Best Verizon Android device

[oldpueblo]

I'm considering moving to Android but I have a short amount of time to make this decision and I won't be able to do a lot of research (my current phone is dying fast). I'm looking for which Android device with Verizon only is considered the best based on flexibility and keyboard. For example:

Android phone 1 has a good hardware keyboard but it's not very popular and may not get future OS releases and die sooner than the others.

Android phone 2 has no hardware keyboard, but the screen is large enough to make it not too hard to adapt, and it has fancy widget Y that is a must have!

Android phone 3 has Motorola Blur and it's total shit compared to HTC Sense (I have no idea, example)

Basically in the windows mobile world nothing held a candle to the TP2 in terms of flexibility, ROM support, etc. I want that equivalent in Android. If someone figures out some new hack that's awesome, I don't want to be on the Android device that it won't be coded for. Or maybe that's not the way Android ROMs work? So please post your opinions or facts, but try to keep it based on good information and not fanboyism or justifying your own purchase. Which is the best overall that you can't go wrong?