HTC has pulled no punches about the fact that it intends to bring Heros up to Android 2.0 (or is that 2.1?) spec at some point, though neither Sprint nor Verizon had quickly followed on to assure customers that there’d be upgrades ready and waiting for their versions (sure, technically, the Droid Eris is a different internal HTC codename than the Heros of the world, but they’re basically brothers from the same mother). Well, good news: Verizon has just announced that it’ll be bringing the phone to a “newer” build of Android with integrated Google Maps Navigation for release in the first quarter of 2010. Since Google’s nav app works on 1.6 now, that really doesn’t give us much of a clue which version the Droid Eris can expect to see — but seeing how we have leaked Hero firmwares running on 2.1 at this point, that’d seem like a probable target. With the Droid taking a baby step to 2.0.1 in the next few weeks, it seems at least possible that the shadow-dwelling Eris could end out ahead in the never-ending Android version game — crazy how the world works, isn’t it?

Verizon’s Samsung Omnia II i920 is now finally official, as Samsung Mobile has announced that the smartphone would be available via the largest US carrier starting December 2.

Just like the Android-powered Motorola Droid, Samsung Omnia II costs $199.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate.

As you probably already know, the Omnia II runs Windows Mobile 6.5 and has many nice features, including a 3.7 inch AMOLED touchscreen display, Opera 9.5, DNSe technology, GPS, Wi-Fi and a 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash.

Verizon’s Omnia II is the first Samsung handset to be launched in the US with the Samsung Widget Store (providing access to “hundreds of free widgets”).

The Samsung Omnia II will soon be released at Verizon on December 2 for $200 on contract after a $100 mail-in rebate.

This should probably come as no surprise as the original was also with the big V, and so this Windows Mobile 6.5 will be in stiff competition with the Moto Droid.

Here’s a video of the Samsung Omnia II with AMOLED screen after the jump.

Launched by Verizon on November 6, the Motorola Droid has been – apparently – sold in about 100,000 units in the first week-end – a number that’s not exactly comparable with the 1 million iPhone 3GSs sold by AT&T in the first week-end of availability, but, nevertheless, it’s a good start for Verizon’s first Android smartphone.

According to Bloomberg, analyst Mark McKechnie at Broadpoint AmTech Inc. says that Verizon’s stores across the US had about 200,000 Droids at launch and most of the stores sold “at least half of their stock”, so there actually may have been quite well over 100,000 units delivered.

Marketed as an iPhone rival, Motorola Droid is currently available at Verizon for $199.99 with a contract agreement for two years.

Motorola might sell about 1 million Android phones by the end of 2009 (including the Milestone and the Cliq / Dext), and about 9 to 10 million next year. At the same time, analysts expect Apple to ship about 28.5 iPhones in 2010.

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 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.

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:

* 3.2 inch capacitive touch screen and trackball interface

* 5.0 megapixel auto focus camera

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

* Supports USB mass storage

* Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3.5 mm headset connectivity

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

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

* Full HTML browser with Flash Lite capabilities

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

As if the BlackBerry Curve 8530 and Convoy were not enough, Verizon also has some chocolate topping for their mobile sundae: The LG Chocolate Touch.

This new iteration of the Chocolate has integration with Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace. It also has Dolby Mobile sound and a Join the Band feature that allows uers to play along with their music with a virtual drum kit and 88 key scrolling keyboard. It also has one-touch uploading as well as a 3.2 Megapixel camera.

You should be able to purchase it today for $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate.

We’d already heard through the grapevine that select Verizon Wireless stores would be cracking their doors open early to deal with the presumed flood of consumers “Humans” eager to snap up the first-ever Android 2.0 device, and now the carrier has come right out with the official details. We’re told that “many” of its over 2,000 retail locations will open at either 7AM or 8AM local time to field orders for the DROID, though VZW mall stores will all open at their regular time. You should check with your local store to see exactly when they’ll open, and while we can’t guarantee it, we’d guess that having an Android-related tattoo on your person is a good way to get VIP treatment once you arrive on scene. Or, you know, you could just get your Best Buy pre-order in now and save $100 up front by dodging the mail-in rebate.

Say you’re North America’s largest wireless carrier — how do you go about burying a product you’re about to carry that you secretly wish didn’t exist? One creative option would be to opt out of announcing it when its manufacturer does, then quietly launch it on the same day that you’re announcing the phone you’re calling the “must-have device of the year.” Tricky, eh? Yeah, sure enough, by all appearances it seems that Verizon doesn’t plan on celebrating the arrival of the Storm2 with the same fanfare it gave the Storm, despite the fact that the new device directly addresses the biggest complaints dogging the original model. It’s a “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” sort of situation, we suppose. Anyhow, it looks like pricing should come in at $179.99 on contract, though $100 of that comes in the form of a mail-in rebate that you’ll get on a prepaid debit card, so you’ll actually be laying out close to $300 before taxes when you march into the store on October 28. Hey, look at it this way: at least you can keep refreshing Engadget on your old Storm to learn about the Droid while you’re waiting in line for the Storm2, right?

Verizon is now offering a bundled services package called Quad-Play that includes Verizon Wireless with its in-home broadband, television, and phone services. The new offering is available to both FiOS and DIRECTV customers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

A basic Quad-Play FiOS bundle includes a 450 minute Verizon Wireless mobile package, Freedom Essential home voice service, FiOS Internet, and FiOS TV Essentials for $134.99 after a one-year agreement.

The company says that the bundle could save customers from $59 to $179 per year and will be introduced in other markets in the future. Customers can contact Verizon customer service for more information.

Verizon and Vodafone seem to have two different game plans when it comes to launching the BlackBerry Storm2. The Guardian is reporting that this week, the latter carrier will be releasing the BlackBerry Storm2 9520, the sequel to the Storm 9500. Like we’ve seen with videos on the U.S. version of the sequel model, the Storm2 9520 will have an improved SurePress typing system using piezo technology and 4 strategically placed sensors that allow for multi-touch typing. The screen is very responsive and the accelerometer almost reads your mind and shifts the orientation of the display quickly. Also included in the new version of the Storm is Wi-Fi, BlackBerry OS 5.0, threaded texting, and more durable rubber keys on the side. According to the story, Vodafone will offer the 9520 for free with a monthly service plan of at least 30 British Pounds (roughly $48 U.S. Dollars). That prices the Storm2 lower than the 34.26 British Pounds per month plan that O2 is expected to ask for the Palm Pre, launching on October 16th in the U.K. And while last year’s launch of Vodafone’s Storm 9500 was a disaster, the hardware and software improvements made to the device should allow it to be a competitive player in the market.

Now what about the Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 9550? We have reported that the phone is expected to launch on October 21st. A tipster has just told us that Big Red will not launch the Storm2 in October and that early November is a more plausible date. Remember that Verizon training video we showed you for the Storm2? Our tipster tells us that training classes are usually given to employees 1 to 2 weeks before a launch. The date on the video was October 21st. In addition, the device is not listed on the carrier’s rebate forms and another tipster tells us that Verizon will not be training employees on the Storm until November 7th. Considering that last year, everyone complained that RIM and Verizon had rushed out the first-gen model, it probably is better to have patience and let the launch take place when the handset is absolutely, positively ready to go, right out of the box.