Android Community |
- HTC Thunderbolt Skype video support slips
- HTC Thunderbolt Price goes up at Best Buy
- ZDbox All-in-One Android Toolbox for Complete Non-Root Control [Mini-Review]
- Driver uses his Android phone to beat ticket
- ATRIX 4G Available at Radio Shack Aside $50 Trade-In Offers
- Android to get Pay Version of Angry Birds within a month
- BeeWi Android Controlled Mini Cooper RC Car Busts Out
- Advent Vega Dock now on sale: HDMI and USB
- Android Community Big Fat Android Toy Giveaway #1 WINNERS
- Motorola XOOM priced by Verizon: No big subsidies for first Honeycomb slate
- Toshiba updates AC100 to Android 2.2 with Flash Player support
- Motorola ATRIX 4G arrives on AT&T for $200
- Flash Player 10.2 for Motorola XOOM “within a few weeks”
- Motorola DroidX & Droid 2 get a fancy Gingerbread Port
- Motorola XOOM Street Egg Ad Released
- Motorola ATRIX 4G Laptop Dock Demo
- Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Demo
- Android Toy Series 2 Secret Figure #2 [SPOILER]
- VCast Music gets updated on Android
- Verizon fuels sales for Motorola Mobility
| HTC Thunderbolt Skype video support slips Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:42 AM PST The bad news continues to mount for the HTC Thunderbolt as word is getting around that video chat using Skype will not be available when the 4G phone reaches customers on February 28th. A leaked page from BestBuy.com shows Skype’s video chat feature will not be available as planned. But slipped dates are nothing new for this HTC Phone. As you recall from last week, it’s launch date slipped a week. So chances are, we’ll see Skype video calling down the road, but the question is, when?
We know that video chat can work on the Thunderbolt as Skype’s CEO demo’d it during CES, last month. But one factor that may be affecting it using the 4G network could be Skype merger with Qik, which was announced last month. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if software integration is taking longer than planned. It’ll probably eventually make it to the Thunderbolt, but if users can’t wait, they could try the hack we published last October for at least a 3G video chat. )
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| HTC Thunderbolt Price goes up at Best Buy Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:29 AM PST Bad news for Android fans hoping to pick up the HTC Thunderbolt at Best Buy. Last week, we reported Best Buy ad was listing the Thunderbolt at $249, but it seems that’s no longer the case. The latest ad, listed in Best Buy’s online buyer’s guide, now shows a $50 price increase to $299 on a two year contract with Verizon. With an unsubsidized price of $749 as well, are smartphones reaching a point where they’re just too expensive?
The Thunderbolt has been troubled with price issues, slipped release dates, failed Skype video chat support and even public wifi issues. But it’s not exactly motivating that this new 4G phone would be even more expensive than it was originally listed. Especially when Verizon gave it away just a week ago on for Valentine’s Day. So, will Android fans pony up the additional $50? Or will they move on to the Atrix, or even wait and see if there’s a 4G iPhone now that Apple’s come to Verizon? [via Droid Life]    )
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| ZDbox All-in-One Android Toolbox for Complete Non-Root Control [Mini-Review] Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:54 AM PST Although we’re obviously very much into hacking and the inside control of your device via the breaking apart of the systems set in place by the powers of the manufacturers and the carriers, sometimes it’s nice to see an app that’ll do all sorts of useful stuff for everyone, not just those with a working knowledge of how to break down and build up a phone from scrap. What the following app does is offer you an entire toolbox of functionality all in one place, from traffic info to app lock to do not disturb and more!
Generally also we’re a bit wary of all-in-one apps as they often scrimp on each function in order to keep the size of the whole smaller than it’d be with each single app. Here though, we’ve got a bit more confidence in the fellow who designed the setup. ZDbox offers you a completely lovely user interface with easy to read and control information and functions for your phone. Battery Info, Traffic Tracking, Do Not Disturb, App Lock, Task Killer, and App Manager are its main functions. This app is completely free and available via a thread created by the designer ikaola on XDA Developer Forums. This app is not entirely complete just yet, thustly the designer asks for your help in developing and tweaking if you’d be so kind. Head over to thread 963199 and see if its the kind of skateboard you’d like to ride. As our HTC Inspire 4G through AT&T has side-loading apps disabled, we decided to take a look at this app with ol’ reliable, that being our Samsung Continuum. On this phone the app is working perfectly, we can barely tell that it’s an app in development. In fact, we’re surprised the thing isn’t released in the Android Market right now for $.99. We’d buy it!            )
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| Driver uses his Android phone to beat ticket Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:27 AM PST A college student has used an app on his Android phone to beat a ticket in traffic court. Sahas Katta was pulled over by local police and given a speeding ticket for going 15 miles over the speed limit. Trouble is, Sahas, wasn’t speeding. But could he prove it? Then he remembered an app he had on this Motorola Droid that could provide the evidence.
Fortunately at the time, Sahas was running a great app from the Android Marketplace called GOOGLE TRACKS. This app uses the GPS and accelerometer in the Droid to measure distance traveled, average speed, average moving speed, and max speed. When he accessed the history tab, the Droid was able to show that Sahas was indeed traveling one mile under the speed limit, and not 15 over. He knew he had the officer dead to rights and decided to fight the ticket. In court, he produced his evidence and got the officer to admit that he hadn’t refreshed his radar gun training, nor when was the last time he had the radar gun properly calibrated. That was all the judge needed to pronounce Sahas “not guilty.”
I gotta get this app! [via SkatterTech] )
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| ATRIX 4G Available at Radio Shack Aside $50 Trade-In Offers Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:26 AM PST Radio Shack has entered the fray with the rest of the carriers showing off their stock of the brand new Motorola ATRIX 4G, offering it up at the low low price of $149.99 both online at select stores (aka most of the stores, but you never know!) They’ve also reminded us that they’ve got at least the Laptop Dock for utilizing the smartphone to the fullest, offering this up at $329.99 with the purchase of the ATRIX 4G smartphone, this being $150 less than you’d pay for the dock on its own.
This “Trade & Save” deal is happening February 20th through the 26th and features trade in deals for five popular Samsung phones, each of them offered at a pretty fresh deal when you consider the $50 bump-off. They are the Epic 4G $199.99, Captivate $99.99, Seek $149.99, Intercept $229.99, Galaxy S 4G $149.99, and even the Inspire 4G at it’s amazingly small price of $99.99 — each of these connected to a 2-year deal, of course. Each of these is bumped down a further $50 when you trade in a functional functional phone of your own. Rules on that:
Furthermore, Radio Shack is teasing us and you with a further instant “Trade & Save” upgrade credit next week that we assume will be similar to Best Buy’s similar Buyback program (featuring Ozzy and Bieber!) They’re just being totally ruthless in asking “which hot mobile devices will be eligible for next week’s deal?” Auugh! This is all part of Radio Shack’s “Fresh Phone February” which they note will continue through March 5th. )
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| Android to get Pay Version of Angry Birds within a month Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:54 AM PST Responding to a “tweet” from a fan about when a pay version of Angry Birds with no ads would be available on the Android Platform, @RobioMobile stated that they are putting the finishing touches on the popular mobile app game and it should be ready for Android within a month. It looks as if Rovio is working to time the new Android ad-free version with Angry Birds Rio, based the upcoming animated feature by Fox, which will be out March 22nd. That’s certainly good news for Angry Birds fans who need to destroy pigs wherever they go.
Made by the same filmmakers who created ICE AGE, RIO tells the story of a Macaw who’s the last of his kind and living in a pet store in Minnesota. When scientists discover another of his kind in South America, our hero is shipped south to let nature take it’s course. Angry Birds fans can unlock a special RIO Golden egg by finding the code in RIOs movie trailer commercial that premiered at the Super Bowl. Looks like Angry Birds and Android users are going to have a great Summer! [via Twitter] )
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| BeeWi Android Controlled Mini Cooper RC Car Busts Out Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:06 AM PST Having been kids ourselves at one time or another, we can definitely get more than one kick out of radio controlled cars. What BeeWi has done here is take a radio controlled car and upgrade it to the point where it’s not only controlled via Bluetooth, it’s controlled via Bluetooth with an Android app! Roll on through the city with your lovely black and white Mini Cooper toy car with only the waving of your phone if you wish, using your orientation sensor to steer.
This car is capable of being controlled either through intuitive motion control with your smartphone or otherwise Android-controlled device interface, OR you can choose to use touch-screen buttons. We’re not sure what kind of motor is inside the car, but they’re saying it’s “Super Fast!” The car itself only requires 3 AAA batteries, and the whole system is controlled with Android 2.1 and above or Nokia Symbian^3 & S60 3rd & 5th editions. Weird! Just turn your device on, click on the power button on the car, pair with Bluetooth, and you’re off! The Bluetooth chip you’ll be working with is Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, CSR BC4, this with a Class 2 range meaning it’s right around 15 meters at its furthest ability. With three AAA batteries in the car, you’re good for up to 3 hours of rocking and rolling. You can go forward and backward with 2 modes, plus left and right steering with the front wheels. The car is approximately L 179 mm x W 98 mm x H 74 mm, weighs right around 205 g, and is 1:20 scale of the real deal Mini Cooper. Take a look at the compatibility chart below in the gallery, then head over to BeeWi for more info on how you can make the car your own!        )
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| Advent Vega Dock now on sale: HDMI and USB Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:07 AM PST It’s taken a while, but the HDMI dock for the Advent Vega tablet has finally gone on sale. Priced at an eminently reasonable £29.99 from PC World, the dock recharges the Vega slate together with giving an HDMI output.
There’s also a trio of USB ports and a headphones/speakers output. The USBs will work with external storage or a wired keyboard/mouse, for easier control and text entry. Meanwhile, the Tegra 2 processor at the heart of the Vega will pump out 1080p HD to your TV.
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| Android Community Big Fat Android Toy Giveaway #1 WINNERS Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:02 AM PST All you awesome folks who entered our very first Android Toy Giveaway can now see if you’re one of the two lucky winners of the Second Series unopened boxes straight from Barcelona. This series is completely unreleased (at least in the overground market,) so this is the ONLY place you can currently grab one. People participating in this contest “proved” their fanhood of Android Community and the Android mobile OS in order to be entered, and lo and behold, we’ve got a couple of winners amongst us.
Before we continue, feel free to head back to the [original contest post] to see all the rules and regulations. NOW let’s get down to business. The first winner is…
@Papaiatis! Get in contact with us via chris@androidcommunity.com as fast as you can! You’ve got 24 hours until your deadline is up. Next, the second winner is…
@BathTile! We love the oddity in your name. You are one of two winners of this contest – get in contact with us asap via chris@androidcommunity.com for quickness in grabbing your prize. If you do not respond in 24 hours, we’re giving you prize to someone else! Now lets have a look at some of the odder entries into this contest in the gallery below. One of the choices you had for entering the contest was to submit a photo of yourself in one way or another showing how into Android you were. Our favorite is the fellow who altered his appearance in order to closer resemble the Android logo. Heck yeah man. Maybe we’ll have a costume contest in the future!            Also note that just because the contest is done doesn’t mean you can’t still join our Android Community Official Facebook or @Androids Twitter – for all your Android news delivered straight to your device, any way you choose! )
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| Motorola XOOM priced by Verizon: No big subsidies for first Honeycomb slate Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:25 AM PST Motorola’s XOOM tablet pricing has been confirmed, with Verizon announcing subsidized and unsubsidized figures ahead of the Honeycomb slate going on sale on Thursday this week. As of February 24, the XOOM will be $599.99 with a new, two-year agreement, or $799.99 with no agreement.
Data plans, meanwhile, will be priced from $20 per month for 1GB of access. The promised 4G LTE update is due to arrive sometime in Q2 at no charge, while Adobe Flash Player will also arrive “soon”. Adobe has already said Flash Player 10.2 for Honeycomb is coming within the next few weeks. Press Release: )
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| Toshiba updates AC100 to Android 2.2 with Flash Player support Posted: 22 Feb 2011 04:09 AM PST Toshiba’s Froyo update for the AC100 smartbook has been released, bringing Android 2.2 along with Flash Player 10.1 support to the Tegra 2 based ultraportable. Spotted by owner Steve Paine (of Carrypad fame), the 202MB update was pushed out this morning via Toshiba’s official software upgrade tool.
It replaces the Android 2.1 Eclair OS the AC100 launched with back in the second half of 2010, and will hopefully add up to a new turn of speed for the 10-inch ultraportable. Without a touchscreen, many of the original complaints about the AC100 will still stand, but at least it shows that Toshiba hasn’t forgotten completely about the device. [via SlashGear] )
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| Motorola ATRIX 4G arrives on AT&T for $200 Posted: 22 Feb 2011 12:34 AM PST The Motorola ATRIX 4G has gone on sale, with AT&T offering the Tegra 2 smartphone for $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement. The first Android device on sale in the US with a qHD resolution display, the ATRIX 4G can be paired with an optional Laptop Dock that turns it into a slick ultraportable notebook.
Want to know more about the ATRIX 4G? Check out the full Android Community review and then page over to the Laptop Dock review and HD Multimedia Dock review for the low-down on Motorola’s official accessories. )
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| Flash Player 10.2 for Motorola XOOM “within a few weeks” Posted: 22 Feb 2011 12:19 AM PST Verizon’s confirmation that the Motorola XOOM wouldn’t ship with Flash Player support was yesterday’s Honeycomb disappointment, but according to Adobe we shouldn’t have to wait too long. In a new post on the official Flash blog, Adobe’s Matt Rozen confirms that “Adobe will offer Flash Player 10.2 pre-installed on some tablets” together with “as an OTA download on others within a few weeks of Android 3 (Honeycomb) devices becoming available, the first of which is expected to be the Motorola Xoom.”
Considering the XOOM is expected to go on sale this coming Thursday, February 24, that suggests Flash Player 10.2 for Honeycomb is on course for a release in mid-March. A few weeks without the support, then, but nowhere near as long as iPad owners have been waiting. )
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| Motorola DroidX & Droid 2 get a fancy Gingerbread Port Posted: 21 Feb 2011 10:24 PM PST Just as I’m sure many of you like to do. We here at AC love to see all the great work the dev’s over at XDA Developers do. Today I have some news about a very nice Port for the Motorola DroidX and the Droid 2. Over in the forums they’ve built a nice Gingerbread Themed ROM using the SDK. So all you Big Red Moto users don’t have to wait for an Official Gingerbread OTA. Get your Gingerbread now.
Whats Even more exciting is you can add as much, or as little of the “MotoBlur” UI as you’d like. This is basically a stock Android 2.2.1 build that has been themed very well to look, act, & feel like Gingerbread. It looks great. If you’d like to know more or see how this port has came along you can read here where we told you about this Rom back in December when it was first getting off the ground. As always with flashing a Rom or any zip, be careful and do a nandroid backup first. They are lifesavers. I will mention the DX & Droid 2 are some of the easiest phones to brick so as always, Use caution. Installation Instructions:
-Uninstall updates to Market, Gmail, ADW Launcher, & Search if they’re there under Settings->Applications->Manage Applications first. Download Links: [via XDA Forums] — Thanks Dino! )
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| Motorola XOOM Street Egg Ad Released Posted: 21 Feb 2011 10:01 PM PST Holy crap this commercial is short and sweet. You know that Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet that’s about to come out to the world officially this Thursday? The one we’ve had our hands on a couple times, a couple different versions over the past few weeks, the one that Google worked directly with Motorola to optimize as a flagship tablet for their tablet-centric mobile OS? Well check it out, there’s an official advertisement out for it now, and it’s 16 seconds long. Insane.
This commercial features a fellow walking along a boardwalk with a surprisingly large amount of flashing lights of a couple different colors on boards that seem to serve no function but to make the area look futuristic and lovely. The man looks to his left, and what’s that?! Oh my goodness it’s three pistons holding aloft a Motorola XOOM American edition (black back) running Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The man walks up to this “Screens simulated” tablet, grabs ahold of it, and – AHH OH MY GOD IT’S EATING HIM IT’S EATING HIM ALIVE AHHHGH. Motorola notes the following about this tablet in the YouTube description: “Grab it, and it grabs you. The first tablet powered by Android 3.0.” Sounds like a terrifying adult-oriented object if you ask me. On the other hand, a device that sucks you into it the moment you lay a hand upon it does seem like an enticing offer. We’ve had our hands on this magical piece of machinery several times already and we CAN say with no hesitation that certainly there is some grabbing going on – have a look at the following posts to see what we mean: Motorola XOOM won't get Flash support until Spring 2011             )
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| Motorola ATRIX 4G Laptop Dock Demo Posted: 21 Feb 2011 09:03 PM PST So we’re at Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona, just minding our own business at one of the greener looking booths in the entire place, the NVIDIA booth, and what do we see? It’s an ATRIX 4G, and it’s attached to one of those lovely Laptop Docks. What do you know?! And there’s a fellow walking around just ready and rarin to go, with all the knowledge we needed for him to have to make a lovely video on the subject. Thusly we asked him if he had a minute to do such a video, and what do you know? He said yes. So let’s have a look, shall we?
What you’re about to witness is no less than a professional NVIDIA man showing us the official Laptop Dock for the brand spanking new Motorola ATRIX 4G. This demo has the interesting perspective of an NVIDIA man instead of a Motorola man (a Motorola man meaning the one we had demo for us the HD dock you’ll see at the end of this video.) Here we get a perspective on the laptop dock specifically, with again a nutshelled look at the phone itself. Discover the usefulness of having a laptop situation with your superphone, and see if it’s worth the $300 – $600 to you. And after you’ve had a peek, head back to the rest of the coverage we’ve got on this subject, the first item being a review of the very dock we’re talking about here: Motorola ATRIX 4G Laptop Dock Review. Next have a peek at the other side of the equation with a Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Demo and a full review of the thing as well: Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Review. Finish off that magical triad with a big fat full review of the whole shebang: Full Motorola ATRIX 4G Review. It doesn’t stop there then of course, the full experience continues with an ATRIX 4G Full System Dump Here and Now and a super effective Morotola ATRIX 4G Hands On and Unboxing. All you’ll ever need!              )
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| Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Demo Posted: 21 Feb 2011 08:46 PM PST We had the privilege of having a demo done for us at Mobile World Congress 2011 of the Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock for television, monitor, or whatever else you think you’d ever want to plug the thing into. The fellow here in the video below showed the device to us as if we’d never seen it before, a nice refresher, then plugged it into the HD dock which was attached to a USB keyboard and mouse and big fat HD monitor. From there the demo man speaks on the Linux-based desktop user interface you’ll be dealing with when you see your ATRIX 4G working in this sort of environment, and pops up some sweet functionality while he’s at it.
Why would we film such a thing, you must be asking? Why would we take the time to have a professional presenter such as this show us how it’s done when we’ve got our own demo unit at home? Because! We were at the Motorola booth, everything was bright red with lights and big fat monitors and shiny new demo units and heck, we had a few minutes before lunchtime anyway. So have a peek here at how the ATRIX 4G works with the HD dock, done by a dude who really seems to know exactly what he’s doing. Android into the future. And if you’re into the Motorola ATRIX 4G so much it makes you want to burst at the seams, have a look at the rest of the posts we’ve got going here. First, have a look at our Motorola ATRIX 4G HD Dock Review, then head on over to our Motorola ATRIX 4G Laptop Dock Review, then of course our Full Motorola ATRIX 4G Review. After that you’re going to want to see our Atrix 4G Full System Dump Here and Now and a bit of the ol’ Morotola ATRIX 4G Hands On and Unboxing. Have fun with it! )
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| Android Toy Series 2 Secret Figure #2 [SPOILER] Posted: 21 Feb 2011 04:08 PM PST I warn you again! Before you move forward in the reading of this post, I must tell you that the DYZ Plastic designer toy that you are about to lay eyes on is both super fantastically lovely to glance at and is extremely rare and sought after. And not only that, it’s super secret! Normally, you’d only be able to see this secret little man if you were a collector of these toys, very much like if you were collecting a bunch of baseball cards and had no idea what the special rookie gold card was – we’re spoiling it here!
Incase you did not know, we got our hands on a few of these little droids when we were in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress 2011 via Google. One of the Android toys we opened up happened to be secret Android #1. You can check that particular tasty treat in this post: Android Toy Series 2 Secret Figure #1 [SPOILER]. Then, let me remind you of a contest we’re still in the middle of tabulating, one where we’re giving away a couple more toys to lucky tweeters around the globe: Android Community Big Fat Android Toy Giveaway #1!. Then on to the good stuff. The following toy was not opened by us at all, nay! It was opened by a lucky Android enthusiast over at PointGPhone – a fellow by the name of sheps let us in on this one –
It’s a truck! Or rather it’s a different version of the more common green version of the droid you’re about to see. This is a little Android driving a big Android, the artist behind this character being the same as the figure by the name of “Racer,” Jeff Yaksick! What a name. Have a peek at this little guy below and hope for your own when the set comes out for real next month! [via PointGPhone] )
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| VCast Music gets updated on Android Posted: 21 Feb 2011 03:00 PM PST Verizon has updated it’s VCast Music service to offer DRM free music downloads for a song. The new update is available for Android smartphones running vs. 2.1 or higher. The massive update delivers full track songs, ringtones in one application with DRM free titles ranging from .69 cents to $1.29 per title and can be used on a computer or other MP3 copmatible device via the VCast Media Manager. All downloads are charged to users Verizon wireless bill.
What’s really interesting though is that customers can buy multiple formats of the same titles at a discounted price in select bundles. So instead of paying full price for your favorite song as an mp3, ringtone, etc. Users can buy the whole thing in a bundle and save. Customers can also manage a so-called “jukebox” of ringtones and cycle them in their messages so callers hear different tones each time they call. That’s rather cool. V CAST Music comes preloaded on select Android smartphones, and existing customers will be prompted to upgrade the next time they launch the app. )
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| Verizon fuels sales for Motorola Mobility Posted: 21 Feb 2011 02:10 PM PST Over a quarter of all of Motorola Mobility’s sales in 2010 went to Verizon Wireless showing how important the relationship to the Now network really is. According to Bloomberg, 28% of sales means a 15% steady increase since 2008. Second to Verizon was Sprint/Nextel with 13%. But what’s even more interesting will be how this year’s sales shake out with Verizon picking up the iPhone from Apple. And it’s something at the very forefront of Motorola’s minds as they stated in their annual filing that “the loss of, or a significant reduction in revenue from, one or more of these customers could have a negative impact on our business.”
Sanjay Jha is honest with the impact as sales of the iPhone to AT&T has triggered “some slowdown,” and as such, Motorola Mobility is doubling down on it’s Android product line. Jha seems to view the slow down is an opportunity and has set the goal of selling more models of Android phones than Verizon, AT&T and Sprint combined. It’s indeed a lofty goal and one that Wall Street seems to agree with. Shares of Motorola Mobilty rose .20 cents to $30.03 after the news broke. [via target Bloomberg] )
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