Android and Me

Rumor: Motorola Atrix and Xoom headed to Sprint 4G next month
LG G-Slate and G2x arriving in T-Mobile stores on April 20th
HTC Thunderbolt is finally available from Verizon

Rumor: Motorola Atrix and Xoom headed to Sprint 4G next month

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:29 PM PDT

Sprint made a big splash in the Android community when they launched the HTC EVO 4G last summer, but since that time we have yet to see another device that created the same level of buzz and excitement. Everyone was hoping that would change this year, but Sprint had a lackluster CES and their big media event to reveal the Kyocera Echo disappointed customers who were expecting a high-end device. Thankfully, we have now discovered that Sprint has multiple dual-core devices in the works. Check out the full rumor report after the break.

The Rumor

Next month Sprint will announce the Motorola Atrix smartphone (with lapdock) and Xoom tablet. Both devices will support Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network.

The Source

This tip came from a regular source who has provided accurate information on Sprint in the past. As with most people that hand over sensitive information, they wish to remain anonymous.

One Android Insider's take on the rumor

Last year we were the first to report on a secret Motorola device which we referred to as Terminator. It eventually landed on AT&T as the Atrix 4G, but our original sources said it would come to multiple carriers this year.

Motorola invested a lot of time and money on developing the Atrix 4G and lapdock, so we always believed it would come to as many carriers as possible. It sounds like AT&T had an exclusive period on the initial launch, but that must be expiring soon since Sprint is about to announce their version.

Verizon was always Motorola’s biggest Android customer, but increased competition from the new iPhone has forced Motorola to reach out to more customers to expand their sales. Sprint has only launched the Motorola i1, but it appears the two companies worked out a long term deal now that Motorola’s flagship products will appear on Sprint.

Announcing the two Motorola devices next month sounds a little weird since we have CTIA next week, but Sprint is expected to focus on the EVO 3D so that could be why they decided to space out the releases. Samsung is also announcing the Nexus S 4G for Sprint next week, so that’s another possible reason that the big Motorola unveiling got bumped to next month.

I believe the Atrix branding is owned by AT&T, so look for Sprint’s version to launch with a different name. The outer casing and design might be a little different, but it still needs to fit in the lapdock accessory so don’t expect anything too radically different.

Motorola owns the Xoom brand, but they were hit with a trademark lawsuit so Sprint’s version might also be marketed under a different name.

Everyone assumes that the EVO 3D will become Sprint’s flagship 4G phone, but the dual-core Snapdragon CPU from Qualcomm is untested and early performance benchmarks show that NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 could be faster.

If you are on Sprint, which dual-core phone would you choose? The HTC EVO 3D or the Motorola Atrix 4G?

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LG G-Slate and G2x arriving in T-Mobile stores on April 20th

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 11:19 AM PDT

Our friends at TmoNews are reporting T-Mobile will ship their highly anticipated G2x and G-Slate devices on April 20th. The official announcement has yet to occur, but T-Mobile is expected to reveal all the details next week at CTIA in Orlando.

The G-Slate will become T-Mobile’s first Honeycomb tablet and the G2x is the carrier’s first dual-core smartphone. Both devices will operate T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network, but we have yet to learn the exact speeds that each will support.

Staying true to the G-Series, both devices will ship with stock versions of Android. The G-Slate will run Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and the G2x will launch with Android 2.2 (FroYo).

Based on the comments from our last G2x article, it looks like T-Mobile has a winner on their hands. We have already seen quite a few dual-core phones featuring the Tegra 2 chip, but the G2x will be the first to offer a pure Google experience. We would have liked to see it ship with Android 2.3, but our sources tell us an over-the-air update will be available shortly after launch.

If you are on T-Mobile, let us know if you plan to pick up either device. What price points would you like to see from T-Mobile?

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HTC Thunderbolt is finally available from Verizon

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 07:27 AM PDT

We're pretty sure you already know, but the HTC Thunderbolt is now available from Verizon. With a two year contract, the Thunderbolt will set you back $249.99 and you will be forced to sign up for Verizon's 4G data plan with costs $29.99 a month. Without a contract, the HTC Thunderbolt is priced at $599.99 which may seem extremely reasonable compared to some of the rumors that were floating around.

If the $249 price point is a bit too steep, we encourage you to shop around a little. Amazon is offering the Thunderbolt for a mere $179.99 and Wirefly has the handset listed at $199.99 for anyone signing up for a new account or simply renewing their contract.

The hardware on the HTC Thunderbolt is nearly identical to the myTouch 4G and the HTC Inspire 4G which just launched on AT&T last month. But not all 4G phones are created equal. The HTC Thunderbolt is the first 4G LTE phone on Verizon's network and we can certainly vouch for Verizon's superior network speed and quality.

If you do happen to purchase the HTC Thunderbolt, be sure to let us know how you like it.

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