HTC sent out a mysterious package apparently promising a 4G phone at CES with video calling, Google Android 2.2, and GPS, which may or may not be the rumored HTC thunderbolt for Verizon Wireless.


I got back to my desk today after a few days off to find a small white box from Waggener Edstrom, HTC's PR agency. It contained:
• A space about the right size for a large, slab-style smartphone
• A picture of an Android making a video call in Las Vegas
• A compass
• Four circular buttons with "G" on them in HTC's promotional font
• A "Froyo Lover" sticker
• A foam TV
• An Android figurine
Wrap that all together with recent rumors, and you see the promise of a 4G, Android 2.2-powered smartphone at CES. The most interesting aspect is the foam TV. I assume it means something dull, like carrier-provided video streaming or an HDMI output, but wouldn't it be great if the new HTC phone came with Mobile DTV or some other advanced form of access to many TV programs?
Now before you cry "HTC Thunderbolt," notice that the package didn't have any Verizon Wireless branding or colors on it, and the four Gs didn't include the magic letters "LTE." So this could be a teaser for a new smartphone for T-Mobile or Sprint, both of whom have networks that they brand as 4G.