Another rumor came to a close Wednesday after Verizon revealed the Enlighten. A form of budget sequel to the Ally, the QWERTY keyboard slider carries a faster 800MHz processor and ships with Android 2.3 from the start. Most of the cost trimming comes from the 3.2-inch, 320×480 display and a 3.2-megapixel autofocusing camera.
The phone can still make a 3G hotspot for up to five devices as long as subscribers have a tethering data plan. Verizon supplies the phone with a 2GB microSD card for the brunt of storage.
Pricing is the key for the Enlighten, which costs $80 on a contract, albeit only after a $50 mail-in rebate or online discount. Stores will start carrying the Enlighten on September 29.