The DROID ERIS by HTC debuts tomorrow on Verizon Wireless (November 6) for $99.99 on a 2-year service agreement.  The device features HTC’s Sense user interface which is currently available on the HTC Hero for Sprint.  Essentially the devices are identical in specs, but have slightly different designs.

The DROID Eris features a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen with trackball interface, 5-megapixel camera with autofocus (no flash) and comes bundled with a pre-installed 8GB microSD card (up to 16GB cards supported).  Bluetooth, WiFi b/g and a 3.5mm headphone jack are also included along with integrated GPS and a digital compass with a sensor that enables the phone to know what direction you are facing.  A Full HTML browser with Flash lite capabilities is also pre-installed and of course like all Android devices the DROID Eris by HTC features seamless compatibility with Google services like Google Maps, Gmail and Google Search.

Now the most popular question that has been asked surrounding the device is who should buy the DROID ERIS by HTC?  The Motorola DROID is leading the marketing blitz and it features a faster processor and arguably better performance along with the newer Android 2.0 OS.  On the other hand the DROID ERIS is half the price and based on early reviews, the keyboard on the Motorola DROID should not be a major advantage due to typing speed and size.  Without having the DROID ERIS to test, I can only assume that the performance will be on par with the Sprint HTC Hero, a device I thoroughly enjoyed despite many reviews claiming the phone to be laggy.  The real advantage to the DROID ERIS over the Motorola DROID really revolves around the Sense UI which brings a new twist on the simple and rather boring standard Android UI we’ve seen on the T-mobile G1 and myTouhc 3G.  The ideal consumer I see wanting the DROID ERIS instead of the Motorola DROID will be someone looking to save some money, not looking for a physical keyboard, enjoys the Sense UI and prefers a trackball over a direction pad.

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.

When you wake up tomorrow many of you will be on your way down to your local Verizon Wireless retail store to pick up the Motorola DRIOD for $199 on a 2-year service agreement.  However, if you were looking to save a little green and wanted to opt for a touchscreen-only alternative you might want to take a look at the DROID ERIS by HTC.  The DROID ERIS is the HTC Hero dressed in Verizon attire, but placed at a price point that makes it the cheapest Android-powered device available in the United States.  What also makes the DROID ERIS a worthy alternative to the Motorola DROID is that it features the Sense UI which brings 7 home screens and much more polished look over the standard Android Interface.

[via]

Verizon Wireless has begun in-house training for the the Droid Eris coming to carrier on November 6th.  A spy shot was taken from the training menu by a tipster over on AndroidGuys this morning so you can now consider the Droid Eris confirmed and also note the official device name, Droid Eris by HTC.  It looks like the Eris will take care of the low-end Android market while the Motorola Droid will hand the high end.  Now we just need the leaked images of the third Droid device (HTC HD2) and we will be on our way.

[via]