faster and more complete that you've seen before, with added color, a Twitter client and visual browser bookmarks, but it's essentially the same HTC dashboard, just gussied up a little bit. And to the extent that such a thing—you know, a disguise—can work, it works.

Falling Out of Lust With the HD2

HTC's software ethos has always been to hide the unseemly parts of Windows Mobile. And it's got plenty! But with the HD2, they've taken this philosophy all the way to its logical conclusion: They've tried to replace Windows Mobile's UI entirely. The HD2 is HTC: Reductio ad Absurdum Edition.

And don't get me wrong, this whole Sense thing is surprisingly usable—it's a fairly rare occasion that you fall out of HTC's safe, smooth, grey-and-black arms, and into the Windows 3.1-esque hell that has been, and somehow still is, a Windows Mobile hallmark. With Sense HTC has made a sort of meta-OS, which uses Windows Mobile 6.5 as a behind-the-scenes stagehand, which only shows its face when it absolutely needs to. HTC has even added multitouch to the browser, maps and photo applications, which works well enough for what almost certainly qualifies as an after-the-fact hack.

In fact, that could describe the whole Sense experience just well. It's good, considering what it is. It's just that that's a huge qualification. As pretty as HTC's replacement apps are, they're not the same as having good core apps in the first place. Want to add music to HTC's fancy new media player? You've got to find Windows Mobile's old media player, add a directory and switch back. Want some new apps? Trundle on over to Windows Mobile's sorely lacking Marketplace, where most of the apps you download will look and behave differently than the ones in HTC's coddled ecosystem. Press Start, and you'll be greeted with Windows' unsortable mess of a Start Menu. Need to modify a setting that HTC didn't deem important enough to put in their own control panel? Good luck. And god forbid you don't like Sense, and want to stick with vanilla 6.5, you basically can't: It's not quite ready for stylus-free use, and the HD2's screen doesn't come with—or support—those forsaken almost-pens of yore. As much good work as HTC has done here, it's an uneven experience. Remember those flashy old Windows XP shell replacements like bbLean and Litestep? No? There's a good reason for that—they're patches and masks, and they can't fully replace an OS's UI.

Every time you notice the absurd lengths to which HTC has gone to deny this phone is running Windows—they've even replaced the calendar and text messaging apps, for god's sake—you find yourself asking the same question: Why even bother?

It's a question for consumers as much as it is for HTC. For HTC, why spend so much time and effort desperately—and only marginally effectively—hiding an OS when they know they can just replace it entirely? I understand they've got a legacy with Windows Mobile, but right now that legacy is starting to seem toxic, as HTC's insistence on distancing themselves from it in the form of passive-aggressive disguising operations shows. And for anyone thinking about buying this thing, why not wait a little while? We've seen how fantastic this hardware combo is, so why not wait until someone loads it up with software that HTC doesn't feel like they have to hide away like some kind of dark secret? Sony's about to outspec the HD2 with the Android-powered Xperia X10 anyway, and HTC would have to be stupid not to be working on something similar right now.

If you've got some undying loyalty to Windows Mobile, be it personal or work-enforced, life won't get any better than with the HD2—it's shipping sometime in early 2010, though I don't suspect it'll be cheap. If you don't, then just wait this one out. Trust me: for hardware like this, the payoff will be worth it.

UPDATE: Some people are saying I've been too dismissive of the phone simply due to its software, and they have a point: The HD2 is, without qualification, the best Windows Mobile phone on the market right now. And being a Windows Mobile phone isn't all bad: The browsers have Flash, Exchange support is perfect, and multitasking is seamless. On top of that, the Sense shell is an impressive piece of software, especially in terms of social networking and media playback. But the point remains: Even behind the very convincing disguise of a modern phone, Windows Mobile is lagging well behind its competitors in terms of new app development, fast OS development and general user experience, and by the time you get your hands on this phone—and just as importantly, by the time your contract is halfway through—Windows Mobile 6.5, Sense or no Sense, will feel like a complete dinosaur. Hence the "wait"—for a similar phone with better software, or for Windows Mobile 7. That said, if you're a Windows Mobile fan, or aware of its various quirks and still willing to take the dive, this is the finest Windows Phone in the world, bar none.

[HTC]

The 4.3-inch glass display is pure bliss

Actually, no, this whole handset is bliss. If they were sitting right here, right now, I would kiss the hardware designers on the mouth. With tongue.

Battery life isn't as atrocious as you'd expect it to be

HTC Sense does extensive damage control on Windows Mobile, making this the best WinMo experience out there right now.

Not to beat a dead horse, but it's still Windows Mobile. (What that means)

The Droid Eris is very closely related to the Hero, which currently costs $180 at Sprint, sharing mostly the same internals and a slightly redesigned shell. So it's got the same decent 5MP camera, the same 528MHz Qualcomm processor, and the same 3.2-inch capacitive multitouch screen. However, the Hero's 1500 mAh battery has been replaced with a 1300 mAh battery, presumably for thinness's sake—we don't know if it'll reduce battery life noticeably, since HTC says they've made helpful optimizations, but it might.

It'll be Verizon's first phone with HTC's Sense UI, but underneath that pretty interface it's still running Android 1.5, which means you won't be getting any of Android 2.0's sweet new features like turn-by-turn Google Maps. Yet. HTC told me they'll upgrade to 2.0 once they've worked out all the bugs between 2.0 and Sense.

On the plus side, it's thinner and lighter than the Hero, and the four key buttons have been rearranged into a straight line of touch buttons rather than the Hero's square layout. The Hero's blobby design has been changed to a, well, different-looking blobby design. It's even more understated than the Hero, with textured plastic replacing the Hero's brushed aluminum front, and while it isn't an ugly phone, it's also not very eye-catching. However: It feels good in the hand, it's still quite snappy and Sense UI is as slick as ever. At $99 (with 2-year contract, after $100 rebate that comes back as a debit card, like the Droid), with an 8GB microSDHC card included, it's an enticing deal. Press release below. [Verizon]

DROID ERIS by HTC Debuts with Verizon Wireless with HTC Sense Experience and an Ultra-Attractive $99.99 Price

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and BELLEVUE, Wash. – Beginning Nov. 6, DROID ERIS™ by HTC will invade Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the United States, bringing the power of the Android™ platform and the Verizon Wireless network together. DROID ERIS by HTC combines the popular Android platform with HTC Sense™, a user experience from HTC that makes it easy for customers to stay close to one another and create an individualized mobile experience tailored specifically to their needs.

DROID ERIS by HTC offers customers the opportunity to customize a seven-panel wide home screen with a wide variety of widgets designed to bring the most important information to the surface. DROID ERIS by HTC also includes the innovative "Scenes" feature, which allows customers to create multiple home screens, each with different widgets and shortcuts, to transform DROID ERIS by HTC from a "work" phone to a "play" phone with just a touch of a finger.

DROID ERIS by HTC also organizes interactions by person, which makes it possible to access text messages, e-mails, phone calls and even Flickr streams and Facebook updates from a single contact card.

The unique HTC Sense experience found on DROID ERIS by HTC is supported by an array of the latest mobile features, including:

o 3.2 inch capacitive touch screen and trackball interface

o 5.0 megapixel auto focus camera

o Expandable memory with pre-installed 8 GB microSD™ card (up to 16 GB supported)

o Supports USB mass storage

o Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi and 3.5 mm headset connectivity

o Integrated GPS and a digital compass with a sensor that enables the phone to know what direction it is facing

o Smart dialer for simplified dialing by name, number or initials

o Full HTML browser with Flash Lite capabilities

o Seamless compatibility with Google services like Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search and more

DROID ERIS by HTC will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on Friday, Nov. 6, for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an e-mail feature or e-mail plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

As you can see on the invite, the HD2 will be getting all official like on Wednesday. No doubt we'll hear something about U.S availability and pricing then. Stay tuned. [T-Mobile UK and PocketNow]

What we've heard about the Eris being a slightly reshaped Hero is pretty much right. The spec sheet claims it's packing a 528MHz Qualcomm, 320x480 screen, and Android 1.5, exactly what you'll get in the Hero. There's also mention bundled 8GB MicroSD card. Guess I shouldn't have expected a 16GB card in a sub-$100 phone, but a guy can dream.

Even though it's underspec'd compared to the Droid, I'm actually excited about this phone. I love Sense UI, and I don't feel like I need a full hardware keyboard. Plus, assuming the Droid Eris mimics the Hero's software as well as it does hardware, it should have multitouch, which the Droid doesn't do. The Eris might not be new and exciting like the Droid, but I think it still deserves some love.

Dan and I were talking about how one of Sprint's flagship phones, what was the premiere Android phone before the Droid came along, will be Verizon's el cheapo Android handset come Friday. The Hero more than warrants the $180 Sprint charges, but Verizon sees it as a last-gen device only worthy of last-gen pricing. That, to us, shows the carrier is really planning to push Android hardware to the next level. [Engadget]

It takes all open webpages, applications, and widgets and organizes them in a way that you can easily flick to leaf through the selections. Actually, the more I think about it, the more it seems almost exactly like the card system. With fancy page-flip transitions in between.

Each page of the virtual book is the UI of a service or function of the handheld electronic device. Flipping the pages of the virtual book means browsing and selecting the services and functions provided by the handheld electronic device. This book-like UI enables the user to use and manage these applications, widgets, and web pages in an easy and intuitive way like browsing a conventional printed book. The book-like UI hides the differences among applications, widgets, and web pages so that the handheld electronic device can be accessed through a uniform and convenient UI.

The patent also describes a really cool rolodex-style method of browsing, where the UI collapses apps and pages towards the top and bottom of the screen while expanding the item you're looking at in the middle. Imagine (again with the Palm comparisons) the Pre's calendar, and you'll get the idea.

The Pre might already have a lot of what's described here, but I'm totally cool with HTC ripping it off. Because if anyone can knock this interface out of the park, it's HTC. [UnwiredView via Slashgear]

He says they're working hard to "get excitement about Windows Mobile back." After WinMo 6.5, I guess someone needs to. HTC has said it's developing for the two platforms separately, so if there is to be no Android HD2, hopefully something better will come along.

If you're craving an Android/1GHz Snapdragon pairing, look out for the upcoming Sony Xperia X3 and Acer Liquid.

Chou also told Forbes that as a smaller company, HTC needs to be picky about what types of products it makes. The inference is that it's likely we won't see any HTC netbooks or eReaders any time soon. Good, because I'd rather see something as good as the HD2 with Android 2.0. And soon. Full interview at: [Forbes]

Though it's been speculated that the Droid Eris will run Android 1.6 and sport a hard-to-get-excited-about 528MHz Qualcomm CPU, it would be the cheapest Android phone yet in the US. Verizon didn't mention it at all today, so we might be a touch skeptical of it making that rumored Nov. 6 launch date, but we'll see. [gdgt via Twitter]

The Droid Eris, remember, is supposedly a sort of odd blast from the past, packing only Android 1.5 and an older 528MHz CPU, and should launch alongside (aka "be overshadowed by") the Motorola Droid on, if the rumors are correct, November 6th. Not super enticing, but maybe it'll come it at a really cheap price point (like, $50), sort of like the Palm Pixi in relation to the Pre. [AndroidGuys via Engadget]

The HD2 is probably the most interesting WinMo 6.5 phone out there (even though it won't arrive in the U.S until early next year, possibly on T-Mobile). Besides the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, it's got that huge 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen—so an Android 2.0 version sounds pretty exciting. If the rumor is true, of course.

UnLockr, who dug up the original mystery pics, believes the Passion is the CDMA version of the HTC Dragon, and suggests the hardware buttons are similar to the Motorola Droid handset because Verizon wants to have their Android devices controlled as uniformly as possible. That kinda makes sense, especially now that we're hearing "Droid" may actually represent the name of Verizon's entire Android series.

We'll know more after Verizon's Droid event on Wednesday, but fingers crossed on the Passion. A beautiful big screen on what could be the first truly fast Android phone available. Verizon could get on a roll with this whole Android thing. [UnLockr]

Honestly, I'm a little bit confused. Why call a phone and a series by the same name when at least two manufacturers are involved? Really, this seems like a whole marketing mess. It's hard enough to keep individual HTC models straight, and to know the difference between Motorola Cliq and Motorola Blur. Do we really need more vague and overlapping brands? Doesn't help that the Droid Desire goes by Eris at times, either. Are these phones or strippers? [gdgt]

Remember when Verizon had the best network and the worst phones? Actually, you don't have to remember, since that's still (subjectively) true right now, but not for long—the Big Red's upcoming Android lineup is looking outrageously promising, with the Hero, Sholes, Droid, Calgary, and now a mysterious new handset called the HTC Desire. We spied the name on a Verizon inventory list a month and a half ago, and now we've got a photo of it—and it looks, well, sort of like the Hero. It's clearly boasting HTC's Sense UI and we can very faintly make out a trackball. The only other thing we're pretty sure about is that the Desire will be a touchscreen-only phone: No keyboard here, folks. Honestly it looks a lot like the Hero, but it may have some distinguishing feature we just don't know about yet. [Boy Genius Report]

Yahoo is getting ready to launch a new news blog, which will consist of both original reporting and linking out to other sites, because that's how journalism is done nowadays. They've recruited Andrew Golis, publisher of Talking Points Memo, and will incorporate the new blog into the already popular Yahoo News page. Why's it in Remainders? Because I really, really doubt anyone bothered to read this far into a post about a Yahoo news blog. [Giga Om]

Vuzix's new Wrap 310 video glasses, which begin shipping today, are much in the same vein as Vuzix's previous products, only slightly less silly-looking. This time, they've opted for the "dorky Oakleys" look, while giving a 16:9 picture that appears the same size as a 55-inch picture at ten feet. It also includes, in case you forget, noise-isolating earbuds and compatibility with a whole mess of different video sources (including all iPhone and iPod with video models). It ended up in Remainders because who wears video glasses besides that Reading Raindbow guy? As a side note, sort of, did you guys know that Reading Rainbow has left this mortal coil? Usually I scoff at old people who get teary-eyed about the way things used to be (ha, newspapers!) but seriously you guys we will have to officially cede the title of Greatest Country in the Universe if our bright-eyed children don't have access to Reading Rainbow. [Vuzix, Videogum]

AOL hinted, at the Web 2.0 Summit today, that they've got something big up their sleeves. "We have been working on something for the last three months that I think is a fairly substantial shift in our technology," said Tim Armstrong. CNET surmises that this big shift is something to do with their extensive roster of blogs, since Armstrong mentioned AOL has been poaching writers from respectable publications like the Wall Street Journal and ESPN. Thrilling stuff, you guys. If you have to ask why this is in Remainders, congratulations for not falling asleep already. [CNET]

The Hero's kernel is the bottommost part of its software; it's the part that manages basic functions like memory allocation, device drivers and the like. For modders to be able to access and compile this is great news for potential Hero modders, who'll be able to drop this kernel into cooked ROMs with all manner of interfaces, app configurations, performance tweaks and the like. What this won't do is help bring features like the Sense UI to other handsets—though modders are doing pretty well with that on their own—because those components are distinct from the kernel.

While this might seem like a generous move on HTC's part, it's not: The Hero's kernel is a modified Android kernel, which is in turn a heavily modified Linux kernel. In other words, parts of it are irreversibly open source, which means that HTC is legally required to release this code—they're actually kinda late here. [HTC]

Touch sensitive menu keys? Check.

And there's our pal Android, and a camera of indeterminable mega pixelage. [The Unlockr via BGR]

As you can see, the image doesn't mention the HD2 by name, but the image and specs sure match up: massive capacitive touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.

E-Reader content? TV/Movies at your fingertips? Sounding pretty sweet. Of course, this one stays in the rumor basket until we hear more. We'll let you know when we do. [TmoNews via SlashGear]

Sprint will also make you grab a data package: either the Everything plan with data (which now has free calls to any mobile number), or the Business Advantage message and data plan. Off contract, the HTC Hero $480.

It may not be as polished as the iPhone or Pre, but the Hero's HTC Touch UI supports beautiful multiple desktops, social networking, and variety of Android enhancements. See our full review: Sprint Hero: Faster, Stronger, Uglier. [Sprint]

• The 160GB Archos 5 tablet is leaving Amazon's warehouses now, but you'll have to wait if you want to pick up other capacities. The guys at T3 posted a review that out own Joanna Stern summarized. T3 called the Archos "pocketable" and "well-built," but the lack of a real app marketplace is a bummer. If that doesn't bother you, go ahead and grab one now for $390. [I4U]

• Garmin's nuvi 1690 is shipping, and comes bundled with 2 years of nuLink service. That gets you access to traffic, weather, and other internet connected goodies through AT&T's network. After the two years are up, though, you'll have to start paying $5 per month for the service. Keep that in mind as you stare down the 1690's steep $500 asking price. [GPS Track Log via Ubergizmo]

• A quick note to Best Buy Rewards Zone members: you can grab an HTC Hero on Sprint two days before the wide launch. (Thanks Charles!)