Early reviewers, at technology Web sites Engadget and Gizmodo and others, appear extremely impressed with Verizon’s new Android-based smartphone – the HTC Droid Incredible, which has now become available for pre-orders.

For all online orders placed before 4 p. m. local time by April 28, the new HTC Droid Incredible - which will cost $200 with a two-year Verizon contract – will be delivered on April 29.

The handset is receiving rave early reviews largely because it apparently is a noteworthy combination of the Verizon network and the phone’s greatly appealing features, which include – a 3.7-inch capacitive display; Google Android 2.1 OS; HTC Sense user interface; fast 1GHz Snapdragon processor; 8-megapixel camera; and built-in 8GB memory expandable up to 32 GB.

With the Incredible being considered the latest handset that can challenge the iPhone, Engadget’s Joshua Topulsky said: “All in all, the Incredible looks and feels like a modern, sophisticated smartphone with a lot of that masculine edge that Motorola imparted to the Droid along with the curvy smoothness the Droid Eris sports.”

Meanwhile, noting that the HTC Incredible is a ‘must-buy’ smartphone for Verizon subscribers, Gizmodo’s Matt Buchanan has recommends the handset chiefly because of its notably fast speed, and the much-hyped HTC Sense UI which is being seen as an improvement over the regular Android interface.