We want to take you on a quick tour of Android from a consumer perspective to help you better know the lay of the land, talk smack about iPhone/WebOS/Windows mobile at your next cocktail party, or even pick up a new smartphone to call your own. Here's a quick rundown of every Android device currently for sale on a US carrier, and a few that are expected in the coming months, led by John Walton, PhoneDog's resident Android Guru and Managing Editor of DroidDog.com, the place to go if you really want to get to know Android.

The Editors:

John Walton, PhoneDog Editor and Founder, DroidDog.com; Noah Kravitz, Editor-in-Chief, PhoneDog; Aaron Baker, News Editor, PhoneDog; Adriana Lee, Lifestyles Editor, PhoneDog

Special Guests:

David, Founder, TmoNews.com (for his T-Mobile expertise); John Edgar, Android Geek and Friend of the Dog

NOTE: We've broken this article into two parts for your ease of reading. Part One covers currently available Verizon and Sprint Android phones. Part Two covers available T-Mobile phones and upcoming Android devices already announced or strongly believed to be coming to the US market within the next several months.

NOTE: All prices are given as on contract/after rebate when bought direct from the carrier.

Verizon Motorola Droid ($199)

John Walton: Droid looks and feels like a high-end device and may be the poshest Android to date. I prefer to leave the hardware keyboard hidden and avoid that sliding mechanism altogether, but the display makes up for any complaints. Not to mention that this phone comes with the sure-to-be-a-smash Google Navigation and Android 2.0.

Noah Kravitz: My qualms with the lousy, awful, terrible keyboard aside, Droid is sleek, fast, and sports perhaps the best display on any mobile phone ever. It's also the only way to get Android 2.0 and Google Nav, which as John says are both pretty keen. I'd love to see Droid2 as a super thin, touch-only version of the same phone.

Aaron Baker: A 3.7-inch display, Android 2.0, and a great form factor make the Droid my favorite Android device this year.  Despite the keyboard and some battery life issues, the design appeals to business professionals (a group that Android needs to begin catering to) and media junkies.

Adriana Lee: Stunning display, yes. I could even see it in full daylight with the sun blasting my eyes. Okay, the keyboard isn't perfect, but as an iPhoner who'sbeen pining for a physical QWERTY, I'd rather have this than none at all. A bit too boxy for my taste (I prefer more rounded corners), but the excellent build quality is evident. And Android 2.0 rocks! Can't wait till all my favorite apps (like Layar) support it.

John Edgar: The metal, glass, display, weight, and feel all scream quality. Android is ready for prime time with version 2.0.  I have concerns about app compatibility and how fast apps will come online for use on Droid. App developers have only had the SDK for a few weeks. There was a 4 to 6 week lag in compatibility for some apps with Android 1.5.

HTC Hero: Sprint Hero ($179), Verizon Droid Eris ($99), Unlocked "European" GSM Hero (Price Varies)

JW: The European Hero swept me off my feet with its daring design and the debut of HTC's customized flavor of Android, Sense. Sprint's version may be lacking the retro-geek lines of the GSM version but it has all of the original Hero's grace - and then some - behind the screen. Sprint's Hero is a great introduction to HTC's custom UI, but Sense will be extra impressive on a more powerful phone.

NK: Hero has a leg up on Droid with a Web browser that does iPhone-style pinch-and-zoom, and HTC's custom widgets and apps. Despite Droid Eris' low price tag, Sprint's Hero is still the better value over the long haul of a two-year contract. But Droid Eris looks cooler all done up in black.

AB: While this is a "love or hate" thing, I much prefer the form factor of the Sprint Hero to the Droid Eris.  That being said, there will always be a group of people that prefer physical QWERTY keyboards to virtual keyboards, and I am one of those people.  Despite the inclusion of a physical QWERTY, HTC's Sense UI along with pinch and zoom capability make this device a winner.

AL: European Hero = serious win. Sprint's version? A little less so for me, re: the form factor. Yes, it has rounded corners, but the flat "buttons" at the bottom don't appeal to me. But I'll take it if it means I get to use Sense. As for Eris, I like the rubberized exterior, so this felt good in the hand. In both cases, I love the rollerball action, but I felt like the onscreen QWERTY keyboards were a little small and spaced close together.

JE: I am a Euro Hero fan. The feel of the white teflon coating on the hardware does so much for the tactile feel of the device. Personal belief is that a bad hard keyboard is better than no hard keyboard at all. I would not purchase Eris, when the Motorola Droid is available, and woudn't be swayed to Sprint's Hero when the European version is available. But that's just me.

Sprint Samsung Moment ($179)

JW: Moment is a powerful handset in disguise. The physical design leaves plenty to be desirerd in my book, but if you're looking for a capable, customizable Android with a hardware keyboard, then Moment is worth a look. Just be sure to thoroughly test drive that QWERTY.

NK: Moment's an interesting device that I want to like more than I really do. The AMOLED display is gorgeous, and the combination of a stock Android release and fast processor makes for a smooth ride through apps and Web browsing. But whoever designed the hard QWERTY board should be fired - the keys are okay but the layout makes no sense at all.

AB: I absolutely love the Moment's AMOLED display, fast 800 MHz processor, and roomy QWERTY keyboard.  Overall build, not so much.  Yes, there's a lot packed under the hood, but the Moment is a bit bulky.

AL: Fast and snappy. If function matters more than looks, then this handset might be up your alley. But for guys, this fattie of a phone isn't the most pocketable (and ladies, don't even think this will fit in your skinny purse). As for the keyboard, staggered keys and dedicated number rows are generally good, but not in this case. The "z" isn't where you expect it to be.

JE: This would be the phone I would choose from the current Sprint Android offerings based on sheer horsepower alone. That combined with a physical keyboard, albeit a quirky one, seals the deal for me. AMOLED is a huge plus. Not my ideal phone though, making it a device that would not get me me to sign on the dotted line with Sprint.

Continue on to Part Two: T-Mobile and upcoming Android phones.

Billed as one of the best Android devices to date, it appears that the HTC Hero may be experiencing a few text messaging issues.  Reported by several on the Sprint Community forums, the troubles range from occasional text messaging problems to not being able to receive any at all.  Users have reset the devices, exchanged, removed applications, and come up with various solutions, only to have the issue return after a certain period of time.  Some seem to be pinpointing the issue to task manager applications.

The text messaging bug seems to be affecting both the US and the UK, so it doesn't appear to be a Sprint-specific issue.  If we receive an official press release regarding the outages, we'll certainly let you know.  In the meantime, those using the Sprint-branded device can find the full thread here.

Source: Engadget Mobile

HTC has confirmed that a new build of Hero's ROM is on the way, and I'd heard tell from a few anonymous sources that the performance difference in the coming firmware will be very noticeable. Paul here basically just confirmed that for me - and you - on video. Now if only he could get rid of that high-pitched noise in the background before his next vid ;-)

More over at MoDaCo's Android section.

Tom, our noble leader and Top Dog, tipped us Editors off late last night to a forum post by which all other forum posts should be judged. So long as you're not a stickler for grammar and punctuation, that is ;-)

Seriously, PhoneDog reader "elserg" went above and beyond in outlining the happy dilemma facing Sprint customers this holiday season. With all of these super tricked out smartphones supposedly ready to launch, which one should he be hoping that Santa (or Hannukah Harry, or whoever) leaves under his pillow this year?

elserg does a really great job of running down the pros and cons of several current and rumored-to-be forthcoming Sprint smartphones: Palm Pre, HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Hero, and Samsung "Q." I'll ignore the headline I wrote for this post and let you read elserg's thoughts in their original format, instead of plagarizing them to include here. But I will run down a few highlights with a few follow-up comments of my own:

Palm Pre: Pretty much agree with elserg across the board. Palm and Sprint really need that app catalog to ramp up in a hurry already.

HTC Touch Pro2: TouchFlo 3D 2.6 has been leaked online and it looks even better than version 2.5. I totally agree that the "slide out tilting screen keyboard rocks."

HTC Hero: I'm 99% sure that the Sprint version will look different than the versions currently on the market in other countries. How? I don't know. But Sprint has a history of giving HTC phones cosmetic makeovers (remember last year's Touch Pro?), and I may have heard a rumor somewhere about this being in the works for when Hero drops on the Now Network. Hopefully they'll keep the sweet Teflon coating that elserg refers to. And, oh yeah, HTC is hard at work at a firmware update meant to make that Sense UI faster and smoother.  Good times!

Samsung Q: elserg gets it right when he says, "The biggest question here is what exactly is this?" He then references a few widespread rumors about Sprint's next high-end Sammy, namely Android, an AMOLED display, and HD video capabilities.  I actually think the "Q" he describes is two different devices: "Q" or "Instinct Q," running Android and "Instinct HD" with AMOLED and HD video capture/playback that runs a custom feature phone OS similar to the ones found on the current Instinct and Instinct s30.

elserg ends his post with a request aimed at me: "In addition if any of the phonedog staff is reading this, a dogfight between the touch pro and any of these phones would be great in helping people decide if the upgrade is worth the money or is it bettwer to wait for next year?"

Sounds like a plan, dude!  And thanks for the awesome post.

Click over to Redmond Pie for step by step install directions for your Jailbroken iPhone (only), or just sit back and watch the video goodness.

iPhone is not the best choice for certain users, but it is still my overall most-recommendable phone. Yes it lacks in obvious features that other smartphones take for granted (MMS and tethering in the US, anyone?), and yes Apple's App Store practices are under a harsh spotlight more than ever.  But the multitouch display is still killer, the iPod and App Store are still the best in the biz, and the addition of video capture, voice control, and up to 32 GB of onboard storage makes the 3GS the slightly evolved phone to beat.

1a. Apple iPhone 3G (AT&T)
Really it's the same thing but a little cheaper. Most people won't miss 3GS' speed bump and voice control that much. They might miss the camcorder and extra storage space, though.

2. HTC Hero (Unlocked)

Despite the fact that my Hero review unit was a bit laggy, it represents the near-term future of the Android platform. Integrated contacts and messaging, widgets galore, and multitouch performance that rivals Pre and iPhone - this is what Android should be. HTC is already optimizing Hero's performance, and no doubt is working on some Sprint-ified goodies for Hero's US debut, rumored to be planned for CTIA Fall in October.

3. Palm Pre (Sprint)

Pre would have taken the Number Two spot if only the App Catalog was a bit more filled out. Pre's multitouch screen and WebOS are astoundingly good. I'm so-so on the hardware and don't really care much for that tiny keyboard. But so what? The WebOS experience is nothing short of phenomenal. And there's a great Homebrew community churning out jailbreak-style apps. Now if only Palm could get the App Catalog humming and release a few more WebOS devices, they might be onto something.

4. BlackBerry Bold (AT&T)

I was tempted to give the new CDMA Tour the nod over Bold, but then realized that's because I'm tired of AT&T's lousy 3G service where I live, and not because of the phone itself. While brave new BlackBerry devices like Magnum and Storm 2 have recently made appearances in leaked photos, until they launch Bold is still King of (Blue)Berry Hill. The new Tours and Curves have higher-res displays, but Bold's mix of 3G, WiFi, and that gloriously comfy keyboard give it the edge.  Barely.

5. LG enV Touch (Verizon)

While I still think the dual-full sized display thing is silly overkill, enV Touch is so packed with features that most people won't miss - or notice - the fact that it's not a "smartphone." enV Touch's Web browser does HTML, tabs, 800 x 480 widescreen browsing and inline Flash video playback. The phone has a 3,5mm headphone jack and can play music in the background while you surf or text. LG's new user interface rivals all but the very best in terms of usability and style. And that full QWERTY board on the inside of the "horizontal flip" is a texter's delight. If you can live without advanced PC syncing and all of the user-installable apps that true smartphones afford, enV Touch will put all of the calling, messaging, emailing, browsing, listening, watching, and gaming you can handle in your pocket ... for just a little less coin than a smartphone would cost you.

Honorable Mention: Toshiba TG01, Nokia E75, BlackBerry Tour, Blackberry Curve 8900, Samsung Omnia 2, Samsung Omnia HD, Samsung Jet, HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Touch Diamond2 .. and several more that have been launched but aren't yet shipping!

According to said post - from which the above image comes - Sprint's readying both the Hero and the Samsung Q for launch on 10/11. While I'm not quite sure what the Q is, it does harken back to this Engadget Mobile post detailing the WiFi certification of the Samsung "Instinct Q," SPH-M900. "SPH" usually means "Sprint" in Samsung Model # lingo, so that would all make sense. Right?

Meanwhile, I've got it on pretty good rumorlicious authority that Sprint will pull their usual HTC smartphone routine by giving Hero a look all its own before it launches stateside. Judging from what they did with the Touch Pro, I'm guessing Sprint's changes to Hero will only be skin deep, but who really knows? Whatever the case, here's hoping that HTC and Sprint get Hero running a bit faster than my GSM review loaner runs before October: Hero's got a ton of potential but it's a wee bit laggy in its current form.

You've seen John's videos and read his full-length review, and now you're ready for another take - and yes, some dogfight videos - on HTC's new Flagship Android phone, the aptly named Hero. HTC sent us one Hero to test and review for a few weeks. John got it first since he's our resident Android expert, and went to the launch in London and all. But then I pulled rank and made him send it to me.

Hero arrived on my doorstep Saturday morning, and I've been using it as my personal phone for the past few days. My thoughts?

• Like John says, the virtual QWERTY is fantastic. Better than the stock Android keyboard by a long shot, and arguably better than iPhone's. Why? Two reasons: Multitouch and autocomplete. Multitouch makes two-thumbed typing much easier than G1/myTouch's single-touch system, and HTC's done a bang-up job of customizing the software that powers the keyboard and the autocomplete/correct system. I'm having some issues with accidentally hitting the period key when I'm reaching for the Space Bar with my right thumb, but in general I'm loving the virtual touch type experience on Hero, despite the fact that its screen is noticeably smaller than iPhone's.

• The Hardware is really nice. I like myTouch 3G because it's nice and light and plasticky in a fun, colorful way. I like Hero because it's solid and luxurious feeling without being overly heavy. The display is maybe a wee bit small for power users, but it also makes the device small enough overall for easy one-handed use.

• Multitouch display + trackball = awesome

• Yes, there's a lag. HTC's "Sense" UI is chock full of cool widgets, but the more I use the device the more widgets I'm turning off and deleting from the seven - count 'em, seven - home screens. The lag still persists. HTC says they're working on software optimizations to ease the slowness, and mine is not a retail unit. But still, it's too bad that the slowness detracts from the neato design and features running wild through Sense.

• Speaking of neato, the "People" app is super neato. Logging into a Google account pulls your calendar, contacts, and GMail info from the cloud like on any Android device, but Hero goes one better by linking to Facebook and Flickr accounts, too. I hate going to Facebook.com these days, but linking Hero to my FB account lets me see my friends' photo and status updates, and event info (like birthdays) in the context of my phone's address book. That's super cool.

• 3.5mm headphone jack FTW! Yeah, myTouch comes with a dongle, but I hate dongles. I loaded some music onto Hero's microSD card and plugged it into my car stereo and the aux jack of a radio in my house without the need for any adapters.

• Call quality is good.

• Web browsing is better on Hero than G1/myTouch because of multitouch. But the browser doesn't render quite as quickly as iPhone's browser does (they're both WebKit-based, hence the comparison). I'm trying to track down a Palm Pre for more comparisons.

• I absolutely hate the stock Android GMail app. HTC's included Mail app is better - it's like the Mail preview in TouchFlo 3D, but backed by a simple but effective full-on app.

• I'm having some issues with the phone losing my home WiFi network when it goes to sleep. I haven't yet investigated, but it's not a problem I've had with the myTouch 3G I'm currently testing.

• Hero's music player is pretty nice. Better than the stock Android player, and I like that I can control music play back via touchscreen controls when the rest of the display is still locked.

Alright, that's enough for now. Back to testing. Dogfights, full reviews, and all sorts of other stuff Hero and myTouch 3G coming soon. Stay tuned.