At Fortune's Brainstorm: Tech conference, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse declined to discuss Palm Pre results, but talked about the carrier's plans to add a device based on Google's Android OS.

Sprint reportedly will roll out at least one Android handset before the end of the year, according to Mr. Hesse. He said that while the operating system wasn't "ready for prime time" when the T-Mobile G1 with Google first came out, he believes that it is now.

Mr. Hesse also said that most of the speculation surrounding the results for the Palm Pre are wrong, but declined to discuss specifics until Sprint releases its third quarter earnings report, which should happen any day now.

The Sprint executive did say that there have been shortages of Pre devices at Sprint stores, but that Sprint won't be able to classify the Pre as a success or failure for four or five months from now.

According to various media reports, while Mr. Hesse didn't specify which OEM would manufacture the smartphone, there has been speculation that the carrier could tap Motorola.

Mr. Hesse said that he was "cautiously optimistic" about Motorola's ability to bounce back.

The first Motorola phones based on Android are expected to come out this year.

Sprint's newly aggresive Palm Pre campaign leaves no doubt that it wants skin in the Apple iPhone game (see story).

Apple's iPhone has become a sort of benchmark for applications on phones. So do new guys like Palm have a chance against Apple? (see story).

Sprint has taken a step that may change the mobile commerce landscape. The wireless carrier's new Samsung Exclaim is going to be preloaded with the ScanLife 2D bar code application (see story).

Denny Strigl, chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless, during a conference call discussing the company's second-quarter results, revealed that the carrier will soon offer the Palm Pre, currently only available on Sprint.

Verizon Wireless also has plans to make mobile a part of its "triple play" offering.