Verizon's HTC Droid Eris Getting Android 2.0

In a move that should make the Eris an awesome holiday gift for any Verizon smartphone user this year, Verizon has confirmed that the Eris will get an upgrade to the Android 2.0 operating system in early 2010. This means that it'll also have the cool Google Maps Navigation that only the Motorola Droid currently sports. At $99, with a buy-one-get-one-free deal going on right now from Verizon, getting this phone appears to be a no-brainer headed into the holidays, especially if you want to get one for a friend or family member. The lack of Android 2.0 was one of CNET's only drawbacks when it came to reviewing the phone.

Consumer Reports Talks Cell Phones

In the January issue of Consumer Reports, the magazine gives some recommendations as to what cell phones they would recommend for each carrier. The iPhone, of course, gets their nod as the top smartphone on AT&T's network, while the HTC Touch Pro2 and BlackBerry Storm 9530 are picked for Verizon. I'm happy with their designation of the LG enV Touch as one of the best non-smartphones on Verizon. It has its issues, but so does every phone, and not every phone has such a great, roomy physical keyboard.

Verizon also was at the top of the list for customer service and satisfaction. Their number one complaint from their customers was the cost of their service, but I would imagine that may be due to a lack of other areas to complain about. Their data service, as I've mentioned many times before, is way above and beyond that of AT&T's. Speaking of AT&T, they don't rank second in service, but at the bottom with Sprint, behind T-Mobile. T-Mobile, however, is lagging behind when it comes to the network capabilities of the larger carriers.