At least that’s the rumor that’s currently making the rounds and, if these rumors are to be believed, the HTC Passion will be hitting store shelves at Verizon Wireless in time for you to sing Auld Lang Syne in Times Square.

As you may recall, the HTC HD2 gets Windows Mobile 6.5, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, and a 5-megapixel camera. The HTC Passion for Verizon will have much the same spec sheet, except it seems to get Google Android 2.0 instead. Some are saying that the Passion is more like the CDMA version of the HTC Dragon.

The hardware buttons could get a slight redesign too, getting a look and feel more akin to the ones on the Motorola Droid. This way, the Android lineup at Verizon will be a little more uniform.

Source: Gizmodo

As you may already know, the Motorola Droid represents a three-pronged attack against the smartphone market currently dominated by the Apple iPhone. The hardware comes from Motorola, the network from Verizon, and the operating system from Google. The Android-powered Droid could be one of the best iPhone competitors to date. Could be.

In the first TV spot, embedded below, we start out with a very Apple-esque plain white background filled with Apple-like short sentences. However, these sentences are pointing out many of the shortcomings of the iPhone. It tells us that it does not have a real keyboard, doesn’t do simultaneous apps, doesn’t take five-megapixel pictures, and more.

So, if the iDon’t, what does? That’s where the Motorola Droid is supposed to come into play. For people who aren’t so enthusiastic about the cell phone market, this ad could serve as a good teaser or viral campaign. For the rest of us, we know it’s about the Droid and can’t wait to see how Verizon, Moto, and Google can stand up against the Steve Jobs-led juggernaut.

What do you think of this ad campaign? Clever? Childish? A little of both?

Previously known by its Whitestone codename and even mistaken for the Touch Diamond2, the HTC Imagio is an all-new handset for Verizon Wireless that will get its juice from the newest Windows Mobile 6.5 stack. You get a large 3.6-inch WVGA touchscreen display, an adequate 528MHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB ROM, 256MB RAM, an autofocus 5-megapixel camera, and GPS.

In addition to the CDMA/EV-DO stuff to handle the Verizon network, the Imagio is actually a world phone with GSM connectivity too. This way, you can plunk in an international SIM card and go traveling through Europe and Asia while maintaining your emails and contact lists.

Moving a little further into the future, Verizon Wireless is also set to get its hands on another HTC-sourced handset in the same month. Closer to the end of October, you can expect to get the HTC Predator with Google Android. Details are slim on that handset, but it’s good to see some ‘droid love head to the red checkmark.

Source: BGR

You would have to sign up for a potentially pricey wireless data option for your older Motorola RAZR just yet, but they are looking to force data plans on anyone with an “enhanced multimedia phone.” What does this mean? Well, it points toward the “feature phones” in their lineup that aren’t technically smartphones.

You could look at something like the LG enV Touch, for example, that comes with smartphone-like features without having a true smartphone platform. More specifically, Verizon is eyeing any handset with a QWERTY keyboard, high-speed EVDO Rev.A, and a true HTML web browser.

If you are looking to pick up one of these kinds of phones, Verizon will get you to choose between a $10 a month plan for 25MB of data or a $20 a month plan for 75MB. This does away with the cheaper “unlimited web surfing” type options that usually accompanied these so-called feature dumbphones.

The policy goes in place for all phones launching as of September 8th of this year.

Source: Gizmodo

The original report had the QWERTY-equipped handset launching some time this month, but that date apparently got bumped into next month for some reason. Also known as the Samsung U960, the Rogue gets GPS, EVDO, and a 3-megapixel camera, along with a touchscreen and slide-out keyboard. The estimated price is $370 sans contract.

If the Glyde-like Rogue isn’t your cup of tea, Verizon will apparently also be releasing another phone on September 8th. The Samsung Intensity U450, if I recall correctly, also gets a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but it has a standard numeric keypad on the front face as well. It’ll have a 1.3 megapixel camera too.

Beyond these two handsets, you can also shoot your attention over to Sprint on the same date, because they’re getting the Touch Pro 2 on September 8th as well. That’s a lot of QWERTY to consider.

Source: Intomobile

If you’re looking to save a few bucks and have a hankering for a new smartphone, it seems that Verizon could have the ticket. For starters, the price for the Windows Mobile-powered HTC Touch Pro has been dropped to a mere $99 from its old price of $419. You get a touchscreen, camera, and slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Even the touchscreen-equipped BlackBerry Storm is hitting up the sub-$100 price point, along with just about every other smartphone in the lineup. Checking the site, you’ll find that only two smartphones are being priced at more than $99 with a qualifying two-year service agreement: the recently launched BlackBerry Tour and Samsung Saga. Everything else is under $99.

So, what’s up with all this price slashing on smartphones? Part of it may have to do with the fact that you can get your hands on an iPhone 3G with contract for $99, so maybe Verizon wanted to entice some potential iPhone owners away from AT&T. The other factor could be the pending release of some new smartphones that these old clunkers will be replacing. The aforementioned Touch Pro, for example, will soon get ousted for the Touch Pro2.

Source: BGR

That’s a very unfortunate codename (let’s hope it’s “just” a codename), since it’s only a couple of letters away from a very bad cuss word. S-holes? That can’t be good. A few sites are reporting this unconfirmed handset as the Motorola Shules and that could be a little better. For now, we don’t know for sure whether it’s the Sholes or the Shules.

Chalk it up to rumor, but we’re hearing that this touchscreen and sliding QWERTY-equipped Android smartphone is being produced by Motorola and it will be bound for Verizon Wireless. So, what kind of specs can we expect?

The most notable feature is the 3.7″ touch-sensitive 480×854 display, 16GB flash memory, microSD expansion, HTML browser, Google Android, 5MP autofocus camera, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Wi-Fi, and GPS. That slide-out QWERTY keyboard almost makes me think me think of an HTC, no?

If all the rumblings are to be believed, the Motorola Sholes/Shules will hit retail shelves this October for a price yet to be determined.

Source: BGR and PhoneArena

There are a number of BlackBerry devices, for example, that may be great for business, but do not have Wi-Fi. Instead, they rely solely on the availability of the wireless network and this just won’t do for some customers.

As such, Sprint has announced that it is now “embracing Wi-Fi in all its major devices going forward.” This way, you don’t have to worry as much when your signal cuts out, since you can still check your email from an available hotspot. It can also help to cut down on your wireless data costs.

Sprint isn’t the only company to make this promise. Verizon has also said that it will be doing the same, promising that future Blackerry devices after the Tour (like the Storm 2) will come with Wi-Fi.

Source: BGR

That is, if you are with Verizon. There was all sorts of confusion yesterday regarding BlackBerry Tour pre-orders with Verizon, but that has all been cleared up. They initially said that no pre-orders would be made available for existing customers, but VZW has changed their tune.

Now, the official Verizon product page is saying that “existing customers will be able to upgrade or purchase the BlackBerry Tour on this site very soon. Please check back with us tomorrow.” I guess you’re getting a quick gift of sorts just before ID4.

The Sprint side of things isn’t quite so chipper, however. According to the Sprint social media and interactive communications manager, you will not be able to put in a pre-order for the Tour at all. Instead, you’ll have to head over to your local Sprint store (or call them up the old fashioned way) if you want in on the Tour.

Source: BGR x2

Let’s start with Alltel Wireless, since they seem to be the wireless carrier getting the short end of the stick a lot of the time when it comes to new phones. Well, Chad and his buddies can have the BlackBerry 9630 Tour too. There’s no mention of date, but a $199.99 with contract price sounds likely.

On the Verizon Wireless side of the equation, it seems that an official announcement and launch page have been erected to welcome the BlackBerry Tour. According to this page, VZW will start selling the new phone on July 12th at a $199.99 with 2-year contract price point. They also remind you that Verizon is America’s largest and most reliable 3G network. Is that a shot at AT&T?

The interesting thing is that Verizon is giving a good option for the corporate enterprise market, since the Tour 9630 will be made available with an optional camera. If you work some place where cameraphones are a no-no, that’s a definite plus.

Sources: MobileCrunch and IntoMobile