The official start of the holiday shopping season begins Friday, and all of the major U.S. carriers are rolling out their shiny new wares. Indeed, Verizon Wireless today rounded out its lineup with the launch of the Samsung Omnia II. The following guide is a look at the major handsets the Tier 1 operators are pushing this season, and includes each device's main features as well as its positioning in the market. A few caveats: This list is by no means exhaustive, and focuses only on the major smartphones that each carrier is selling. (Smartphone growth has taken off this year, and operators are heavily promoting these data-capable devices for the holidays.) Enjoy! Special feature