There are certain phones that seem to have the uncanny ability to unite a fabulous cross section of carriers across North America, and these two are clearly headed in that direction. Telus way up there in Canada has launched the Motorola Q9c and announced the eventual availability of the BlackBerry Curve 8330, giving it a power pack of smartphones embraced by a good number of CDMA cousins to the south. Both devices offer EV-DO data and Bluetooth; the Curve offers up GPS and a 2 megapixel camera, while the Windows Mobile 6-based Q9c makes do with a 1.3 megapixel sensor -- but offers the key bonus of being available immediately for $149.99 CAD on a three-year deal. No release date or pricing for the Curve has been announced.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Motorola Q9c
Read - BlackBerry Curve

Well, here are three that we didn't see coming or anything -- Verizon has officially announced the Motorola Q9c, LG enV(2), and HTC-sourced XV6900 today, all for April availability. The Moto Q9c is a more business-savvy version of the consumer-focused Q9m that was launched on Verizon late last year, with the carrier playing up the new model's VZ Navigator support, Windows Mobile 6 Standard load (yippee?), and -- unfortunately for those whose companies distrust photography -- a 1.3 megapixel camera. This one will launch for $249.99 after rebate on a two-year plan.

Next up we have the enV(2) -- a phone we mistakenly identified previously as the enV2 because we just never could've seen those bonus parenthesis coming -- which succeeds the wildly popular enV and injects a fresh dose of industrial design. Features include a 2 megapixel cam, 2.4 inch internal display accompanied by a smaller screen up front that's just big enough for doing calling duty, microSD slot, and the flip-up QWERTY keyboard the enV series is famous for. It'll run $129.99 after rebate on contract when it launches next month.

Finally, the XV6900 brings Verizon in line with Sprint's Touch, though in a far paler shade. It features the full host of Windows Mobile 6 Professional goodies alongside a 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, 256MB of ROM, 128MB of RAM, Bluetooth, and HTC's TouchFLO interface. Like the others, it's slated for April availability and will run $349.99 on contract after $50 rebate.

Read - Motorola Q9c
Read - LG enV(2)
Read - Verizon XV6900

We've gotten the inside track on a few dates on Verizon's radar for the next few months, and it looks like the boys and girls in red are prepping an interesting mix of exclusive and Sprint catch-ups to keep customers fat and happy. As handsets go, the Motorola Q9c is planned for April along with the TouchFLO-powered XV6900, LG enV2, and the CDMA rendition of the BlackBerry Curve (so much for exclusivity clauses on this one, it seems), while the Samsung Glyde is currently slated for late April or early May. Centro fans will be happy to hear that the diminutive Garnet phone will finally hit Verizon following Sprint and AT&T launches in the tail end of May or the beginning of June, followed shortly by the Nokia 6205, which apparently isn't either the 2505 or 7205 unless one of those flips have been renumbered.

As technology goes, Verizon looks to launch EV-DO Rev. A-based push-to-talk services -- Sprint folks will know this as Qualcomm's QChat -- toward the end of May. We've also caught wind of something called "Verizon Hub," which we're told will go head-to-head with T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home service. It's not known whether this'll be a WiFi setup (a la HotSpot@Home) or adopt Sprint's CDMA femtocell strategy, but seeing how Verizon and Sprint seem to be endlessly engaged in a game of cat and mouse, we wouldn't be surprised to see 'em go with femtocells. We don't have a date on Hub just yet, but it's targeting the second half of the year at the earliest.

Update: Commenters are noting that Verizon's do-all FiOS phone bares the "Verizon Hub" name, though it doesn't go head-to-head with HotSpot@Home -- and the Hub we're referring to is showing up on Verizon Wireless roadmaps. Weird. We'll keep a close eye on this one.

It's been a rough couple months for Motorola's handset division -- rumors of a sale, two high-profile executive departures, layoffs, and that pathetic showing at Mobile World Congress -- but today it looks like the company might have some tricks left up its sleeve for CTIA. We're not sure where it came from, but this supposed marketing video popped up on YouTube with shots of several new handsets, all of which jive with rumors we've heard about Moto's upcoming devices, like the Linux-based Ming 2 and the 5 megapixel cameraphone developed with Kodak (pictured above). Other notables are a Q variant running Windows Mobile 6.1 and an odd new music slider that could be the ROKR E10. Of course, none of this is official (and Moto did release a hype-laden video just before MWC only to fall totally flat), but we'd be lying if we said we weren't hoping to see Moto try and come back around at CTIA -- we'll see what happens. Video after the break.

[Via Unwired View]

We're delighted to report that the Q-Ball name didn't stick around very long for the upcoming Samsung U940 on Verizon; it's now the far more reasonable-sounding "Glyde" (truth be told, it was probably an internal codename all along, but we're issuing a hearty "whew!" nonetheless). The high-end QWERTY handset is currently targeted for late March; we all know how internal launch dates go, but we're trying to stay positive with this one. On a somewhat unrelated note, it turns out that the Motorola Q9c -- a more buttoned-up form of the Q9m, currently available on Sprint -- is still in Verizon's sights, though at this point, the darned thing is running the risk of launching itself right into irrelevancy.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

We know for a fact that there are Q9s in existence with WiFi under hood -- that much isn't in dispute (it may be impossible to actually purchase such a Q9 from a carrier at this point, but that's another story altogether). What's new to us, though, is the concept that existing Q9s in the field can somehow be magically tweaked to rock WiFi too. A Canadian phone repair firm is claiming that it can add WiFi to your Rogers Q9h for a mere $80 CAD (about $80) without giving much detail on exactly how the procedure goes down -- all we know is that you've got to ship your piece in. Oh, and AT&T, Verizon, and other brands of Q9s need not apply at this point. Yet another reason to sign up with Rogers, eh?

[Thanks, Zimgrad]

Man, that goofy Moto Q9 over Boy Genius Report is just the gift that keeps on giving -- now we've got a five and a half minute video walkthrough of WinMo 6.1, showing off all the new features, including long-awaited threaded text messaging and new "Vista" theme, which looks pretty slick in action. No sense in talking about it when the whole vid is waiting after the break, get to it!

So this weird Motorola Q9 that Boy Genius Report came across is turning into quite a gold mine. First it revealed AT&T's apparent intention to let its guard down just a tad and start bringing more devices into the WiFi fold -- despite the obvious risk to data revenue -- and now it turns out that she's dressed to the nines with none other than Windows Mobile 6.1. A fleeting glance at most of the screens doesn't indicate any obvious changes from 6 (it is a .1 release, after all), but the devil's in the details: goodies like threaded SMS (Yahtzee!) and cut-and-freaking-paste on Standard (double Yahtzee!) alone should make it a worthwhile upgrade. 'Course, it's up to the carriers and manufacturers as usual to ultimately decide whether to push updates to existing devices, but it would be pure, unadulterated torture if the lion's share of devices didn't see official releases. Seriously, we'd cry.

AT&T has a long, storied history of shunning WiFi on the lion's share of its smartphones in an effort to corral folks into picking up a hearty helping of its own HSDPA instead (much to the chagrin of many a BlackJack, N75, and Curve owner, may we add). Not only is an unlimited data package a significant additional expense, but coverage is still spotty at best -- and don't no one want to do serious internettin' over EDGE. Times may be a-changin', though; Boy Genius Report has somehow managed to unearth, of all things, an AT&T-branded Motorola Q9 with WiFi on board. With the Tilt reppin' AT&T's WiFi-equipped offerings in the WM6 Professional range, it only stands to reason that there should be some WiFi kit down in the WM6 Standard arena, too, so we hope this thing makes it to production. Any Q9 owners feeling a little twinge of regret right about now?

Remember that weird Motorola Q2 on Sprint's holiday promotion site featuring a Palm screen of all things? The tasty thought of Palm OS inside a Q shell was debunked pretty quickly thanks to a glance at the supposed Q2's spec sheet, and sure enough, Sprint has now updated the site with a hastily Photoshopped Windows Mobile screen replacing the Palm one. Oh, and it's now the Q9c, which we kinda expected, since we know the Q9c has a date on Sprint any day now. The detail view for the phone still shows it as the Q2, but we're pretty sure it's just another error in this comedy-filled Flash app Sprint has thrown together to send the mobile blogging world into a tizzy for a few days.

[Thanks, mattemer]

Using and loving Windows Mobile isn't always sunshine and roses -- sometimes your favorite carrier doesn't carry the phone you're looking for, sometimes your manufacturer doesn't release the WM6 upgrade in a timely fashion, sometimes the next-gen platform arrives years later than you'd hoped. But every once in a while, all the stars align just right. This is just such a week for Rogers, which is starting to get real with the Motorola Q9h (though it's not for sale just yet) and has finally released a Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for its own version of the HTC Excalibur, the s621. The only question, then, is just when can we get that Kaiser, Rogers?

[Via Mobile In Canada and Smartphone Thoughts]

Read - Motorola Q9h
Read - HTC s621 Windows Mobile 6 upgrade

Boy Genius Report is reporting (which makes sense, since it's the Boy Genius Report, after all) that Rogers is gearing up for some sort of huge Windows Mobile push. Of course, to push Windows Mobile, you need some hot hardware -- the Motorola Q9h and HTC Kaiser, to be exact. Promotional stuff has apparently been spotted bearing both devices, with the Q9h launching any minute now for $249.99 on a three-year agreement. No word on Kaiser pricing yet, but we'd imagine it would go for a touch more. How's that HSDPA rollout coming along, Rogers?

We've just been tipped on a fresh roadmap for AT&T's fall launches, and goodness, there's a little something for everyone in here! Note that these are order dates, subject to change -- not necessarily in-store dates -- so your mileage may vary trying to grab these devices on the dates you see here. First up, LG rolls out the CG180 and CU515 "Chiwoo" on October 2. Nokia adds another color for the 6555 on October 11, red, which we think will suite it quite nicely. Speaking of new colors, Sony Ericsson brings a black version of the W580i on October 9. The Pantech Duo -- a device we suspect many folks are getting fired up over -- should hit on the same day. From Motorola, the Q9 Global becomes orderable just a few days from now, September 25, alongside the Tilt from HTC. UTStarcom outs the AMOI-sourced 5700 on October 9, giving folks a low cost (albeit non-3G) Windows Mobile option. RIM gets busy with the Curve 8310 on October 4, effectively sunsetting the original 8300 by adding GPS into the mix. On the data modem side, Sierra and Option will both be contributing HSUPA devices in October. Let's hear it for speedy uploads! Follow the break for the full roadmap.

[Thanks, Superman]

Call it the q9, the Q9h, the Q9 global, whatever, but AT&T's apparently going by the "Q Global" moniker (properly capitalized, no less!) for Motorola's latest QWERTY smartphone when it goes on sale shortly. The carrier has thrown up a teaser site to help hold over the throngs of impatient masses who hoped the darned thing would've launched by now -- particular considering it was announced long before Verizon's version -- though no mention of an actual launch date is made in the verbiage. With any luck the October rumor will stick, but for now, a submission of your email address into some AT&T database will have to do.

[Via phoneArena]

These are all devices we know folks have been waiting for, so we're delighted to finally hear some whipsers that launch windows are being put in place. First up, the AT&T Tilt -- alias 8925, alias Kaiser -- is rumored to be priced at $299 on a two-year or $374 on a one-year agreement. The Pantech Duo, which Amazon jumped the gun on over the weekend, will be launching for $199 on a two-year, which makes the Amazon pricing a bargain already. The Nokia 6555 "Inferno" gets priced at $49.99 on contract -- a steal for a sharp lookin' 3G flip, we figure. Last but not least, the Motorola Q9 global finally materializes for a cool $299, putting it head to head with the Tilt. All four of these are supposedly scheduled for shipment to stores on October 1, making for a very interesting month. Everyone know which of the four they're choosing yet?

[Thanks, Amy K.]