Word is that the Verizon Wireless version of the Android packing HTC Hero (which may keep the HTC Hero moniker although this has not been confirmed) will see release sometime in November in time for the holiday season.

The image shows Eric Schmidt holding an actual Verizon version of the HTC Hero reports the BGR, and notes that there are a couple of hardware modifications, and one of those modifications is that the buttons below the display are apparently not physical but touch sensitive.

Apparently the guys have double confirmed this, and the Verizon HTC Hero, or under a different name, will drop sometime in November.