Those placing bets on when Sprint would add a Google Android smartphone to its collection can now either collect their winnings or start guarding kneecaps; the wireless carrier has just announced it will begin carrying the HTC Hero next month.

Priced at $179 with a two-year service agreement and rebates, the Sprint HTC Hero features a 528MHz Qualcomm CPU, EV-DO support, a 3.2” touchscreen display, 512MB of onboard storage, a microSDHC flash memory card slot, aGPS, a 5MP camera and 802.11g Wi-Fi.

Unlike the HTC Hero we’ve been seeing in other parts of the world, Sprint’s version (HTC Hero 200) lacks the jutting mouthpiece area, the so-called “chin.”

Source: Sprint HTC Hero Press Release

Product Information Page: Sprint HTC Hero 200