Remember that HTC ThunderBolt ROM that leaked out a few days ago? Looks like Verizon’s getting ready to push it, as Android Central Forums member jim302 spotted that the release notes have been posted in the usual place and the build numbers match up. Here’s the changelog:

Rumors are always just rumors, but a current one flying around the Internet has an unnamed HTC sales manager outing a 4.3-inch successor to the HTC Sensation, with NFC capabilities, to hit in the third quarter of 2011.  Yes, a new phone will be better than an old phone — shocker — even though this particular old phone hasn’t even hit the shelves yet.

We’re gonna go out on a limb here and say this isn’t as good of a surprise as the news about Android 2.3.4 was but hey, a lot of folks get excited over contests and the chance to win a Samsung Nexus S is nothing to shake a stick at. You’ll have to an early riser to get in on this action though since the first puzzle began today. You’ll need to be following the @Googlenexus account on Twitter as well, be in an eligible country to win. Hit the source link for the full contest details and a listing countries and time zones.

As I’m sure most of you are aware of by now — Google today announced Android 2.3.4 would be rolling out for the Samsung Nexus S in the coming weeks. Luckily, we don’t have to sit around and wait for Google these days to get in the love. In fact, if you’re a Samsung Nexus S owner, you can hit the link below — download the update and install Android 2.3.4 manually. Here are your instructions:  

Looks like folks with rooted and hacked phones won’t have to wait very long to have a crack at the Android 2.3.4 update, as the code and the proprietary binaries (radio and GPU software) have already been pushed to the AOSP source tree.  Googler Jean-Baptiste Queru has sent out word via the Android Building Google group, and I’m sure the wires and tubes are on fire getting things downloaded.  At least they are here at Chez Jeri’.

Awesome day for Android users everywhere. With Google teasing surprises and then unleashing Android 2.3.4 with video chat, we’ve got a lot to be happy about today. Plus, according to Google — that wasn’t really the biggest surprise they have coming. We’ve got the Android Central podcast tonight to talk about it all but until then  – hop into the forums to discuss some more Android news.

That little surprise that Google’s been teasing us with is now official — Android 2.3.4 will indeed support video chat for the Nexus S. And that’s a good thing, ’cause we’ve been loving it on Android 3.0 and our tablets. Looks like it’ll work the same way on our phones. And Google says it’ll also be coming to Gingerbread (Android 2.3 and up) devices later. And what’s more — it’ll work over 3G as well as Wifi.