11/04, 12:45pm
Verizon to double ETFs for smartphones
Wireless provider Verizon is poised to double its Early Termination Fee (ETF) for contracts associated with smartphone devices. Leaked documents show that it will now cost $350 instead of $175 starting on November 15th if subscribers end their contracts immediately, although each month of the contract served will decrease that fee by $10. While it is not known which devices this new higher fee will apply to, it is likely to be all smartphones offered by Verizon, including BlackBerries and the upcoming Android-powered Droid from Motorola.
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11/03, 6:05pm
Verizon promises cheap Droid tethering
Verizon today noted that it plans to add a data tethering option for the Motorola Droid. A representative tells Gearlog that, regardless of the open nature of Android, the new smartphone will eventually support the same $15 Broadband Connect add-on plan as other devices and can share its 3G connection with others. The support should go live in early 2010 and will carry the same 5GB transfer cap as Verizon's regular tethering and 3G modem plans.
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11/03, 2:15pm
Verizon confirms Droid launch events
Verizon today confirmed and clarified rumors of a high profile launch for the Motorola Droid. Some of its retail stores will open at 8AM or as early as 7AM on November 6th to accommodate an anticipated rush of early customers. Only mall stores will open as usual.
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11/02, 5:20pm
Motorola Cliq now shipping at T-Mobile
As promised, T-Mobile on Monday announced the Motorola Cliq is now available at T-Mobile. The Cliq is the first Android-powered handset to use MOTOBLUR, a feature that brings e-mails, messages, status updates and other information from social networks to the home screen through streams. The Cliq also gets Wi-Fi and has a hardware slide-out QWERTY keyboard along with a 3.1-inch, 480x320 touchscreen.
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11/02, 5:15pm
Verizon adding 15 smartphones in 2 mths
A slip of new data today suggests Verizon may be planning a full assault on AT&T's command of the US smartphone market. One historically accurate contact for BGR says Verizon is watching its launch of the Motorola Droid very closely and, if successful, will accelerate smartphone launches it would have put off until early 2010. These would include particularly advanced devices like the Android-based HTC Dragon and Motorola Calgary, the former of which could launch on November 27th in place of the BlackBerry Curve2.
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11/02, 12:15pm
Citi urges selling Palm, RIM stock
Citigroup analyst Jim Suva today signaled a major rethink of its approach to cellphone shares by downgrading both Palm and Research in Motion stock to a "sell" recommendation. The about-face comes as a direct result of the Motorola Droid and a belief that the Android phone is a dark horse which will upset phones like the BlackBerry range or the Pre by upstaging them both at work and through sheer publicity.
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11/02, 9:15am
Moto Milestone due for Europe Nov. 9
Motorola today confirmed an international version of the Droid that should also be the first Android phone with multi-touch. The Milestone uses a virtually identical design with an 854x480 touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi but switches to GSM, EDGE and HSPA for basic calls, 2G and 3G respectively. It currently doesn't support US 3G bands but should be available through at least O2 Germany (PDF) for the equivalent of $596 without a contract but with a discount.
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10/31, 12:45am
Google insists Android 3rd-party only
Google tonight moved to quash rumors that it would make its own smartphone. The company's Android project president, Andy Rubin, says it would be unfair for Google to "compete with its customers" and that it remains dedicated to Android only as an operating system for outside hardware manufacturers. He adds that Google isn't particularly experienced at hardware design and that its influence on the T-Mobile G1's hardware design is more a negative than a positive.
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10/30, 11:55am
Verizon early openings to mimic iPhone hype
Verizon's launch of the Droid next week may involve a carefully orchestrated store opening, a source said late yesterday. Carrier stores will reportedly open at 6AM, or four hours early, to accommodate an expected rush of early buyers on November 6th. The Motorola Android phone is said by BGR be accompanied by the budget-minded Droid Eris at the same time.
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10/30, 9:45am
Phone sales to bounce back in fall
Apple in two years has pushed the iPhone up to 2.5 percent of the entire cellphone market, Strategy Analytics estimates. The company has roughly doubled its share from a year ago and now has half the share of established firms Motorola and Sony Ericsson, which have remained flat at five percent. Some of the gain is likely to have come at Nokia's expense, as it shrank to 37 percent share, its lowest since the start of 2007.
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10/29, 5:30pm
HTC Droid Eris images leak, specs confirmed
Press images of the upcoming HTC Droid Eris handset have been leaked on Thursday, revealing the final look of the device as well as confirming some of its specs. Also confirmed is the date of when it should hit store shelves, scheduled for November 6th, or around the same time as Motorola's Droid.
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10/29, 11:35am
Best Buy undercuts Verizon Droid pricing
Best Buy this morning scored a minor win by revealing that it will sell the Motorola Droid for $200 on contract, but without the $100 mail-in rebate that Verizon demands at its own stores. The retail chain adds that it will start taking pre-orders later today, just over a week before Verizon opens sales itself.
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10/29, 9:10am
Motorola set to recover following Q3
Motorola landed a crucial victory today with word of a profit for its summer quarter. The company bounced back from its year-ago $397 million loss to a $12 million profit for the same season this year. Its actual cellphones shipped fell sharply from 25.4 million phones to just 13.6 million but were offset by help from cost cuts as well as boosts in sales for its networking equipment and enterprise-class hardware.
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10/29, 8:30am
Sprint loses $478m cash, 135K customers
Sprint today reportedsignificant losses for its summer quarter. The carrier's net losses widened from $326 million a year ago to $478 million but were softened by losing a relatively modest 135,000 cellphone customers; the number is Sprint's smallest loss in customers in the past two years. It now has a total of 48.3 million subscribers and remains the third-largest provider, above T-Mobile but well below AT&T's 81.6 million.
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10/28, 4:15pm
Moto Droid ads to show in NYC heart
A leak today has revealed that Verizon plans to drive home its ad campaign for the Motorola Droid with a major promo in Times Square. Likely timed with the Android phone's launch next week, Verizon is said to be taking over the NASDAQ and Reuters billboards with promos that let visitors temporarily take control of the signs by giving them voice commands, mimicking Android 2.0's feature. A mockup for BGR suggests visitors will call a phone number and enter a queue until the ads are ready.
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10/28, 12:20pm
Google Maps Navigation official with 3D
Google today provided added details of the turn-by-turn mapping service found on the Motorola Droid. Google Maps Navigation adds many of the features that would normally exist in a dedicated GPS unit, such as a bird's-eye view and spoken directions, but takes advantage of Google's existing Maps features. Traffic is free in those areas where Google provides service, and Street View can show directions overlaid on top of in-location photos.
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10/28, 10:35am
Moto Droid carries Android 2, ships soon
Motorola today officially took the wraps from the Droid, its flagship Android phone and Verizon's primary challenger to the iPhone. The touchscreen slider is the first Android phone anywhere to use Android 2.0 and carries its new web browser, Exchange mail and other boosts. Notably, it also introduces a beta version of Google Maps Navigation, Google's first turn-by-turn app: the service uses voice commands to provide constant, spoken driving directions.
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10/27, 6:00pm
Verizon's Droid Eris to use old CPU
When it's unveiled, the HTC Droid Eris will be significantly less powerful than the Motorola Droid when it ships November 6th, a brief Tuesday leak says. Although cosmetically different, it should use the same 528MHz Qualcomm chip and Android 1.5 build as many of HTC's earlier Android phones, such as the Hero or T-Mobile myTouch 3G. A second HTC phone due later should address the speed gap, BGR adds.
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10/27, 1:55pm
Android 2 has new browser, multiple accounts
Google today at last provided full details for Android 2.0, its first major update to its mobile OS. The platform brings a much improved approach to mail that allows both for multiple accounts and native Microsoft Exchange support. The web browser has similarly been upgraded and is only the second HTML5-capable mobile browser outside of Safari; it further brings some of the earliest multi-touch support and recognizes double-tap zooms.
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10/26, 3:25pm
Verizon adds just 1.2m new users
Verizon today reported mixed results for its summer quarter and reiterated its invitation to Apple. The carrier said its operating revenue grew year-over-year by more than 10 percent to $27.3 billion but that its actual earnings per shared dropped a sharp 30.5 percent from 59 cents per share a year ago to 41 cents today, or $2.88 billion. Most of the growth came about from added cellphone and FiOS customers.
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10/26, 7:50am
BBerry Storm 2 and BB OS 5.0 for Verizon
After waiting nearly two weeks past the original launch, Verizon today unveiled its own version of the BlackBerry Storm2. Its version adds CDMA and EVDO Revision A for its own phone and 3G networks; quad-band GSM/EDGE and single-band 2,100MHz HSPA 3G give it roaming in most other areas. The US carrier also includes a 16GB microSDHC card in the box to put it more on par with the 16GB iPhone 3GS.
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10/25, 12:05pm
Even More Plus plans beat AT&T by $30
T-Mobile on Sunday quietly launched its Even More Plus plans in a bid to undermine rival US carriers. The plans provide a simpler and potentially less costly approach to phone service and scale linearly in voice minutes and data features: users pick from 500, 1,000 or unlimited US voice minutes and can add either unlimited messaging alone or messaging plus data. Prices as a result range from as little as $30 for voice only to $80 for an all-unlimited plan.
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10/24, 11:05am
2nd Moto Droid works with N. Amer. HSPA
An FCC filing discovered late Friday has confirmed that the Motorola Droid won't be limited only to a CDMA version. The US agency's tests show it running WCDMA, the foundation for HSPA-based 3G access, on the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands that are used both by AT&T in the US as well as Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada. Many Latin American carriers also use the standards.
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10/24, 12:30am
HTC Desire may show Nov. 6 as Droid Eris
The upcoming HTC Desire may become part of what Verizon considers an entire series of devices, multiple leaks tonight appear to confirm. Following a source speaking to Phone Scoop that says all Android-based phones at Verizon will carry the "Droid" name as a brand, gdgt has posted a page for the phone that suggests it will be called the Droid Eris based on the Greek goddess of discord and get an all-black color scheme not unlike the Motorola Droid. The phone is already known to be a touch-only model with a trackball as a backup control and should bring a 5-megapixel camera.
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10/23, 5:50pm
Moto Droid previewed well
Although not due to be unveiled until next week, Motorola's Droid stands to be Verizon's best phone to date, a preview finds. The first look at BGR characterizes it as one of the best Android devices to date, with high build quality, a fast processor with PowerVR graphics, good call quality and a long-lasting battery that can run for an entire day. Android 2.0 is also significantly more polished and brings a much improved browser and e-mail.
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10/23, 4:45pm
UN approves UCS universal cellphone charger
A new Universal Charging Solution (UCS) has been approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a division in the United Nations, according to a Thursday report. The energy efficient charger will be compatible with all cellphones regardless of make and model, with certain unnamed manufacturers already incorporating the standard into their products, the ITU says. Other than the energy savings, the new charger will also help eliminate waste as the charger can be retained as new phones are upgraded and older ones are thrown out.
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10/23, 3:40pm
Moto Zeppelin would be touch-only
Motorola's third known Android phone may be its first touchscreen-only and first regionalized Android device. A leak Friday points to a device known as the Zeppelin that, unlike the Cliq or Droid, would depend only on its 3.1-inch, 480x320 touchscreen for input but would have advantages primarily for Chinese users; it would have two SIM slots both for regular GSM as well as for China-native CDMA services that can use the removable cards. A look at the side also reveals that it may be the first Android phone with HDMI video out and likely a powerful graphics chipset as a result.
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10/22, 11:30pm
Moto Droid to use HTML5 web, 550MHz CPU
Motorola tonight inadvertently spoiled its own plans for the Droid by briefly posting a product page (since pulled) for the phone. While most of the features of the phone are already known, they confirm that its Android 2.0 build will include a full HTML5-capable web browser -- the first outside of Safari -- and will get Flash 10.1 support in early 2010. The specs also confirm a slightly faster than usual 550MHz processor and that a 16GB microSDHC card will be pre-installed.
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10/22, 4:15pm
Motorola Droid coming to Best Buy on Saturday?
The Motorola Droid smartphone, believed to be released on November 9th after an official unveiling on October 28th, may just get released on October 24th, according to leaked documents. The images of digital inventory screens from electronics retailer Best Buy clearly show an October 24th ship date, though they stop short of actually naming the handset.
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10/21, 5:45pm
Verizon pins down Moto Droid release
(Updated with unveiling date) Verizon today virtually confirmed its release date for the Motorola Droid by shipping a press pack with a date. A box, obtained by Gearlog and likely others, includes just a Star Wars R2D2 toy and a sheet that mentions November while pointing to Verizon's teaser page for the Android phone. The carrier has already alluded to a November release and in a separate invitation has promised a reveal on October 28th.
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10/21, 10:20am
HTC's main Android phone in tight supply
HTC's Android-based Hero is selling well enough that it's causing supply issues, the company's Asia Pacific VP Jack Tong revealed on Wednesday. Sales in the phone's initial Asia and European launch areas are described as "brisk" enough that demand has put a strain on HTC's production lines and won't see manufacturing catch up until November. The pace is expected to continue at least until early 2010.
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10/20, 6:10pm
Moto Calgary Verizon's third Android phone
Motorola's frequently rumored Calgary has been confirmed today through a leak of both images and details. Once thought to be the codename for what became the Droid, the Calgary is now known by BGR to be a second Motorola Android phone for Verizon and will use the MOTOBLUR social networking-centric interface from the Cliq instead of the stock Android 2.0 release on the Droid. The slip further reveals that the newly uncovered smartphone will have an optical trackpad as a backup to the touchscreen.
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10/19, 9:20am
Droid "most impressive" since iPhone
The Motorola Droid may have been designed by Google itself in what could be its best attempt to rival the iPhone, an early hands-on with the phone reveals. While Google has been known to provide input on Android devices like the T-Mobile G1, BGR now says the company had a "direct hand" in the Droid and virtually told Motorola what to build. The move suggests Google now wants a "halo" Android phone and is interested in competing more closely with Apple rather than relying on the platform alone.
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10/18, 1:45am
Verizon launches DroidDoes ad
As promised, Verizon tonight launched a commercial and a matching ad campaign, DroidDoes, that together attack the iPhone. The reveal (video available below) centers on the upcoming Motorola Droid and sets it up as the direct rival to Apple's hardware, offering exactly what its competitor is lacking: as an Android device, the Droid will have customized home screens, multitasking, open development and widgets. It also gets a hardware keyboard and a replaceable battery.
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10/16, 12:55pm
Verizon's Droid to carry next-gen Android
Motorola's Droid as well as Google's Android 2.0 hav been given a more definitive confirmation today with both a video (available below) and photos showing the two in action. The Android slider is seen to have a custom boot sequence that validates the "Droid" name and, more importantly, provides some of the first public details of the next-generation smartphone OS.
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10/15, 1:15pm
Google's front-lawn Android gets newest dessert
Google staffers have posted a video on YouTube (available below) that shows the delivery of a giant éclair to the company's California headquarters' front lawn, indicating the latest Android 2.0 update will be going live soon. The oversized éclair now sits beside other blown-up desserts, including a cupcake and donut that represent earlier updates to the open-source operating system, namely Android 1.5 and 1.6, respectively.
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10/14, 5:20pm
Leaked Motorola roadmap reveals upcoming phones
A leaked roadmap from Motorola may have detailed upcoming Android smartphones from the manufacturer. According to a Wednesday Dialaphone slip, the image shows a version of the Droid handset will ship early next year, but with a touchscreen only instead of carrying the Droid's QWERTY sliding keyboard. This handset is also expected to get an 8-megapixel camera rather than the imminent Droid's 5-megapixel shooter.
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10/12, 2:10pm
T-Mobile lets Sidekick user drop contract
(Update #2 with T-Mobile plans) T-Mobile may let Sidekick owners affected by the permanent data loss drop their contracts and move to other phones, one subscriber says today. At least one customer reports to Gizmodo that he has been offered an early exit from his contract as well as having the option of buying a T-Mobile G1 for the same $130 price new or eligible customers would pay. BlackBerries and other smartphone-class devices have also been made options.
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10/12, 12:40pm
Motorola Debut PTT slider arrives at Sprint
Wireless provider Sprint on Monday began shipping its first slider phone that supports its Nextel Direct Connect push-to-talk service, the Motorola Debut i856. The Debut lets users switch from an active push-to-talk call to an interconnect voice call with a dedicated button. The handset also has a built-in MP3 player with dedicated external music controls and a 3D Audio equalizer.
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10/09, 4:55pm
Verizon to get Open Dev-certified Android phone?
A third Android device, likely due out early next year, will be the first with the Google operating system that will be certified for Verizon's Open Development program, according to a Friday Unstrung report. This new device is unnamed but will join more than 30 wireless devices sold by independent vendors that can run on Verizon's CDMA network. Verizon's upcoming Android-based phones Desire and Droid, aren't part of that program and are locked to Verizon's network.
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10/09, 4:00pm
Project Black involves new phones, HSPA+
(Updated with talk of $50 unlimited plan) T-Mobile's mysterious Project Black may be a combination of the company's phones and a rapid expansion of its fastest 3G service, a quick follow-up source said Friday. Rather than center on a specific device or a plan, Black would on pushing T-Mobile's upcoming high-end phones, including the Behold II, Bold 2 and Cliq, and matching them with the quick deployment of its 21Mbps HSPA+ network throughout the US. The timetable and the specific plans are still unknown by BGR and others.
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10/08, 4:55pm
Motorola leaves LiMo Foundation board
Motorola has quit the LiMo Foundation, the mobile Linux group of which it was a founding member, according to a Thursday report. Christy Wyatt, the VP of software applications and ecosystems at Motorola, said on Tuesday she has given up the board of the foundation. The company will instead remain as an associate member and retain an active role as a contributing member.
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10/08, 11:00am
JD Power says iPhone tops, hurts normal phones
The iPhone today claimed an even larger edge in satisfaction versus its rivals in JD Power's second phone satisfaction study of 2009. Apple's smartphone climbed ten points from an earlier score to 811 out of 1,000 while its closest rival, LG, managed just a four-point increase to 776. The two were the only smartphone designers to score above the industry average.
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10/07, 8:20pm
Moto's upcoming entry-level Android handset
Electronista had a chance to stop by Motorola's booth at CTIA and take a closer look at the upcoming Cliq handset. The device is powered by the Android OS, with Motorola's own Motoblur user interface. The UI is designed to be widget-based, presenting additional features such as Facebook and Twitter in the same manner as basic phone functions. A virtual button reveals the entire range of apps, with a fairly long list pre-loaded.
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10/07, 1:05pm
T-Mobile shows upcoming handsets
On Wednesday, T-Mobile said it will soon release a number of new handsets, including a variation of the myTouch. Called the T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition, it will sport a wood-grain finish to mimic a guitar's look and adds a 3.5mm headset jack. The standard-issue 4GB microSD memory card is replaced by a 16GB version, and is preloaded with exclusive videos and audio from unspecified iconic musicians.
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10/06, 3:55pm
Motorola's DEXT due at Orange tomorrow
Orange UK on Tuesday said it would ship the Motorola DEXT tomorrow, October 7th. It was available for pre-order on September 22th at the carrier, and its release Wednesday should mark the worldwide debut of the Android-powered device.
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10/06, 2:00pm
HTC Desire and Moto Droid seen in shot
Verizon today inadvertently confirmed two of its planned Android phones in an image attached to its news of the event. The photo shows Google chief Eric Schmidt holding a previously unseen phone that represents the largely mysterious HTC Desire. It moreover reveals that the phone is likely a cosmetic redesign of the touchscreen-only Hero and that it will have the same Sense UI as the version found on other carriers.
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10/06, 10:30am
Verizon and Google in Android pact
Google and Verizon this morning struck a deal to bring Android phones to the cell carirer's network. The two say they will "co-develop" multiple phones designed by third-party hardware makers and expect to start launching Android-based phones within the next several weeks. They also plan to include both Google- and Verizon-made apps on the phones in question.
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10/05, 5:10pm
Motorola Droid due at Verizon on Oct. 30th?
Motorola's Android-powered Droid handset, also known as the Sholes and Tao, may arrive at wireless provider Verizon as soon as October 30th, according to a Verizon leak made public by a Monday BGR report. This date may just be the official unveiling of the device by Verizon, as it is believed to be coming out very late this year.
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10/02, 12:15pm
Acer next to use Android over Win Mobile
Acer is the next smartphone maker to move much of its attention away from Windows Mobile, sources within the field hinted today. Even though as recently as February it promised mostly Windows Mobile phones, DigiTimes has heard the company is now switching its attention to Google's Android and should ship "at least half" of its 2010 phones with the mostly open-source OS. The first Acer-made Android phone, the A1, is now estimated to ship in November.
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