US network Verizon has become a rather mythical presence in the world of Windows Phone. It bypassed the majority of the second generation Windows phone 7.5 devices, leaving AT&T (and to a certain extent T-Mobile USA) to carry the flag. That all comes to an end today, as the red network of America brings two Windows Phone 8 devices to stores.

Two handsets are available from today, and both are specific variations on the standard models you might be used to.

The Nokia Lumia 822 is based around the Lumia 820, and the sharp eyed amongst you will spot the slight design changes on the case. As well as changes to the cellular radios to accommodate Verizon's network, the Lumia 822 is equipped with Corning's Gorilla Glass (as opposed to the 'scratch resistant' glass on the regular Lumia 820), 16GB of storage as opposed to 8GB on the 820, and 150mAh more capacity in the battery. The smartphone is $99 (including a $50 mail in rebate) with a two year contract.

HTC's Windows Phone 8X is also on sale. The big change here is the inclusion of Qi wireless charging in the handset, which is an exclusive tweak to the hardware. Initial cost of the handset is $199 with the requisite two year contract to cover the subsidy.

Both handsets can be ordered online, and should be in stores across the country.